Chapter 62 Cheating Death - Consequences (Part 6)

Thinking for a long time, the taller mare finally spoke, “I can guide you most of the way. Once we are close enough, I will leave. That is the most I can do for you.” she stated matter of factly.

As she left the cave, Daichi followed and at the mouth of the cave he couldn’t help but gaze at that spot in the far off cliff. Thinking of her for a moment, he shook his head wondering how his mind could wander at such a time.

Steeling himself, he began to stretch his body. Mentally preparing himself to die if that was what was necessary.

Feeling ready, he nodded at the mare as she began running into the forest.

As Daichi began to run behind the mare, trying to keep up with her pace and find a certain rhythm in his steps. Daichi matched her while slowing her down. Getting into a pace that was neither fast nor slow, Daichi was jogging at a pace of his own. One in which he was confident he could match without losing too much energy or tiring out.

As he jogged he began to think about what he would do if Tael didn’t keep his word. If he was stronger than the bull spawn then as of now there was nothing much he could do to him.

Feeling helpless was not something that Daichi could accept, instead he thought about what he’d just put to use and how the bulls had nullified his attack.

If his main attacks wrecked havoc on an opponent’s mana pool. Then it was clear that his attack had to get into contact with their internal mana. He’d never fought another creature with a large mana pool or one greater than his own so his previous experience had been an utter fail.

Now that he’d gained a little extra insight, Daichi considered the numerous ways in how his attack could have been nullified. If the flames they emitted were due to mana being ignited in the atmosphere then his attack chaotic wave would have come into contact with those flames and only made them rage out of control.

That seemed to make perfect sense to Daichi but only raised further concerns. If everything he’d come to suspect was indeed true…

That means I’ve barely begun to start to understand mana. It means I have participating in all of these fights like a complete novice. I’ve been playing around, with my life on the line thinking I was in control. I was so wrong.

There were so many situations that I thought were a risk, but how could I have known how true that was?

These divine bulls could have killed me with ease, but how many more creatures could I have run into that could have done the same?

Thinking about his mana, what the bull spawns had likely done to stop his attack from taking effect, Daichi wondered what other methods would be possible.

Using external mana…With sufficient mana manipulation and control, I could theoretically gather enough of it and will it into a thin film to surround my entire body to protect myself from an outside attack.

I could also use mana, my own and have it explode outwards some how. If I did that then I could have that mana come into contact with an attack before it hits me. The same could be done with an explosive mana drawn from the atmosphere like those flames.

Daichi ran behind the taller mare as his body followed by his mind was focused on the mana wonderful uses for mana. As he continued to run and think, it became even easier for him to think of the many methods he could use mana effectively if he had the ability and understanding not only offensively but also defensively.

Daichi pondered how many of these methods would be helpful in the short term. Daichi’s mana manipulation had grown more refined over the past few days, but he wondered whether would it be enough to implement any of these new theories.

Eventually his thoughts wandered back to those flames. Those bull spawns had entranced him with their wonderful flames. Something about them had left him breathless, not due to fear but out of inane curiosity towards them.

Daichi realized he had to discover the secret behind why they were so transcendent. It was now on his list of priorities. In the meantime, as he ran forward his pace and breath even. Daichi decided on taking it one step at a time, and his next step would be using the flames in a similar way as the bull spawns had done. He would try to figure out to cause flames to erupt around him, leaving him unscathed but creating a defensive barrier for him.

As he thought back to the amount of effort that his small flame on his palm had caused him, he knew he still didn’t have the technique or ability to do it yet… But it was the perfect goal to aim for. It was something that was ingrained in his mind after seeing it, and something he had the feeling he could do with some time and effort.

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