Subscription.
Henry Hamilton could finally grasp the meaning of that word. He was at a loss for words. A sense of wonder engulfed his entire body.
So this is what it was!
Was this what mana truly was?
Unbelievable… I had this right beside me and never realized it.
There was no visible change, yet he could feel it—the presence of mana filling the space around him.
It’s like being submerged in water. What a strange sensation.
Something surrounded his body. Something soft and harmonious. Water would resist movement, but mana did not. His breathing remained free. As he inhaled, mana entered his body; as he exhaled, it flowed out again.
This is what they were talking about in class…
Breathing in and not exhaling—that was the basic principle of mana training. After that, one had to refine the mana taken in and make it their own.
[Lol, what’s with this guy again?]
[Isn’t this a subscription reaction?]
[You react like this to a subscription???]
The conversation continued, but Henry, lost in his awe, waved his arms around wildly. He could feel the flow of mana responding to his movements.
This is unbelievable.
Now, he finally understood the reactions of his instructors. Those who had already reached a higher level. The trainees who followed their path. To those who could already sense mana, his swinging must have seemed utterly ridiculous.
If only I could harness this energy…
Even imagining it, he could already tell. No matter how skillfully one swung a sword, it would be useless against even a child’s strike imbued with mana.
“Thank you.”
A belated expression of gratitude escaped his lips. ‘Subscription’ was a blessing from the mages, and he had received that blessing.
“This is a kindness I could never hope to repay.”
If he could sense it, he could accumulate it. Any lack of foundation could be overcome through training. Just as he had honed his swordsmanship, with enough effort, he could surely master the use of mana as well.
[Lol, what kindness???]
[Isn’t he being way too dramatic??]
The baffled reactions. Henry understood them. To the mages, offering such help was no big deal. But to Henry, it meant something entirely different.
“Thank you for subscribing. No words could ever fully convey my gratitude…”
A mix of embarrassment and deep emotion. It was so far beyond his common sense that he didn’t even know how to react.
[LOL]
[This is insane, this was actually a reaction to a subscription???]
[I’m losing it lololol]
Even as Henry stood frozen, the mages’ reactions were surprisingly positive. In fact, it didn’t stop there.
[‘DirtyHorde’ has subscribed!]
[‘BeetleBeetleBeetle’ has subscribed!]
Two more mages had subscribed.
“My god.”
That was all Henry could manage to say. The density of mana thickened. He could feel it. The once barely perceptible energy had become slightly clearer. And then—
[Subscribers: 3]
[Perception increased by 3.]
[Subscriber goal: 10]
Bonus rewards will be granted upon reaching the goal.
Even a system message had appeared, making it all the more real. Clearly, this was the work of a great mage, an act of consideration for someone like Henry, who knew nothing of magic.
They’re doing all this for me?
Henry’s mouth hung open. The mages, meanwhile, looked pleased.
[He’s completely losing it lol]
[I’ve never seen anyone react to a subscription like this]
[This is crazy generous lol]
Their satisfaction was noticeable. To them, it must have been gratifying to see a knight trainee—one who previously couldn’t even perceive mana—finally catch a glimpse of another world.
“Once again, thank you. I will do my utmost to walk the path you have opened for me.”
[LOL what path?? Like a tree-lined street??]
[Hahaha]
[Doesn’t this just mean he wants to make money from streaming? lol]
[Honestly, with this much dedication, he might actually make it big one day]
[This concept is pretty fresh though lol]
If they hadn’t been mages, he might have even saluted them. But their generosity didn’t end there.
[‘BeetleBeetleBeetle’ has donated 1,000 won!]
[“You got this lol!!”]
“…!”
A bright, overly cheerful voice rang out. Henry stared at the screen, dumbfounded.
“Did… did the mage just speak?”
[Huh???]
[What’s he talking about now lol]
“I-I heard a voice just now. ‘BeetleBeetleBeetle has donated 1,000 won’… and also ‘You got this, lolol.”
Henry remained in shock. He had never heard such a voice in reality. No, it wasn’t even a human voice to begin with.
[LOOOOL]
[He’s actually insane hahahaha]
[I’m dying, this is too funny]
Judging by their reactions, he was right. The voice had indeed belonged to a mage, and they found his shock hilarious.
“I-I apologize. This is my first time conversing with mages, so… I only now learned that you can send messages from afar.”
[Far away, indeed lol. How far is Seoul from Busan again?]
[This is seriously killing me lol]
[Wouldn’t it be easier to just talk instead of typing?]
“Hmm, that does make sense.”
Henry nodded for a simple reason. One had to actively read text, but a voice could be heard even while doing other things.
The viewers were impressed.
[Wow, he’s really committing to the act.]
[I can’t believe how well he’s guiding the conversation lol]
[Look at that expression. He really looks like he knows nothing lol. His acting is insane.]
The flow of this conversation was completely unpredictable.
“By the way… when a voice is sent through magic, does it usually… change slightly?”
[Does the voice change??]
“Yes, I was just curious.”
[???]
[Anyone understand??]
[?????]
A flood of question marks filled the chat. No one seemed to understand, so Henry was about to explain again when—
[BeetleBeetleBeetle has donated 1,000 won!]
[“LOL, no way! This? Like this??”]
That same voice echoed once more. Henry widened his eyes and nodded vigorously.
“Yes, this was it. I was curious if you had transformed this voice using magic.”
[Wow, the buildup was insane LOL]
[Wait, was he talking about the robotic voice? LOL]
[Looks like it LOL, omg]
So much for the stereotype that wizards were reclusive and gloomy. Who would’ve thought they’d be such a lively bunch?
Rumors really couldn’t be trusted. Henry watched their conversation with amusement. He didn’t understand half the expressions they were using, but so what? Until just moments ago, these wizards had looked at him as if he were a monkey in a cage, yet now, they were people who had given him an incredible gift.
[But do you have any weapons?? Are they in your quarters?]
[Maybe he stored them in his inventory?]
“Oh, if you mean weapons, there are wooden swords in the training hall. We’re only allowed to use real swords in certain lessons.”
[Then what’s in your inventory?]
“Apologies, but I do not understand what an ‘inventory’ is.”
[Yeah, we should just give up LOL]
[Can you at least show us some swordsmanship??]
[You have skills, right?]
“Skills… I apologize once again, but I do not know. However, I can demonstrate my swordsmanship.”
[LOL please show us some swordplay!!]
[At this point, we should assume he doesn’t understand any gaming terms LOL]
[Alright, let’s respect the roleplay LOL]
Respect the roleplay. That meant they were willing to accommodate his perspective. They would only ask things that a knight trainee could reasonably understand.
What a peculiar bunch… But if all oddballs were like this—
Honestly, he was deeply grateful.
“I shall move to the training hall.”
Determined to give them a proper demonstration, Henry left the parade ground.
[The graphics are absolutely insane LOL]
[Seriously, the training hall looks so realistic]
[This medieval vibe is hitting just right LOL]
The training hall was still empty. Henry calmly prepared himself. He grabbed a wooden sword from the rack and strapped on additional sandbags—just enough to match the weight of his armor.
[Is there no weight penalty?]
[No, if you phrase it like that, he won’t get it LOL]
[Aren’t those sandbags too heavy?]
[LOL yeah, you gotta word it right]
So ‘weight penalty’ must refer to discomfort caused by heaviness.
Having learned yet another wizardly phrase, Henry shook his head.
“It is heavy. However, as a knight, I must grow accustomed to this weight.”
[So does that mean stat increases compensate for it??]
[Oh, so training with them boosts his stats LOL]
[Too bad it’s just a wooden sword… The effects won’t look as cool]
[Yeah, we need some flashy visuals for it to be fun to watch]
That stung a little. It was true that real swords were only allowed in certain lessons, but that rule applied mostly to Henry and a handful of other trainees. From B-rank and above, students were allowed to use real swords during personal training. The restriction on lower-ranked trainees was meant to prevent accidents due to lack of experience.
Though, of course, that wasn’t the real reason.
The real purpose was motivation. The privilege of using real swords outside of lessons was enough to make the top trainees fight to maintain their rank, while those in lower ranks struggled desperately to climb up.
“I shall begin with the basics of swordsmanship.”
It was unfortunate that he couldn’t use a real sword to meet the mages expectations, but that only strengthened his resolve to give it his all. Gritting his teeth, he took his stance. The wooden sword sliced through the air.
[Did the wooden sword just make a sound?]
[Was that just him making the noise himself??]
[Guys, what even is this stream LOL]
The screen didn’t matter to him. The moment he gripped the sword and began swinging, Henry focused solely on executing his swordsmanship properly. Then—
“……!”
Henry felt something. He was swinging his wooden sword as usual, yet something about it felt different. New.
He concentrated. He did not resist—he accepted it.
This is…
It was mana. With each breath, mana entered his body and spread to every corner. Normally, it would just flow back out, but this time, something had changed.
「Mana that enters the body will always escape again. Unless it’s ‘your’ mana, stored in your heart, you cannot hold onto it.」
Instructor Alex’s voice echoed in his mind. Henry had memorized his lessons word for word, despite their apparent irrelevance to him.
「But you can change its exit route. It’s an incredibly simple technique. Focus. On your fingertips, your toes, even the fork you hold at dinner—it doesn’t matter. The place where you concentrate your will, that becomes the outlet for your mana.」
That was how Alex had explained it. A method to increase mana efficiency, entirely dependent on concentration.
And when it came to focus during swordplay—
[Huh?]
[Did something just shine?]
No knight trainee could match Henry Hamilton.
[Yeah, something definitely flashed LOL]
[That actually looks sick??]
[Aren’t we still in the tutorial stage??]
[How does a wooden sword already have effects like that??]
The sword traced an arc through the air. A sensation he had never felt before. Thrilled by the rush, Henry’s blade cut through the air again and again.
“Huff.”
With a final horizontal slash, he lowered his sword. The basic swordsmanship of the Ballaran Royal Academy. The demonstration was over.
Henry stared at his trembling hands. They weren’t shaking from pain or exhaustion. He simply couldn’t contain his pounding heart.
This is mana!
With this power, everything could change. No—it would change. Three failures? That restriction now felt trivial. He felt confident he could overcome it.
[Damn… Is this really VR?? Has technology advanced this much already??]
[What’s the name of this game?!?!]
[This is insane LOL the quality is next-level]
Fortunately, the wizards seemed satisfied. And their satisfaction—
[‘Horololololo’ has subscribed!]
[‘asuu1337’ has subscribed!]
[‘paruin’ has subscribed…]
…translated into numbers.
[Current viewers: 23]
[Subscribers: 10]
[You have achieved Stage 1 objectives!]
[An additional reward has been granted!]
