"STOP IGNORING ME, YOU FOOL."
Valerie shouted down the library aisle.
"Be quiet."
The librarian snapped.
"Im sorry, Ms."
Valerie bowed her head, chastened.
Levi sighed.
"Please stop following me, man."
Valerie crossed her arms.
"No. I'm not. I'm gonna help you with what I know. Buttttt I need to know what the Captain likes."
"No thanks. I can do this on my own."
Valerie stomped a foot.
"Nye nye nye, I'm still gonna do this."
Levi scanned the shelves.
"You really won't stop, huh."
He pulled out a book titled How to Get Rid of Imbalance of Mana 101.
"How idiotic of a title,"
Levi muttered as he flipped pages.
"Useful,"
he added, reading aloud a line that made him freeze.
'If you are an idiot with two mana colors for example red and black and they clash because the idiot never balanced them and focused only on swordsmanship, then disaster follows.'
Levi slammed the book shut.
"What the f###, why am I being called out,"
he hissed.
The book snapped open on the same page as if it disagreed.
"No matter if you close me, I'm the only one who can help you fix your mana before you get yourself killed."
"Oh wow. How rude."
"Have you been speaking to yourself for a while?"
"Have you gone crazy?"
"You're not even senile yet."
Valerie said, aghast.
"Shush,"
Levi said, holding up a hand.
"Leave me alone. I don't know what the Captain likes."
The book's words scrambled and reformed into a new sentence.
"Do you want to be helped or not? Just say it."
"I want to be helped."
The book flared and burned into ash, then reformed into a strange, hovering tome that only Levi seemed to notice.
"Okay, I hate having to scramble the words just for you to understand,"
the book grumbled.
"I'll say this simply. I'll teach you how to calm the storm in your mana."
"Wait a damn minute what the fuck? how?!Even I never had that much. Well, past aside."
The book circled Levi like an annoyed bird.
"Now looking at you properly you also have a stigmata. What type of Goddess gives everything to one person?"
The book burst into tiny flames and then suddenly stamped out, embarrassed.
"AAAA. I'M SORRY. I WON'T INSULT YOU AGAIN."
"Can you just start teaching?"
Levi said, impatient.
"Be patient, man. I'm trying to find a way to teach it. You're not the bookworm type."
"I am, but okay."
"Stop the cap,"
the book laughed.
"Mana fuses to the body and stores wherever it likes heart, stomach, veins wherever."
"But you have it all. You're a prospect mage, maybe more. You might surpass even me. Now it'll be fun to experime- I mean teach you."
"I'll ignore that part since you'll teach me,"
Levi said.
"Hello??? Are you crazy? You've been talking to yourself. You won't answer, huh."
Valerie slapped him.
"Ouch. Mind your own business and try to help me balance my mana."
Levi snapped.
"Just ignore the fine madame."
the book said. "Mana, as I said, chooses anywhere to fit."
*Because your mana chose to fit everywhere, you're a walking destruction machine if you know how to control it."
"Have you tried using it before?"
"I did earlier. A small fireball. I don't know if you can even call it that, but yeah."
The book facepalmed itself.
"We need to get that under control ASAP. Go outside now. I'll teach you dumbass."
Levi went outside, leaving Valerie fuming in the doorway.
"What the fu-"
"Here. I'm at the training area. What do I need to do? I'm desperate."
"I think it's common sense, but since you're dumb: close your eyes and feel the mana in your body," the book instructed.
Levi closed his eyes and breathed.
"Now try to push that mana. Choose the color you like. Push it down to the tip of your fingers."
Levi tried, and a black flame leaked from his fingertips, low and hungry.
"You fused it already,"
the book exclaimed.
"Damn brat. Now throw it at that dummy over there."
Levi hurled the dark flame. The training dummy was swallowed whole, black fire licking and reducing it to ash.
"She just be giving out everything, huh."
"Now infuse the mana into an object the sword that the Goddess gave you, do it."
Levi channeled and shoved the flame into his blade.
"The sword lights up,"
a new voice said.
"I'm back,"
Azhir announced, materializing with a hungry grin.
"What's this delicious flame?"
"Hey. Haven't seen you in a while,"
Levi greeted.
"No shit. You didn't even unsheathe me once."
Azhir complained.
"Whoops."
"I'll forgive you just because this flame is nourishing me now,"
Azhir said and spat playfully at Levi.
"So there's another spirit here, and a sword ego too,"
The book observed.
"The Goddess really gives everything. Can't complain."
"Don't want to be lit up again, but aye, it's whatever."
"You're new. Who are you?"
Azhir asked the book.
"I'm a book sent by the Foo- I mean the Goddess to teach this dumbass about mana,"
The book replied.
"I'm starting to like you,"
Azhir said and bumped the book with a spectral fist.
"See, Levi? It's easy to control mana. You just need to think outside the box,"
the book said.
"My bad."
Levi swung the sword, and the blade cleaved through the air, destroying a training post and leaving a scorched cleft.
"....You DUMBASS!"
the book and Azhir shouted in unison.
"WHY TRY IT OUT IMMEDIATELY? I HAVEN'T EVEN SAID GO AHEAD YET."
The book flapped its pages, outraged.
"HOW DID YOU DESTROY, NO, DESTROY WHATEVER WAS IN FRONT WHERE YOU SWUNG? HOW MUCH MANA DID YOU PUT IN THAT SWORD?"
"my bad. I haven't eaten mana for centuries,"
Azhir shrugged.
"Understandable,"
the book muttered.
"But damn, you're strong, Levi."
"Yeah, that's right,"
Levi said, smug.
"Well, that's the basic."
"Problem is you still haven't found balance. You're a living conduit. Others get one or two nodes at best geniuses three."
"Heart is emotional and explosive power. Veins are speed and flow."
"the Torso give physical enhancement.*
" The limbs enhance your stamina for sustained casting, even boosting your durability."
"Okay. So?"
"Azhir is still eating mana,"
the book noted.
"Why does that matter?"
Levi asked.
"Anyway,"
the book continued
"Mana is not a substance like blood. It is energy, the lifeforce of the world. Every living being contains mana because it flows through air, soil, and soul. That does not mean every being can control it. If you grow angry, it rushes to your heart. If you tense for battle, it floods your torso. If you panic, it scatters through your veins. To achieve balance you must be calm at all times. Are you really calm, or are you running from something, ignoring your past?"
Levi opened his eyes and felt the weight of those words settling into him like cold water.
"How do I stay calm when everything keeps pulling me?"
he asked quietly.
"Practice,"
the book said bluntly.
"And stop doing stupid show-offs with the sword until you can dial the output. Channel, don't dump. Distribute, don't concentrate. Think of mana as a river that needs banks, not a fire that must burn wild."
Valerie, who had been watching from the yard edge, folded her arms.
"You better listen,"
she said.
Levi nodded.
"I will."
The book fluttered its pages like a grin.
"Good. Tomorrow we'll map where your mana prefers to sit. Tonight you sleep, and don't try anything reckless. Azhir, stop eating the training posts."
Azhir belched a puff of ember smoke.
"Too late,"
He said.
Levi rubbed his temples and let out a tired laugh.
"Fine. Teach me."
"Finally,"
the book said.
"And no more fireball stunts until I say so."
Levi glanced at the sword and then at the sky, feeling the first real step toward control settle into him.