Chapter 71: Beyond Reinforcement 2

Vespera conjured several numbers next to the silhouette.

"The problem is that not all the body’s structures have the same limits."

She pointed to the bones.

"Bones can withstand a much higher density of mana than internal organs."

Then the muscles.

"Muscles can withstand less than bones, but much more than some organs."

She indicated the skin.

"Skin has other properties as well."

Then the tendons.

The joints.

The blood vessels.

The nervous system.

"If you distribute the exact same amount of mana everywhere, you have to limit the entire system to the weakest structure."

Adam understood immediately.

"So I never use the maximum potential of the more resilient parts."

"Exactly."

Vespera increased the light around the bones.

Then another intensity around the muscles.

A third one around the skin.

"Advanced reinforcement involves assigning a different density to each structure."

Adam observed the silhouette.

"Like optimizing several components separately instead of using the same value for the entire system."

"Yes."

He thought for a moment.

"What if I give a structure too much mana?"

"You can damage it."

Vespera left no room for doubt.

"Over-reinforced muscles can tear when they generate a force greater than the tendons can withstand."

She brought up a small animation.

A glowing muscle contracted.

Then the area connecting the muscle to the bone cracked.

Adam winced.

"Nice."

"Excessively reinforced bones can withstand the impact, but the surrounding joints can be destroyed."

Another demonstration.

"An over-enhanced heart can produce blood pressure that the vessels can’t withstand."

Adam looked at Vespera.

"So misuse can literally make someone explode from the inside."

"In extreme cases, yes."

"And you want to teach me this version."

"Yes."

Adam remained silent.

Then he sighed.

"Why did I ask again?"

Vespera continued calmly:

"The warrior version is safer because it uses a large margin. But its output is lower."

She conjured two silhouettes.

The first glowed uniformly.

The second possessed several different intensities.

"With the same amount of mana, precise enhancement can produce a much greater result."

Adam observed the two models.

"But requires much more control."

"Exactly."

He chuckled softly.

"So, another technique where I have to control multiple things at once."

"Adaptation makes this choice logical."

"You’re really using that skill as a universal justification now."

Vespera ignored the remark.

"Today, we’ll start with just two structures."

She indicated the muscles.

Then the skin.

"Muscles for strength and speed."

A red light flashed across her figure.

Then she indicated the skin.

"Skin for external defense and resistance to superficial impacts."

"Why not bones?"

"Because you first need to learn how to properly distribute mana. Bones will handle a much higher density. Starting them too early might give you a false sense of security."

Adam nodded.

That made sense.

Vespera approached.

"Close your eyes."

Adam obeyed.

"Use Mana Body."

He focused his attention inward.

His body became almost an energy map.

Compressed mana flowed from his center.

His muscles appeared as a vast network surrounding his bones.

Vespera placed two fingers on his shoulder.

A thin stream of red mana entered his body.

"Feel this area."

Adam focused his attention.

"Deltoid."

"Yes. Now, inject a very small amount of mana into the muscle fibers. Not around them. Inside."

Adam tried.

Some of the compressed mana left his center.

It flowed down into his shoulder.

But instead of penetrating the muscle evenly, the energy pooled in a small spot.

Vespera immediately withdrew his own mana.

"Too concentrated."

Adam released the strengthening.

"I need to distribute the flow throughout all the fibers."

"Yes."

He started again.

This time, he imagined the mana dividing gradually.

One branch.

Then two.

Then ten.

Then dozens of filaments.

The sensation was extremely strange.

The muscle grew warmer.

Denser.

Adam moved his arm slightly.

The movement started much faster than he had anticipated.

Vespera immediately grabbed his wrist.

"Don’t move suddenly."

Adam froze.

"The difference is enormous."

"And you’re still using very little mana." "

She released her arm.

"Muscle strengthening increases the capacity for contraction. But the other structures in your arm aren’t being strengthened."

Adam understood.

"If I hit with all my might now, my shoulder, my elbow, or even my back could be affected."

"Yes."

Vespera deactivated the flow.

"That’s why you shouldn’t use this technique in combat yet."

They then worked on their legs.

The thighs.

The calves.

The stabilizing muscles around the hips.

Adam quickly learned that strengthening a major muscle without strengthening the accompanying muscles immediately created an imbalance.

When he increased the power of his quadriceps too much, his knee felt an unpleasant strain.

Vespera immediately stopped the exercise.

"That’s the problem."

Adam released the mana.

"The main muscle can handle the effort, but the joint can’t."

"Exactly."

They started again at a lower intensity.

This time, Adam distributed the mana across several muscle groups.

Thighs.

Calves.

Glutes.

Muscles around the hips.

The sensation became much more balanced.

Vespera pointed to a line on the ground.

"Walk."

Adam took a step.

He covered almost twice the normal distance.

He barely stopped.

"I hardly pushed off."

"Your muscles are generating more force."

He took a second step.

More controlled.

Then a third.

Adam smiled slightly.

"I understand why the warrior women like this."

"Their version is much less effective."

"You really want to remind me of that."

Vespera didn’t reply.

After several exercises, she moved on to the skin.

This time, the work was different.

Adam had to create a thin layer of mana directly within the superficial tissues.

Not an external barrier.

Not magical armor around the body.

The mana had to actually strengthen the layers of the skin.

Vespera showed him the difference.

She placed a finger on her forearm.

A thin red light traveled across her skin.

"A barrier blocks an attack before it reaches your body."

A circle appeared in front of her arm.

"The strengthening makes your body itself harder to damage."

The barrier vanished.

"Both can be used simultaneously."

Adam looked at his own skin.

"So a person can pass through the barrier and still encounter a second defense."

"Yes."

He began.

At first, the mana simply formed an outer layer.

Vespera immediately dissipated it.

"Too superficial."

Adam tried again.

This time, he forced the energy to penetrate slightly.

The sensation was like thousands of tiny vibrations beneath his skin.

"Too deep."

He corrected it.

After several attempts, a thin film of energy spread correctly.

Vespera took a small needle.

Adam looked at her.

"Why do you have a needle?"

"To test."

"Obviously."

She lightly pressed the point against his forearm.

Adam felt the pressure.

But the skin wasn’t pierced.

Vespera gradually increased the force.

The point finally penetrated slightly.

A small drop of blood appeared.

"Your defense has increased, but the distribution remains uneven."

Adam looked at the mark.

"Again."

He tried again.

After several attempts, he managed to maintain relatively even protection on his forearm.

Then on his other arm.

Then on his torso.

Finally on part of his legs.

But simultaneously maintaining overall compression, muscle strengthening, and skin strengthening was becoming extremely difficult.

Three different systems.

Internal compression.

Muscle distribution.

Skin distribution.

And each had a different density.

Adam felt as if his mind was managing several programs in parallel.

Vespera noticed.

"Now you understand why ordinary mages rarely use this version."

Adam breathed slowly.

"Too much control is needed during combat."

"Yes. A mage already has to manage their spells, barriers, and environment. Adding differentiated body reinforcement quickly becomes excessive."

"But for specialized fighters..."

"Those with sufficient control can become extremely dangerous."

Adam immediately thought of the women around him.

"You all use this method."

"Yes."

"Selene too?"

"Of course."

Adam thought back to how easily she had stopped his greatsword.

He understood a little better now.

"So it wasn’t just her natural strength."

"No."

Vespera glanced at the magic clock.

Almost an hour had passed since the reinforcement began.

She signaled Adam to stop.

"Release everything except the overall compression."

Adam obeyed.

The mana gradually left his skin.

Then his muscles.

He retained only the compressed state he had maintained since the beginning of the day.

He inhaled deeply.

Strangely, after managing several forms of strengthening simultaneously, maintaining only the compression seemed almost easy.

Vespera noticed this immediately.

But this time, she didn’t comment.

Adam narrowed his eyes.

"Don’t make that face."

"What face?"

"The one that means you’ve already figured out how to increase the difficulty tomorrow."

A slight smile appeared on his lips.

Adam closed his eyes.

"Obviously."

Vespera conjured the human silhouette one last time.

"For today, you’re capable of some basic leg muscle strengthening and simple skin strengthening."

Adam nodded.

"But I mustn’t actually use them yet."

"Exactly."

She pointed to the legs.

"Let’s imagine you only strengthen your muscles and then jump with all the power you’ve gained."

The figure leaped.

When it landed, its bones lit up abruptly.

Several cracks appeared.

"Your muscles could produce a force that your unstrengthened bones couldn’t withstand."

Adam grimaced.

Vespera moved on to the arms.

"Same problem if you punch."

The arm muscles glowed.

The figure threw a punch.

Then the shoulder, back, and torso glowed red.

"A strike doesn’t just use the arm. The force starts in the legs, travels through the hips, torso, shoulder, and finally the limb."

Adam nodded slowly.

"So if I only strengthen the arm, the reaction can damage the rest of the chain."

"Yes."

She made the figure disappear.

"The body is a complete system."

Adam smiled slightly.

"Another story of tightly coupled components."

Vespera thought for a second.

Then nodded.

"Good comparison."

Adam crossed his arms.

"So I won’t be able to use this technique freely until I’ve learned to strengthen my entire body."

"Exactly."

"Muscles. Skin. Bones. Tendons. Joints. Organs. Vessels..."

"And the mana circuits themselves."

Adam looked up slightly.

"Naturally." "Something else had to be added."

Vespera continued:

"We’ll proceed gradually. Misuse of internal reinforcement can cause far more serious injuries than a poorly cast spell."

"Because the failure occurs directly within the body."

"Yes."

Adam looked at his hands.

Even the basic reinforcement he had just performed was already impressive.

A few minutes earlier, a small amount of mana had been enough to almost double the distance of one of his steps.

And that was still only a rudimentary application to certain muscle groups.

When his entire body could support this technique...

His speed.

His strength.

His stamina.

His ability to withstand attacks.

Everything would increase dramatically.

And most importantly...

The technique could be added to his natural stats.

To Vigorous Body.

To Bracers.

To Adaptation.

And probably to other future skills.