One Year of Progress

The next day Lydia showed up and immediately asked Kayn what he did and how exactly he had healed his cut without using the spell properly.

He explained that after reading the spell, he understood and analyzed how it wanted the mana to flow through the body as well as the effect it would have on the wound, but he thought of a better idea.

Instead of performing the spell as intended, he pictured the mana in his body flowing from his dantian where the mana core should form, which is right around the diaphragm. 

Utilizing this, he concentrated on the mana flowing from there through his body and into his arm to congregate at the wound site. Then, since he knew that it was all-attributed mana, he utilized it to pull broken skin together and stimulate the new skin that would form there to mend everything together. Though he didn't exactly mention he knew he was stimulating cell growth and thus expediting the wound healing process.

"So, you controlled the mana to follow a similar path to the spell, but used it to mend the skin rather than isolate the light element out of the mana as the spell does to heal it. Phenomenal, control instead of manipulation that uses the all-attributed mana in the body without isolation of elements, not even I had thought of that.

"From now on, I will teach you all I know of the different elements and their healing arts as well as provide you with basic spells up to tier 2 for these elements. Anything tier 3 and above your parents must purchase from me separately from the mentorship costs. From this day on, you will call me Master, not teacher or professor. Healing is an art form, not something you just learn and regurgitate. Do I make myself clear?"

Lydia was doing her best to keep her excitement in check and act sternly. She would actually be teaching him more than what she had taught to anyone else in the past, just to see how far he could go. 

Even though he was young, his idea could be applied to some of her current research and she didn't want to miss the opportunity to further her own progress due to her pride or position.

"Yes Master, I look forward to your teachings." Kayn bowed with his hands cupped as he said this, taking the lesson straight from his etiquette teachings.

…

A year had passed since Kayn started his lessons with Lydia, aside from his newfound joy in martial arts, all of his time was spent studying what Lydia taught him.

Kayn never thought of himself as a masochist, but he would often wound himself to test his theories. Once Lydia discovered what he was doing, she banned him from the practice, stating it wouldn't be good for his mental health in the long run.

From that point on, Kayn would only rarely do it and ensure that there was no evidence that could be spotted the next day. He had no other way to test his theories other than that, and experimenting on himself was easier than waiting for an accident to happen in which he was injured.

He knew that due to his peculiar race he should have certain elemental affinities, but he was determined to be able to use any and all elements since they are all useful in one way or another.

Kayn practiced daily trying to isolate specific elements from the all-attributed mana in his body. Once he was somewhat successful, he then determined the uses each element had in the body. However, he did notice that the effects of certain elements had stronger effects. He assumed these would be the elements he had higher affinities with.

Kayn was ecstatic that he could use any element he wanted, albeit not freely and only within his own body, but he was determined to form his core when he was older by drawing upon all the elements. He knew that his main affinities would be what really determined his power in the end, but being able to utilize them all at or above tier 0 for cantrips would allow for him to have a more diverse expertise and repertoire. 

Kayn had already decided he wanted to be a healer as his power grew. However, he knew he needed strength and fighting prowess to defend from his mother's pursuers, so he also trained his body to the limit every day to get used to different movements and martial arts he would be able to mix with his spells later.

He trained with any weapon available to him to get a general proficiency for them all, but he was only 8, so there was only so much he could learn with some weapons. For example, his body was just too small and didn't have enough strength to wield a greatsword appropriately without injury.

He discovered that he preferred two short swords, long knives, or daggers due to their versatility and being able to wield them both with a regular grip or reverse grip. But this could also be attributed to the ease of use for his size, he would probably change his style as he grew in size and strength.

Without being able to form a mana core, his body would not gain the benefits of mana and the evolution caused by it, so he could only wield and practice with the natural properties of his unique body.

Having high proficiencies for strength and agility, Kayn was able to adjust some of his martial arts to suit his body while he wielded two swords. He found joy in discovering new movements, and while he did fail and got injured on occasion, his healing lessons would then be put into practice.

Kayn couldn't heal most injuries, and healing his minor wounds would most of the time knock him out, but his motto became practice makes perfect. The more he trained in his forms and applied different healing theories, the better he would do later on when he had access to his own mana.

He could also feel that something was happening with his mind, but he wasn't sure what. It felt like it was expanding and growing faster the more he studied, but he didn't want to ask his master about it in the case she thought he was crazy, as he wasn't so sure himself.

…

It was around this time that Lydia had approached Zerana to ask her permission to take Kayn along on a short trip. She wanted to take Kayn to her home village that she visits once a year to assist the local healer there. It was a smaller village, but most of the surrounding villages also went there for healing since theirs didn't have a healer.

"Lydia, I know you want Kayn to have practical experiences in his teachings, but you know why I don't allow him to leave the house or it's premises. My husband has many enemies and they would love the opportunity to get to him through his children.

"Clementine is safe since she is at the academy, but can you alone protect my son against these enemies? A village at most has peak stage 1 mages or swordsmen as their guards, while the enemies my husband has eclipse even into the later parts of the 4th and even the 5th stage.

"I don't doubt your talent in healing since you are a 4th stage healer, but how often do you apply fighting to your style?

"I know that core stages can sometimes be surpassed with talent and luck, but talent mostly just indicates amount of control they have and understanding of mana flow. Can you honestly tell me you can fight off a mage or magic warrior in the higher stages?"

Lydia looked down at her shoes as she felt awkward, as if she was being scolded by her own mother, but determination rose in her since she wanted to provide this opportunity to her disciple.

"Zerana, I will hire guards for us through the adventurer's guild. I will ask for a minimum of one person at the 4th stage and none below a 3rd stage. My old team will most likely help us and they are all in either the 3rd or 4th stage as well. Vena should be in the middle or high phase of the 4th stage by now, so she will be a great asset.

"We would only leave after they have all assembled and are ready to depart. My village is to the northwest, so it is on the opposite side of the Inmortuae Empire and toward the Mancean Empire so it should be safe. As you know, infiltrating that deep into our empire isn't possible for a large group of undead or cursed."

Zerana could only sigh as she knew she was just being overprotective.  Kayn had been begging to get out of the house for years, but she had never allowed him to.

If he was protected by multiple individuals in the middle stages, he should be more than fine. It would be highly unlikely a high stage individual would be able to infiltrate that deep into the empire without being noticed, even with taking back routes and forests. Not to mention it wasn't like Kayn's existence was well known outside of their house.

"Fine, I agree to your request. Please, just keep my son safe. Kayn and Clementine are my world, plus Ezekiel would most likely start the next major war if it was ever proven any other empire or kingdom had something to do with injuring his children."

Lydia could only vehemently nod at that statement as that was the last thing she wanted to happen. Thus, Kayn was told about his trip and his excitement shot through the roof.

'My first adventure in this new life! Not to mention I'll be able to put all the effort from this last year into practical use and help other people.' 

Only then realizing most of the practical use he wanted required a mana core. 'Well maybe I can help people…anyway, I can't wait!' Kayn thought to himself as soon as he was told.

It took another month for Lydia's old party members to get together, and they also had a few others from the adventurer's guild who accepted her escort request. Once they all gathered in the small town near the Vestarius estate, it was time to set off towards the village of Corsa.