Chapter 37: Solution

"One of the easiest ways is to use a special summoning stone that connects directly to a beast realm," Fenric explained. "When the beast is summoned, it consumes a huge amount of mana right away, which might actually help me control my Mana Sea faster." He continued, "Another option is the Beast Master path. Those that don’t have a natural class use up way more mana to maintain a Beast. That would help me manage the mana overflow too." He gave a slight shrug. "I could also use high-level class abilities—like those of a Lich Mage or a Sword King. They naturally burn through mana faster than usual. Most people avoid doing that unless they have a huge Mana Sea... like me." "And finally," he added, "I could just study summoning the traditional way. I’d call a powerful creature that can bond directly with my Mana Sea." Fenric fell quiet for a moment, thinking. "The path of Summoning isn’t the same as the usual summoner classes," he reminded himself. "Normal summoners are tied to one specific beast realm. But this path lets me summon from different ones—like aura beasts, spirit beasts, or mana beasts—depending on my affinity." He gave a soft nod. "So... which one should I choose for now?" he murmured, before finally making his choice. "I’ll go with the Beast Master path." A grin crossed his face. "With the amount of mana I have, I can get a strong beast easily. And since my main class is Sloth-based, I can sit back and relax while my beast does the fighting." "Beast Master it is... for now," he whispered, closing his eyes and pulling his awareness back from his Mana Sea. As his senses returned to his physical body, Fenric opened his eyes and looked around. Roman was training the Aura users, demonstrating each movement with precision and strength—each swing clear and textbook-perfect. Myria, graceful yet firm, was leading the mana users. Her voice rang out with clarity as bursts of elemental energy flared in carefully measured waves. Nearby, Elaine stood quietly with Calia—the only one among them born with Spirit Magic. Calia was still struggling to hold a stable connection while a few playful spirit wisps floated around her, teasing her efforts. Fenric stood and closed his eyes once more. He saw them differently now. His vision shimmered faintly with golden light—he was trying something new. He was attempting Soul Projection into Talent Appraisal. It was a technique he once practiced under Duserdis’s guidance, but now he was trying it alone—without any help. No guidance. No ancient dragon whispering tips. Just him. Exhaling slowly, Fenric stayed still and focused his mind. Carefully, he extended a part of his soul—not the whole thing, just a projection. Like an echo. The wave from his soul rippled gently outward. It was invisible to the eye, but it resonated with the life around him. Come on... he urged silently. I’m not choosing the Beast Master path just because it’s convenient. If I’m going to link my Mana Sea to a creature, I want the bond to be perfect. I need to sense and understand the others properly. The wave brushed against the auras of Roman, Myria, Elaine, and even Calia. Their souls gave off subtle responses—tiny impressions of strength, nature, and attitude. It was rough and unrefined... but it was working. And for now, that was enough. Fenric stood still, letting the soul pulse continue, adjusting the frequency each time to better understand what he sensed in return. Doing it without Duserdis made things much harder. But there was something satisfying about doing it all on his own—like hearing your voice echo in a quiet chamber for the first time. Days passed. Then weeks. And eventually, months. Three months of relentless practice. And finally—Fenric succeeded. He mastered Soul Projection combined with Talent Appraisal, just like Duserdis once had. The very first time he pulled it off perfectly, Duserdis appeared again within his Mana Sea. The ancient dragon gave him a rare, approving nod. "Well done. Just as I expected—you mastered it in time," Duserdis said, his emerald eyes glinting with pride. Fenric gave a wry smile and rubbed his neck. "Three months of frying my soul every night. I think I’ve earned the right to brag." Duserdis chuckled. "You should. Most wouldn’t dare attempt this technique, let alone succeed. As promised, I’ll personally help you pick the right beast." When they first started training, Duserdis had laughed at him, saying it would take a year or two at least. But Fenric smirked and said he’d do it in half the time. Duserdis made a bet: "If you can learn it in less than a year, I’ll use my max-level Talent Appraisal to help you find the perfect beast myself." Fenric agreed. There was also a punishment waiting if he failed to meet the deadline... but since he succeeded, there was no need to talk about that. After giving his promise, Duserdis faded back into the Mana Sea. Soon after, Fenric took Roman and left Myria behind to continue teaching the others. Roman focused purely on Aura cultivation, while Myria was skilled in both Aura and Magic. That made her the perfect leader to guide both groups at once. Myria gave him a calm nod. "Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll train them with everything I have." Elaine also stepped in to help. With her rare gift in both Mana and Spirit Magic, she was ideal for helping the Spirit users—especially Calia. And so began the next Chapter in Fenric’s journey: finding and bonding with a beast powerful enough to match the vastness of his Mana Sea. With Roman walking quietly behind him, Fenric passed beyond the tall walls of the Imperial Castle—the first time he’d stepped outside in weeks. The air felt different out here. Lighter. Unburdened by court politics or royal responsibilities. Sunlight spilled across the cobbled streets, where the city’s heartbeat could be felt in every corner. This was Drakensholm—the capital of the Vareldis Empire. Wearing a deep navy cloak with the royal crest barely visible, Fenric moved calmly through the lively streets. Roman walked beside him, arms folded, scanning the crowd in silence. He rarely spoke, but his presence alone kept any thief or spy far away.