Transmigrated as the ill 2nd Prince (BL)

Chapter 24: Mana Flow 2 (Rewritten)

“If you’re serious about learning Mana Flow, I’ll give you some advice,” Hiroka offered cheerfully, glancing at Riku, who gave a quiet nod.

Riku’s mind wandered. He wondered if Hiroka had also tried learning Mana Flow. The Second Prince was offering advice so casually—could it be that Hiroka had already mastered it himself?

Hiroka, however, knew how things were supposed to unfold. In the original novel, it took Riku three months to grasp Mana Flow. But with the knowledge Hiroka carried, he was certain Riku could do it in just two and a half weeks, if he followed the right method.

“Our movements follow the rhythm of our breath,” Hiroka began, recalling the steps Riko used in the novel.

“Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Your breathing state will guide your mana. Start small, just one minute in the morning or midday. Gradually increase to five minutes as you get comfortable. It’ll hurt a little at first, but once your body syncs with the mana, everything becomes easier.”

Riko’s brow furrowed. “Did you learn Mana Flow yourself?” he asked, curiosity seeping into his voice.

Hiroka blinked at the unexpected question but quickly smiled. “Yeah. My father taught me and my brother, but I had to figure out my own way. Mana Flow works differently for everyone. It still took me two months, though.”

“Can you show me?” Riko’s expression was focused, a gleam of interest in his eyes.

Hiroka hesitated, he knew that the original host of Hiroka's body had been a while since he had used Mana flow because he had been so focused on mastering his own magic and performing some tricks. Furthermore, he was about to practice Mana flow after completing his own magic but was forced to stop when he became ill on the day he was poisoned.

“Sure, but my flow isn’t as strong as it used to be. I can only channel a little,” Hiroka admitted with a sheepish smile. He scanned the area for something small to demonstrate on. Riku gave a silent nod.

Hiroka’s gaze landed on a splintered piece of wood left over from knights’ training. Picking it up, he moved to the center of the training ground. Riko stood still, watching intently, while a maid observing from the sidelines looked puzzled by Hiroka’s actions.

Taking a deep breath, Hiroka squared his shoulders and exhaled slowly. He imagined mana flowing through him like a river—fluid, steady. The energy coursed through his body and into the broken piece of wood, humming faintly with life.

The wood began to glow softly. Riku was amused.

Satisfied with the flow, Hiroka tossed the wood toward the wall. It collided with a sharp thud and, to Hiroka’s surprise, a portion of the wall cracked and hollowed under the impact. The wood remained intact as it clattered to the ground.

Riku is amazed. Hiroka, on the other hand, was stunned. How did that small amount of mana create such force?

“Well... that’s Mana Flow for you,” Hiroka said, trying to recover from his surprise.

“What I just showed wasn’t even at full strength. Once you get the hang of it, imagine using it with your sword.” He gestured toward the weapon Riku held.

Riku gripped the handle, feeling a surge of excitement, though his face betrayed none of it. “I’ll start practicing tomorrow morning. But for now, I still have 500 swings left to complete.” He gave a polite bow. “The Crown Prince ordered me to finish by today, so please excuse me.”

Hiroka froze. 'Five hundred swings?'

“How many swings did my brother tell you to do?” Hiroka asked, his voice uneasy.

“10,000,” Riko answered without hesitation.

Hiroka’s face turned pale. “…You’re saying you’ve already done 9,500?”

Riko nodded solemnly and returned to his training, swinging his sword through the air with practiced precision.

'That’s... insane!' Hiroka thought, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

“Uh… I’ll head back inside now. Don’t let me interrupt you any longer.” Hiroka forced a smile, still stunned by the sheer intensity of Riko’s regimen.

“Hn,” Riko grunted in acknowledgment, not breaking his rhythm.

As Hiroka turned toward the palace, Allea, his personal maid, hurried over. She noticed the pale look on his face and grew concerned. “Your Highness, are you feeling unwell? Should I call for a doctor?”

“No, no,” Hiroka replied, waving her off. “I’m fine. Just... surprised.”

Allea frowned but didn’t press further, though she kept a wary eye on him. “Shall we return inside?”

“Yes,” Hiroka agreed. “Let’s head back.”

The two made their way to the palace, Allea following closely behind. As they reached Hiroka’s quarters, he turned to her with a sigh.

“I need to rest. Please make sure I’m not disturbed unless it’s important.”

Allea gave a respectful bow. “Of course, Your Highness.”

Hiroka offered a tired smile before stepping into his room and closing the door behind him. Locking it with a click, he leaned against the doorframe and exhaled deeply.

“Damn!" he muttered under his breath, realization hitting him like a slap. “I was supposed to use light magic to heal myself!”