Chapter 547 - New plan

No one will ever learn the name of my skill—that’s what I decide right away. I can already imagine the reactions. How the fuck do you even make it sound cool? For example, in combat, I jump in front of the enemy boss and say, “Say goodbye to this world. You cannot handle my [Knitting]!”

Hell nah.

More than anything, I expected the evolved version to be called [Weaving], which would fit my Primary Class, as well as my technique I dubbed Mana Weaving. That technique allows me to weave mana threads into my creations to make them more durable and last longer. I even use it with Ley Lines.

But after a few days of testing, I think I at least partially understand why it’s called [Knitting]. I still hate it, but I get the logic behind it. It is also written now on the paper in front of me.

Theory of [Knitting] vs. Mana Weaving - by Nathaniel Gwyn

[Knitting] uses a single continuous thread to create interconnected loops that reinforce each other, forming a tightly unified structure.

Key Strengths:

Unified Resilience: While it sounds weaker than having multiple threads (like weaving), as a single thread snapping would seemingly destroy the structure, it’s not. Unlike weaving, where threads remain individual, knitting’s single-thread design means the entire structure acts as a cohesive whole. It distributes stress evenly, preventing weak points where multiple threads would intersect.

Self-Reinforcing: The interlocked loops absorb force and tension, creating a structure that dynamically adjusts under stress rather than breaking.

Durable Under Strain: While weaving may fray or snap under extreme stress due to thread intersections, knitting’s continuous structure holds firm, resisting structural failures.

Mana Weaving

Mana Weaving interlaces multiple threads to form a rigid and layered structure that is able to last longer.

Key Strengths:

Thread Redundancy: The use of multiple threads means damage to one part of the weave won’t immediately compromise the entire construct.

Increased Rigidity: Weaving’s intersecting threads create a dense, immovable structure, ideal for static constructs like barriers or fortifications.

Why [Knitting] is NOT Weaker

Core Difference: Knitting isn’t weaker—it’s a different kind of strength. It sacrifices the thread redundancy of weaving in favor of a unified and adaptable structure that more rigid weaving cannot replicate. This allows Knitting to perform better under dynamic or high-strain conditions.

Example Applications:

Knitting is ideal for constructs, reinforcements, or tools that need to adapt to shifting conditions.

Weaving, by contrast, shines in fixed, unchanging applications like walls, weapons, or immovable fortifications.

I burn that paper right away to remove any proof of the word [Knitting]. At this point, it all feels like, as the twins would say, cope.

To make it simple, Mana Weaving makes more rigid threads, while [Knitting] uses a single, more flexible thread that I can make much thinner, and thus denser. In the end, sometime in the future, it will likely be more durable than Mana Weaving could ever be.

It’s also something that should work better with the construct for the Champion’s heart I have in mind. With some modifications, I might even be able to refine it further, and part of my mind is already working on that while the rest of me still examines [Knitting]. Now that I think about it, won’t I be able to make clothes out of mana if I try? There are so many interesting possibilities. But that name. That goddamned name.

Opening the door of my room, I head outside. I use my kinetic senses to detect Sophie’s heartbeat. Lately, I’ve grown to like that approach since it’s much harder for mana users to hide kinetic signs of their presence than their mana signatures. Everyone’s kinetic signs are different: distinct heartbeats, steps, and even the way the air vibrates around them. With enough focus and experience, you can tell people apart by those differences alone.

Lifting into the air, I float toward the sparring circle, watching the dark green sky that stretches across a huge area in the distance. Flashes of white light streak through it, followed by bursts of yellow. Yet another clash of Mimic and lumoran forces.

I land at the edge and form a mana-block chair to sit in, waiting for Sophie to finish her spar with Myrra. Tess is also nearby, as usual when they fight, since our mindblender and catgirl still have bad blood between them.

Myrra stands there, proud and tall, with two long daggers in her hands. One is made of fire, the other of ice. Her Aurora Glass glimmers all around, a crystalline material with reflective facets that change colors depending on how she uses the skill.

Touching a shard of glass near her, Myrra disappears, stepping out of another shard right above Sophie.

As Myrra falls, Sophie immediately senses her. A swarm of hundreds of bee-sized mana creations swirls around Sophie, flying toward Myrra and colliding with her fire attack.

Sophie creates a barrier around herself, and her web activates trying to tie Myrra up. Myrra, with an aggressive groan, pushes through and tears the web apart with sheer strength.

Only Sophie’s golem blocks the next attack. The creation is twice Sophie’s height, made of dirt and stone, with black smoke seeping from it as her bond infuses it for greater control. After the first clash, the golem’s limbs slim down, increasing its speed, and it crashes into Myrra multiple times as she jumps around, trying to flank Sophie.

Meanwhile, Sophie keeps attacking with everything she’s got—her swarm, mana projectiles, fire attacks, gusts of wind, and her web. Her arsenal is huge, and she uses all of it on Myrra, who keeps darting around the golem that constantly changes shape from agile to sturdy.

Aurora Glass glimmers as Myrra continues teleporting, moving like a wild beast driven by instinct. Any scratches or even deeper wounds she gets are quickly healed by her powerful regeneration.

Myrra’s fire and ice attacks clash against the barriers and the golem, causing explosions of heat and cold all around. The daggers extend into two swords that would look massive in human hands, though in hers they’re practically one-handed weapons.

The Aurora Glass shimmering around changes color—purple, white, and blue—and forms a beautiful armor around Myrra. She lowers her stance, her yellow eyes gleaming dangerously, fangs bared.

Sophie returns that gaze calmly, her swarm circling around her while the golem starts radiating more black smoke as it becomes denser and more solid. No more roughly shaped stone and dirt—now it’s something much more durable.

“That much should be enough,” Tess says simply from nearby.

But she’s ignored as Myrra charges and Sophie pours out even more mana.

Suddenly, a single javelin bursts through the air, piercing Sophie’s stone golem like it’s made of paper and sends it flying. Red and white lightning crackles around Tess as she moves even faster than Myrra, placing herself in front of Myrra’s path.

The agitated lynthari still swings, but Tess dodges with a quick sidestep and returns a single punch. Cracking lightning slams Myrra, shattering the Aurora Glass and throwing Myrra away.

A powerful burst of [Psychokinesis] then envelops the area, pressing down on both women for a moment, even through their natural and active defenses.

Tess’s blonde hair floats around her head, short bursts of electricity crackling around it and around her crown. She calmly stares them down until they step back.

I love that shit. It’s like our group leader is making sure everyone remembers the pecking order. Tess was the second person in our group to start her Beyond Trials. Her talent is undeniable, even if people tend to overlook her when they see Lily’s ridiculous skills.

Tess is someone who combines that immense talent with incredible effort.

Even so, I’d love to see her going all out. I don’t think it would be easy for her against either Myrra or Sophie, especially Myrra, who was tutored by LissLiss. But from how it looks right now, I think Tess could even win in a 1v2 scenario against Sophie and Myrra.

To speed things up, I release a single disruptive wave of mana, and all of Sophie’s constructs vanish along with Myrra’s skills.

I notice that Aurora Glass and Sophie’s golem, powered by Blackie, require more effort to dispel, and Tess’s lightning remains, to no surprise. It’s primordial energy, plus she has Chastity subclass, which makes it purer, and she also went with Mana Potency.

Sometimes I need to compare her lightning to my [Empyrean Lance].

Reaching Sophie, I wave my hand in front of her face until she stops glaring at Myrra.

“What?” she asks.

“I got an idea, and I want you to go over it with me while we run simulations.”

“Sure,” she groans.

The golem nearby crumbles; the now-restored Arcane item called Golem Heart flies into Sophie’s hand, and Blackie returns to her shadow.

I wave at Tess and Myrra, and as Sophie and I walk away, I start explaining, “New plan. Adding a second heart obviously isn’t simple, it’s not like I can just shove it in and hope it doesn’t burn me alive. My Kinetic Mana heart already takes up prime real estate in my chest. Introducing a second heart that generates thermal energy means I need to redesign a lot of my internal layout.”

“Didn’t we test that much?” she asks.

“Yes, but I made changes. I’m just talking it through out loud to confirm my plans. First, I kni… I weave a specialized cavity for the new heart, reinforcing it with heat-resistant, mana-woven threads to keep it stable and insulated from the rest of my body. Without that, the thermal energy would burn through my insides like fire through paper. It’ll be partially powered by my Kinetic Mana Heart, but I’ll make sure I can cut off that power feed easily and hope the thermal heart can maintain its own threads. Probably won’t work, but we’ll see.”

We reach the lake and both start walking on its surface—me using kinetic energy, Sophie using some other mumbo jumbo.

I continue, “The bigger challenge is creating an entirely separate system for the thermal heart. My mana heart has its own pathways, so letting thermal energy leak into them would be catastrophic as mana circuits aren’t built to handle extreme heat. We learned that the hard way. So I will weave a network of thermal pathways from scratch. We didn’t do that before because you said it was crazy and we tried using the existing pathways, but fuck it. We’ll layer thermal pathways and mana pathways on top of each other. These pathways, interwoven with dense, heat-resistant threads, act like insulated arteries that carry thermal energy wherever I need it without frying everything. Hopefully. A little bit of damage might be okay since thermal energy could help heal it. I’ll also integrate heat-dissipation nodes—exhaust points in key places, maybe palms and soles—to vent excess energy before it overwhelms me.”

“What about shooting thermal energy out of your ass as a dissipation node?”

“Fuck you, Sophie. So anchoring the heart itself is critical too. If it’s not stable, the heat and stress from the thermal heart could cause a lot of damage or worse. Using my weaving skill, I’ll reinforce it with threads so it’s securely held but can still move a little without causing damage. Finally, I’ll create a control hub near the heart, something like a Logic Core. It’ll replace my Vortex Core and work an interface so I can regulate the thermal flow and keep it from interfering with my mana. It probably won’t work because it never does, so I’ll come up with a few ideas and adjust them during the process.”

By the time we reach the waterfall, I propel myself up the cliff to where the heart is lodged into the rock, which is half-melted around it. Sophie joins me with a few long leaps, and we both look at the heart.

While staring at it, I say, “This isn’t without risk. I’ve fucked up plenty. Collapsed constructs, overheated pathways, or energy feedback that almost killed me. It’s frustrating, but each test brings me closer. And fuck me if I don’t get this shitty heart in my chest before the tournament starts.”

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