Mushoku Impact

Though his Mana pool was almost comically low, Paul spent the months following his 'awakening' focused on three things. First and foremost, he would look for opportunities throughout the day to expend most, not all of his Mana. He didn't want to lose consciousness in the middle of class, so he always stopped just as the edges of his vision began to darken.
When he wasn't focused on increasing his Mana capacity, Paul was wholly dedicated to the pursuit of simply swinging his sword. His instructor in the Water God Style, Miss Rena Greenbull, had explained to the class that the secret to stimulating Touki was simply using your sword so frequently that it felt like an extension of yourself, not just your arm. It was for this reason that swordsmen who had roused their Touki could fight ambidextrously or even with their swords in their mouths. Using a sword effectively became a part of their autonomic processes, much like breathing or the beating of their heart.
Though Paul didn't truly understand his instructor's words, he wasn't even remotely deterred. He was still only five years old, and, more importantly, her lessons gave him a few ideas on how he might be able to stimulate his Touki much sooner than expected. Ideas that greatly benefitted his third, arguably most crucial focus.
Paul's eyes had become remarkably photosensitive ever since his abrupt awakening of the Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision. In the days that followed, his eyes were so sensitive that a dark room glowed like midday. When he was exposed to natural sunlight, it was so blindingly bright that he had no choice but to close his eyes or cover them with a dark cloth.
Back in his previous world, one of the few animes Paul had watched, even if it was only a few episodes, was Jujutsu Kaisen. He thought some of the fight choreography was badass, so after seeing a few youtube videos, he eventually gave in and checked out the first 5-6 episodes.
Among the varied cast of Jujutsu Kaisen characters, Paul's favorite was, inarguably, Satoru Gojo. The man wasn't simply a beast in terms of raw speed and power, but his classic ensemble of dark clothing and a dark black cloth covering his eyes had made him an icon among even casual anime viewers.
Unfortunately, while Paul was able to emulate Gojo's classic look and peer through a blindfold, it looked tacky and was remarkably uncomfortable. It didn't help that he had to keep his eyes open as one of the restrictions of the Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision was their inability to see through people and high-density mana. In other words, much like a normal person, Paul could not see with his eyes closed.
While the prolonged wearing of a blindfold proved impossible, it helped Paul control his Demon Eyes and practice his swordsmanship. So long as he restricted the amount of Mana flowing to his eyes, his photosensitivity would be weakened to a tolerable level. The blindfold also narrowed his vision during training, forcing him to remain calm and focused, a state of mind that gradually improved his sense of balance and spatial awareness.
Though he still couldn't keep up with Xiangling in terms of speed, skill, and fluidity of motion, Paul quickly leaped to the head of the pack once he returned to class and started attending swordsmanship training. The Water God Style focused on fluidity and reactionary strikes, so the rather sudden and drastic increase in his patience gave Paul an edge over other, unrepentantly rambunctious Nobles. Miss Rena had even commented that it was like his entire disposition changed, going from someone who was a sure fit for the Sword God Style to someone who could master any Style to a reasonable degree...
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In what felt like the blink of an eye, ten months had passed since Paul's stay in the Milbots Academy. His father had asked him to come home for a few months to celebrate his birthday, so, in preparation for their coming departure, Paul had gathered Zhongli and Xiangling to both inform them and ask, "Now that I've saved a hundred Asura Gold Coins, what do the two of you think about trying to expand our ranks?"
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Zhongli answered, "That sounds like a marvelous idea, Master Paul. Even if the likelihood of summoning them is remarkably slim, we should be seeking to assemble my fellow Archons as quickly as possible. Both Xiangling and myself would also benefit from the addition of a Constellation, so I can see no major downsides to accessing the Intersection of Fate at this time."
Though he nodded his head in response to Zhongli's words, Paul turned his attention to Xiangling to hear what she had to say. When he did, she offered a pleasant yet wry smile as she answered, "So long as you don't summon someone like Xinyan, Xingqiu, or Hu Tao, I think it should be fine."
"..."
Suppressing his urge to say, "Bruh." Paul adopted a wry smile of his own as he said, "You really shouldn't say things like that. It's like asking fate to mess with us..."
Tilting her head to the side, Xiangling asked, "Should I have said it would be bad to summon Ningguang or Keqing then...?"
Exhaling a sigh, Paul shook his head and explained, "Unfortunately, the RNG Gods are not so easily fooled. The more you want something, the less like you are to obtain it, and any attempts to 'game' the system will just result in...."
Recalling a certain purple-haired zombie, a cold shiver ran through Paul's body. It didn't help that said zombie was among the very last things Paul witnessed before his death...
Shaking his head, Paul reminded himself that the people he summoned through the Intersection of Fate weren't characters. Even Xiangling had incredible potential, and, were it not for her, he probably would have been the one preparing all of their meals the past few months.
"Well, let's get on with it. There's only a week or so before the convoy arrives to pick us up, so I'll be relying on the two of you to help catch any new allies up to speed. Who knows, with my luck, I may only summon a bunch of weapons?"
After experiencing how powerful the weapons summoned through the Intersection of Fate were, Paul had convinced himself there was no such thing as a 'bad pull' from his personalized Gacha System. After all, even if he did end up summoning the Harbinger of Unmet Expectations, he would have an immortal herb collector who could potentially heal her allies once her Vision was active.
Confident of his assessment, Paul opened the Intersection of Fate for the first time in nearly ten months. The interior hadn't changed at all since his previous visit, but that wasn't too surprising since time ostensibly stopped while he was away.
"Now, how do I turn gold into Fates...?"
Anticipating Paul's question, Zhongli pointed to the groove located near where he was meant to place his hands, explaining, "Insert the coins into the groove. Once the value reaches a certain point, an Acquaint Fate will manifest in the closest slot."
Nodding his head in understanding, Paul knelt down on the hard stone floor, remarking, "Remind me to bring a pillow or something the next time we enter..."
Though his comment had been more of a joke than anything else, Zhongli unhesitantly replied, "Very well, Master Paul." before offering a faint smile when Paul looked back at her with a deadpan expression on his face.
Just as Zhongli had explained, inserting ten Asuran Gold Coins into the conveniently coin-sized groove caused a flash of rainbow light to appear in the slot nearest to Paul. Ninety gold coins later, he had a configuration of ten Acquaint Fates. All he needed to do was place his palm on the dais and shout 'confirm.'
After a very brief moment of hesitation, Paul placed his hands into the oversized grooves and shouted, "Confirm!" with as much conviction as he could manage. Then, despite convincing himself there was no such thing as a bad pull, his heart started racing when the meteor in the sky shifted from a vibrant shade of blue to a glorious shade of gold.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Hahahahahaha-!"
Though there was still a chance he had pulled the Fallen God, Paul could not contain himself. The odds of summoning a 5-Star were less than 1%, so each one he drew was a Blessing from the Heavens.
Seeing Paul laughing like a madman, Xiangling leaned closer to Zhongli and asked, "Did he act like this when he summoned me?"
Returning a faint smile, Zhongli replied, "No. However, he has since come to regret his behavior at that time. You might not be the most powerful, but you are certainly his most precious ally..."
Feeling a little better after hearing Zhongli's words, Xiangling shifted her attention to the center of the platform just in time to witness the golden light crashing into it. When she saw who emerged, even she couldn't help smiling.
Though she was currently in the form of a little girl with gold-blonde hair, everyone present could immediately deduce the identity of the petite, blue-eyed, remarkably adorable girl. However, Paul was the first to utter her name, whispering, "Jean Gunnhildr..." in an audibly shaky tone.
Raising her head, Jean briefly locked eyes with Paul before looking past him at the two people standing a few meters away. It took her a moment, but she quickly realized the doll-like girl with brown hair was the former Geo Archon, while the little girl with looping braids was Xiangling.
Suppressing her urge to greet the two people she was familiar with; Jean adopted a severe expression that didn't suit her adorable appearance as she met Paul's gaze and stated, "You must be the Champion...Paul Notos Greyrat, my new Master..."
Similar to when Zhongli and Xiangling had first appeared, Jean was wearing a Maid outfit that closely resembled her sister Barbara's clothing from the game. The base was an unsullied shade of white with dark-blue trim that perfectly accentuated the ribbon tying up her ponytail. As for the rest of her outfit, it consisted of pure white hose and glossy, single-strap black pumps.
Placing his hand over his heart, Paul nearly performed a Noble's greeting before awkwardly dropping it and answering, "Yes, though you only need to refer to me as such in public. In private or in situations where my status is of no consequence, I would prefer it if you called me Paul."
Demonstrating the seriousness she was known for in the game, Jean's expression formed into a slight pout as she muttered, "I see...I will do my best to remember that. However, given the significance of your status, it would be easier for me to address you as Master. Fraternization may lead to familiarity, but it also causes complacency and obfuscation within the chain of command. As the core and leader of our group, it is only natural that you bear a title befitting your status, Master."
"..."
Unable to refute Jean's words, Paul paused for a moment before nodding his head and saying, "Very well. If you believe it will be easier, feel free to address me as Master."
Returning a nod and a polite curtsy, Jean replied, "I shall." before rising to her full, 114cm height. While this sounded short, she was actually slightly taller than Paul due to girls developing faster than boys. Paul noticed this, but didn't let it bother him as he knew it was only a matter of time before he caught up and towered over her. His father, Amarant, was nearly two meters in height, so the 112cm Paul still had a lot of room for growth. Did it matter? Not really. He just wanted to be tall...
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(A/N: For those that don't know, the characters that appear in this novel are random. I was just as stoked as Paul when he managed to pull Jean xD.)

In the wake of Jean's summoning, Paul ultimately ended up with the task of getting her up to speed. He thought it would have been better to leave such things to Zhongli, but that apparently wasn't the case as even Jean herself seemed keen on hearing what he had to say. When Paul asked for the reason, Jean was the one to answer, "First impressions are essential in establishing trust and a baseline for comparison. Your behavior and the information you provide allow others to make an initial assessment of your character. Using that, I can later ascertain whether or not you were being deceitful by communicating with others."
"..."
Though he had expected Jean's straightforwardness, Paul was still a little taken aback by it. Fortunately, his nearly six years as a Noble had given him a fair amount of resistance against such things. As a result, he was quickly able to regain his wits, stating, "I see. If that's the case, I will do my best to present a detailed account as well as listing out my expectations for the future..."
Responding in the manner expected of a Maid, Jean folded her hands over her lap and lowered her head in a flawless display of courtesy, her voice calm and composed as she replied, "Thank you, Master Paul. Your consideration and willingness to listen to counsel have already given me a positive impression of your character."
Pulled into Jean's pace, Paul found himself offering a markedly less but still courteous bow as he said, "You honor me with your words..."
Realizing the error he had just made, Paul's body briefly tensed. Jean's disposition and bearing were just so far removed from a Servant or Maid that he couldn't help regarding her as a Noble...
Fortunately for Paul, this seemed to bolster Jean's impression further as she adopted an approving, squinty-eyed smile...
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Several hours after Paul's explanation and a small party to welcome her to the group, Jean was lying silently in bed, her pale-blue eyes focused on nothing in particular as a faint knock sounded at her door.
Rising to a seated position, Jean habitually checked herself over before calling out, "Please, enter."&nbsp;
Fortunately, not that she had expected him to enter her room in the middle of the night, the person at the door wasn't Paul. Instead, it was Zhongli wearing a vanilla-colored nightgown that reached down to her ankles.
"Having trouble sleeping...?"
Adopting a weary smile, Jean answered, "To be fair, I rarely got more than three hours of sleep back in our world. My duties and aspirations left me little time for things like leisure and relaxation..."
"Mmm..."
Making her way over to Jean's bedside, Zhongli pulled up a chair before taking a seat and inquiring, "And what is your 'initial assessment' of our new Master?"
Averting her eyes, Jean deliberated for several seconds, memories of the past few hours resurfacing in her mind as she answered, "I believe he is a good, honest man. But I can also tell he's hiding or, at the very least, holding something back. In a way, he reminds me of my younger sister...someone with great potential, but burdened by the expectations of others..."
Adopting a faint smile of her own, Zhongli remarked, "It's no wonder Grandmaster Varka entrusted the matter of protecting Mondstadt to you. Your insight and ability to ascertain a person's true nature are truly remarkable..."
Turning to meet Zhongli's gaze, Jean was about to ask for her opinion but remained silent as the former willingly explained, "Our predicament has placed a tremendous burden on Master Paul. Though he was given the option of whether or not to help us, his nature has compelled him to believe he 'must' help us. While that is certainly beneficial for our cause, I fear it is only a matter of time before he breaks under the strain of his perceived responsibilities. For that reason, I am relieved that you, of all people, were summoned. It appears Fate truly is on our Master's side..."
Understanding what Zhongli was trying to say, a self-deprecating smile developed across Jean's face. During her relatively short tenure as the Acting Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonia, she had worked herself to exhaustion on several occasions. She had gotten better at delegating towards the end of the Stormterror incident, but she still had first-hand experience deferring to and nearly breaking due to others' expectations.
"What would you have me do? I could offer him advice, but I fear it may sound illegitimate considering I'm in a similar situation. With the fates of two worlds on the line, even resting here in my room feels...negligent...I understand there is little I can do at the present moment, but it doesn't prevent me from feeling like I 'should' be doing something..."
Contrasting Jean's expectations, Zhongli responded with an affirmative nod, saying, "Good. That is, precisely, what you 'should' be doing."
"I'm afraid you've lost me..."
Amused by the doubtful expression on Jean's serious yet childish face, a soft chuckle emanated from Zhongli's throat before she went on to explain, "Just as you are concerned about Master Paul, he will invariably be worried about you. In the beginning, he will see your hard work and feel driven to put in even more effort. The closer he comes to injury, the greater your concern for his well-being. In turn, he will attempt to ease your anxieties by taking things slower and advising you to do the same. In essence, your righteous natures will help you to refine and ultimately restrain one another..."
"..."
Furrowing her brows, Jean fell into a contemplative state with one arm crossed, the other resting on top in a manner that allowed her to thumb her chin and nibble her index finger. Zhongli's words made it sound like she was advising her to become Paul's rival, but Jean got the distinct impression there was much more to it.
Seeing through Jean's thoughts, Zhongli removed any room for doubt by supplementing, "Your suspicions are correct. I'm asking you to fall in love with him. If there is anything I've learned from observing humans, it's that emotions like love allow them to overcome just about anything. What our Master needs, more than anything else, is a legitimate reason to dedicate himself to our cause. There is a distinct difference between simply doing what you believe is right and fighting to protect the people you love..."&nbsp;
While others might have felt offended or betrayed by Zhongli's words, Jean's expression hardly changed as she asked, "Are you sure I'm the best suited for the task? Based on my observations, there seems to be a burgeoning relationship between Master Paul and Xiangling. If that's the case, I may complicate matters by being too...persistent."
Instead of insisting she was correct, Zhongli emulated Jean's posture as she answered, "Truth be told, this is mere speculation based on my part. All I know for certain is that Master Paul needs something 'more' to anchor him to our cause. It is no coincidence the Gods in charge of the Boundaries had us make certain compromises. This world is also a far cry from our own. The sensibilities of people here are less...refined. Master Paul is an exception, but that may very well be the reason for his inevitable breakdown. When one's views differ drastically from the rest of the world, it weighs heavily on the mind."
"I see...so what you're saying is I'm not necessarily the best option, just the most convenient given the circumstances..."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Zhongli adopted an apologetic smile as she said, "I've made an effort to break down our Master's defenses, but my actions have had the opposite of the intended effect. I believe I can achieve greater results once this body matures, but that is a matter for the future. For now, what our Master needs the most is someone he can compete against and grow alongside."
Though she could guess Zhongli's response, Jean asked the obvious, specifically, "And what about Xiangling?"
Closing her eyes, Zhongli explained, "I'm afraid Xiangling is a little too emotional and prone to negativity. She has improved considerably over the past few months, but her behavior has only added to our Master's perceived burdens. It will likely take several years before she matures to the point of being able to make rational judgments in matters such as this."
Nodding in both affirmation and understanding, Jean said, "Very well. It will take some time, but I'm confident I can fall in love if things progress according to your predictions. Given Master Paul's physical appearance and disposition, it shouldn't be too difficult."
Though she found the present Paul more adorable than attractive, Jean could tell he would grow into a handsome man. He also took his training very seriously, so it wasn't difficult to picture his physique developing in a favorable direction. Once he put on a bit of muscle, Paul would be well within Jean's underused but still-existent strike zone.
Believing their conversation to be finished, Zhongli rose to her feet and said, "Then I entrust this matter to you. Just keep in mind that it is not a duty exclusive to you. This world has very...open views on relationships. Instead of restraining him, you should consider actively supporting our Master's relationships with others. After all, given his status as the next Lord of Milbots, it may not be possible for the two of you to marry until we remedy the decay and corruption within the Asura Kingdom. Given that, Master Paul will likely be forced to accept a political engagement once he comes of age at ten. Keep that in mind."
Though she felt goosebumps spreading across her body when Zhongli mentioned the Asura Kingdom's remarkably low standard for adulthood, Jean still nodded her head in affirmation. Common sense told her it was utterly ridiculous to consider ten years old and adult, but as Zhongli had pointed out, her common sense didn't apply in this situation. If she were to go around telling people it was wrong, the vast majority would look at her as if she was the one speaking nonsense...
"I'll keep that in mind...thanks..."
Returning a nod of her own, Zhongli made her way for the entrance of Jean's room but stopped at the threshold, revealing, "Worry not...you're not the only one disturbed by this world's logic. Master Paul, Xiangling, and I have similar thoughts. If I still had my powers as the Geo Archon, I would have laid waste to the Silver Palace within hours of my arrival..."
Turning back to reveal a severe expression on her face, Zhongli added, "Our Master has yet to voice his thoughts on the matter, but he keeps a small journal within his breast pocket. He records the name of everyone he has failed to save. When the time comes, I have no doubt he will do everything in his power to 'redeem' himself..."
Understanding the meaning of Zhongli's words, Jean adopted a resolute expression of her own as she said, "Then that settles the matter. Even if I must sacrifice myself a thousand times over, I will continue supporting our Master till the end."
Offering one final nod, Zhongli muttered, "Well said, Dandelion Knight..." before departing Jean's room with a smile. Jean's arrival had solved a lot of the problems that were beginning to plague their growing group. Zhongli had no doubt others would appear, but having such a stalwart and unfaltering ally certainly made things easier...
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Unaware that Zhongli and Jean had conspired together to effectively honeytrap him, Paul was taking advantage of his Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision to write in near-absolute darkness. Jean's arrival, at least in his opinion, had completely changed things. He had no doubts she would rise through the Ranks of the Sword God Style like a rocket, so, even if the future promised pain, Paul was looking forward to polishing his skills against a truly prodigious swordswoman...

After penning a letter to his father and waiting nearly two weeks for a response, Paul couldn't help feeling disappointed when he opened it to find the exact answer he expected.
"What does it say...?"
Looking to the blue-haired girl standing off to his left, Paul's expression became somber as he explained, "My father contacted House Vale to try and reach an accord, but they refused. The person who sanctioned Sera's addition to the Palace of Concubines was the 8th Prince of the preceding generation, the current King's youngest brother. House-"
With tears building in the corners of her eyes, Xiangling slapped the table, screaming, "We have to help her! It...it isn't right to send such a young girl off to such a terrible place...!"
Closing his eyes, Paul was doing his best to appear calm as he answered, "We're weak, Xiangling. Trying to oppose the Royal Family with our current power will get us killed. If we die, then there would be no one to save our worlds...no one to save the girls that would inevitably replace Sera..."
With Xiangling trembling in indignant rage and sadness at his side, Paul reached into the top drawer of his desk for a small lockbox. Inside was the tiny crystalline vial Sera had gifted him two weeks prior, the interior filled with three drops of highly condensed, almost gelatine-like beads of Mana.
Seeing the crystalline vial, Xiangling wiped away some of the tears from her eyes as she asked, "Are you going to take them?"
Nodding his head in affirmation, Paul answered, "Now, more than ever, I feel the need to grow stronger. Sera gave these to me in exchange for a place to belong. If I die before then, I will have failed her thrice over..."
Rising to his feet, Paul made his way to the kitchen in order to retrieve a large glass of water. Trying to consume the concentrated Mana directly could burn the inside of your mouth and throat, so it was recommended to place a single drop into a large glass of cold milk or water.&nbsp;
Having spotted Paul and Xiangling exiting the former's bedroom, Zhongli set aside her long-armed feather duster to check and see what they were doing. When she spotted the vial in Paul's hands, she asked, "Are you sure you wish to consume them now? If you wait another year or two, you may have enough Mana to cast a Beginner Level Detoxification Spell. You still have a lot of room for growth, Master Paul. If you injure yourself now, you risk undoing all the progress you've made these past few months."
Though he understood where Zhongli was coming from, Paul maintained a resolute expression as he answered, "There is one thing I learned back in my previous world, Zhongli. When presented with a choice like this, those with powerful fates will surely pull through. If I falter at a time like this, I may as well resign myself to the position of a Regional Lord and let you all handle everything..."
Without waiting for Zhongli's response, Paul dropped one of the glowing blue beads of Mana into the glass. The moment it came into contact with the water, it dissolved like a piece of cotton candy. In its wake, Paul held a glass of glowing blue water that, if you listened closely, emanated soft sounds similar to a wind chime.
Understanding that the Mana would dissipate rapidly, Paul didn't allow himself to be mesmerized by the glacial-looking water. Instead, he took one final breath before downing the entire glass in a series of large gulps. Swallowing it was like chugging a glass of piping hot coffee and a glass of ice water at the same time, but Paul didn't stop until the glass was totally empty. Then, just as Zhongli had predicted, he promptly collapsed like a marionette that had its strings cut, his body lightly convulsing in her arms as she whispered, "How reckless..." with a faint smile on her face.
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Waking after being unconscious for nearly six hours, the first thing Paul noticed was a tension headache that made the back of his head feel like it was going to explode. The next thing he noticed was Xiangling sleeping at the side of his bed with a bucket of cool water and several rags sitting on the table next to him.
"Haaaaa..."
Exhaling a pained sigh, Paul was about to wake Xiangling when he noticed something odd. Her clothes seemed to be radiating a soft glow, and, upon closer inspection, he noticed that his entire room was unusually bright.
"Don't tell me..."
Looking to his bedside table, Paul confirmed that the oil lamp was set to its lowest setting. Despite this, he could clearly make out every feature of the room, even the titles of books located several meters away from him. It was almost as though he had developed night vision. Either that or he could suddenly see the Mana contained within objects...
Returning his attention to Xiangling, Paul quickly dismissed the notion he could see Mana. He could make out the features of her hair and face, but it was only her clothes that were glowing. He knew she had a remarkable amount of Mana for her age, so it wouldn't make sense for her to be mute while her clothes appeared to be getting brighter by the moment.
Focusing on the phenomenon, Paul immediately came to regret it when he noticed Xiangling's clothes gaining a translucent quality. There were times when she helped to wash his back, but she always made sure to wear two layers of towels, one around her body and one around her bottom.
Turning away before he could catch a glimpse of something he shouldn't, Paul attempted to focus on pretty much anything else within the room. In the end, he decided on a dimple in the wall, the remnants of a small hole that had been painted over.
Similar to when Paul had focused on Xiangling's clothes, the wall steadily gained a translucent quality. More accurately, an oval that was wider than it was tall formed on the wall, layer after layer of the building's materials being revealed until Paul could see clearly into the next room.
"The Demon Eyes of X-Ray Vision..."
Recognizing his ability from the original series, contradicting waves of excitement and frustration washed over Paul. He had planned to visit the Demon Continent at some point to track down Kishiraka or whatever her name was, the reincarnated Demon Empress. If he managed to find and help her, she would have rewarded him with one or more Demon Eyes of his choosing.
The problem with awakening Demon Eyes naturally was that it prevented you from acquiring an additional set. Fortunately, awakening even a single Demon Eye was pretty rare. Paul was apparently the exception to this as both of his eyes now emitted a faint golden glow that was visible against his palms when he took turns covering his eyes.
"There goes my dream of obtaining Demon eyes of Magic Power and Identification..."
Shaking his head to clear his negative thoughts, Paul was reminded of the fact that he had a pulsating headache. He did his best to hold it in, but a pained groan escaped his throat as he cradled his head with both hands. Xiangling heard this and, upon waking up, immediately raised her hands to chant, "Divine Power, become a nourishing light that gives strength to those in need. Healing...!"
Following Xiangling's slightly modified chant, pale red light emanated from her palms. Paul could feel his body warming up as the usually gentle light washed over him, but instead of providing relief for his headache, it made it a lot worse. So much so that an involuntary whimper escaped his throat as he muttered, "Please stop..."
Realizing she had somehow made things worse, Xiangling began to panic as she bounced to her feet and shouted, "I'm getting Zhongli! Just hold on...!"
Fortunately for both Xiangling and Paul, Zhongli opened the door at nearly that exact moment, calmly advising, "Compose yourself, Xiangling. Panic is rarely the appropriate response to a situation."
Though she wanted to protest, Xiangling ultimately slumped her head and shoulders as Zhongli promptly walked past her. When she reached Paul's bedside, her glowing, diamond-shaped pupils expanded and contracted a few times before she said, "You need to oust the Mana from your body as soon as possible. Your life isn't in any danger, but you might become blind if you don't expel it soon. Your occipital lobe, the region of your brain that controls your vision, is swelling."
Forcing a wry smile, Paul groaned, "That actually makes a lot of sense..." before raising his hand and droning, "Please just fucking work...Healing...!"
Since the most crucial aspect to casting Magic was visualization, it was possible to forgo the chant entirely if you had a good imagination. Paul had always imagined the scene of Orihime, a character from a popular anime known as Bleach, practically rewriting causality with her healing abilities. He doubted he would ever reach that point, but the only other scene Paul could vividly recall was Wolverine regenerating from having his entire musculature incinerated by a nuclear bomb.
Fortunately, unlike every other time Paul tried using Healing Magic, this time a faint green glow emanated from his body. It lasted less than two seconds, but the amount of relief he felt was enough to make him slump in his bed, a satisfied and prolonged groan emanating from his throat.
With a visibly amused smile on her face, Zhongli remarked, "Good job. You let it out splendidly..."
Though Xiangling didn't seem to catch it, Paul stared at the young Archon with a deadpan expression on his face, entreating, "Please don't start with that crap...I get that you're trying to lighten the mood, but there are much better ways..."
Without losing her smile, Zhongli remarked, "Perhaps." before turning to Xiangling and ordering, "Prepare a fresh bucket and some clean towels. Our Master needs to cleanse himself. I will put on some teas."
Since they had previously agreed that Zhongli would be the Chief Maid, Xiangling could only sigh and do as she was told. Before leaving, however, she gave Paul one last glance and said, "I'm glad you woke up..."
Blinking in surprise, Paul waited until Xiangling had left the room before looking up at Zhongli and asking, "Was my condition that bad...?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, Zhongli sat down in Xiangling's previous spot before explaining, "The nucleus that contains a person's Mana is like a rigid container. It is possible to increase the size by straining the vessel and repairing the cracks, but if there is too much damage...well, it would be like trying to glue together a fine ceramic vase. Even if you managed to do so, it would constantly be at risk of fracturing a second time..."
Noticing the concern in Paul's eyes, Zhongli's expression softened as she said, "Worry not. While your actions were beyond reckless, it seems your intuition was correct. Perhaps that is the reason the Gods saw fit to give you access to the Intersection of Fate...it appears the Goddess of Fate has seen fit to give you her Blessing..."
Catching Paul by surprise, Zhongli suddenly pulled away his covers to reveal the thing he had been trying to ignore since his awakening. Then, like an ice-cold Demoness, she said, "You should take care of that before Xiangling returns. I took care of it when you originally collapsed, but it's your responsibility from here."
With eyes rounder than saucers, Paul felt a sensation similar to an electric shock spread through his body as he half-whispered, half-exclaimed, "Are you fucking serious!? Please tell me you're bullshitting me...!"
Without losing even a hint of her composure, Zhongli stated, "Your body had several tens of times the amount of Mana it could contain. It had to come out somewhere..."
"Oh my fucking god..."
Cradling his head in his hands, Paul refused to so much as look at the stone-faced girl seated next to him. He knew she had done it to save his life, but if he were being perfectly honest, he wished she had just let him die. The shame and embarrassment he was feeling were so overwhelming he seriously considered running headfirst into a wall...
Showing little compassion for Paul's current state, Zhongli rose to her feet and said, "I can buy you ten minutes." before departing the room. In truth, the experience had been significantly more awkward for her than Paul, as he was at least able to sleep through it. She was the one that had to take proactive measures to preserve both his life and the billions that inhabited their respective worlds. With stakes like that, there were no extremes she wasn't willing to go...

Chapter 14: MI14: Fortune Favors the Bold