Kael found himself surrounded by darkness. And yet, high above him, a blazing sun shone with a golden scarlet hue, making the entire place feel like a contradiction.
'Where... am I?'
He looked around, but there was nothing. Ronald and the village were gone. Even his body didn't seem physical anymore.
Anyone else would have been terrified in such a situation, but not Kael. Strangely, he felt... at peace. As if something that had always been missing since birth had finally returned to where it belonged.
Then, he looked up at that unnatural sun, and a sharp, blinding pain exploded in his head. A cascade of information flooded his mind, overwhelming him mercilessly.
Before he could even react, a wave of heat surged through him, burning from the inside out. He groaned in agony as his body felt like it was on fire. But just as quickly, the torment gave way to a completely different feeling, a warm, almost maternal sensation, as if something was holding and healing him from within.
While Kael's body underwent its transformation, Ronald was far from calm, especially with the boy glowing like a beacon.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
The light surrounding Kael kept growing as if it was trying to pierce the heavens. If anyone in the village, or worse, somewhere else, noticed this anomaly, it would be a massive problem.
He couldn't allow that to happen.
Ronald extended his hands, and in an instant, a massive wave of dark aura burst from his body, a thick, ominous mass that expanded around them like a black dome, sealing the light inside.
If an expert had been there, they would have been speechless. Only Grandmasters were capable of manifesting an aura like that, and the precision with which Ronald controlled it placed him far above the rest.
But it didn't come without a cost.
Cough!
A violent fit of coughing shook him, and with it, he spat out a mouthful of blackish blood that sizzled the ground like acid. His face went pale instantly, but he didn't drop the dome.
"And here I thought I'd enjoy my retirement, heh..." he muttered, letting out a dry, ironic laugh.
Clenching his teeth and fists, Ronald held firm as the dark aura pressed down harder and harder to contain the overwhelming light surrounding Kael. But with every passing second, the effort became more difficult.
'Damn it...' he thought, feeling his power boiling over. 'I knew something would happen, but this is insane!'
After what felt like an eternity, the light and pressure finally began to weaken. Ronald sighed in relief, though he had already coughed up more blood.
At last, the cocoon of light vanished, revealing Kael, and the changes could only be described as astonishing.
If he had once been considered a handsome boy, now he was the kind of person that would make anyone turn to look.
His features had become refined, almost ethereal, as if carved by the light itself. His skin was flawless, and his once dark brown hair now shimmered with golden highlights.
Even Ronald was stunned. Not so much by his appearance, he was reminded of Kael's parents, but by the power he now sensed. A Novice of Higher Rank. Kael had gone from being unable to sense mana at all to standing just one step away from becoming an Expert, based on the density of mana Ronald could feel.
Meanwhile, Kael, who until now seemed lost in a deep trance, suddenly snapped back to consciousness. His eyes darted around, trying to focus, confusion spreading across his face. Then, his gaze met Ronald, who stared at him with an unreadable expression.
"What... what happened to me?" Kael asked, his voice still unsure.
"You're asking me, kid?" Ronald scoffed, crossing his arms. "You're the one who lit up like a damn sun. And by the way, where's the book?"
Kael looked down at his hands. The book was gone, though he had a vague idea of what had happened.
"I think I... absorbed it," he murmured, still in disbelief. "There's a ton of knowledge in my head. Some of it's crystal clear, like I've always known it. But others... no matter how hard I try, I just can't read them."
Ronald watched him silently for a moment, then gave a thoughtful nod.
"I see... and besides that, how do you feel? Anything unusual?"
Kael paused, trying to listen to his body. Then he looked up, visibly uneasy.
"I feel... incredibly good. Better than I've ever felt. But there's something strange..."
Ronald tensed slightly. "What do you mean?"
"I see things... glowing particles. They're everywhere. Floating in the air like they're dancing."
For a moment, Ronald stayed silent. Then suddenly, he burst out laughing. A deep, almost relieved laugh that left Kael even more confused.
"What's so funny?" Kael asked, frowning.
Ronald ran a hand through his hair, trying to compose himself. "What you're seeing, kid... is mana."
Kael's eyes widened. "Mana?... Mana?! You mean I can sense it now?!"
Kael seemed to burst with excitement. After years of training and doubts haunting him, he could finally walk the path of a warrior.
"Exactly," Ronald nodded, though he left something out.
Normally, the ability to sense mana varied from person to person, depending heavily on their innate talent. Those with low potential could only feel mana as a vague sensation in the air. On the other hand, those with a high affinity were able to see it clearly with their own eyes, just like Kael was doing now.
"So... does this mean I'm now a Novice-Base rank?" Kael asked, still euphoric.
"No."
Ronald's blunt reply dimmed Kael's mood for a second, but his excitement didn't vanish entirely. He had spent years training without even being able to feel mana, so what did it matter if he had to wait a little longer?
"You're a Novice-Higher rank."
"..."
"..."
The two stared at each other in a silence, until Kael sighed and shook his head with a resigned smile.
"Ronald, thanks for the encouragement, but there's no need to make up something so unbelievable."
Seeing that indulgent expression on Kael's face, Ronald felt a strong urge to smack him. He barely held himself back.
"Do you really think I have nothing better to do than inflate your ego?"
"...You're serious?"
"Yes." Ronald let out a breath, still recovering from his earlier effort.
Kael studied him closely. It wasn't that he didn't want to believe him, but reaching Higher rank Novice in less than an hour was simply unheard of.
"If you don't believe me, try punching that log with all your strength and see for yourself."
Since words weren't enough, Ronald decided to show proof through action.
Kael approached the log with hesitant steps, still unsure. He did feel stronger, but not to the point of doing any real damage to a log that thick.
'This is going to hurt…'
Thinking that, he chose to punch with his non dominant hand, just to be safe, and got ready to strike.
As his fist hit the log, he braced for the sharp pain he expected to numb his hand. Instead, the wood burst into a web of cracks spreading from the point of impact, and a moment later, the trunk split apart with a loud "CRACK", crashing to the ground.
Kael stood still, eyes wide, staring at what he had just done. He moved his fingers instinctively, wth no pain at all.
"…What the hell?"
Ronald crossed his arms, a smug grin on his lips.
"Still think I made it up?"
"This is..."
He meant to say amazing, but Ronald cut him off.
"Dangerous."
"Huh?" Kael's face was full of confusion; that wasn't what he expected to hear.
"Look at the ground."
Following his gaze, Kael saw deep footprints pressed into the soil.
"You can't even control your steps. Imagine if you tried shaking someone's hand, you'd probably crush it. I hate to say it, but right now, you're a danger to yourself and others."
Kael lowered his head, realizing the truth of his situation.
"Come on, don't look so down," Ronald joked. "No one's born knowing everything. Since things turned out this way, you just need to learn to adapt."
"Really?" Kael asked hopefully.
"Exactly. And I'll take care of it. I'll make sure you go through every step you skipped before reaching this level. Once we're done, you'll be able to return to normal. Starting tomorrow, your training will be different, much more intense. I hope you're ready."
"Yes!"
Seeing him so fired up, Ronald nodded.
"Alright then, let's start with a small test. Head home, and let's see if you can manage your footsteps."
Kael accepted the challenge with a confident smile and began walking back, moving comically to focus on controlling his steps.
Once Kael was far enough away, Ronald dropped the act. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest tightly as he coughed up another mouthful of black blood.
"I... really overdid it this time..."
Struggling to breathe, he lay down on the ground and stared at the night sky, trying to recover at least a little. The truth wasn't that he couldn't use mana anymore, it was that he shouldn't. The more he used it, the more years it drained from his life, and judging by his current state, he didn't have many left.
Even so, he didn't look sad or afraid. He smiled like a fool, thinking about Kael.
"He's already fifteen, huh? Kids these days grow up way too fast… HAHAHAHA!"