For this unadorned, simple yet magical sight, it shook Mikhail to the core. Mikhail, for the six years in his current life, two which he was in state of half-awake, there was only two times where he were shocked to this degree. First, it was when he fully aware of himself and realize that he's been reincarnated. Now it's the second time he felt the same intensity of surprise like that.
While to some degree he already anticipated the existence of supernatural power, seeing and cofirming it directly is different from speculation. It's like difference between hearing a rumor that your idol is living in your town and knowing, meeting and personaly been in that idol house. Besides, the simple and peaceful rural life and the lack of supernatural event or rumour made him question the existence of supernatural power.
Now that the power was by the grasp, Mikhail was excited. Yet the worry is creeping up on him, what if he don't have the affinity to the aura, what if he have mediocre talent, what if he's not suited to learn it, and the list goes on. There's nothing he can do, Mikhail just hope that whatever happens will not be the worst.
"Now that you have seen it, it is the time to teach you what is aura" Thomas removed the aura that engulf his fist and sat in upright position.
"Before going into aura, first you must know what is mana. Mana is intangible and invisible energy that surrounding every corner of place you can think of. It is so elusive that without a special technique, you won't able to feel it" Thomas stopped for a second, letting Mikhail digest the information he just received.
"That special technique is called the breathing method. It is a series of instruction on how to breathe in certain way to make your body attract mana. The mana that absorbed to your body will flow and permeate to your body for awhile before escaping from your system" Thomas stopped again before he ask Mikhail.
"Now, did you have any question?"
Mikhail thinking for awhile, and then asked.
"Did aura produced this way?" asked Mikhail.
"Haha, well you can say so. Aura indeed can be produced this way, although it was a very slow and inefficient way to do it. The most common way to produce aura is to train using a warrior cultivation technique after a session of meditation. Meditation is when you do the breathing technique until your body can't attract mana anymore"
"Until now, do you have any question?" Thomas asked again.
"No, i think that's it. No more question" Mikhail answered calmly.
"Hah, this is the easiest teaching session i have ever done. Other kid would be restlessly moving around because of how boring it is if i try to teach them this way" Thomas said gleefully.
"Is that means the other kid have different way of teaching this?" Mikhail asked.
"Well yes, you know when tomorrow comes. Basically what would we do is letting them play around until they are exhausted and teach them the breathing method. We will repeat it once a week and let their parents supervise their training outside the weekly training. The part where i taught them the explanation of what they are doing are done when they are older and disciplined enough to at least paying attention to what i said. Of course it's more complicated than what i told you" Thomas giving Mikhail explanation on what would entail on how's other doing.
"Now that we finish about the basic explanation, i would like for you to experience it by yourself. I would personally teach you on the first step of how to use aura, the breathing method" Thomas said slowly while slightly emphasizing the word 'using aura' to hype up Mikhail learning desire.
Thomas action was merely adding salt to the ocean for Mikhail. For him, the first he knew that superpower exist, he would sold his soul, metaphorically, just for a chance to learn. For him who's growing up watching cartoon, browsing anime at teen and avid reader of manga and novel in his adult life, the dream of becoming superhuman was never left in his mind. Now that he had the chance to become one, the worry that he had earlier seems inconsequential.
"Now, i need to make sure that you are prepared for this.Get up, stretch your arms to your sides and hold it"
Mikhail do as the instruction, lifting his arms and holding it still. Thomas propping himself up and approaching Mikhail, touching his arms. He's slightly pinching Mikhail's arms and nodded, switching to the leg doing the same thing and nodded again. Thomas walking back while looking at Mikhail, seemingly satisfied from whatever he found while checking his body.
"I see that you are doing some training for a while, a light one but that's enough, that's good" Thomas smiling while nodding approvingly.
"And if i can guess, your training is your own idea with John supervising it" Thomas guessing with certainty.
"How did you know?" Mikhail said with surprise and amazement. He didn't know that people could see that with just vision and touch, 'as expected of magical world' he thought
"First thing i noticed is your muscle shape. That muscle is similar to what people have for doing hard labour, so i guess that your training is involving pushing and lifting things. Second, if John directly trains you with his own idea, he will use the same training he experienced before but with lower intensity. I will recognize the muscle formed from that" Thomas explaining his finding to Mikhail.
"Now, apparently after that works you still have some energy to spare. Now do your training and use that remaining strength"
"Yes sir!" Mikhail answered fervently.
Mikhail start by doing his static stretch, dynamic stretch and series of bodyweight exercise. He's doing it with more concentration than he's ever done before and as proper as he could. While Mikhail doing it, the light in Thomas eye glinting. It seems that he was intrigued by what Mikhail doing.
"Well, that could be added in regular training" Thomas murmuring to himself.
After a while, the workout is finished. Mikhail feels more tired than usual, he don't know whether it was because the work he done before or the extra effort he's done in every move.
"I'm... finished sir" Mikhail said slightly out of breath.
"But why... should i need to empty my energy?" asked Mikhail while slowly controlling his breath.
"Hahaha, i thought you would never asked lad" Thomas laughingly replied.
"People who never do breathing method never know what kind of thing mana is or how does it feel, call it mana insensitivity"
"So even if you do the breathing method, you would not know why or when is your body absorbing mana. So the trick we found is doing the breathing method while tired and hungry"
"People who tired and hungry need the same thing, energy recovery. Mana is also a source of energy and somewhat can alleviate the hunger and fatigue. When you doing the breathing method this way, you know when is your body absorbing mana by feeling the hunger and fatigue receded from your body"
"Just do it in repeat until you grasp that feeling of absorbing mana and you would not need to do it while hungry or tired" Thomas explaining in detail on ins and outs of the breathing method tactics.
"There is also other way like having a mentor pointing out while you meditate, doing it in mana rich place or be talented with mana sensing. Obviously the two latter method is not feasible or too uncertain, and having mentor pointing out would be bad in the long run as you would lack the ability to sense it by yourself" Thomas detailing the other options.
"Now, sit in upright position but not to stiff. Make yourself comfortable but not slacking off. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, i will do it with you. Notices the long and short of my breath, after a while it will repeat and do it by yourself and take notice of your fatigue and hunger"
Mikhail began to do as told and began to follows Thomas breathing pattern. Slowly but surely, he remembers how Thomas doing it. Mikhail starts doing it by himself, one long inhale until full followed by short exhale and inhaling again.
"Just keep breathing, familiarize yourself with the pattern never get impatient. It's normal to not get anything on first session" Thomas reassuring Mikhail with his progress.
Thomas word are not registered in Mikhail's minds because he began to notices something different. Something warm yet cool sensation began to enveloping him. It feels like dipping yourself in warm water and feeling the morning breeze at the same time. It was conflicting yet pleasurable experience for Mikhail. But from Thomas perspective, Mikhail doing something that he never saw in his life.
