Gulp, gulp—

Theo finished off over 700 grams of pork by himself, then downed his “special celery juice” in one go.

“Ugh… I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this taste.”

He tossed the empty 500ml beer glass to the floor, scrunching his face in disgust.

Crash—

With the sound of breaking glass, he felt something rapidly circulating inside his body.

“How did the Blood Sword Emperor stomach this for six years? Or wait, did this stuff drive him insane?”

Nine years from now, a peer of Theo’s would rise from the southernmost region of the continent. Known as the “Blood Sword Emperor” and notorious for his bloodthirsty ferocity, he trained using a unique Eastern method called yeondansul (alchemy), which Theo had once read about in classified Ragnar clan records.

The Ragnar family had attempted to recruit the Blood Sword Emperor, but after a clash that led to war, they documented everything they learned about him.

Back then, they claimed I lacked talent in swordsmanship and assigned me to the Strategy Division.

Now, those events had become part of a future that no longer existed.

I wasn’t there long, but I remember the alchemical ingredients and mixture ratios. They were intriguing.

In his past life, Theo had little interest in swordsmanship, but he’d been captivated by mana accumulation.

The foundation of building mana lay in breathing techniques. Some said merely breathing properly could improve one’s health.

So, why not take advantage?

The Blood Sword Emperor’s alchemical regimen was similar. Gather the ingredients, mix them, and drink the concoction regularly—simple as that.

Theo had taken it regularly in his previous life. Although his aged blood vessels and qi were so clogged that it had little effect, it had still improved his stamina significantly.

But things should be different now. My qi is still relatively young and clear.

The knowledge he’d brought from his past life went beyond alchemical concoctions.

—Running laps at six every morning without fail.

It was a way to boost his stamina quickly.

The breathing technique he used was also unique; it was his master’s breathing technique, something yet unknown to this world.

After a month of this regimen, Theo’s endurance and muscle tone had drastically improved.

—The odd books he borrowed from the library.

These would later be revealed as hidden manuals left by bored ancestors, containing techniques of the highest order.

But they would never be discovered by others now.

Finally, Theo was ready to open his Aura Hole.

However, he was taking a different approach from the traditional method of simply gathering mana in the dantian.

First, release all the mana stored from the alchemical regimen, gather it toward the heart…

Theo was just beginning to circulate his mana as he remembered his training steps when—

“Theo! My dear son, Theo! Are you in there?”

The shrill, hysterical voice from outside left the maids visibly anxious.

“Mother?”

Why would she show up, after ignoring him for over a month?

Bang!

Before Theo could even question it, the door flew open.

A noblewoman strode in, retaining the beauty and youthful appearance of her twenties, though she was nearly forty. However, her elegant appearance was offset by her agitated steps and the cold, sharp look she shot the maids.

“L-Lady, you shouldn’t be here—!”

“Out of my way! Who dares to stop a mother from seeing her son?”

“But, ma’am…!”

The maids, nervously stealing glances at Theo, were clearly uncomfortable as they tried to stop her.

“It’s fine. All of you, leave us.”

The maids quickly bowed to Theo and left the room.

“You really must keep those maids in check. Such impertinence! To think they’d block a mother from seeing her son. You’ve been far too lenient with them, letting them grow so brazen.”

At this rate, she’d likely cause more trouble down the line.

“I instructed them to do so.”

“…What?”

“I told them to prevent anyone from entering without my explicit permission.”

“Even me?”

“Yes.”

“How could you…!”

Because if you barged in like this, it would interfere with my mana circulation, possibly resulting in internal injury, Theo thought, but he held back.

Creating the Dragon’s Heart required considerable effort, focus, and time. If he were to be interrupted mid-process, his mana could go out of control, potentially leaving him half-paralyzed.

That was why he’d bribed the maids with desserts, asking them to keep anyone—even the clan head—out of his room.

Thankfully, I hadn’t started yet. Phew!

Theo looked at the woman before him, his mother in both this life and the past.

Cecilia Ragnar.

The mother of “Theo Ragnar,” she was the only concubine without a noble title, as her background was that of a commoner.

Her inferiority complex ran deep, and she projected it onto her son, believing that if Theo rose in status, she’d earn respect by association.

The problem was that Theo had never shown any notable talent.

Thus, whenever she saw him, she was quick to scold and berate him.

Today was no exception.

If he didn’t stop her, he was certain he’d be in for another round of earfuls.

“What brings you here?”

Cecilia barely managed to contain her temper, glaring at him as she spoke.

“Rendon informed me. He said you seemed distracted in your lessons again.”

So that’s what this is about.

Theo gave a bitter smile.

With all the planning for Dragon’s Heart, he’d been half-heartedly attending Rendon’s lessons, as they were of little use to him.

“How much longer do you intend to break your poor mother’s heart?”

“…”

“Say something! You’re not mute; why do you never answer me when you can clearly speak?”

How should I handle this? Theo thought.

He’d never felt motherly affection from her. He didn’t dislike her, exactly. If anything, he pitied her.

She led a life without her husband’s love, trapped in a harem with no friends or confidants.

He tried to treat her kindly whenever he could.

But that’s easier said than done.

“Say something…!”

“Mother.”

Perhaps that was why his tone came out so cold.

“Hah! Finally speaking? Must be something you’re hiding.”

“Rendon is a fraud.”

“…What?”

“I know how much time and money you spent hiring him. But he’s nothing more than a mercenary with a lackluster record.”

“…”

“I’ll expose him soon enough, so please stop interfering in my matters.”

This was the first time Theo had reacted so directly in front of Cecilia.

He’d always feigned deafness or distracted himself whenever she chided him, remaining compliant.

But today, he was looking her straight in the eyes.

Cecilia was speechless, her words stuck in her throat.

There was much she wanted to say, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Everything felt unfamiliar.

It was her son’s face she was staring at, yet he felt like someone else.

“If you have nothing more to say, please leave.”

“How could my son speak so cruelly to his own mother? Me! After all I’ve done to raise you! Enduring those vixens around you just to protect you…!”

Cecilia’s voice echoed down the hallway, laced with hysteria.

Though the maids and servants whispered to each other about it, Theo ignored them.

This is exhausting.

Theo sighed lightly, shaking his head.

She’s still my birth mother. I should try to save her if I can.

In three years, Cecilia would be executed for attempting to poison the head’s favored concubine. Though suspicions surrounded the case, no one questioned it because they all knew of her impulsive nature.

Theo wanted to prevent such an outcome from repeating itself.

Despite how she acts, my mother isn’t strong-willed enough to do something like that on her own. This has to do with the clan head rivalry.

Who could it be? His family’s killer? And what of the assassins who’d targeted him and his people—who was behind them?

His instincts told him these mysteries were likely connected.

First, I’ll focus on the Dragon’s Heart. In the end, the most important thing is my strength.

Leaving instructions for the maids to let no one in, Theo sat cross-legged, closing his eyes to concentrate.

As he focused, he sensed the mana clusters spread throughout his body.

These were the results of a month of consistent alchemical ingestion, layered within him.

These clusters would serve as essential materials and fuel for creating the Dragon’s Heart.

“Haaah…!”

Taking a deep breath, Theo set the mana in motion. The mana clusters began to surge in a clockwise direction, flowing towards his left chest—his heart.

Like a river streaming into an ocean, then crashing like a tidal wave!

Bang!

“Gah!”

It felt like a hammer struck his chest.

Theo’s upper body trembled violently, yet he kept silent, unwilling to break concentration. Even a single sound could disrupt his breathing and lead to a mana explosion.

And what would come after that?

Nothing but a life of half-paralysis.

This is dizzying.

Theo clenched his teeth.

What he was attempting was an act of forcefully engraving mana attributes onto his heart, transforming it from a simple organ into a mana core.

But Theo was confident.

He and his master had researched the Dragon’s Heart extensively, and he’d successfully completed it before.

I’ve gathered enough mana this time.

Finally—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Theo pushed the mana through the hardened walls of his heart, forcing it to settle.

Bang-bang-bang-bang—

Thump-thump-thump-thump!

In response, his heart began pounding wildly, as if trying to match the surging mana.

Boom!

With a massive jolt, his body trembled, and the mana poured into the heart.

Success…!

It worked. Theo reveled in his triumph, locking the mana into his heart.

But then—

What… is this?

Something unexpected occurred.

Within his heart, a large amount of mana was already concentrated.

As if it had always been there.

[Congratulations! Tutorial Quest #1 successfully completed.]

[Grade: A]

[Reward: Half of the power of the unknown.]

[Additional reward due to grade: Mana from a previous life detected.]