The fight's echoes still clung to the walls — scorched concrete, shattered glass, and the faint crackle of Volt's dying sparks. Noah stood in the middle of it, chest heaving, every muscle wound tight.
Then the air shifted.
A pressure rolled through the corridor, heavy and absolute. Not the wild static of Volt, not the sharp distortion Raven carried — this was deeper, invisible, suffocating. For a heartbeat, Noah swore his own legs wanted to lock in place.
Volt straightened instantly, his smirk gone. Raven's hood dipped lower, her posture tightening.
And then he appeared.
A man stepped through the broken doorway — tall, sharp-featured, and calm in a way that only someone untouchably strong could be. His footsteps were unhurried, but with each one, Noah felt the weight around him grow, as if unseen chains pressed against his body.
"Invisible Hands…" Raven whispered under her breath.
Noah's fists clenched. What the hell is she talking about?
The man's eyes swept the room, landing on Noah last. For a moment, the weight around Noah doubled, pinning his feet to the floor. He bit back a grunt, refusing to bow under it — and just like that, the pressure lifted.
The leader's mouth curved faintly, almost approving. "You held your ground. Good."
Volt and Raven exchanged a look, then bowed their heads slightly.
Noah blinked. Wait… they're showing respect? To him?
The man's gaze softened just enough to cut through the suffocating aura. "Relax. I'm not your enemy." His voice was steady, controlled, like iron wrapped in silk. "If they attacked you, it was because I sent them. I wanted answers."
He folded his hands behind his back. "And now… I have them."
The tension in the room broke, leaving only the faint hum of rain outside the shattered glass. For the first time since arriving in the city, Noah felt something strange in his gut.
Not fear. Not suspicion.
Relief.
Because whoever this man was… he wasn't here to kill him. He was here to stand with him.
The silence stretched until Noah finally broke it. His fists unclenched, though his guard didn't lower.
"…Who the hell are you?" Noah asked.
The man's expression didn't shift, but the pressure in the air eased, like he had been waiting for the question. He stepped closer, his presence impossibly calm, and answered with simple certainty:
"Call me Asher."
The name carried weight, like the kind that lingered in old war stories — not shouted, but whispered. Volt straightened at the sound of it. Raven's head dipped lower, almost in reverence.
Noah narrowed his eyes. "You're their boss."
"Asher," Volt confirmed, almost grudgingly. "The strongest among us."
Noah frowned. "Then why send them after me? I didn't pick a fight with either of them."
Asher's gaze sharpened, his eyes like still water hiding a riptide. "My younger brother was being cornered by cowards in an alley. I asked them to clean it up. Raven, as usual, lost the trail. Volt, as usual, turned it into a test." He let the look fall on Raven for a beat.
Raven kept quiet.
"That's when you stepped in," Asher continued, and this time there was a softness in his voice. "You protected him. I'm grateful. Not many strangers bother."
Noah blinked. "…You owe me, then."
Asher's mouth twitched into a brief, honest smile. "You saved a kid I care about. That counts."
Noah let himself relax a fraction, still braced for more.
"As for why I asked them to follow," Asher said, his tone shifting back to business, "we keep an eye on odd things. Your presence raised a flag in the surveillance sweep — not the kind of paperwork a street cop files, but a glint in the feed, an encrypted tag that looks out of place. I don't know what's inside whoever locked it. I don't want to know, either." He stepped closer, gaze steady on Noah. "Curiosity is one thing. Respect — and discretion — are another. You protected my brother. That's enough reason to watch, not pry."
Volt and Raven exchanged a look that said everything Asher didn't need to say. Respect, caution, curiosity — all coiled into one measure.
Noah's jaw tightened. "So you're just going to watch me?"
"Aside from the gratitude," Asher said, "I'm going to make sure the kid you saved stays safe. And I'll keep whatever I find to myself unless it becomes a danger to him or to us." He folded his hands behind his back. "Consider this my way of saying thank you — and my promise that your past stays yours."
Relief came slow, but honest. It wasn't trust, not yet — but it was something close: a shield toward privacy, and a weight lifted from Noah's shoulders.
Noah's fists stayed half-clenched. "So what's the deal with you three anyway? You keep throwing words around like 'region expand' and 'awakened'—but no one's telling me what the hell it actually means."
Volt raised a brow, smirking. Raven stayed quiet. It was Asher who finally answered.
"You really don't know?" His tone was calm, not mocking—just curious. "Then listen carefully. This city, this world… it isn't as ordinary as it looks. There are people born with abilities that break the rules of nature. We call them Awakened."
He folded his hands behind his back as he paced, his voice steady.
"Every Awakened belongs to a region. Their abilities manifest differently—some command fire, others bend lightning, others distort space. To keep order, Awakened are expected to register with the global organization. Registration gives them recognition, accountability, and ranking. It keeps the world from sliding into chaos."
"And those who don't register?" Noah asked, brow furrowing.
Raven finally spoke, her voice sharp. "They're called Irregulars. Rogue Awakened who live outside the system. Most of them end up in crime—driven by greed, ego, or worse."
Volt's sparks crackled faintly across his knuckles. "And some of them get recruited into evil organizations. Groups that thrive on destruction, on using their powers however they want. No rules. No limits. Just hunger."
Noah took this in, his chest tight. "So you've got a world full of superpowered freaks, most of them signed up to your organization. And the rest? Irregulars, criminals, killers."
"That's the shape of it," Asher said simply. "To keep balance, there's a world ranking system. Every Awakened is measured—combat skill, control, destructive power. Rank determines authority. The strongest sit at the top, the weak are overlooked, and the Irregulars… get hunted."
Noah's gaze hardened. "And where do you fit into all this?"
Asher's eyes met his without hesitation. "I don't care for titles. But if you need one…" He lifted a hand. For an instant, Noah felt an invisible grip tighten around his shoulder, firm but not painful—like unseen hands pinning him in place. The air thickened, his legs heavy as stone, before it eased again in the blink of an eye.
Volt and Raven stood silent.
"…then know this," Asher finished. "Invisible Hands has no rank. No number. But those who know it… know me."
The words hung heavy in the room, not as a threat, but as fact
Noah crossed his arms. "So there's one organization pulling the strings, and everyone falls in line? Sounds too neat."
Asher's faint smile said otherwise. "If only it were that simple. There isn't one organization, Noah. There are many. Each region, each power bloc, each faction tries to control their own Awakened. Some cooperate, some compete, and some… would rather see the others burn."
He held up a hand, invisible pressure rippling through the air as if to punctuate the weight of his words.
"The Global Registry is supposed to keep order — it's the umbrella every legal Awakened is expected to register under. But beneath it? Countless groups. Military guilds. Corporate syndicates. Religious sects. Black-market collectives. They all claim they're doing what's 'best for balance.'"
Volt snorted, sparks crackling along his fingertips. "Balance my ass. Half of them use their 'members' like tools, the other half like weapons."
Raven's voice was quiet, edged with disdain. "And the ones that refuse to register at all? Irregulars. Outlaws. Most of them end up joining criminal groups, mercenary bands, or worse — the evil organizations. Those ones aren't just greedy. They're united by hunger for control, or destruction, or something darker."
Noah frowned. "So… gangs with powers."
"On a scale you can't imagine," Asher corrected. "Some of these organizations span continents. Some are as small as a single city. And every one of them is watching for talent, for anomalies. Someone like you."
That made Noah's stomach tighten. "…And what about rankings?"
Asher's gaze sharpened. "Rankings are global. Every registered Awakened is measured. Strength, technique, survivability, potential for destruction. The higher your rank, the more influence you carry. The world listens to the top fifty. The rest… are just shadows."
Noah's jaw set. "And the Irregulars?"
Volt grinned. "Hunted."
Asher's voice cut through, steady and final. "Unless they're strong enough to hunt back."
For a moment, the weight of invisible hands pressed gently against Noah's shoulder again — not threatening, not crushing, just reminding him of the scale he'd stepped into.
"You're standing at the edge of a world ruled by organizations, ranks, and power," Asher said. "Whether you choose it or not… the world will notice you.
Noah clenched his fists. "…So where does that leave me?"
Asher studied him for a long moment, the weight of invisible hands coiling faintly in the air. Not crushing, not hostile—just reminding him who held the advantage.
Finally, Asher spoke. His voice was calm, but each word cut with deliberate weight.
"You fought well. You even saved my brother. For that, I am grateful." His eyes narrowed slightly, unreadable. "But like him… you are still asleep."
The invisible grip tightened for a heartbeat before releasing Noah completely.
Asher turned slightly, his gaze shifting toward the rain-streaked windows. "If you want to understand this world… then walk beside him. Study as he does. The path will teach you more than any lecture could."
Noah frowned. "You want me to… go to school with your brother?"
Asher's lips curved faintly, almost a smile. "Consider it an education. Not in books, but in survival. He may not know it yet, but the lessons waiting there will wake both of you."
With that, he stepped back, hands clasped neatly behind him. Volt and Raven fell into step beside him, silent as shadows.
Before leaving, Asher glanced over his shoulder one last time. His voice was low, final:
"Wake up, Noah Reign. The world won't wait for you to open your eyes."
Their footsteps faded into the corridor, leaving Noah alone with the echo of those words.Still asleep.
For the first time, the thought of school didn't sound ordinary. It sounded like the beginning of something he wasn't ready for… but couldn't avoid.
Asher paused at the door, his presence still pressing faintly against the walls.
"One more thing," he said, his voice calm but absolute. "Your classes will be… private, after school hours. High school is your mask. What comes after three p.m.—" his eyes locked with Noah's, sharp and unyielding, "—will be your awakening."
Noah blinked, caught between suspicion and curiosity. "Private… classes?"
Asher's faint smile didn't reach his eyes. "Not books. Not lectures. Lessons this city doesn't put in schedules. Come here at 3 p.m. each day, and you'll learn the world that's been hidden from you."
He stepped out, Volt and Raven following. Their footsteps faded into silence, leaving Noah standing in the wreckage with the weight of those words.
Still asleep… but not for long.
The morning felt almost normal.
Almost.
Central High buzzed with the usual noise — chatter in the hallways, sneakers squeaking on tile, the smell of cafeteria bread rolls that tasted like cardboard. Teachers droned, students whispered, and the clock ticked like it had every other day since Noah arrived.
But today, every sound was sharper. Every glance lingered too long. Every second of silence between classes dragged with the weight of Asher's words.
Still asleep.Your real class begins at three.
Noah sat by the window, chin resting on his hand, eyes drifting toward the sky instead of the blackboard. The lectures blurred together. He wasn't here for algebra or history anymore.
At lunch, a few students waved him over, curious about the transfer kid. He gave short answers, polite smiles, but his mind wasn't in it. Raven was across the cafeteria, hood up, ignoring everyone but occasionally flicking her gaze toward him like a silent reminder: you're being watched.
By the time the final bell rang, Noah's nerves buzzed like static under his skin. Students spilled into the streets, laughing, heading for cafés or arcades. He walked the other way, hands in his pockets, his steps deliberate.
3:00 p.m.
The city seemed quieter as he approached the building Asher had told him about. It wasn't a training hall, not some underground arena. Just an old structure, unremarkable from the outside, the kind you'd walk past without noticing.
But when he stepped inside… the world shifted.
The floor was polished, reinforced. The walls were lined with strange markings, glowing faintly like circuitry etched into stone. The air itself felt heavier, thicker, as if the space wasn't entirely bound by ordinary rules.
Volt leaned lazily against a pillar, sparks dancing between his fingers. Raven sat cross-legged on a bench, her hood shadowing her face.
And at the center of the room stood Asher. Calm. Unshakable. Power rolling off him even when he stood perfectly still.
"You came," Asher said, his voice low but carrying across the space. "Good. That means you're ready to begin."
Noah's fists tightened. "Begin what?"
Asher raised his hand, and Noah's chest tightened instantly as invisible pressure wrapped around him, holding him in place. Not crushing, not painful — just a reminder of control.
"The first lesson," Asher said, eyes sharp. "To survive in this world, you must first learn what it feels like to be powerless."
The invisible grip released, dropping Noah back to his feet. His lungs burned, but his eyes stayed locked on Asher.
"Class is in session," Asher said
Asher's invisible grip released, leaving Noah gasping but upright.
"That is the difference between us," Asher said, his tone even. "And the difference between you and the world you've stumbled into."
Noah scowled, steadying his breathing. "What was that supposed to teach me? That I'm weak?"
Asher's lips curved faintly. "No. That you don't yet know the rules of the game."
He turned his head slightly. "Kai."
From the far corner, a familiar figure finally stirred. Headphones dangling around his neck, a lollipop in his mouth, Kai looked more bored than interested. He stood, stretching lazily as if he'd just woken from a nap.
"Tch. Figures you'd dump the lecture on me," Kai muttered, strolling over. His eyes glinted sharp behind his half-lidded gaze, belying the slouch in his shoulders.
"Powers, systems, rankings," Asher said. "He needs to understand. You explain better than I tolerate."
Kai gave a half-shrug, then stopped in front of Noah, sucking the lollipop once before pointing it at him like a baton.
"Alright, rookie. Crash course time. You've seen sparks, shadows, gravity tricks… but that's just the surface. What you need to get through your thick skull is this: powers aren't random magic tricks. They're part of a system. A system everyone in our world lives and dies by."
He pulled the lollipop out with a lazy flick. "Step one: Awakening. The day your ability first manifests. Could be natural, could be triggered by trauma, danger, or just bad luck. After that, you're an Awakened, whether you like it or not."
"Step two: Registration. If you join the official organizations, you get ranked, catalogued, and kept on a leash. Registered Awakened are measured by the global system — strength, versatility, destructive output. The higher your rank, the more authority you get. Top fifty? They can make governments sweat."
Noah's brow furrowed. "And the ones who don't register?"
Kai smirked. "Those are the fun ones. Irregulars. Rogues. They don't play by the rules, and most end up chasing power, money, or blood. Some form their own crews. Some join evil organizations that want to tear the whole system down. Most? Just corpses waiting to happen."
He popped the lollipop back into his mouth, speaking around it. "And step three: the World Ranking System. Every Awakened is weighed and measured. Numbers don't lie. Strongest rise, weakest fall, and everyone else scrambles for scraps. You don't like the number next to your name? Too bad. Earn a better one."
Noah crossed his arms. "Sounds like a cage with extra steps."
Kai smirked wider. "Bingo. But a cage that keeps the whole damn world from eating itself alive. At least… that's what they say."
Asher's voice cut in from behind, calm and final. "Understand this, Noah. You are outside that system. For now. Which makes you… unpredictable."
The invisible weight brushed Noah's shoulders once more — a reminder, not a punishment.
Kai tilted his head, lollipop stick bobbing as he spoke. "So, rookie. You still think you're just a normal transfer student?"
Noah clenched his fists, jaw tight. "…Guess not."
Kai grinned, satisfied. "Good. Then welcome to your real education."
Kai tapped Noah's shoulder with the stick of his lollipop. "Lecture's just warming up, rookie. Come on. We've got a lot to cover — powers, ranks, organizations, the whole mess. Consider this your crash course in not dying."
Noah raised a brow. "You're enjoying this way too much."
Kai smirked. "Teaching's not my thing. But watching people's faces when they realize how deep the rabbit hole goes? That's priceless."
He jerked his head toward the far side of the hall. "And don't get too comfortable. You're not the only one in this class."
Footsteps echoed softly. From a side door, a boy stepped in — younger, slimmer, with a nervous edge to his posture. His eyes widened when they landed on Noah.
Noah froze. "…You're the kid from the alley."
The boy nodded quickly, then glanced toward the ground. "Y-yeah. I didn't get to thank you before."
Kai grinned, tossing the lollipop stick into a bin. "Meet your classmate — Asher's little brother. Saved by you, scolded by him, and still asleep just like you."
Asher's voice carried from behind, calm and final. "The two of you will learn together. Different paths, same lesson. If either of you wakes… the world will notice."
The younger brother squared his shoulders awkwardly, giving Noah a faint, nervous smile. "Guess we're stuck with each other."
Noah exhaled slowly. He wasn't sure if this was punishment, training, or something else entirely — but one thing was clear.
This wasn't school anymore.
This was survival.
Kai leaned back against a pillar, tugging his headphones down around his neck. His voice carried that mix of laziness and razor-edge sharpness that Noah was starting to get used to.
"Alright, rookie. Time for the kindergarten lesson. Every Awakened ability you'll ever see falls into one of the seven core attributes."
He ticked them off on his fingers, slow and deliberate.
"Light. Dark. Water. Fire. Earth. Electric. Wind."
Sparks danced faintly across Volt's knuckles at the mention of Electric. Raven shifted slightly, her hood dipping lower when Kai said Dark.
Kai smirked. "Think of them like building blocks. Some people are pure — one attribute, one path. Others mix. Water and wind make storms. Fire and earth make magma. Light and dark… well, you don't want to be around when that balance breaks."
Noah frowned. "And what about… powers that don't fit? Like Asher's invisible hands?"
For once, Kai's smirk slipped into something closer to respect. He popped the lollipop back into his mouth before answering.
"Those are… different. Rarer. Sometimes tied to one of the seven, sometimes beyond them. We call those Variants. Outliers the system doesn't know how to rank properly. When they show up, organizations start drooling."
Volt snorted. "And fighting."
Kai nodded. "Exactly. Because Variants don't play by the same rules as the rest of us. They bend the system — or break it."
He tilted his head toward Noah. "But don't get ahead of yourself. Until you awaken, you've got zero attributes. You're just potential. Sleeping."
Asher's voice cut in from across the hall, calm and absolute."And it's time you learn what happens when the world finally decides to wake you."
Here's how Kai can fold it into the lecture scene naturally:
Chapter Five — The Attribute Lecture (expanded)
Kai leaned back against a pillar, tugging his headphones down around his neck. His voice carried that mix of laziness and razor-edge sharpness that Noah was starting to get used to.
"Alright, rookie. Time for the kindergarten lesson. Every Awakened ability you'll ever see falls into one of the seven core attributes."
He ticked them off on his fingers, slow and deliberate.
"Light. Dark. Water. Fire. Earth. Electric. Wind."
Sparks danced faintly across Volt's knuckles at the mention of Electric. Raven shifted slightly, her hood dipping lower when Kai said Dark.
Kai smirked. "Think of them like building blocks. Some people are pure — one attribute, one path. Others mix. Water and wind make storms. Fire and earth make magma. Light and dark… well, you don't want to be around when that balance breaks."
Noah frowned. "And what about… powers that don't fit? Like Asher's invisible hands?"
For once, Kai's smirk slipped into something closer to respect. He popped the lollipop back into his mouth before answering.
"Those are… different. Rarer. Sometimes tied to one of the seven, sometimes beyond them. We call those Variants. Outliers the system doesn't know how to rank properly. When they show up, organizations start drooling."
Volt snorted. "And fighting."
Kai nodded. "Exactly. Because Variants don't play by the same rules as the rest of us. They bend the system — or break it."
He tilted his head toward Noah. "But don't get ahead of yourself. Until you awaken, you've got zero attributes. You're just potential. Sleeping."
Asher's voice cut in from across the hall, calm and absolute."And it's time you learn what happens when the world finally decides to wake you."
Kai spun the lollipop stick between his fingers. "Alright, rookie, here's the part that screws with most newbies: not everyone gets an attribute. Some Awakened pop off with superpowers instead."
He tapped his headphone cord against his chest, smirking.
"Superpowers don't care about elements. They're straight-up abilities that break rules in different ways. Things like—"
Transformation — "Beast forms, partial mutations, skin turning to steel. Some turn themselves into weapons. Others? Monsters."
Speed — "Not just running fast — we're talking moving so quick you look like you skipped a frame in reality."
Flight — "Obvious. But pair it with the right attribute? You get nightmares in the sky."
Close Combat Mastery — "Some awaken with bodies built to fight — reflexes sharper, durability insane, instincts that make veterans jealous."
Summoner — "They call things from elsewhere. Beasts, constructs, weapons. Never trust a summoner to fight alone."
Tamer — "Like summoners, but tied to real creatures — beasts, spirits, even Awakened animals. If they bond right, those partners grow just as strong as their masters."
Kai shrugged, letting the words hang. "Point is, the system doesn't care if you've got fireballs or wings. Attribute or superpower, you get ranked all the same. And if you're strong enough?" He grinned. "You get hunted — or recruited."
Noah tilted his head. "So which one's better?"
Kai smirked. "That's the trick. Neither. A speedster can blitz a fire user before they spark. A summoner can overwhelm a shadow user with numbers. And an attribute master can wipe the floor with a close combat brute if they're clever. It's rock-paper-scissors with teeth."
Noah's jaw tightened. "So… I'm still sleeping, huh? That's your fancy way of saying I've got nothing?"
Kai grinned, spinning the lollipop between his fingers. "Nothing you can use yet. But trust me — the city won't wait for you to wake up. So let's speed things along."
Volt stepped forward, sparks flickering lazily across his knuckles. "We'll start small. Observation first. Watch, learn, survive."
Raven finally spoke, her voice low, almost a whisper. "Then act. Don't just stand there."
Asher's calm, unshakable presence anchored the room. "Potential isn't measured by what you can do now. It's measured by how fast you can adapt. That is your first lesson."
First Exercise: Awareness
Kai clapped once. Sparks leapt from Volt's fingertips, crackling against the floor like static lightning."Alright, rookie, lesson one: perception. You can't fight what you can't see. Watch closely."
Volt raised a hand, sending arcs of electricity darting across the room, slicing thin lines of light across walls and floor.Raven moved like a shadow, silent and precise, phasing between pillars, her form almost disappearing in the faint glow.
Noah's eyes darted, trying to track both at once. His heart thumped like a drum — part excitement, part panic.
"You can't rely on just sight," Kai said, voice calm but cutting. "Awakened sense more than humans. Vibrations. Energy. Pressure. Hear, feel, notice. Now."
Noah clenched his fists. He tried to focus, to sense the shifting air around Raven, the tingling charge around Volt. For a moment, panic threatened to take over, but then… a faint tug at his instincts — the faintest pulse, like a heartbeat against the floorboards.
"Good," Asher said quietly, walking past him. "You felt it. That's the first stirrings of awareness."
Second Exercise: Reaction
Kai pointed at a hovering shard of broken glass, energized by Volt's electricity."Next step: reaction. You can't dodge unless you know when and where the attack will hit. Now move."
Noah flinched but took a step forward. The shard zipped toward him — not fast, not threatening yet, but enough to make him react. His hands shot up, instinctively swatting it aside.
Raven nodded slightly, her hooded eyes observing. "Not bad… but you're rigid. Loosen up. Let your body move before your mind tells it to."
Volt's grin widened. "Try again. Faster. Think less. Feel more."
The shards came again, more erratic, electricity crackling unpredictably. Noah barely dodged, stumbled, and landed on one knee. His lungs burned, but he stayed focused. Something deep inside stirred — a latent instinct he hadn't noticed before.
The Awakening Trigger
Asher stepped closer, silent until the air around him shifted subtly."You're ready."
Noah froze. The pressure in the room pulsed like a living thing. Volt's sparks intensified; Raven's shadow stretched unnaturally along the floor.
"Rookie," Kai said, voice sharp. "This is it. First lesson over. Now… wake up."
Noah's fists were still clenched, the tension in his shoulders screaming at him to move, to act, to do something. But there was nothing. No sparks, no shadows, no surge of energy. Just his own heart hammering in his chest.
Kai leaned back against a pillar, headphones dangling, lollipop still perched in his mouth. "Relax, rookie. You're not awake yet. You're just… sleeping. That's okay. Most people never make it past this stage without someone shaking them awake."
Volt cracked his knuckles, sparks flickering lazily. "You can watch. You can learn. You can survive. But right now? Your attribute isn't online. Zero, nada."
Raven's hood shadowed her face, her voice quiet but sharp. "You have potential. Don't waste it. The world won't wait while you figure out what you think you can do."
Noah swallowed. He hated it — hated feeling powerless. But something about the weight in the room, Asher's calm presence at the far end, and the way Kai's smirk didn't fully reach his eyes… told him he had to pay attention.
Observation First
Kai waved a hand. Volt's sparks leapt across the floor, tracing dangerous arcs between pillars. Raven shifted, her movements fluid, almost impossible to follow — a blur of silent grace.
"Lesson one, rookie," Kai said, voice casual but cutting. "You watch. You see patterns. You notice weaknesses. You don't act. Not yet. Just… watch."
Noah's eyes darted, trying to keep track of both at once. Every step, every twitch, every flicker of energy — his senses strained to catch it all.
"See that?" Volt called out, sending a bolt of electricity toward a pillar, then pulling it back. "Timing. Distance. Anticipation. You're not awake, so you don't feel it. You see it. That's enough for now."
Raven moved closer, her blood subtly pulsing beneath her skin, a faint crimson sheen he could barely make out. "Power isn't just strength. It's control, precision, timing. The moment you awaken, you need to know where to put it. Watching now gives you a head start."
Noah nodded slowly, eyes fixed. He tried to memorize every movement, every reaction, every detail — even if he couldn't respond yet.
Training the Mind
Kai walked past him, voice low. "Step two: anticipation. You don't need to move to fight. You need to think ahead. Predict. Analyze. Even when you're asleep, your mind can start learning the rules. You see, you notice, you remember. That's how rookies survive their first fights."
Noah clenched his fists again, this time forcing himself to slow down his heartbeat, to pay attention to the air around him. Volt's electricity danced, Raven's blood shimmered, and the faint weight of Asher's presence pressed on him — not heavy, just constant.
He couldn't fight yet. But he could start to understand.
"Good," Asher said calmly from the back. "Power without control is nothing. Observation builds the foundation. Awareness is the first step. When your attribute awakens, you'll need that foundation to survive."
Noah exhaled slowly. He wasn't awake. He wasn't powerful. Not yet.
But he was learning.
And in this world, learning first could mean the difference between life and death.
END OF THE CHAPTER