Kaelen woke up to the faint glow of day break spilling through the slits of his dorm window. His body felt different—lighter, more fluid. Every muscle moved effortlessly, each breath flowing into the next without strain.
He sat up, and the motion was different. It was as if his body had been perfectly balanced overnight. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood.
He stretched, receiving a satisfying pop. He could feel it now, a distinct difference in his internal landscape. Where before the aether in his body had been a sluggish, it now flowed freely. A steady, cool current hummed through specific pathways in his arms, his chest, tracing a faint, luminous map just beneath his skin. These were his channel veins, it was no longer dormant but alive.The aether within him flowed along newly unlocked channel veins, a silent pulse that matched his heartbeat.
His daily system quest flashed before his eyes: [10 Pull-Ups | 1 Mile Run | 10 Pull-Ups]
He went on to complete his daily quest without a hitch, his movements smooth
He checked his progress when he returned
[Quest Complete]
Reward:+30 XP | +1 stat point.
...
The academy was just starting to stir to life when he reached Aether Fundamentals class. Students murmured softly, settling into their seats as Professor Nyra began her lecture. Kaelen took his place near the center. Sera was far off to the other side.
Professor Nyra's voice cut across the room, detailing the complexities of aether manipulation.
Professor Nyra's Aether Fundamentals class was usually a lecture he had to focus intently on to follow. Today, as she detailed the harmonic resonance between latent and bond points, her words seemed to slot perfectly into the new understanding his body had already granted him.
Kaelen smirked inwardly,"I understand her lesson now that i am experiencing it. I didn't even feel this much of a difference when i broke through to the bond point..."
Then, she stopped.
She was in the middle of a sentence about "sympathetic aetheric vibration" when her voice simply cut off. Her cat-like ears twitched, and her tails flickered as she turned. Her eyse wide and sharply focused, scanned the room, a predator sensing a shift in the wind, before locking onto him with an unnerving intensity. The entire classroom fell silent.
"Fascinating," she murmured, the word carrying in the quiet hall. She took a few steps toward his desk, her gaze analytical. "One of you in this room has significantly altered your aetheric signature since. Quite... interesting. "
A few students shifted uncomfortably. Kaelen felt his cheeks grow warm.
"Mr. Kaelen," Nyra said, stopping before his desk. She didn't need to ask. She knew. "Stand up."
He did, feeling every eye in the room on him.
"Hmm... the channel stage already?" she said, her voice a mix of awe and disbelief. She sensed it before getting to his desk, but she had to confirm and now that shw has confirmed, she really is in awe. She circled him slowly, not looking at his body but at the space around it, as if reading an invisible text. "Your pathways… they're cleaner than they were last week. No, not just clean. They're polished." She halted in front of him, her piercing gaze meeting his. "You broke through the Latent Point in two days... last week. And now you've bridged the Bond Point over a single weekend. That is not just fast, Kaelen. That is, by all means... an... impossible pace."
A low murmur rippled through the classroom. Kaelen saw the looks—awe, envy, suspicion. He still has the fight with Jax coming up, he noticed some of his classmates were pointing hands at him when he came in, it was obviously about the fight. He had a lot of attention previously, now his profile had just been undeniably raised.
He didn't mean to expose the fact he had broken through, but this attention was something he would rather not get.
Professor Nyra seemed to remember they had an audience. She cleared her throat and addressed the class. "This is a prime, if extreme, example of what dedicated focus can achieve. Note, however, that stability is just as important as speed."
The class went on a little more before she dismissed the class.
"Kaelen," she said, her voice lower now, losing its lecturing tone and becoming more personal. "A word with you."
The students filed out, many casting lingering glances back at Kaelen. He remained standing until the room was empty, the professor's silent command holding him in place.
He followed her to an office connected to the lecture hall. Scrolls and crystalline artifacts littered every surface. She sat behind her desk, steepling her fingers.
"Your progress is… unprecedented in my teaching career," she began, her tone a careful blend of academic curiosity and genuine concern. "When I said 'impossible pace,' I was not merely using hyperbole. The human body, the spirit, they have limits for a reason. Aether is a powerful force. To integrate it so quickly… is it sustainable? What is the cost?"
"I used a harmonizing stone..."
"Even with that, it's too fast. The stone only helps you cut short by a day, two weeks or three depending on the grade. But not by the entire time taken. Do you have something else in use?"
Kaelen stayed silent. He couldn't very well explain about the system, or the harmonizing stone.
"I will respect you if you wish to stay silent,"
"And then there is the other matter," she continued, her eyes narrowing slightly. "The duel with Sentinel Jax. I heard. Accepting was, and I say this with all due respect for your courage, ideologically admirable but strategically myopic."
He winced. "I couldn't just stand by."
"And for that, a part of me respects you," Nyra conceded. "But you have placed yourself in a crucible with no obvious exit. I wish I could help you more directly, but my hands are tied by academy rules and the fundamental principle of fairness. A professor cannot intervene in an official duel between students. It would be a profound disadvantage to Jax and a violation of my post."
Kaelen nodded, understanding. "Professor… about the pace. Do you have any pointers? On solidifying the Channel point? Or… moving faster?"
The question hung in the air, and he saw the red flag wave in her eyes. Her lips pressed into a thin line. "You are rushing toward a cliff, Kaelen. True power is not just about opening pathways; it is about building foundations that can bear the weight of what flows through them. To ask to move faster after what you've just done…" She studied him for a long moment, a deep unease in her expression. "No. I will not give you pointers to break yourself."
She continued after a sigh,"You've already accelerated beyond what's typical. I will not stop you—but consider carefully how fast you go, and what it might cost. Your body could potentially break. Excess energy demands a strong host."
He met her gaze, understanding that her concern was genuine. "I'll be careful."
Her eyes narrowed, a flicker of worry crossing her features."I can't interfere with a students progress, but if it gets dangerous, i am allowed to."
Her decision was clear. She was now personally invested, not just in his progress, but in his safety. She was a wary guardian, and her observation felt both like a threat and a lifeline.
...
Buzz.Buzz
The message on his wristband buzzed just after his last class.
>Daniel: Hey. Can you meet at the cafeteria? I have something for you.
Kaelen found him at a corner table, far from the usual lunchtime crowds. Daniel was hunched over a book, but he wasn't reading. He was just staring into the middle distance. The table was littered with three empty nutrient-drink cups, their bright colors a stark contrast to Daniel's anxious face. He'd been here a long time, wrestling with something.
"Hope you didn't wait long," Kaelen said, sliding into the seat opposite him.
Daniel jolted, as if pulled from a deep thought. "Oh. Kaelen. Yeah. I… lost track of time." He gestured vaguely at the cups.
"You didn't have to get me anything," Kaelen started, but Daniel cut him off, his movements suddenly sharp and purposeful.
"Yes, I did." He pushed a small, data-drive across the table. It was black and unmarked. "This is for you."
Kaelen picked it up. It was cool to the touch. "What is it?"
"Jax," Daniel said, his voice dropping. "I can't fight him for you. I'm not strong enough, and we both know it. I mean... you literally fought him for me. But I'm good with this." He tapped the drive. "I pulled every public combat record, every training sim log, every tournament match I could legally access. His patterns are all in there. His favored openings, the way he feints, how he uses his superior strength to end fights quickly… it's all there."
The weight of the drive in Kaelen's palm suddenly felt immense. This wasn't just data; it was an act of defiance. It was Daniel's way of stepping into the ring, of saying, "I have your back." The guilt and gratitude that had been warring in him had been channeled into this single, powerful gesture.
"Daniel… this is…"
"Don't," Daniel said, shaking his head. "Just… use it. Find a crack. And beat that mother-fu—."
"Daniel," Kaelen cut him off.
"Sorry,"
Kaelen closed his hand around the drive, the cool metal warming to his touch. He met Daniel's worried gaze and gave a single, firm nod. In that silent exchange, their "complicated" friendship solidifying.
...
The training hall was empty save for the two of them. Sera stood with her arms crossed, a silhouette of focused intensity against the mirrored walls. Kaelen, already in his academy training uniform, could feel a fine layer of sweat from his warm-up cooling on his skin.
He didn't say anything, simply took his stance before the reinforced training dummy.
"You really did breakthrough," Sera stated. Her voice was flat, devoid of praise or condemnation.
"I did say i would," Kaelen replied."But were you ignoring me this morning?"
Sera rubbed her hands against her nose,"We just happened not to cross path, why would you think so?"
"Well, i expected you to meet me in class first, about my progress. You know since you would have being the first to sense it with your sensory amplification," he replied.
Sera tilted her head, observing him, "I won't glaze you over every little achievement. Even if your breakthrough speed is abnormal, you shouldn't really ne expecting daily praises."
"Say... let's strike a deal kaelen."
"A deal?" Kaelen asked with a puzzled face.
"Yes, a deal. If you can break through to the Initiate Basic level in a week, i will give you an E rank artifact." She said.
"If i don't?"
"You owe me an extra favour," she smiled.
Kaelen in thought stroked the back of his neck,"it's a win for me. I know i can breakthrough, even before a week. I have to because of the quest. But why would she make such a deal. I still owe her a favor for training me, knowing Sera is calculative. What are her intentions?"
"Why are you thinking deeply about this?"
"Uhh... No... what if i break through in 2 days?"
She let a smirk touch her lips,"Don't be foolish Kaelen. I understand your breakthrough is fast, but getting to a different level in two days?"
"Scared you will lose~?" He smirked.
"If you do, it will be an E rank artifact of your choice and an F rank crystal." Her voice suddenly became cold.
"It's a deal." Kaelen said with a broader smirk.
"Let's see if you can use it for more than a light show," she said, walking over to the dummy's control panel. "The dummy's reactive algorithms are now set to Level three. You previously faced it at level one. Your goal is not to destroy it. But match its patterns. You will coat your arm in aether before it makes contact with you or vice-versa."
"This is to make you flexible in controlling your aether's output."
Before Kaelen could process this, the dummy whirred to life, its torso swiveling with unnerving speed as a piston-like arm shot towards his head. He barely coated his own arm with aether in time to block it. The impact was jarring, sending a shock up to his shoulder. The aether around his forearm flickered violently.
[–35 A.E]
"Wasteful," Sera's voice cut through his concentration, calm and critical. "You're channeling but not timing precisely. You're treating like an extension that's not part of you. It should be a part of you, ready to be flexed."
The dummy lunged again, a low sweep aimed at his legs.
"Perfect your timing," she instructed. " You should feel the aether ready at your channel point. Then, upon impact, and only upon impact, release it. A single, sharp burst. Maximize management and efficiency. Minimize waste. I want to see the glow only at the moment of contact."
Kaelen gritted his teeth, dodging another blow. It was incredibly difficult. His instinct was to keep the energy flowing, a protective barrier. To let it sit dormant and then summon it in an instant required a level of control and timing he didn't possess.
He tried. As the dummy's next punch came in, he focused, pulling the aether back until his arms were just flesh and bone. At the last possible microsecond, he pushed. The glow flared—a bright, sharp burst—and the block was far more effective, the dummy's arm rebounding with a louder thwack. But his timing was off. The energy released a fraction of a second after the impact, the force dissipating uselessly.
[–25 A.E]
"Too slow," Sera said. "You're thinking about it. Don't think. Feel. Make it an integrated extension. Jax, has a better control."
For the next hour, it was a brutal dance of failure and minor adjustments. The dummy's blows came faster, its patterns more unpredictable. Kaelen was battered and bruised, his uniform soaked with sweat. But slowly, he began to find the rhythm. The flare of aether started to sync with the impact, not following it. The sharp bursts of light in the dim hall became more precise, more potent. He wasn't winning, but he was learning to defend without burning himself out. He was learning efficiency.
...
Later, in his dorm, the silence was a physical relief. He stripped off his sweaty, battered uniform, the fabric sticking to his skin, and pulled on simple, soft sleep pants and a thin, comfortable shirt. The contrast between the harsh uniform and this gentle attire made him feel relief.
He sat cross-legged on his bed, he had the harmonizing stone a familiar, comforting weight in his palm. Its pale white surface, veined with soft blue steady light.
[Analytical Scan Lv.1]
[Harmonizing Stone]
[Rank???]
[Information???]
Analytical Scan could be useful, but the current level Madd it useless.
Closing his eyes, he sank into his core.
The aether was there, waiting. With the stone's guidance, the process was smooth. As he directed the energy, the stone's resonance helped him see the pathways. The aether moved through his channel point not like a wild river, but like a guided river finding its pre-carved bed, deepening and widening the channels with each pass.
He visualized his core points not as isolated stars, but as hubs in a luminous network. The latent point in his abdomen glowed like a sun, gathering energy. The bond Point at his sternum was a refining forge, shaping it. The channel point at the base of his neck was a grand gateway, distributing power. And between them, he visualized the connections not as lines, but as brilliant, three-lane bridges of solid light. The goal was no longer to build these bridges, but to reinforce them, to make the traffic of aether between them a permanent, unbreakable loop.
He lost track of time, immersed in the intricate work of internal engineering.
A system message appeared.
[Main Quest: Latent Level Breakthrough. Progress:72%]
Finally, he opened his eyes, the faint glow of the stone reflecting in his pupils. He felt clear, centered, and strong. His body still ached from Sera's training, but the fatigue was purely physical; his spirit felt refreshed.
He picked up the data-drive Daniel had given him and slotted it into his laptop. The screen lit up with files. He opened one labeled "Jax vs. Vanguard, Year 2 Finals."
The footage showed Jax, younger but no less formidable, moving with a brutal, overwhelming economy of motion. He didn't waste energy on flashy techniques. He identified a weakness and crushed it. He was a hammer, and every problem was a nail. Kaelen watched, his analytical mind dissecting the patterns Daniel had promised: the slight shift in the right shoulder before a powerful lunge, the favored combo that ended with a concussive blast of aether from his left hand.
The gap in their power was still a chasm. But as Kaelen watched Jax dismantle opponent after opponent on the screen, the fear began to be tempered by a cold, sharpening understanding. He saw the patterns.
He closed the files and returned to his bed, the image of Jax's fighting style burned into his mind. He picked up the harmonizing stone once more.
He closed his eyes, and his final thought before diving back into the currents of aether was one of grim, determined resolve.
"A mountain to climb. But now I have a map, and better tools for the climb."