WHAT! I Have To Kill Heaven's Son To Live!-Chapter 144: Forming Mana Core (1)

Mortal World – Qinghe City, Night

The soft creak of a bed sounded as Reon slowly stirred awake.

He blinked, adjusting to the warm golden hue of the lantern-lit room, and stretched his limbs with a satisfying pop of his knuckles.

"That was... surprisingly restful," he thought, rolling his shoulders. "Haven’t had proper sleep in days back at the sect."

His gaze shifted to the window, where moonlight seeped through the half-drawn curtains. Rising, he walked over and gently parted them.

From the second floor of the inn, he could see the quiet courtyard below glowing with scattered lanterns, while neighboring houses and shops lined the street beyond.

"Already night, huh? I wanted to check out Qinghe City, but I guess it’ll have to wait till morning."

He sighed softly, leaning against the wooden frame.

"Should’ve booked a room on the fourth floor. The view would’ve been perfect... but then again, those are reserved for Nobles and VIPs."

Just as the thought passed, a sharp knock echoed against the door.

Knock.

Knock.

Reon turned, alert but calm. He approached the door and opened it slightly.

A young woman in simple innkeeper attire stood outside, carrying a covered tray.

She bowed slightly.

"Sir, your dinner is here." Her voice was polite and composed.

"Thanks. Just place it on the table," Reon replied, stepping aside.

The woman nodded, entered silently, and laid the tray neatly on the table before giving another courteous bow and leaving without another word.

As the door closed with a quiet click, Reon turned toward the tray, the faint aroma wafting through the room.

"Smells good..." he muttered, walking over.

He uncovered the dishes one by one. Steam curled up from freshly cooked rice, golden-browned tofu, and a glistening cut of fish.

"Fish, tofu, and rice... looks simple."

He headed to the washbasin in the corner, rinsed his hands and splashed cool water on his face.

Then, drying off, he returned to the table and picked up his chopsticks, ready to eat. freёwebnoѵel.com

The first bite brought a subtle surprise.

"Wait... this fish tastes almost like beef. What kind of fish is this?" He chewed thoughtfully.

"Not bad, though. Definitely not something I’ve had on Earth."

Still, a flicker of dissatisfaction crossed his mind.

"Fifty silvers a day, and this is the dinner they serve? I was expecting something more refined."

He shook his head, brushing the thought away as hunger took over.

"Whatever. Food is food. At least it’s warm and filling."

With that, he immersed himself in the meal, savoring each bite under the dim light of the lanterns.

The quiet hum of the city outside was barely audible, like a distant lullaby.

Once full, he gently pushed the tray aside, stood, and walked to the center of the room.

"I need to focus on myself right now—absorbing the Spirit Stone and forming my Mana Core," Reon thought.

Taking a deep breath, he sank into a cross-legged position on the wooden floor, his eyes gleaming faintly with anticipation.

"This is it—the step toward becoming a true mage. I can’t delay it any longer."

He took another deep breath, calming his thoughts.

"First, the Mana Core. That’s the foundation of Magic. Once it’s complete..."

His lips curled into a faint smile. "Magic—I’ll finally be able to use real magic."

He recalled the contents of the Basic Magic Guidebook, a thick tome he’d received from the system as reward.

The Mana Core.

Unlike the modern mage’s Mana Heart, which is formed by layering Mana around the heart itself, the Mana Core is an ancient construct—built deep in the lower abdomen, much like the Initial Core of cultivators.

It served the same purpose as a Mana Heart, yet functioned differently in subtle but significant ways.

In essence, both structures absorb ambient mana from nature and supply it to the Mana Circles, fueling the creation of spells.

But the difference lay in their behavior during and after that supply.

The Mana Heart, once the circles were full, continued to draw in and store some excess mana—serving as both reservoir and regulator.

In contrast, the Mana Core, once it charged the circles, would go dormant until the mana was completely expended.

A pause.

A vulnerability.

That flaw made modern mages turn away from the Mana Core, branding it "inefficient" in battle—where a single moment, a single breath of mana, could mean life or death.

"I agree with them—to an extent," Reon admitted quietly. "If I had the choice, I definitely would’ve built a Mana Heart."

"But I’m not building it like an ordinary mage. I’m not layering it over my heart. That wouldn’t sync with my body— but my constitution is different."

"I’ll forge my Mana Core within it—within the very essence of my unique constitution, where an entire Inner Universe exists.

And in that universe... everything obeys my will."

But there was undeniably a unique advantage that only the Mana Core could provide.

While it lacked the reservoir ability of a Mana Heart, its absorption and recovery speed—especially when Mana Circles were completely depleted—was far superior.

In contrast, Mana Heart users rely on specialized Mana Breathing Techniques to offset it’s slower recovery and absorption rates.

His gaze sharpened.

"Even if my Mana Core can’t store surplus mana, I will still have my Initial Core brimming with Spiritual Qi.

When my mana runs dry, I can convert Spiritual Qi to fill the gap. Besides, with my Mana Core, my mana recovery will outpace most mages anyway."

He pressed his hand gently on his abdomen, where the core would form.

Drawing in a steady breath, Reon murmured,

"Let’s begin."

Reon’s eyes slowly drifted shut as his breath steadied, each inhale and exhale melting the tension from his body.

A serene stillness settled over him like a silken veil.

"To build a Mana Core, the first step is to stabilize the body and mind."

He recalled the words from the Basic Magic Guide Book. But he didn’t just remember them—he lived them now.

This wasn’t ordinary meditation. This was deeper.

A ritual of alignment—where body, spirit, and consciousness must fall into perfect harmony, becoming a vessel worthy of power.

"Let go of all emotion. Cast away desire. Empty the mind."

New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on free(w)ebnovel(.)com