Arthur held his breath.
The mana stayed.
It clung to his skin like a thin current moving across his body. Not heavy, not overwhelming. Just… there.
Alive.
He could feel it reacting to every small movement he made. His breathing, the tension in his muscles, even the way he shifted his weight.
Arthur slowly opened his eyes.
"…I did it."
Commander Lyra was still standing close to him, her fingers just inches from his chest where she had been testing the layer.
Her eyes were sharp.
"Hold it."
Arthur nodded.
"I am."
He focused again, keeping the flow steady. The mana didn't break this time. Instead it moved with him naturally, as if it had always belonged there.
Arthur let out a slow breath.
This feels… different.
The layer wasn't like the usual mana reinforcement he had used before.
This was tighter.
Closer.
Like a second skin.
And as soon as that thought crossed his mind, something else appeared.
