Becoming a Swordmaster by Reading Chapter 29

Roden decided to start his research by first focusing on enhancing the effects of the song written in the Broom Swordsmanship Manual.

And before that, he named this song ‘Aurasong’.

He judged that referring to it with the generic term ‘song’ was not enough.

After simply naming it, Roden moved on to the next step.

‘As expected, to increase the efficiency of Aurasong, it would be right to refer to the Mana Breathing Method, wouldn't it?’

Among the Mana Breathing Methods, there was one like that.

Like Aurasong, it gathered as much mana as possible in the surroundings to naturally create a state convenient for refinement.

However, among mages, this kind of Mana Breathing Method was treated as low-grade.

Because for a Mana Breathing Method, the method was too simple and primitive.

Moreover, the effect that could be obtained through it was also very minor.

‘That’s why as Mana Breathing Methods become more advanced, the method becomes considerably more specific. It's a way of directly presenting a path for mana to increase its effectiveness.’

The advanced Mana Breathing Method naturally guided the refined mana to form a circle.

It wasn't just a matter of guiding mana into the body.

It was involved in everything from the refinement of mana into magic power to the formation of a circle.

‘A mage forming a circle is similar to knitting with a thread called magic power.’

For that reason, how one wove the magic power into a circle could be said to be very important.

For example, if you knit a circle with a knitting needle, the magic power becomes soft and flexible, which could grant flexibility in casting magic.

But there were many cases where the shape was ruined by dropping a stitch in the middle.

Also, it was difficult to maintain a constant size, which sometimes resulted in the circle not functioning properly.

On the other hand, crocheting made the circle thick and less flexible.

But it could create a structurally much stronger circle.

Also, if you failed while creating a shape in the middle, it was possible to unravel the magic power and shape it again.

Thus, an excellent Mana Breathing Method also served the role of presenting a way to weave a circle, such as knitting or crocheting.

So, it could achieve higher efficiency in creating a circle.

Roden intended to make this possible for Aurasong as well.

‘However, aura is completely different from magic power.’

Magic power formed a circle near the heart.

In contrast, aura was a method where it seeped into various muscles and was manifested when strength was applied.

For that reason, things like knitting and crocheting used in the Mana Breathing Method were meaningless.

A process unique to Aurasong was needed to refine mana into aura and then have it seep into the muscles again.

‘First, for this to be possible, I have to understand the process of mana being refined into aura.’

As explained several times already, mana naturally undergoes a primary refinement just by being compressed.

And aura was completely refined when this primarily refined mana dissolved into the blood and helped heal the muscles while supplying nutrients with oxygen throughout the body.

‘In conclusion, to maximize the aura absorption rate, I need to make the blood absorb as much of the primarily refined mana as possible.’

Roden planned to modify Aurasong to induce this.

Unexpectedly, the method was simple.

He just needed to make all the natural state mana gathering in the whole body to gather toward the respiratory system.

Then, the pressure would naturally increase, increasing the amount of primarily refined mana, and the possibility of it dissolving into the blood through the respiratory system would also increase.

A moment later.

Roden made some adjustments to the lyrics and score of Aurasong.

And he sang the Aurasong.

-Between the dancing starlight

The wind brushes by

Like the waves of the Milky Way

If you shake your body

As if time has stopped

You come to me

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th…….

And so, Roden sang the Aurasong after making several revisions.

Each time, the location where the mana gathered changed.

At first, the mana came up to his ankles, then to his thighs, and then to his pelvis.

Finally, after modifying and singing the Aurasong more than 10 times in total, Roden thought.

‘Hmm. I guess this is the limit for today.’

Unfortunately, it was not easy to gather the mana precisely toward the respiratory system as he had thought.

The limit was gathering the mana up to his chest.

‘It's already this late. I'll continue the research tomorrow and go to sleep now.’

The old Roden would never have slept until he got satisfactory results.

He would have completed the research somehow, even if it meant staying up for several nights.

But he couldn't do his research like this anymore.

In the first place, the reason for doing the research was to increase the aura absorption rate.

But to not sleep, which was the most important thing for increasing the aura absorption rate.

It was something that made no sense.

‘Maybe it’s a good thing that I have something to research tomorrow too?’

Having organized his thoughts positively, Roden decided to continue his research tomorrow and went to sleep.

And the next day.

Roden, who woke up early in the morning, checked his aura absorption rate first.

The modification of Aurasong was effective.

The increase of the aura absorption rate to 13% was the proof of that.

***

Although he was in a good mood due to the increase in his aura absorption rate, Roden could not proceed with his personal training immediately after waking up.

Because, as Havier had warned yesterday, he was summoned by Adriel.

“Unit, attention!”

It wasn't just Roden.

Everyone was gathered here.

Not only Havier's unit, which participated in this operation, but all the soldiers in the transport battalion except for those on daytime guard duty.

For Roden, it was something he had already experienced directly once.

There had been a similar event when they succeeded in the last supply operation.

There was an old saying that military life was a series of events and events.

That's how many events there were.

At least the transport battalion had fewer events, and the reason was none other than this.

As it was a wartime situation, they were minimizing events to reduce the fatigue of the soldiers.

In fact, the transport battalion conducted morning and evening roll calls in a very simplified manner.

The deputy platoon leaders of each unit just did a head count.

But even so, they couldn't simplify the event of awarding rewards for a successful major operation.

That was the reason everyone was gathered here early this morning.

However, Roden found such events tedious.

He just hoped it would end quickly so he could proceed with his personal training.

‘If I skip the Aurasong research in the evening, I might just be able to fill the personal training time, right?’

As he said, what was more important than doing Aurasong research was not to miss the daily training.

He could do the research again tomorrow, but the aura that left would not come back.

‘Hurry up and end.’

While Roden was thinking.

“Infantry Company, report!”

“Report.”

“Transport!”

“Transport.”

The head count report for each company was in progress.

After the reports for all personnel from the Infantry Company to the Light Cavalry Company were finished, Adriel praised the success of Havier's unit's operation.

“Everyone will remember how high the difficulty of this operation was…….”

Fortunately, Adriel was not a very long-winded person for a battalion commander.

Considering that the difficulty of an event greatly depended on the length of the speech of the unit's highest-ranking officer, it was a very fortunate thing.

“……Then, let’s cut the boring talk here and now have the time to award the rewards to the war heroes. First, all the soldiers who participated in this operation are 3rd Class War Heroes.”

And so, Adriel began to pin brooches made of crafted copper on the soldiers' chests.

This brooch was something that could be exchanged for money for as many as one had when discharged later.

One copper brooch could fetch about a month's living expenses for a commoner.

“Next, the 2nd Class War Heroes are the officers who led this operation.”

The officers had iron brooches of a more complex shape pinned on their chests than the copper brooches.

One iron brooch was an item that could fetch about half a year's living expenses for a commoner.

And during the last supply operation, Roden had also received an iron brooch as a 2nd Class War Hero.

“Finally, there are two 1st Class War Heroes. Infantry Company Commander Havier Navarro, and 3rd Infantry Platoon Leader Ernst Glockner.”

When Roden's name was called, the soldiers who were quietly lined up began to murmur.

“So the rumor was true.”

“Wow. That's crazy.”

But the soldiers' voices died down with just a glare from the platoon leaders of each unit.

In such a solemn atmosphere, Adriel took out a steel brooch with a very complex shape.

It was a precious item that could fetch a year's living expenses for a commoner per piece.

Moreover, the reward did not end here.

“In addition, the 1st Class War Heroes are ordered to receive a special promotion of 1 pay grade along with the steel brooch.”

For reference, the Allied Forces did not have a separate distinction between position and rank.

The position was the rank.

For that reason, getting a special promotion of 1 pay grade here meant that his pay grade as a platoon leader went up.

And so, Roden, who was originally a Platoon Leader of the 1st Pay Grade, now became a Platoon Leader of the 2nd Pay Grade.

Since he would receive post-war compensation according to his pre- and post-war position and pay grade, it had to be seen as an advantage not only in terms of honor but also financially.

However, he couldn't know what pay grade Havier had become as a company commander.

While one could find out the pay grade of a subordinate if one wanted to, it was only natural that one couldn't know the pay grade of a superior.

Anyway, in the meantime, the signal to come forward from Deputy Battalion Commander Lucas was given.

Roden and Havier stood in front of Adriel.

First, Adriel personally pinned the steel brooch on Havier.

And then it was Roden's turn.

Swoosh.

As Adriel pinned the steel brooch on Roden's chest with a delicate touch, he whispered.

“I will grant your request.”

At the same time, a smile appeared on Roden's lips.

Because for Roden, this was more important than money or honor.

***

And so, for a while, Roden conducted research to increase the efficiency of Aurasong while carrying out personal and regular training.

The key was whether he could guide the mana toward the respiratory system.

And finally, after 57 attempts, he was able to succeed.

In gathering all the mana toward the respiratory system.

As a result, he was able to raise the aura absorption rate to 16%.

For Roden, it was a very satisfying result.

But on that week's day off.

Chevalier, who was conducting personal training with him, asked Roden.

“But Platoon Leader nim…….”

“Yeah?”

“What is that? You’ve been singing in your barracks every night.”