Kai was extremely confused, to say the least. His bubbly professor was now glaring daggers at some… homeless guy? Well, that's what he looked like, anyway.
It had been five days since his first day of magical training. Monday now — just two short days until Wednesday, when the spell would decide his fate.
"So, uh… who's the hobo?" Kai asked, strolling up to the pair.
"This 'hobo' is your new — and very temporary — teacher," the raggedy man said, with clenched teeth.
Sylvia huffed. "Oh, please. He's only here because he wants bragging rights at his little boys-only round table."
She turned to Kai, exasperated. "He doesn't have to teach you, you know."
Kai nodded, giving the man a skeptical once-over. "Is he any good?"
Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Yes. Genius, really. But he's also an insufferable—"
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started!" Kai said, cutting her off with a grin, and stuck his hand out.
Sylvia threw her hands in the air. "Fine! Whatever! But if you break your arm or grow a second head, I'm not healing you!" She spun around and stomped off.
"Women, am I right," muttered the gruff man.
Kai blinked at him. "I'm seventeen."
"Right. Uh. Training."
"Training," Kai echoed, a little too loudly.
They stood there for a beat, shifting awkwardly.
"Okay, first step," the man finally said, rubbing the back of his neck, "expel all your mana."
Kai frowned. "Isn't that...the opposite of what I'm supposed to do? How am I supposed to train mana control like that?"
"That's the point… genius. You're going to be training mana control through backlashes!"
"Oh. Yeah. Okay. That sounds really safe."
The man scoffed at his comment. Kai quickly circulated his mana through his core, then shoved it out in a messy wave.
"Now perform your martial arts," the man said.
Nodding along, Kai began moving with a sequence of relaxed martial stances.
First stance, foot out deep lunge, front stance, hand out low block.
–ssshhh–
He continued the movements, until they flowed into each other.
–ssshhh–
His body would steam every time he released mana.
–ssshhh–
It hurt, and his muscles were burning with lactic acid, but also starved of an energy they had long adapted to grow dependent on.
Second stance, foot drawn back, fighting stance, hand flat up, knife block.
–ssshhh–
Foot back, horse stance, spear hand, deep breath.
–ssshhh–
Kai only continued to exercise due to his immense will, ridding himself of mana every time his body absorbed more.
The homeless man nodded along. "Very good, keep this momentum. Do not stop. Train your body to use mana as a tool, not a lifeline."
He began to pace back and forth.
"Mana reliance is a knight's worst enemy. And though you are no knight, as an augmenter it is extremely important that your body not rely on mana for power during a fight but for a qualitative change."
He continued to take measured steps as Kai moved.
–ssshhh–
"This is only possible during the first realm. At the second, your rate of mana absorption would be too quick to empty it manually while taking measured exercises. This advantage can only be given to you now. Train your body to keep its natural functions and use mana to enhance those functions, not replace them.
"This will lead to more mana efficiency and even a faster rate of recovery. Less mana replacing your body's natural functions means more mana used for explosive power and recovery."
The man's eyes gleamed with a devilish light. "Over the next two days, I'm going to transform your, admittedly stellar physique, into one perfect enough to match your body's talent."
"Fighting stance," the man barked out, and Kai complied, drawing his leg back.
–ssshhh–
The unnamed man struck out with his leg, the kick cracking into Kai's leg with enough force to completely shatter a mortal's spine.
–ssshhh–
As the mana was expelled, a small waterfall of it went into his leg, healing small fractures.
"Your body right now is more in tune with mana than most people in your realm. There is only one other I can think of. But, with my guidance, this training will double your mana efficiency, meaning in a prolonged fight no one on your level will have more stamina than you."
"Front stance." Kai shifted.
–ssshhh–
"Most warriors use their mana as a shield, clodding their skin in a thick shell, but that is a waste. It takes less mana to heal an injury than it does to prevent one."
The man threw ten quick punches, and Kai coughed, blood leaking from his lips and down his chin.
'I can see why Sylvia warned me. His methods are certainly brutal.'
But Kai just took them.
–ssshhh–
"They grow distant from pain. And when someone breaks their mana-clad defense, their pain blinds them. This is only true for the green initiates at the academy. Cross a seasoned warrior though, and they won't give you an inch."
The man continued with his lesson, brutally shaping the young man's body with vicious blows until the mana washed it all away again.
–ssshhh–
"You," he kicks Kai's abs. "Must." Again. "Learn." Once more. "To." With gritted teeth. "Endure!"
Kai screams as the last kick hits him straight in the liver. He flies backwards and cracks against a tree, the wood splintering around him.
Coughing up blood, he can't breathe. Clawing at his throat, he can't breathe.
Eyes rolling back — he can't breathe.
–ssshhh–
The soothing lull of expelling mana calms his soul, as the energy swirls through his body, repairing the damage done to his organs.
He was alive.
He finally opened his eyes to the raggedy man, who extended a hand.
"You did well, kid. You did well."
Kai smiled weakly before choking out, "I never did get your name, sir."
The man gave a toothy smile. "Sir? Well, that's the first I've been called that as this persona.
The name's Arthur. You've earned the right to know that, at least."