Chapter 23: Mana
Lucius got up early morning and did some quick stretches, making sure his body was ready for another day of training. Two more nights left, counting tonight. That wasn't much time to prepare his students.
"Time to make these points count," Lucius opened up the system interface, wanting to find the perfect techniques to teach in their limited time. But what he saw made his jaw drop.
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[Internal Techniques]
[Quirks (250,000 SP)]
[Breathing Technique (25,000 SP)]
[Speed Force (10,000,000 SP)]
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"Ten million SP?!" Lucius almost fell over. That price was higher than any harvest he'd ever sold back on his farm! "Who even has that many points? That's completely insane!"
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[External Techniques]
[Gandalf Magic (1,000,000 SP) Requirement: Mana]
[Taijutsu (10,000 SP) Requirement: None]
[Rasengan (250,000 SP) Requirement: Chakra]
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As he scrolled through the endless list of techniques, Lucius started getting a headache. Back on his farm, whenever he had too many harvest records to sort through, he'd organize them by price to find the best deals.
"Hey system, can you sort these by price?" Lucius asked hopefully.
[System Message: Sorting and searching functions are available. Would you like to arrange techniques by price?]
"Oh thank goodness," Lucius sighed in relief. "Yes please!"
The interface reorganized instantly, showing techniques from cheapest to most expensive. While scanning through the low-cost options, something caught his attention that actually seemed familiar.
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[Mana (3000 SP)]
[Description: The fundamental energy that powers all magic. Users can tap into magical forces for various spells and enchantments. Basic requirement for most magical techniques. Success rate depends on student's natural affinity.]
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"Wait a minute, I know this!" Lucius perked up. He remembered reading about mana in some fantasy book he'd bought at the airport when his flight to Kansas got delayed. The book had been pretty boring, but it explained magic systems in detail to pass the time.
Checking his sleeping students through the dojo's open door, Lucius considered how tough it will be to fight a large group. Teaching complex techniques in just two days would be tough enough, but teaching magic? That seemed impossible, especially since some of his students weren't exactly the studying type.
But then he remembered something that always worked with his agriculture students - written guides breaking down complex topics into simple steps.
"If only I could write manuals for them to study..." Lucius muttered.
[System Message: Teaching through written manuals is permitted and encouraged. Student loyalty will increase through manual study. New students can be bound to host through manual learning if they show willingness to learn.]
"Really?" Lucius got excited. This opened up so many possibilities! But looking at his current students, he wondered if they could pass these techniques on to others who might need them.
[System Message: Would you like information about student teaching capabilities?]
"Yeah, that'd be really helpful actually."
[System Message: Students may demonstrate techniques but cannot truly pass them on. Only the host or students with 100% loyalty can teach techniques to others. Current maximum student loyalty: 50%]
"Makes sense," Lucius nodded thoughtfully. Having techniques spread uncontrollably would probably be dangerous. Looking at his SP total again, he made his decision. "I'll take Mana! At least I understand the basics from that airport book."
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[Purchase Confirmed: Mana (3000 SP)]
[Remaining SP: 5625]
[Basic knowledge of magical theory downloading...]
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Information suddenly flooded Lucius's mind - principles of magical energy, methods of accessing mana, basic theory of spell construction. It was like reading a thousand books in an instant, though thankfully the system organized it all neatly in his head.
"This is incredible!" Lucius grinned as he absorbed the knowledge. "But what can they actually do with mana?"
"System, show me techniques sorted by category please!"
The interface shifted again, this time organizing everything by type. Under "Basic Magic," several options caught his eye:
[External Techniques]
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[Fireball (1000 SP) Requirement: Mana]
[Description: Creates and launches a ball of magical flame. Size and power depend on user's mana control. Perfect for beginners learning to channel magical energy.]
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[Expelliarmus (800 SP) Requirement: Mana]
[Description: Defensive spell that can disarm opponents. Force depends on user's mana output. Excellent training tool for precise mana control.]
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[Protego (700 SP) Requirement: Mana]
[Description: Projects a magical shield barrier. Strength and duration vary with user's skill. Essential defensive technique for magic users.]
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"These are perfect!" Lucius got excited. Simple but practical techniques that could really help in actual combat. Plus, none of them required complicated movements or long incantations - ideal for quick-paced battles.
[Multiple Purchase Confirmed]
[Fireball: 1000 SP]
[Expelliarmus: 800 SP]
[Protego: 700 SP]
[Total Cost: 2500 SP]
[Remaining SP: 3125]
Knowledge of the three spells integrated with his magical theory understanding. He could already imagine how to teach them - Nami would probably excel at the precise control needed for Expelliarmus, while Sanji's cooking experience with controlling heat might help with Fireball. Protego seemed perfect for someone like Vivi who needed defensive options.
In the distance, Lucius could hear movement from the sleeping area. His students would be waking up soon, ready for another day of intense training. But today would be different - today they'd start learning actual magic!
Looking around the dojo, training dummies began materializing, perfect for practicing the new spells. The system even provided special targets designed to measure magical power output and accuracy.
[Training Equipment Materialized]
Enchanted Training Dummies (Power measurement)
Precision Targets (Accuracy tracking)
Mana Visualization Spheres (Shows energy flow)
Shield Testing Station (Barrier strength analysis)
Each piece of equipment had helpful labels explaining their purpose, making it easy to structure proper training sessions. This was way better than when he'd had to teach crop rotation with just drawings on a chalkboard!
Walking over to inspect the new gear, Lucius noticed something interesting about the Mana Visualization Spheres - they changed color based on the type of energy flowing through them. "This'll be perfect for showing them how mana feels different from physical energy."
More shuffling sounds came from the sleeping area, along with the first morning yawns. Soon they'd all be up, expecting another day of physical training. Instead, they'd be learning something completely new.
Opening his new magical knowledge, Lucius started planning how to introduce these concepts.
Lucius considered how differently his students learned. For analytical minds like Nami and Vivi, he'd need to focus on the theoretical foundations of magic. They'd benefit most from detailed written manuals filled with precise diagrams explaining magical theory, along with carefully structured exercises to practice mana control. Their methodical approach would help them master the finer points of spellcasting.
The physical learners like Luffy and Zoro would need a completely different approach. These students learned best by doing, not reading. They'd need lots of hands-on demonstrations showing how magic worked in actual combat. Setting up power output challenges would keep them engaged, letting them test their magical strength against measurable targets.
Then there were the creative types like Usopp and Sanji, who'd want to experiment and innovate. They'd be most interested in finding ways to blend magic with their existing fighting styles - maybe enhancing Usopp's ammunition with magical effects or adding mana to Sanji's kicks. These students would excel at finding new applications for spells, coming up with combinations Lucius hadn't even considered.
Even Karoo could probably learn magic - animals in that fantasy book had been able to use magical energy naturally. Maybe the duck's Tempest Kick could be enhanced with mana?
[System Message: Host teaching assessment - Structured approach detected. Bonus SP awarded: 100]
[Current SP: 3225]
"Nice!" Lucius smiled at the unexpected bonus. Every point would help, especially with such limited time.
Walking over to his desk (which had materialized along with the training equipment), Lucius found blank manuals ready for him to fill with magical knowledge. The pages seemed to automatically format his thoughts into clear instructions with helpful illustrations.
He started writing immediately:
"Basic Magical Theory - Volume 1
Introduction to Mana and Spellcasting
By Lucius Matthews
Chapter 1: What is Mana?
Mana is the energy that flows through all things, invisible but ever-present. Unlike physical energy used in techniques like the Six Powers, mana responds to will and intention..."
The words flowed easily as the system's knowledge combined with his teaching experience. He'd written plenty of farming guides before - this wasn't so different, just replacing crop cycles with magical theory.
Several manuals began taking shape:
Basic Magical Theory (General knowledge)
Combat Applications of Magic (Battle focus)
Advanced Mana Control (Detailed techniques)
Magical Enhancement Methods (Power boosting)
Each manual adapted its language and examples based on who would be reading it. The combat manual used lots of battle terminology, while the control guide focused on precise movements and energy manipulation.
[System Message: Manual creation progress - 15% complete]
[Estimated time to completion: 45 minutes]
Looking at the sleeping area again, Lucius could tell his students would be up soon. That gave him just enough time to finish the manuals before breakfast. Then after they ate, he could introduce them to the world of magic.
He already knew some would be skeptical - probably Zoro and Nami. Others like Luffy would just think it was "cool" without questioning it. But once they saw what magic could do, once they realized how it could help them protect what mattered...
Well, that's what teaching was all about, wasn't it? Taking something new and strange and making it understandable. Making it useful.
The manuals continued filling themselves out as Lucius added more details:
"Chapter 2: Accessing Your Mana
Everyone has mana within them, like a well of energy waiting to be tapped. The key is learning to feel it, to recognize its unique sensation compared to physical energy. Try this simple exercise..."
Soon he'd be teaching magic alongside martial arts. The thought made him smile - what would his old agriculture students think if they could see him now?
But there was no time for nostalgia. He had manuals to finish, equipment to organize, and lessons to plan. Two days wasn't much time to learn magic, but he'd make every second count.
After all, somewhere in Alabasta, people were counting on his students. He couldn't let them down.
The sound of morning yawns grew louder. Almost time to begin their new training!