Chapter 79: A Glimpse Of A-Rank Abilities

Yuna took a slow breath. "Let me try something."

She raised her hand, and mana spread outward from her body. The backyard changed almost immediately as a warm light covered the courtyard and the grass beneath their feet transformed into countless golden flowers.

Emily looked around with a smile. "It looks beautiful."

Lily’s eyes lit up. "It’s amazing!"

She immediately walked toward the flowers and crouched down to touch one, while Maki followed more carefully and knelt beside her.

"Careful," Maki said. "Don’t eat it."

"I wasn’t going to eat it."

"You ate a fruit that could have exploded your organs an hour ago."

"That’s different. That fruit had a purpose."

"So does this one, apparently, and the purpose is not snack."

Reinhard had already activated Mana Sovereignty over his eyes. His vision changed, revealing the true nature of the golden flowers. Everything inside the area was infused with Yuna’s mana, and the entire Domain had effectively become an extension of her body.

"So a Mana Domain just spreads an Awakener’s mana over the area?" Reinhard asked.

"That’s part of it," Emily explained. "The more important part is that the Awakener can dominate weaker mana within the Domain."

Reinhard immediately created a mana sword. It formed normally for half a second before cracks appeared across its surface.

Tiny golden particles surrounded the weapon, and Reinhard frowned as he examined it. He could feel Yuna’s mana interfering with his own. It wasn’t destroying his mana, but it made controlling it significantly harder. Even pulling mana from his body required more effort, while his Mana Sense struggled to spread as far as it normally did.

"Great," Reinhard said. "My own sister-in-law can beat me by standing there."

"I haven’t beaten you," Yuna said cheerfully. "You’re just inconvenienced."

"That’s the first step to defeat."

"It’s the only step you’ve taken so far."

Emily noticed his expression. "You felt it, right?"

Reinhard nodded. "My mana is becoming slower, and controlling it is harder. Even my Mana Sense feels like it can’t expand properly."

"That’s the domination of a Mana Domain," Emily said. "It’s essentially the evolution of Mana Pressure. Instead of simply pressing down on someone with mana, the Domain fills the area with the user’s mana and makes weaker mana struggle to function normally."

Lily looked up from the flowers. "So you’re saying it’s only dangerous when we try to use our mana?"

She immediately reinforced her body, and her expression changed.

"Wait."

Her knees buckled, and she caught herself against the Crimson Fang while breathing heavily. "For a second, I felt like I was drowning."

"You get used to it," Yuna said sweetly.

"You did that on purpose."

"I did that a little on purpose."

Emily looked at Lily sympathetically. "The greater the difference between the two people, the more dangerous the feedback becomes. You’re only a D-Rank Awakener, so your mana and control are still too weak to resist Yuna’s Domain."

Lily nodded. "It felt like I was trying to swim upward through the deep sea."

Reinhard’s eyes brightened with interest. "All right. Show us something else."

"Bold of you to demand a show after getting beaten by my flowers," Lily muttered.

"I wasn’t beaten. I was inconvenienced. We already covered this."

Yuna laughed before raising her hand, and the Mana surrounding her body suddenly became denser. The golden light around her skin condensed into an almost invisible layer.

Reinhard narrowed his eyes.

The Mana wasn’t simply coating her body. It was moving on its own. Every time Yuna breathed, the layer adjusted with her. When she shifted her weight, it followed her movements without conscious control, constantly reinforcing her body.

Emily smiled when she saw it.

"Mana Armor."

Yuna nodded. "Once an Awakener reaches A-Rank, their Mana becomes closely connected to their body. They don’t need to consciously reinforce themselves every time they move or get attacked."

She clenched her fist.

"The Mana maintains the reinforcement automatically."

Lily walked closer and poked Yuna’s arm. "Can I hit you?"

Yuna stared at her.

"No."

"Just once."

"No."

"Just a little."

Maki sighed. "Lily."

"Fine."

Lily stepped back.

Yuna suddenly jumped and her body rose into the air.

Lily’s eyes widened. "You’re flying!"

Yuna laughed as she floated several meters above the ground. "It’s another basic function of A-Rank Mana control."

She moved forward and there was no platform beneath her. Mana simply flowed beneath her body and pushed against the surrounding space, allowing her to move freely through the air.

Yuna flew around the courtyard before slowly descending. "It’s not difficult once you understand how to use Mana outside your body."

Reinhard watched her carefully.

I wonder if I can imitate it.

He stepped forward and circulated mana through his body. Rather than forcing the energy outward, he allowed it to spread naturally around his skin.

A thin layer of mana formed over his body.

Emily’s eyes widened. "Reinhard..."

The mana tightened, becoming armor.

"Mana Armor."

Reinhard took a step forward, and his feet slowly left the ground.

Lily stared at him. "You’re flying."

Reinhard rose several meters before descending again. "I suppose I am."

Yuna looked amazed. "You copied it."

"Not completely." Reinhard shook his head. "Your Domain is still beyond me, but Mana Sovereignty lets me imitate pieces of what you’ve shown us."

"So you’re a knockoff A-Rank."

"I’m a very expensive knockoff."

"That’s still a knockoff."

"A premium knockoff."

Lily grinned. "He’s the discount version of Yuna."

"I would like everyone to note that I am married and floating, while Yuna is unmarried and also floating, so honestly we’re tied."

Maki immediately ruined the argument. "You’re not tied. She’s better at it."

"Nobody asked you, Maki."

Lily looked toward Maki. "We need to practice Mana Sovereignty more."

"Definitely," Maki agreed. "Before he makes us all feel inadequate on purpose."

"I’m not doing it on purpose," Reinhard said. "It’s just naturally happening to me. Constantly."

Yuna’s Domain suddenly flickered.

She released it, and the golden sun disappeared. The flowers returned to ordinary grass, and the strange pressure throughout the courtyard vanished.

Yuna exhaled. "That was more tiring than I expected."

Lily immediately sat down on the grass. "Then let’s take a break."

Maki sat beside her. "Yeah. That sounds good."

Reinhard looked at Emily, who was already smiling. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

Lily suddenly sat upright. "Why don’t we go somewhere for the rest of the day?"

Maki looked at her. "Where?"

"I know a lake."

Emily’s expression changed slightly. "A lake?"

"You used to go there, didn’t you?"

Emily smiled. "I did."

Reinhard looked between them. "Sounds like we have a destination. It also sounds like another opportunity for me to lose an argument about carrying someone’s bags."

"You’re always carrying someone’s bags," Lily said.

"That’s because I’m strong and generous."

"That’s because you can’t say no to any of us."

"That’s a lie I won’t dignify with a response."

...

Two hours later, the family arrived at the lake.

It was far quieter than the city, with tall trees surrounding the water and afternoon sunlight reflecting across its surface. It was a private place that Emily used to come to when she wanted to be by herself.

Emily stepped out of the vehicle and looked around with a smile. "I haven’t been here in a long time."

Reinhard walked beside her. "You used to come here often?"

"Sometimes." She took a few steps toward the water. "I liked places where I could hear the water."

Reinhard watched her for a moment before smiling. "Then we’ll have to come here more often."

Emily glanced toward him. "You say that like you own the place."

"I could probably buy it."

"That’s not what I meant."

"I know."

They continued walking. Emily was still getting used to her restored legs. She could walk, run, and train now, but Reinhard could still tell when she was beginning to tire.

After several minutes, Emily slowed down, and Reinhard noticed immediately.

"Come on."

Emily looked at him. "I can walk."

"I know." He turned around and crouched slightly. "I still want to carry you."

"Reinhard."

"Hm?"

"I’m not helpless anymore."

"I know." He looked over his shoulder with a smile. "That’s why this isn’t about helping you."

Emily’s cheeks turned slightly red. "Then what is it about?"

"I want to carry my wife."

She stared at him for several seconds before sighing. "You’re shameless."

"Very."

Emily shook her head, but eventually stepped forward and climbed onto his back. Reinhard stood, supporting her legs while her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

Behind them, Lily leaned toward Maki and whispered, not quietly enough, "He’s carrying her like she’s made of glass."

"I can hear you," Emily said.

"I know."

"She’s not made of glass," Reinhard added. "She’s made of mana, muscle, and a mild grudge against me from earlier this morning that I’m still working off."

"You’re not working anything off," Emily said against his shoulder. "You’re just showing off."

"It’s both. I contain multitudes."

They continued through the forest, and Emily rested her chin against his shoulder.

"You really don’t care what people think."

"Not particularly."

"What if someone sees you?"

"They’ll see a handsome man carrying his beautiful wife."

Emily laughed softly. "Your confidence is unbelievable."

"I’ve worked hard to maintain it."

She lightly tapped his shoulder. "Keep walking."

"Yes, ma’am."

Behind them, Lily watched with a grin. Maki noticed her expression and immediately warned her, "Don’t."

"I didn’t say anything."

"You were about to."

Lily smiled innocently. "I was just going to say they’re disgustingly cute, and I want that too someday, preferably with someone less annoying than Reinhard."

"That’s oddly specific."

"It’s a low bar. He set it himself."

Yuna covered her mouth to hide her laugh, and the family continued toward the lake.

Nobody talked about treatment.

Nobody talked about Baal.

Nobody talked about Eclipse.

For the first time in a long while, there was nothing they needed to solve. They could simply enjoy being together.

By the time they reached the lake, Reinhard lowered Emily onto a large blanket beneath one of the trees. Lily immediately ran toward the water, Maki followed more calmly, and Yuna sat nearby watching them.

Emily leaned against Reinhard. "This feels strange."

"What does?"

"Being able to do this again." She looked toward the lake. "I used to think I would never come back here."

"You did."

Emily smiled. "Because of you."

Reinhard shook his head. "Because of you too."

She looked at him. "You were the one who kept searching."

"And you were the one who kept trying."

Emily was quiet for a moment before reaching behind him. "Come here."

Reinhard raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Your shoulders are tense."

"My shoulders are fine."

"They aren’t."

Emily placed her hands on his shoulders and began massaging them. Reinhard’s expression changed almost immediately. "...Maybe they’re not fine."

Emily laughed. "I knew it."

He relaxed beneath her hands. "You know, this is one of the better investments I’ve made."

Emily’s hands stopped. "Investment?"

"Getting married."

She stared at him before shaking her head with a smile. "You really can’t help yourself."

"Not when the returns are this good."

Emily laughed again and continued massaging his shoulders. After several minutes, Reinhard closed his eyes. The sound of the lake, the wind through the trees, and Emily’s hands against his shoulders slowly relaxed him. He hadn’t realized how much tension he had been carrying.

Emily noticed. "You’re tired."

"A little."

"Then just rest, and let me take care of you."

The two remained beneath the tree while the others played near the lake. There was no mission, no enemy, and no System notification, only the sound of water and the warmth of the person beside him.

For Reinhard, that was enough, and for Emily, after two years of believing moments like this were gone forever, it felt like she had finally begun living again.