Prestige Grinding : I Can Reset My Level

Chapter 56 : What the hell ??

He zoomed his vision in and out, searching for particles that matched what he knew about water. But it was challenging. The water particles seemed almost nonexistent, far too sparse to provide any meaningful results.

Frowning, he pulled a gourd from his inventory. Using his mana, he extracted the water inside, suspending it in the air as a small sphere. He could force water out of containers like this, but what he really wanted was to analyze it.

’How do players summon water from thin air?’ Sora thought, staring at the orb in frustration. Summoning elements was a common skill, but he wanted to know what made it possible—and why he couldn’t replicate it.

Maybe the amount of water still wasn’t enough. He grimaced and pulled out ten more gourds, emptying each into the sphere until a larger ball hovered before him.

Focusing his [Mana Eyes], Sora zoomed in, adjusting his view to examine the particles at their smallest level. He studied their structure, the way they interacted with one another. He wasn’t sure if this was the "right" way to create water, but it was a starting point.

Alright, he thought, let’s try to move it.

He extended his hand, trying to control the water. He could feel the mana around it, pressing in, encouraging it to shift. But every time he tried to shape it, the particles slipped through his mental grasp. It was like trying to catch smoke in his hands. The mana responded, but the water itself refused to comply.

Frustrated, he concentrated harder, trying again and again to manipulate the particles. Sometimes they would tremble, sometimes they would ripple, but they never fully moved according to his will. He could control the water’s movement by pushing it around with mana, but it didn’t feel natural, and he knew it wasn’t what the summoners did.

Sora spent hours repeating the process, adjusting his mana flow, shifting his concentration, and experimenting with every possible technique he could think of. His focus grew sharper, each failure fueling his determination.

With every attempt, he began to notice more about the particles—their interactions, the way they clung together, and how they responded to different types of mana flow. Yet, despite all his attempts, he still couldn’t grasp the key to true manipulation. He’d managed to suspend the water and force it to move, but he couldn’t control it at the core.

This… isn’t the right way, he realized. But he wasn’t about to give up. He knew there was something, a method that he hadn’t discovered yet.

Watching the water flow inside a torus receptacle made of mana, he had another idea.

He split his attention, using part of his mana to guide the water inside the torus, while another part of his mana began to mimic the water flow.

"Alright, let’s try this," he muttered, eyes narrowing as he sent his mana into a soft, flowing rhythm. He made it smooth, adaptable, like water effortlessly filling every crevice of an imaginary torus. He recreated the exact same flow.

Almost immediately after achieving such effect, he felt a reaction. It was subtle, but undeniable—a resonance that made his mana feel… different, as if it recognized something deeply familiar.

"Interesting," he murmured, sensing the mana shift. It wasn’t just mimicking water; it was transforming, becoming fluid, more responsive. He felt his [Mana Customization] kick in, guiding the change further. His mana wasn’t merely an imitation anymore; it was taking on the essence of water.

As he continued, he could sense the potency of this mana-infused water—it was denser, stronger than any water he’d seen before. This is different... More than just water, he thought, fascinated by the energy beneath the surface. This was no longer simple H?O—it was a force that could actually impact his enemies.

"With this… it’s not just water. It is made from mana... It’s on a whole new level," he said softly, almost to himself, watching the mana-water pulse with power.

He focused further, feeling the nature of this mana-water: it was soft but impossible to compress, flowing seamlessly yet maintaining its form. He experimented, making it pulse faster. As he did, he felt the temperature rise when he accelerated the particles.

"Heating up, huh?" he remarked, intrigued. Slowing the particles, he sensed the water cooling, turning calm and almost icy. "It’s all about the speed of the mana particles…"

The realization hit him—he could control this mana-water in ways he’d never imagined. Each manipulation brought a new insight, a new understanding of what he could do. "This is… the way. Maybe this is how I can open the door to [Mana Customization]" he said, feeling a surge of excitement as the transformed mana pulsed in his hands.

Each step brought him closer, the boundaries of elemental control unfolding before him.

Sora’s curiosity grew with each new discovery. If this ’water’ is really as potent as it feels, he thought, what can it actually do?

He concentrated, shaping the water into a thin, high-pressure stream, directing it toward his arm. The surface rippled with an almost hypnotic fluidity, but he knew its force held the potential to cut, maybe even pierce.

"Let’s see just how sharp you can be," he whispered, pushing the stream forward.

As the water met his skin, he felt a slight sting—a surface-level scratch that, had it been any ordinary water, would have felt like nothing more than a splash. But this wasn’t ordinary water. It bore the weight of condensed mana. He narrowed his focus, increasing the pressure even further.

The stream bit deeper, leaving a fine, red line on his forearm. His [Adaptive Regeneration] flared to life, sealing the scratch almost immediately, but the sight made his heart race. "Not bad," he murmured, flexing his fingers. He could feel the potential within this water.

Encouraged, he increased the intensity, sending the stream crashing into his palm with the force of a whip. This time, it left a deeper mark, stinging as his regeneration fought to keep up. "You’re no joke," he said, fascinated.

He compressed the mana further, imagining it as a razor-thin blade. As it slashed across his skin, the force created a small cut—a shallow wound that his body once again began to heal. But in that moment, he felt the mana’s raw, destructive power.

There’s so much I can do with this, he thought, as he realized the versatility of this new skill.

Sora centered himself, letting his mana shift as he explored the properties of each element. First came [Fire], blazing to life around his hands as he focused on its raw intensity. The heat spread through his fingers, growing hotter until flames danced across his skin. It took an hour of constant concentration to finally feel he’d captured its essence.

He directed the flames toward his arm, letting them burn his skin. Pain surged, but [Adaptive Regeneration] worked instantly, cooling and healing him as he pushed the flames even further.

Next, he buried his feet underground, letting his mana transform into [Earth].

The energy grew heavy, forming earth-like substance that had higher density as he increased his control. He could integrate that ’Earth’ into his body, making him heavier, forming an almost stone-like texture along his other arm, or condense it to form stones and more.

He spent the next hour adjusting, feeling the weight and density settle. When he felt ready, he clenched his rock-hardened fist and slammed it against his leg. The sound of something breaking resonated.

Spikes formed around him, levitating briefly before they were ’attracted’ to his body. The impact was violent, causing him even more pain, but his body healed quickly, the sensation leaving him with a satisfied breath.

He moved on to [Wind], forming blades of invisible pressure that lashed across his body. Each gust was like a razor-sharp edge, cutting into his skin. It took time to control the flow, to make it fast and deadly. His focus tightened as he absorbed the air’s essence, its slicing precision. Thousands of tiny cuts formed, only to disappear as [Adaptive Regeneration] took hold, repairing him continuously.

Then came [Lightning]. Sparks crackled to life, racing along his arms in erratic bolts. It was fast, unpredictable, and he struggled to contain its energy, to control its direction. Another hour passed, and he allowed a bolt to strike his leg, muscles spasming from the shock. The pain was intense, as his body regenerated the damage just as quickly.

He attempted [Light] and [Shadow] next, feeling mana strain as it tried to adapt, but couldn’t quite hold either form. The elements were elusive, almost out of reach, his mana lacking the subtlety to capture them fully.

’Not yet’, he thought. Perhaps he’d gain the ability at a higher level. Space and time manipulation were even worse—there was no response at all, as if his mana itself did not understand what he was trying to attempt. He laughed quietly, knowing it was an impossible reach… for now.

Settling back on the ground, he combined all five mastered elements at once, allowing them to target him simultaneously. Water drilled relentlessly into his skin, fire blazed over his arms, and lightning bolts crackled around his shoulders. Above, jagged earth spikes rained down, while wind blades carved at him with vicious precision.

Kara watched in stunned silence, disbelief filling her eyes.

Through [Soul Link], she felt his agony. His life force fluctuated wildly, each element bringing him close to the edge of death, only for [Adaptive Regeneration] to pull him back, even stronger. Every pulse of his growth echoed in her, heightening her own strength. Who would push themselves like this? She couldn’t fathom it.

A notification flashed before her:

[High Mana Consumption Rate Detected]

[Warning: At current mana usage, Time Space capacity will be depleted within 24 hours.]

Kara’s anxiety spiked as she glanced back at Sora, his body nearly obscured by the chaos of the elements. He was drenched in sweat, bleeding out, his muscles trembling, his focus unwavering as he absorbed the relentless assault.

"What the hell??" she muttered, both in awe and disbelief. But she could feel his determination through their bond. There was no stopping him—he would push himself, whatever the cost, and she would feel the power building within her as well.