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Due to the death energy leaking from Kieran’s body, he now spent most of his time at the mansion. He only occasionally went out to tend his garden. More than ever, Kieran dedicated himself to mastering the control over his death energy.
To fill his spare time, Kieran began studying various weapons through books. In his previous life, he had also studied weaponry, though firearms were the most commonly used. Now, he was practicing with a wooden sword—slashing, thrusting, and swinging it repeatedly until his body grew accustomed to the movements.
Besides weaponry, Kieran also studied magical technology. Magical technology was developed to assist the Diverse in battle. Most of these inventions were combat-related, but there were also tools for daily needs, such as devices to lift heavy objects, aid in farming, and help those with little mana. These tools only required a small amount of mana to recharge, much like batteries in the modern world.
Kieran also attempted to create his own magic device—but failed. It was only natural. No matter how much experience he had in his previous life, replicating modern devices in this world wasn’t easy. The core components were fundamentally different. Even so, Kieran didn’t give up. While he couldn’t replicate the exact form, he could still create tools that performed a similar function, even if they looked different.
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At present, Kieran was watering the plants in his garden, which were nearing harvest. He didn’t stay long, afraid his death energy might affect them. Taking advantage of his free time, Kieran relaxed in the main hall. He read more about magical technology and came across something crucial in the creation of magic tools: empty mana stones.
Mana stones were formed from underground mana that had solidified over time. Empty mana stones, on the other hand, contained very little mana. Unlike regular mana stones, these could be infused with an element-bearing mana to create a magic device. The most challenging part was modifying the empty mana stones by carving runes into them while channeling mana. One wrong move, and the stone would shatter from an overload of energy.
Therefore, syncing the mana inside the stone with external mana and precisely carving the runes were both critical. This was also why regular mana stones couldn’t be used—they already held mana that would clash with the infused energy and cause an explosion. Once successfully modified, an empty mana stone would become a *stanca*.
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The next step was to create a suitable vessel that could be bound to the *stanca*. This vessel was just as important—it helped the *stanca* release its full potential and also served as a protective casing. Some magic devices were single-use and would shatter after activation, while others could be used multiple times. This all depended on the strength stored in the *stanca*. Reusable devices only needed to be recharged with mana, as the *stanca* was no longer a raw mana stone. Single-use tools, however, released immense power and destroyed the *stanca* in the process.
Demonic beasts and magical creatures also had mana stones inside them, known as *cores*. However, crafting devices from these was extremely difficult, as each core contained the creature’s unique energy. Modifying them required perfectly matched mana; otherwise, the core would break apart. Because of their immense value in helping Diverse warriors push past their limits, these cores were usually reserved for training rather than crafting.
No wonder Kieran kept failing—he still didn’t fully understand the elemental affinity of his mana. This world had many elemental forces: fire, water, earth, lightning, ice, plants, light, and darkness. Each Diverse had a primary element, usually inherited from their parents. Still, there were exceptions where a child’s element differed. While Diverse could learn other elements, the affinity for secondary elements would never surpass that of their primary one.
Kieran recalled that the Lavoisier family’s primary element was lightning, meaning he likely shared that affinity. Elemental awakening occurred around age ten—when children first learned mana manipulation and began their journey as Diverse. Kieran had already become a Diverse, and over the past two years, his body had stored a considerable amount of mana. He never tired of trying to cast spells, even though only raw mana ever came out.
Stretching his stiff limbs, Kieran rose from the couch and headed to his room. For some reason, he felt like lazing around today. Lying in bed, he thought about what he wanted to do next. Before long, drowsiness took over, and he drifted off to sleep.
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Lately, a new thought had been bothering Kieran—could his death energy still affect living things if they were protected by a magical barrier? Today, he would find out. Two days ago, he had requested a support-type magic device from Erick. After receiving it, Kieran spent the last two days learning how to use it.
Support-type devices were made to assist and protect their users. The one Kieran had requested was a barrier device called *Baryer*, which came in the shape of a cube. After days of study, Kieran now understood how it worked: once infused with mana, *Baryer* would activate and protect its target until the mana within the *stanca* was depleted. A powerful attack would drain it faster. If the user failed to recharge the device in time, the *stanca* would shatter and become unusable. Fortunately, *stanca* could also be recharged using mana stones.
Ready to begin the experiment, Kieran headed to the mansion’s backyard. He activated the *Baryer* and tossed it toward a patch of climbing plants. The cube opened, forming a shimmering barrier around the plants. Without hesitation, Kieran unleashed his death energy—this time not passively, but with full force.
Within moments, the nearby plants began to wither and die. For ten minutes, Kieran poured out his deadly aura. When he finally stopped and pulled the energy back into his body—though traces of black mist still lingered—the results were clear.
The climbing plants inside the barrier remained untouched. Not a single leaf had wilted. The *Baryer* had held strong, confirming that his death energy could be blocked by a properly maintained barrier.
At least now, Kieran knew there was a way to protect living things if his powers ever spiraled out of control.
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