[Chapter:12][The basics of magic(2)]

'Magic, before anything else, what I need is mana. And one can get mana through two ways, absorb it from the atmosphere, or…generate it within themselves.'

'Of the two method, the first is what every single magician that has even the slightest bit of accomplishments chooses. Simple because the amount of mana that a person can generate is ridiculously low. To the point where even a spell as simple as lightning a candle would require over 9 hours of constant mana generation to cast.'

'But…I don't think there mana in my world. So I don't really have a choice.'

I sighed as I read through the times before me.

'Oh well, the hard way it is then.'

Memorising everything didn't take too long, and after double checking and triple checking I didn't get anything wrong, for magic is as dangerous an affair for beginners as it is for experts, I take on a typical meditating posture, cross legged with my back straight and my hands together, my palms one below the other and facing up right before my naval.

'Strange posture…but whatever.'

Then, I follow the book's instructions to try to 'sense' the mana in the atmosphere. After all, even if I must choose the hard way, nothings stopping me from getting acquainted with mana using the east way first.

Alas, sensing mana is a very difficult thing to do when you have no master, and I can't exactly ask Rias-chan since her body automatically converts mana into Demonic Power. Guess I'll just have to…

Ok?

My thoughts come to a crashing halt as I 'saw' the specks and flows and waves of light surrounding me.

'This…mana? But how? I barely started…it hasn't even been 10 seconds! Even the most talented magician Merlin was said to have taken a whole day! And the very next confirmed record is a month and two weeks!'

My eyes widened in shock. Even as calm as I usually am, I couldn't help but be surprised.

But surprise didn't stop me from taking advantage of my situation, however. The first time one senses mana, is usually a fluke for most. The second time would in fact be harder than the first. But the first time is also the most important, for it 'confirms' for the magician that he or she is indeed capable of using magic.

Any person is capable of using magic. But magic depends on our belief. If one doesn't believe in oneself, if one doesn't 'will' the mana within them to follow one's calculations and equations, they wouldn't be able to cast even the simplest of magic. Thus, to a beginning magician, the first time they come into contact with mana is also the most important.

Because once they do, they will believe without doubt and with all their heart that they are, indeed, capable of becoming magicians as well. The last trace of doubt, the final hesitation, every thought and emotion that might have become bigger and bigger till it crippled their ability to use magic, disappears.

Just like it happened now for me.

In an instant, I felt the world much, much clearer. And I don't ,San that figuratively. No, as I dwell into the beautiful sight of the ever present mana in the world, my 'vision' kept getting clearer, wider, more vibrant.

At this point, I was practically going in blind. After all, none of this was mentioned in the books. No magician had ever been capable of 'seeing' mana like I was. And I doubt, even if one did, they would be able to sense 'all' mana within their surroundings.

From pure, unadulterated mana, to mana of a specific attribute, mana converted into Demonic Power, even faint traces of holy power, from Akeno-chan no doubt…

'Alright, let's not get too hasty. First and foremost, myself.'

I still hadn't forgotten my goal. Although I could for whatever reason 'see' mana now, it didn't change the fact that I still couldn't influence it. And it also didn't change the fact that I would have to rely on the mana I generated, and not the mana in the world, as I wouldn't be able to stay in this one forever.

'Myself…my body…imagine my body, my soul…the pitiable amounts of mana within me…'

Every person, regardless of race, age, sex, or talent, would hold mana within them. The moment I, from a world most likely devoid of mana, appeared in this one, my body would have also subconsciously absorbed faint traces of it.

Now all I had to do was find it. Since I hadn't been in this world for long, it will be a little hard, as finding a minuscule amount of mana within a world full of it is…

…

…

Ok, maybe not minuscule.

'The hell?'

Looking at the mana within 'me', the mana that belonged to 'me', 'my mana', and whichever words one might use to describe, all I felt was speechlessness.

'What's with the quantity? Doesn't one's innate mana depend on talent? I expected a speck or two since I just came to this world yesterday…'

Looking at the, for lack of better word, 'ocean' of mana that swirled and rumbled within my body, I felt absolutely dumbfounded. One's talent, or to be more precise, one's affinity with mana, how adaptable one's body and soul are with mana, is what determines their innate mana. And it is also typically taken as a measure of talent.

If you have little mana inside you, it means your body and soul aren't really capable of absorbing much mana, that your body and soul aren't able to adapt to subconsciously absorbing mana, which also means that, one, the total amount of mana you absorb actively would always fall short to those more talented than you, and two, even when in an idle state, the amount of mana you recover from your body and soul naturally absorbing it from the surroundings would be lower than those more talented than you.

Having a smaller capacity and a slower rate of recovery…if that isn't called less talented, what else is?

Now, all of this is written in clear words and font in the books I read. And not just in one of them. Innate talent is mentioned in all the 47 books. Yes, I managed to finish 47 books with around 800 pages each in more or less 13 hours. Not really a big deal. Moving on!

Since the amount of mana a person's body and soul subconsciously absorb throughout their non-supernatural life, in proportion to their age, is considered their talent…

And considering, also, that the literal ocean of mana within me, which is constantly increasing even now as what appeared to be rivers and torrents of mana from the outside flowed into me non-stop, is what changed within me in just the past few 16 hours alone, from the moment I came to this world to now…

…

…

…

Just how talented am I?