Chapter 17: A New Beginning.
Zeke woke up slowly, his eyes fluttering open as the morning sun filtered through the curtains of his bedroom window. He lay there for a moment, letting the events of the previous day wash over him. And then it hit him - he had done it! He had advanced his core! He immediately became aware of the changes within his magic core. Furthermore, he could feel that something was different, and he focused closely on his core to try and understand what had changed.
Upon closer inspection, Zeke noticed that there seemed to be an extra layer applied to the inside of his core. He didn't have to think about its function; the answers came to him as naturally as breathing. He realized that this new extra layer would significantly increase the amount of strain his core could withstand before cracks started to appear, roughly doubling its previous capacity. Zeke was amazed by this revelation. He had always known that the advancement to mage would improve his core, but he had never imagined that it could be made that much stronger.
Zeke suddenly realized a couple of things at once. The first thing he noticed was how easily he inspected his own magic core. He had not been able to do this before, but just now it felt effortless.
The second thing he realized was that he immediately knew the effect and the degree of the new addition to his core. This new layer had significantly increased the amount of strain his core could withstand, and Zeke knew this without even having to think about it.
The third thing he realized was that doing the first two things had felt as if he had always been able to do them. It was as if this new ability had always been a part of him, and he had simply never noticed it before. Zeke realized that the newfound abilities he had discovered were likely the benefits of engraving [perfect body control].
Zeke stayed in bed for a while, listening to his heartbeat and marveling at the control he now had over his body. After a while, Zeke started changing his heartbeat to mimic a song that his mother used to sing for him. His [Perfect body control] told him that such an erratic heartbeat would usually kill a person, but he was able to control the flow of his blood manually, bypassing the heart completely. Zeke continued to play around with several of his usually automatic body functions for a while, marveling at how he all of a sudden just knew how all the different systems inside his body worked and how they all fit together like a puzzle. He felt like a new man, filled with energy and potential.
As Zeke sat up in bed, he realized that he was not alone in his room. Maximilian sat in a chair by the bed, asleep. There was a book in his lap, and Zeke realized that the old man must have been watching over him while he had been asleep. Zeke smiled when he thought about how worried Maximilian had looked after he had finished the engraving process. The old man really cared about him, and Zeke could feel a sudden warmth in his heart from this sentiment.
Zeke's thoughts turned to his family, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of love and gratitude towards them. His parents had always been supportive of his desire to become a mage, and his little sister was always there to cheer him on. Zeke knew that he wouldn't be where he is today without their love and support.
Zeke thought about how he had never visited his family since joining the academy. He had told himself many excuses for why he never went home to see them, such as not having the money for the carriage or not being able to afford to waste the time. But he knew the truth now, and in fact, he had always known the truth: the reason he didn't go home even once was that he had been ashamed. Zeke had been ashamed of being forced to live in the beggars' quarters, ashamed of not being accepted by the other students, ashamed of the fact that Lily threw him away only days after coming to the academy, and ashamed of the fact that he was not the powerful mage he had always claimed to be. But most importantly, he had been ashamed of himself.
Zeke couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt and regret wash over him as he thought about how he had neglected his family. He knew that he should have made more of an effort to visit them, and he vowed to do better in the future. He decided that he would write a letter to his parents and sister, apologizing for his absence and promising to make more of an effort to visit them. Zeke knew that he still had a long way to go and that he couldn't change the past, but he could make the most of the present and the future.
Zeke tried to get out of bed, only to wake up Maximilian in the process. The old man jumped to his feet comically fast, seemingly ready for a fight. After realizing where he was, he looked at Zeke with an embarrassed look in his eyes. Zeke smiled at the old man, trying to reassure him that everything was alright.
"How are you doing, my boy?" Maximilian asked, clearly worried. Zeke squeezed the old man's hand to calm him down before replying with a sly grin: "I am fine, old man, in fact I think I might have discovered something that you'd like to know about."
Zeke then told him about the changes he had noticed in his magic core. Maximilian grew excited by the changes to Zeke's core and his newfound knowledge, and he began asking Zeke various questions he had always had about the human body. Zeke was happy to answer the old man's inquiries, and he found himself enjoying the conversation.
After talking for a while, Zeke's stomach started growling, and the two decided to grab breakfast.
"You've been asleep for three whole days," Maximilian informed Zeke. "At first, I was quite surprised, but upon reflection, I realize the strain you've placed on your body. It makes perfect sense."
As they sat at the table, Zeke turned to Maximilian, and asked, "What is the next step in our plan now that I have mastered the blood core?"
Maximilian leaned back in his chair, a twinkle in his eye as he replied, "Ah, my boy, now we move on to the space core. The ability I wish for you to engrave on it is called [Perfect Spatial Awareness]. It will allow you to sense the surrounding space with unparalleled precision."
Zeke's eyes widened with excitement as he eagerly asked, "That sounds incredible, but may I ask why all the abilities you teach me have the word 'perfect' in them?"
"Because, my boy, we strive for perfection in all things. And with each step, each new ability you master, you are one step closer to achieving it. The techniques I want you to learn, are called 'perfect' because they aim to bring you to a state of perfection in their respective areas," Maximilian said, with a chuckle. "Take [Perfect Body Control] for example, it's designed to give you complete control over your body. And [Perfect Spatial Awareness] is meant to give you a comprehensive understanding of your surroundings. And so on."
Zeke was fascinated by this explanation and couldn't wait to learn more about these techniques. But he suddenly remembered a tiny detail he had forgotten just a moment ago. Raising one of his eyebrows, Zeke asked Maximilian skeptically: "Since you invented all those spells, didn't you just name them: 'perfect this', 'perfect that', because it sounded cooler?"
Maximilian had been nodding along as Zeke talked, when he realized what Zeke was asking him, he froze mid-movement and avoided eye contact with Zeke. Zeke waited for an answer for a while, but Maximilian just looked around the room, not answering and not looking at Zeke at all. Just as Zeke was about to say something again, he heard a strange noise coming from Maximilian. It sounded like a strange wheezing.
Zeke became concerned for a moment, but then he realized what was happening. He realized that the strange sound he was hearing was Maximilian attempting to whistle innocently. He didn't know whether he should be angry or amused by the old man's shamelessness. After a while, he started laughing, and Maximilian joined in after a while.
"Come, my boy," Maximilian said, clapping Zeke on the shoulder. "It's time to return to our standard training routine. We'll begin with practical training before dawn, followed by school in the morning, lunch, hunting in the afternoon, dinner, and then theory."
Zeke nodded, ready for the challenge. "I'm ready, old man," he said, determination in his voice.
"Good," Maximilian said, leading the way. "Let's begin with a test of your spatial awareness. You'll attempt to dodge my attacks with your eyes covered while channeling mana through your space core."
Zeke took a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand. He could feel the familiar tingling sensation in his body, signaling the approach of an attack. He dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a strike.
"Well done, my boy," Maximilian said, impressed. "Let's see how long you can keep this up."
And so, the training began in earnest, with Zeke pushing himself to new limits and honing his skills under the watchful eye of his mentor.
As Zeke focused on the task at hand, he realized that the tingling he had felt when he had been sneak attacked by the goblins on his first day and many times since had not been his sixth sense. The feeling had been his spatial awareness warning him of movement.
Zeke was amazed by this revelation, he had always had a knack for dodging attacks, but he had never realized that it was because of his spatial awareness. As the days passed, Zeke's spatial awareness continued to grow stronger, and he found himself able to dodge attacks with ease.
As Zeke honed his skills under Maximilian's tutelage, he learned of another spell, the [Spatial Freeze]. This spell allowed him to lock down a specific area, rendering all within it immobile. Excited by the potential of this spell, he eagerly delved into its intricacies.
"This spell is powerful, but it's not without its drawbacks," Maximilian warned Zeke. "In order for the [Spatial Freeze] spell to be effective, you must be able to see the area you're trying to freeze and focus intently on it. Even a small obstruction, like a dust cloud, can disrupt the spell." Zeke listened carefully, taking note of the warning, as he eagerly continued to learn more about the spell.
Determined to master the spell, Zeke approached his training with caution, understanding the importance of mastering this spell in battle. He was determined to build an impressive repertoire of spells, and the [Spatial Freeze] spell was just one step in that journey.
The other spatial spell that Maximilian was teaching Zeke was called [Spatial Barrier], which was closely related to the [Spatial Freeze] spell. In fact, it worked in exactly the same way, creating a shield in front of the caster by locking down the space in front of them.
Zeke was intrigued by this spell and was eager to learn more about it. Maximilian explained that the [Spatial Barrier] spell had fewer downsides compared to the [Spatial Freeze] spell, but it did have one weakness. "The [Spatial Barrier] spell is powerful, but it has one drawback," Maximilian warned Zeke. "The barrier is fixed in place and cannot move with you. So while it provides a strong defense, it also means you must stay in the same spot while using it."
As the days turned into weeks, and then into months, Zeke found himself immersed in his studies and training at the academy. Before anyone knew it, four months had passed since Zeke had first arrived at the academy. It was then that he got news from an unexpected source: The Adventurers' guild informed him that he had done enough mission to be promoted from copper to bronze rank.
Chapter 17: A New Beginning.
Zeke woke up slowly, his eyes fluttering open as the morning sun filtered through the curtains of his bedroom window. He lay there for a moment, letting the events of the previous day wash over him. And then it hit him - he had done it! He had advanced his core! He immediately became aware of the changes within his magic core. Furthermore, he could feel that something was different, and he focused closely on his core to try and understand what had changed.
Upon closer inspection, Zeke noticed that there seemed to be an extra layer applied to the inside of his core. He didn't have to think about its function; the answers came to him as naturally as breathing. He realized that this new extra layer would significantly increase the amount of strain his core could withstand before cracks started to appear, roughly doubling its previous capacity. Zeke was amazed by this revelation. He had always known that the advancement to mage would improve his core, but he had never imagined that it could be made that much stronger.
Zeke suddenly realized a couple of things at once. The first thing he noticed was how easily he inspected his own magic core. He had not been able to do this before, but just now it felt effortless.
The second thing he realized was that he immediately knew the effect and the degree of the new addition to his core. This new layer had significantly increased the amount of strain his core could withstand, and Zeke knew this without even having to think about it.
The third thing he realized was that doing the first two things had felt as if he had always been able to do them. It was as if this new ability had always been a part of him, and he had simply never noticed it before. Zeke realized that the newfound abilities he had discovered were likely the benefits of engraving [perfect body control].
Zeke stayed in bed for a while, listening to his heartbeat and marveling at the control he now had over his body. After a while, Zeke started changing his heartbeat to mimic a song that his mother used to sing for him. His [Perfect body control] told him that such an erratic heartbeat would usually kill a person, but he was able to control the flow of his blood manually, bypassing the heart completely. Zeke continued to play around with several of his usually automatic body functions for a while, marveling at how he all of a sudden just knew how all the different systems inside his body worked and how they all fit together like a puzzle. He felt like a new man, filled with energy and potential.
As Zeke sat up in bed, he realized that he was not alone in his room. Maximilian sat in a chair by the bed, asleep. There was a book in his lap, and Zeke realized that the old man must have been watching over him while he had been asleep. Zeke smiled when he thought about how worried Maximilian had looked after he had finished the engraving process. The old man really cared about him, and Zeke could feel a sudden warmth in his heart from this sentiment.
Zeke's thoughts turned to his family, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of love and gratitude towards them. His parents had always been supportive of his desire to become a mage, and his little sister was always there to cheer him on. Zeke knew that he wouldn't be where he is today without their love and support.
Zeke thought about how he had never visited his family since joining the academy. He had told himself many excuses for why he never went home to see them, such as not having the money for the carriage or not being able to afford to waste the time. But he knew the truth now, and in fact, he had always known the truth: the reason he didn't go home even once was that he had been ashamed. Zeke had been ashamed of being forced to live in the beggars' quarters, ashamed of not being accepted by the other students, ashamed of the fact that Lily threw him away only days after coming to the academy, and ashamed of the fact that he was not the powerful mage he had always claimed to be. But most importantly, he had been ashamed of himself.
Zeke couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt and regret wash over him as he thought about how he had neglected his family. He knew that he should have made more of an effort to visit them, and he vowed to do better in the future. He decided that he would write a letter to his parents and sister, apologizing for his absence and promising to make more of an effort to visit them. Zeke knew that he still had a long way to go and that he couldn't change the past, but he could make the most of the present and the future.
Zeke tried to get out of bed, only to wake up Maximilian in the process. The old man jumped to his feet comically fast, seemingly ready for a fight. After realizing where he was, he looked at Zeke with an embarrassed look in his eyes. Zeke smiled at the old man, trying to reassure him that everything was alright.
"How are you doing, my boy?" Maximilian asked, clearly worried. Zeke squeezed the old man's hand to calm him down before replying with a sly grin: "I am fine, old man, in fact I think I might have discovered something that you'd like to know about."
Zeke then told him about the changes he had noticed in his magic core. Maximilian grew excited by the changes to Zeke's core and his newfound knowledge, and he began asking Zeke various questions he had always had about the human body. Zeke was happy to answer the old man's inquiries, and he found himself enjoying the conversation.
After talking for a while, Zeke's stomach started growling, and the two decided to grab breakfast.
"You've been asleep for three whole days," Maximilian informed Zeke. "At first, I was quite surprised, but upon reflection, I realize the strain you've placed on your body. It makes perfect sense."
As they sat at the table, Zeke turned to Maximilian, and asked, "What is the next step in our plan now that I have mastered the blood core?"
Maximilian leaned back in his chair, a twinkle in his eye as he replied, "Ah, my boy, now we move on to the space core. The ability I wish for you to engrave on it is called [Perfect Spatial Awareness]. It will allow you to sense the surrounding space with unparalleled precision."
Zeke's eyes widened with excitement as he eagerly asked, "That sounds incredible, but may I ask why all the abilities you teach me have the word 'perfect' in them?"
"Because, my boy, we strive for perfection in all things. And with each step, each new ability you master, you are one step closer to achieving it. The techniques I want you to learn, are called 'perfect' because they aim to bring you to a state of perfection in their respective areas," Maximilian said, with a chuckle. "Take [Perfect Body Control] for example, it's designed to give you complete control over your body. And [Perfect Spatial Awareness] is meant to give you a comprehensive understanding of your surroundings. And so on."
Zeke was fascinated by this explanation and couldn't wait to learn more about these techniques. But he suddenly remembered a tiny detail he had forgotten just a moment ago. Raising one of his eyebrows, Zeke asked Maximilian skeptically: "Since you invented all those spells, didn't you just name them: 'perfect this', 'perfect that', because it sounded cooler?"
Maximilian had been nodding along as Zeke talked, when he realized what Zeke was asking him, he froze mid-movement and avoided eye contact with Zeke. Zeke waited for an answer for a while, but Maximilian just looked around the room, not answering and not looking at Zeke at all. Just as Zeke was about to say something again, he heard a strange noise coming from Maximilian. It sounded like a strange wheezing.
Zeke became concerned for a moment, but then he realized what was happening. He realized that the strange sound he was hearing was Maximilian attempting to whistle innocently. He didn't know whether he should be angry or amused by the old man's shamelessness. After a while, he started laughing, and Maximilian joined in after a while.
"Come, my boy," Maximilian said, clapping Zeke on the shoulder. "It's time to return to our standard training routine. We'll begin with practical training before dawn, followed by school in the morning, lunch, hunting in the afternoon, dinner, and then theory."
Zeke nodded, ready for the challenge. "I'm ready, old man," he said, determination in his voice.
"Good," Maximilian said, leading the way. "Let's begin with a test of your spatial awareness. You'll attempt to dodge my attacks with your eyes covered while channeling mana through your space core."
Zeke took a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand. He could feel the familiar tingling sensation in his body, signaling the approach of an attack. He dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a strike.
"Well done, my boy," Maximilian said, impressed. "Let's see how long you can keep this up."
And so, the training began in earnest, with Zeke pushing himself to new limits and honing his skills under the watchful eye of his mentor.
As Zeke focused on the task at hand, he realized that the tingling he had felt when he had been sneak attacked by the goblins on his first day and many times since had not been his sixth sense. The feeling had been his spatial awareness warning him of movement.
Zeke was amazed by this revelation, he had always had a knack for dodging attacks, but he had never realized that it was because of his spatial awareness. As the days passed, Zeke's spatial awareness continued to grow stronger, and he found himself able to dodge attacks with ease.
As Zeke honed his skills under Maximilian's tutelage, he learned of another spell, the [Spatial Freeze]. This spell allowed him to lock down a specific area, rendering all within it immobile. Excited by the potential of this spell, he eagerly delved into its intricacies.
"This spell is powerful, but it's not without its drawbacks," Maximilian warned Zeke. "In order for the [Spatial Freeze] spell to be effective, you must be able to see the area you're trying to freeze and focus intently on it. Even a small obstruction, like a dust cloud, can disrupt the spell." Zeke listened carefully, taking note of the warning, as he eagerly continued to learn more about the spell.
Determined to master the spell, Zeke approached his training with caution, understanding the importance of mastering this spell in battle. He was determined to build an impressive repertoire of spells, and the [Spatial Freeze] spell was just one step in that journey.
The other spatial spell that Maximilian was teaching Zeke was called [Spatial Barrier], which was closely related to the [Spatial Freeze] spell. In fact, it worked in exactly the same way, creating a shield in front of the caster by locking down the space in front of them.
Zeke was intrigued by this spell and was eager to learn more about it. Maximilian explained that the [Spatial Barrier] spell had fewer downsides compared to the [Spatial Freeze] spell, but it did have one weakness. "The [Spatial Barrier] spell is powerful, but it has one drawback," Maximilian warned Zeke. "The barrier is fixed in place and cannot move with you. So while it provides a strong defense, it also means you must stay in the same spot while using it."
As the days turned into weeks, and then into months, Zeke found himself immersed in his studies and training at the academy. Before anyone knew it, four months had passed since Zeke had first arrived at the academy. It was then that he got news from an unexpected source: The Adventurers' guild informed him that he had done enough mission to be promoted from copper to bronze rank.
