Chapter 149: Chapter 149 - Do not repeat it again!

The moment Damon closed his eyes, the office around him gradually faded from existence once more.

The polished desk before him.

The warm sunlight filtering through the glass panels.

The shelves lined with books.

Even the sensation of his body sitting within the chair itself slowly drifted away as his consciousness sank deeper and deeper inward.

Then—

The familiar world appeared.

An endless expanse of white stretched in every direction without beginning or end, a realm seemingly untouched by time itself. There was no sky. No ground. No horizon.

Only light.

And within that endless sea of white—

Countless particles drifted silently.

Crimson particles floated lazily through the air like scattered embers carried by an invisible breeze.

Azure particles shimmered like fragments of a clear summer sky.

Golden particles radiated a warm brilliance that resembled tiny stars born from sunlight itself.

Silver particles moved with an elegant serenity, leaving behind faint trails of light as they passed.

Green particles drifted gently like fragments of spring itself.

And amongst them all—

Occasional black particles wandered quietly through the endless white, their presence subtle yet strangely noticeable amidst the brilliance surrounding them.

Together they formed a breathtaking sight.

A universe made of color.

A world built entirely from mana.

The countless lights danced throughout the white expanse in beautiful harmony while streams of different colors occasionally intertwined before separating again, creating a spectacle that seemed almost too magnificent for mortal eyes to witness.

Meanwhile—

Damon stood amidst all of it.

Silent.

Observing.

The sea of mana stretched endlessly around him while the particles drifted past his body without resistance.

Then, from somewhere beyond this world—

Elowen’s voice arrived.

Calm.

Steady.

Gentle.

Yet carrying unmistakable authority.

"Do not force it."

The words echoed softly throughout the white expanse.

"Mana is not something you dominate through willpower alone."

The particles continued dancing around him.

"It is something you understand."

Damon remained silent.

"Observe it."

Her voice guided him patiently.

"Feel it."

The countless particles drifted around him as though responding to her words.

"Allow it to acknowledge your existence before attempting to guide it."

Slowly—

Damon focused.

The endless sea of colored lights seemed to react almost immediately.

Not dramatically.

Not violently.

Simply...

Responding.

The nearest particles began drifting closer.

Silver lights floated toward him first.

Then blue.

Then strands of golden mana.

They gathered around him like curious fireflies approaching an unfamiliar traveler.

Outside the vision—

Within the office—

Elowen carefully watched every change occurring within his body.

His breathing remained stable.

His posture remained relaxed.

Nothing appeared unusual.

Yet she remained vigilant.

Meanwhile, within the sea of mana—

The particles gradually surrounded Damon.

Thousands of tiny lights swirled around him in slow circles while streams of different colors began converging naturally toward his body.

"Good."

Elowen’s voice echoed once more.

"Now maintain your breathing."

Damon obeyed.

The flow of mana became smoother.

The particles drew closer.

Closer.

Until finally—

The first strands entered his body.

Warmth immediately spread throughout him.

A faint sensation travelled beneath his skin.

The mana flowed inward like streams of liquid light, entering through invisible pathways before gradually dispersing throughout his body.

For a moment—

Everything seemed exactly as Elowen had described.

The mana entered smoothly.

The particles remained stable.

No pain.

No resistance.

No abnormalities.

Outside—

Elowen’s eyes narrowed slightly.

So far—

Everything looked completely normal.

Meanwhile, Damon followed her instructions carefully.

The mana flowing through his body gradually became visible within his perception.

Countless pathways stretched beneath his flesh.

The nadis.

A vast network of channels woven throughout his body like rivers hidden beneath the surface of the world.

The mana approached them.

Then slowly—

Damon guided it forward.

The silver mana entered one pathway.

The golden mana followed.

Blue particles drifted after them.

The process continued perfectly.

The streams of light flowed through the nadis exactly as they were supposed to.

For several long moments—

Nothing went wrong.

The mana moved.

The pathways accepted it.

Everything remained stable.

Then—

Without warning—

Something changed.

The first sign was subtle.

A slight tremor.

Barely noticeable.

A tiny disturbance amongst the flowing streams.

Then another.

And another.

Damon’s brows furrowed.

The silver mana suddenly wavered.

The golden stream flickered.

The blue particles began vibrating unnaturally.

The peaceful harmony of the white world shattered.

Instantly.

Violently.

The streams of mana erupted apart.

Golden particles exploded outward in every direction.

Silver lights scattered like shattered glass.

The countless colors that had drifted peacefully throughout the endless expanse suddenly became chaotic as though some invisible force had violently rejected their existence.

The nadis trembled.

The pathways shook.

An unbearable pressure surged through his body.

And then—

Pain.

Not discomfort.

Not strain.

Pain.

Pure.

Violent.

Agonizing.

It exploded throughout every part of his body at once.

The white world began collapsing around him.

The countless particles scattered wildly throughout the endless expanse.

The streams of mana disintegrated completely.

And the pressure only continued increasing.

Outside—

Elowen immediately straightened in her chair.

Because she could see it now.

His breathing had become unstable.

His muscles had tensed.

A faint tremor passed through his body.

Then suddenly—

Damon’s eyes snapped open.

The violent cough that followed seemed to tear itself from deep within his chest.

Blood splattered across the polished floor between him and Elowen’s desk.

Bright.

Fresh.

Unmistakable.

Another cough followed immediately afterward.

Then another.

The metallic scent rapidly spread throughout the office.

Meanwhile, Damon remained bent forward slightly while struggling against the lingering pain coursing through his body.

Across from him—

Elowen had already risen to her feet.

The calm composure she normally maintained remained present, yet her eyes had sharpened considerably.

Because now—

She had seen it with her own eyes.

And whatever conclusion she had been considering before—

It had just become far more serious than she initially believed.

For several moments after the coughing fit ended, the office remained completely silent except for Damon’s uneven breathing and the faint rustling of papers disturbed by the sudden commotion.

The metallic scent of blood still lingered within the air.

Meanwhile—

Elowen had already moved from behind her desk.

Her usual composed demeanor remained intact, yet the concern within her eyes was impossible to miss now.

Without wasting time, she retrieved a small vial from one of the drawers nearby before kneeling beside Damon and placing it within his hand.

"Drink."

The instruction carried no room for argument.

Damon glanced at the vial briefly before uncorking it and swallowing the contents in one motion.

A faint cooling sensation immediately spread throughout his body.

The burning pressure lingering within his chest gradually eased.

The dizziness weakened.

Even his breathing slowly began stabilizing.

Meanwhile, Elowen remained beside him, carefully observing every change.

Only after several more minutes passed did she finally allow herself to relax slightly.

"How do you feel now?"

Damon wiped the remaining traces of blood from the corner of his lips before answering.

"Better."

His voice remained somewhat hoarse.

"But better."

Elowen nodded quietly.

The tension inside the office gradually lessened afterward.

Damon eventually straightened himself completely and sat back against the chair while Elowen returned to her seat behind the desk.

Neither spoke immediately.

The silence this time felt different.

Not awkward.

Not uncomfortable.

Merely thoughtful.

Because both of them understood something now.

Whatever was happening—

It was not normal.

And more importantly—

It was not a simple mistake made by a beginner.

Meanwhile, Elowen leaned back slightly within her chair, her brows furrowed in a manner Damon had rarely seen before.

She was thinking.

Analyzing.

Trying to understand what she had just witnessed.

Because the process itself had started perfectly.

She had observed his mana perception.

His concentration.

His guidance.

Everything had proceeded exactly as it should.

Then suddenly—

Everything had collapsed.

As though his body itself had rejected the mana.

The thought continued bothering her.

Eventually, Elowen folded her hands together upon the desk and looked toward Damon once more.

"Mr. Valecrest."

Her voice remained calm.

Yet noticeably more serious than before.

"When you perceive the mana particles..."

She paused briefly.

"Do you feel anything unusual toward them?"

Damon frowned slightly.

"Unusual?"

Elowen nodded.

"Anything."

Her gaze remained fixed on him.

"Attraction."

"Repulsion."

"Instinctive discomfort."

"Fear."

"Affinity toward specific colors."

"Anything that feels different."

Damon remained silent for several moments afterward.

His thoughts drifted back toward the white world.

The endless sea of colors.

The countless particles drifting around him.

The sensation of guiding them.

The collapse afterward.

Yet no matter how much he thought about it—

Nothing stood out.

Eventually—

He shook his head.

"No."

Elowen quietly observed him.

The answer appeared genuine.

There was no hesitation.

No uncertainty.

Which somehow only deepened the concern within her mind.

Several moments passed before she finally nodded.

"I see."

The office once again fell silent.

Then eventually—

Elowen made her decision.

"For now, do not attempt mana circulation again."

Her tone left no room for negotiation.

Damon raised an eyebrow slightly.

Elowen continued.

"I mean it."

The seriousness within her voice became unmistakable.

"Do not repeat today’s exercise."

Her fingers lightly tapped against the desk.

"Not in your dorm."

"Not during training."

"Not when you’re alone."

"Not at all."

Damon quietly listened.

Meanwhile, Elowen’s expression remained firm.

"I will investigate this personally."

Her gaze narrowed slightly in thought.

"There may be records."

"There may be precedents."

"Or there may be something unique to your situation."

The final possibility clearly bothered her the most.

Then finally—

She looked directly into his eyes.

"Until I tell you otherwise..."

A brief pause followed.

"...do not attempt it again."

Damon remained silent for a moment before eventually nodding.

"Understood."

Only then did Elowen relax slightly.

"Good."

The conversation appeared finished.

Damon slowly rose from his chair afterward.

Meanwhile, Elowen’s thoughts remained occupied by what she had witnessed.

As Damon turned toward the door and began leaving the office, she found herself staring at the traces of blood still visible upon the floor.

Something about it felt wrong.

Very wrong.

And for the first time in a long while—

Instructor Elowen found herself genuinely worried about one of her students.

Meanwhile, Damon quietly opened the office door and stepped back into the academy corridor.

The door closed softly behind him.

And neither of them noticed that the mystery surrounding his condition had only grown deeper.