Reborn as the Last van Ambrose
Chapter 249: Explosion

Chapter 249: Explosion

But Grim found he couldn’t halt the flow. The sacred location’s concentrated mana had created a feedback loop with his new heart, drawing in more power than his body could safely process.

Mana began crackling around him in visible arcs of blue and silver light.

"I can’t control it," Grim said through gritted teeth, sweat beading on his forehead as he struggled against the overwhelming force.

The first explosion erupted from his left hand—a burst of uncontrolled mana that shattered a boulder ten feet away.

The second came from his chest, creating a shockwave that flattened the grass in a twenty-foot radius around their position.

"Focus on your breathing!" Húwáng commanded, moving quickly to place stabilizing hands on Grim’s shoulders. "Don’t fight the energy—guide it outward gradually!"

But the mana had its own momentum. A third explosion, larger than the previous ones, erupted from Grim’s entire body, sending both him and the Fox King tumbling backward.

The hot spring’s water began to boil from the residual energy, while cracks appeared in the surrounding rocks.

Grim felt his consciousness wavering as exhaustion crashed over him. His newly formed fourth heart was straining to contain forces it wasn’t yet equipped to handle. While his other three hearts struggled to maintain their normal functions under the chaotic conditions.

"Release everything!" Húwáng shouted over the crackling energy. "Let it all go at once rather than fighting for control!"

Following the king’s advice, Grim stopped trying to contain the mana and instead pushed it all outward in a massive, controlled explosion. The release created a dome of energy that scorched the earth in a perfect circle around them before dissipating into the atmosphere.

The sudden absence of pressure left Grim feeling drained and shaky. He collapsed onto his hands and knees, breathing heavily as his body struggled to recover from the ordeal.

"Well done," Húwáng said with obvious relief, though he too appeared shaken by the intensity of what had occurred. "How do you feel?"

"Different," Grim replied, testing the increased energy flow through his body while still feeling the aftereffects of the mana overflow. "Stronger, but also like I’ve been through a battle."

"That’s to be expected after such an intense formation process," the king assured him, examining the scorched earth around them with obvious concern. "The mana explosions were unprecedented—I’ve never seen a new heart react so violently to ambient energy."

"Is that dangerous for future cultivation?" Grim asked, worried about the implications.

"Not dangerous, but it suggests your capacity for mana absorption far exceeds what any human can do," Húwáng explained.

"We’ll need to be much more careful about cultivation environments going forward. What just happened could have been catastrophic if we hadn’t been in a reinforced location."

The damaged surroundings certainly supported that assessment. The explosions had left craters in the earth, split several large rocks, and turned the peaceful hot spring into a bubbling cauldron that was only now beginning to cool.

"I apologize for the destruction," Grim said, surveying the damage with obvious regret.

"Necessary learning," Húwáng replied diplomatically. "Though it does confirm that your cultivation system operates on entirely different principles than what we typically encounter."

"That’s normal," the king assured him. "The real benefits of additional hearts become apparent during sustained mana use rather than simple circulation.

"Now," Húwáng continued, "let me examine your mana heart structure. I want to understand how your cultivation system functions."

Grim nodded and allowed the king to place his hands on his chest. The examination lasted several minutes, during which Húwáng’s expression grew increasingly surprised.

"Remarkable," the king said finally, withdrawing his hands with obvious amazement. "Lord Ambrose, how are you able to hold such vast quantities of mana?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your mana hearts are significantly larger than normal," Húwáng explained. "Each one contains at least twice the capacity I would expect."

Grim was uncertain whether this was positive or concerning. "Is that problematic?"

"Not problematic, but highly unusual," the king replied. "Most cultivators develop hearts with standard capacity ratios."

"What does that mean practically?"

"It means you can maintain techniques for much longer periods than opponents with similar cultivation levels," Húwáng explained. "In extended conflicts, you would have significant advantages in stamina and sustained power output."

The explanation made sense given Grim’s experiences in combat. He had often noticed that he could maintain mana-intensive techniques longer than expected.

"However," the king continued, "raw storage capacity doesn’t directly translate to power output. Your techniques won’t necessarily be stronger than those of cultivators with similar heart counts."

"But I can use them longer?"

"Precisely," Húwáng confirmed. "You could potentially outlast opponents who rely on brief, intense engagements. It’s an interesting adaptation—your cultivation system seems designed for endurance rather than burst power."

"Is this common among humans?"

"I don’t know," the king admitted. "You’re the first human I’ve examined who possesses multiple mana hearts. This could be unique to your individual development, or it might represent how human cultivation differs."

"What advantages would this provide in actual combat?" Grim asked, curious about the practical applications.

"Significant ones," Húwáng replied thoughtfully. "Most magical duels are decided by who can maintain their techniques longest. Superior capacity means you could force opponents into defensive positions and gradually wear down their reserves."

"And the disadvantages?"

"Your techniques might lack the immediate impact," the king explained. "In very brief encounters, cultivators with optimized power output could potentially overwhelm you before your endurance advantages become relevant."

"However," Húwáng continued, his expression growing more serious as he considered the implications of the earlier mana explosions, "today’s events have revealed that your system also carries significant risks. The uncontrolled energy release could have killed you if the feedback loop had continued much longer."

"What caused it?" Grim asked, still feeling residual tremors in his mana channels.

"Your absorption rate exceeded your control capacity," the king explained. "It’s like trying to fill a cup from a waterfall—no matter how large the cup, the force of the water can shatter it if not properly managed."

"And how do I prevent it in the future?"

"Gradual exposure and better control," Húwáng replied. "We’ll need to develop specific methods for managing your unusual capacity before attempting any further advancement."

"Despite the complications," the king added with what might have been approval, "today’s session demonstrated remarkable potential. Your fourth heart formation succeeded despite the challenges, and your ability to release the excess energy in a controlled manner shows good instincts under pressure."

"Thank you for your guidance," Grim said, genuinely grateful for the king’s intervention during the crisis. "I suspect I would have been seriously injured without your assistance."

"Possibly," Húwáng agreed. "Though your natural resilience is also remarkable. Most cultivators would have suffered permanent damage from such mana overflow."

As they discussed his unusual characteristics, Grim again became aware of the observing presence. This time, however, the sensation was stronger, as if whoever was watching had moved closer to their location.

"Your Majesty," he said carefully, "our observer seems to be taking greater interest in our conversation."

"Indeed," Húwáng agreed with what might have been amusement. "Though I suspect their interest has more to do with your uniqueness than our discussion of cultivation theory."

"Should I be concerned?"

"No," the king said firmly. "The one watching us means no harm."

Before Grim could ask for clarification, Húwáng stood and began gathering his belongings.

"That’s sufficient cultivation for today," the king announced. "Your fourth heart formation was successful, and you’ll need time to adjust."

"Will we continue this training?"

"If you’re interested," Húwáng replied. "Though I suspect your next advancement opportunity may come from a different source."

The comment was clearly related to their mysterious observer, though the king seemed disinclined to elaborate further.

As they walked back toward the palace, Grim reflected on what had been accomplished. NovelFire

More intriguingly, someone with apparent power and knowledge had taken specific interest in his development. Whether this would prove beneficial or problematic remained to be seen.

"Your Majesty," Grim said as they approached the palace grounds, "may I ask why you chose to train me personally rather than delegating the instruction to others?" Correct content is on NovelFire

"Several reasons," Húwáng replied thoughtfully. "First, few others possess the knowledge necessary to guide advanced cultivation safely."

"And second?"

"I wanted to understand you better," the king said directly. "Ruxi’s happiness matters to me, and her husband’s character and abilities will significantly affect her future."

"And your assessment?"

"Ongoing," Húwáng replied with slight amusement. "Though today’s session provided valuable insights into both your potential and your unusual cultivation characteristics."

"Will those characteristics affect your evaluation?"

"They make you more interesting," the king said carefully. "Which could be either advantageous or concerning, depending on how you choose to develop them."

As they entered the palace, Caius began talking.

[Interesting development,] Caius observed as Grim prepared for the evening’s court activities. [Your cultivation system seems to be adapting well.]

"Indeed," Grim replied silently.

[And our mysterious observer?] Caius asked.

"Clearly someone with significant power and interest in my development," Grim said

[Hopefully,] Caius mused. [Though powerful beings with hidden agendas aren’t always reliable allies.]