Transmigrated as the ill 2nd Prince (BL)

Chapter 23: Mana Flow (Rewritten)

Two figures walked side by side through the dim corridor. Hiroka and Allea, their destination: the royal training grounds.

When they arrived, they saw a young man practicing sword swings. It wasn’t with a wooden training sword but a real blade, gleaming despite its wear.

Hiroka’s sharp eyes scanned the boy, noticing the state of him. Riko’s clothes were tattered at the edges, his shirt streaked with dirt, and several shallow cuts marked his arms and legs. But Riko ignored the discomfort, relentlessly swinging the sword through the air.

'So, brother already letting Riko use real swords,' Hiroka thought, a little surprised but not entirely. He knew why the Crown Prince had allowed it.

There were two reasons: First, the Crown Prince recognized Riko’s raw potential—enough to trust him with advanced tools. Second, the prince had only two months to train Riko before returning to the academy. When that time ended, Riko would need to train independently, and it was essential he learned fast.

Hiroka sighed as these thoughts weighed on him, and Riko heard the soft exhale. Startled, he paused his swing and looked around. When his gaze landed on the second prince, a hint of tension left his shoulders.

"Hiroka," Riko greeted, bowing briefly—more out of habit than formal respect.

"How was your training with brother?" Hiroka asked as he walked closer.

Riko hesitated for a moment, "It... was fine," he muttered.

Hiroka crossed his arms, raising a brow. "He pushed you hard, didn’t he?"

Riko gave a sheepish nod. "The Crown Prince is strong. No matter how hard I try, I can’t even touch him." His grip tightened on the sword as frustration flickered in his eyes.

Hiroka smiled knowingly. "Brother is a Captain of the Callisto knights for nothing. He's a professional and you’re still just a beginner."

"..."

"You’re physically strong because of the harsh life you’ve led," Hiroka continued, gesturing to Riko’s calloused hands. "But strength alone doesn’t win battles. You lack the skill to wield a sword properly, which is why my brother is untouchable to you."

Riko clenched his jaw, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. "Then what do I need to do?"

Hiroka’s grin deepened. "There is one way to leave a mark on my brother," he said, a hint of mischief in his voice.

Riku stared at him with interest. "Please, tell me,"

Hiroka chuckled lightly, then pointed at him. "The key is mana."

"Mana?" Riko repeated, confused.

"Yes, mana. It’s everywhere—in creatures, plants, even the air we breathe. And more importantly, it’s inside us too."

Riko listened intently, waiting for Hiroka to explain further.

"If you learn to flow your mana through your sword, you’ll make it ten times stronger and sharper than any ordinary blade," Hiroka said. "But it’s not just a matter of brute force—mana flow is an art. And if you don’t control it properly, it can hurt you. Badly."

Riko’s brows furrowed in confusion. "How does one ‘flow’ mana?"

Hiroka’s expression darkened slightly, memories stirring in the back of his mind. In the novel he’d read in his past life, Riko learned the technique at the academy with the heroine’s help. Day and night, he trained tirelessly to master mana flow—because as the heroine’s knight, he had to be powerful enough to protect her.

'The heroine,' Hiroka’s lips curled into a sneer at the thought, but he quickly brushed it aside.

Telling Mana flow to Riku. Hiroka was well aware that Riku would learn it as soon as possible rather than later in the novel.

Mana flow was not widely discussed in this world but Hiroka was certain that one teacher at the Magical Academy knew about Mana flow and taught their students, according to the novel.

Hiroka remembered he's name was Keda, Professor Keda. Even though Professor Keda was the only one who was concerned about Mana's flow. Some students who listen to him simply ignore it, while others were serious and wanted to learn but quickly gave up because they did not want to waste their lives. Spite the fact that mana flow is the source of power, it was now pushed away in dust in history books. Because mana flow was so difficult to learn and study, some people gave up and chose to learn AEM instead.

Hiroka’s gaze grew serious. "If you channel your mana incorrectly, it can hurt your body—or worse, parts of you could stop functioning altogether."

Riko’s grip on the sword tightened, but his expression remained calm. "Is it really that dangerous?"

Hiroka nodded. "Yes. It’s harder than mastering advanced elemental magic or even light and dark magic. But if you succeed, you’ll gain power that most swordsmen can only dream of."

A long silence stretched between them as Riku weighed the risks. But he knew the answer already. If he was to serve the second prince as his knight, he couldn’t afford to remain weak.

"I need to learn mana flow," Riko said firmly, resolving burning in his eyes.

Hiroka smiled, satisfied by the answer. "Good. With that determination, you might just stand a chance."