Master Black stood with his arms crossed, his voice steady but heavy with expectation.
"In order to deceive senses, you'll have to master them first, Prince," he said. "This training will help you with that. Every step you take must be precise—one wrong move, and your foot will be impaled by the knives and needles hidden in the dark. Don't worry," he added with a faint grin, "we've got plenty of healing potions ready."
Master Fang chuckled, flipping a dagger between his fingers before letting it vanish into the shadows.
"It's your first day, so we haven't prepared a full stage yet," he said. "But this should be good enough to test you. Go on then, Mr. Prodigy show us what you've got."
The air grew colder. Darkness coiled around the floor like smoke, swallowing the faint light. I stared at the narrow path ahead. It was barely visible, lined with silent traps and hidden blades glinting in the dark. My pulse hammered against my ribs.
Alright… step by step.
I took a breath, placed my foot forward.
Little by little I moved hesitantly in darkness where my eyes had yet to adjust.
Clink.
The faintest sound echoed. Pain lanced through my sole as a needle shot up, piercing deep. I bit down a curse.
Black's calm voice cut through the dark. "You hesitated. Shadows don't forgive hesitation."
Fang's laugh followed. "Welcome to our world, Prince. Keep going."
I grit my teeth, pulled my foot free, and stepped again, another sting, another failure. Blood trickled onto the cold stone.
No. I can't stop here.
I tightened my fists. My body trembled, but my focus sharpened. I lowered my breathing, steadied my heartbeat, listened. The faint whistle of air, the rustle of hidden traps, the rhythm of the dark itself.
I took another step.
No sound. No pain.
Black's eyes glinted from the shadows. Fang whistled low.
"Not bad," he said. "Looks like our little prince has sharper instincts than we thought."
It wasn't much but it was a start.
I walked. And walked. And walked.
Every second felt like a minute, and every minute like an hour.
The training ground stretched endlessly, swallowed in shadow. Each step came with pain, sharp and deep, tearing through my feet. I could feel blood soaking the floor beneath me, but I didn't stop. I couldn't.
Because if I stopped here—how would I master my senses?
How would I learn Eclipse?
How would I ever beat Lyra?
Those thoughts burned in my mind like fire. They weren't just doubts—they were fuel. The more I hurt, the more I moved.
Then, suddenly, a calm voice echoed inside my head.
[ Will you like my assistance? ]
I froze.
"Assistance? What does it mean?"
[ I can tell you the exact position of weapons and mark a safe path to move forward. ]
I almost laughed.
"Ha… haha. So that's how it is. You're offering me an easy way out?"
My breathing was heavy, my vision trembling, but my voice stayed firm.
"Someone else might've said yes. But not me. If I rely on shortcuts now, what'll happen when I face someone who doesn't play fair? I'll sharpen my senses myself. If I can't even control my own senses, I'll never deceive anyone else's."
I took another painful step forward.
"Thanks for the offer, Veyra. But I'll pass."
[ Recorded. Assistance denied. Skill: Pain Resistance granted. ]
"…What?"
The burning in my legs began to fade. The pain dulled—still there, but bearable now.
"I said I don't need your help," I muttered, glaring into the void.
[ Master's Nature: Stubborn. ]
[ I did not assist you directly. Your pain tolerance exceeded its limit, so a skill was granted. ]
I exhaled slowly, staring down at my bloodied feet.
"…Heh. Guess even the system can't argue with that."
Then I took another step—quieter this time.
No pain.
No sound.
The real training had finally begun.
[ Tip: Focus on the sound of air. Sense the mana surrounding you. ]
[ Try to slowly open your Mind's Eye. ]
"Mind's Eye?" I muttered under my breath.
[ A technique that grants you the ability to see the world without your eyes—using mana instead. Those who surpass a certain level of mana sensation can awaken it. Usually… when one reaches Apex Flame. ]
I froze.
"…Apex Flame?"
Just hearing those words sent a strange pressure through my chest.
"Apex Flame… that's the final stage before transcension," I whispered. "The level only superior masters reach. You're telling me I need that just to use this 'Mind's Eye'?"
[ Correction: It can be awakened earlier. But it requires extreme mental focus and refined mana control. Your current mana sensation is unstable, but… improving. ]
"So basically, impossible for most people," I said, half-smirking through the pain. "But I'm not most people."
I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. The world went black.
Then—
I listened.
The faint whistle of air brushing against my cheek.
The subtle vibration of mana threads pulsing under the ground.
The cold shift of pressure where a blade was hidden.
It was faint like trying to see through fog with your soul instead of your eyes. But it was there.
I stepped forward again, slowly this time.
No pain. No mistake.
Veyra's voice returned, calm but faintly impressed.
[ Mana sensitivity rising. Progress: 3%. ]
I grinned.
"Good. Let's see how far I can push this before I collapse."
Kaito sat cross-legged in the center of the Lunar Chamber, the floor glowing faintly beneath him like ripples of moonlight on still water. His hands rested on his knees, and his eyes were locked on the massive mana circle carved beneath his feet.
"Finally," he muttered, a small grin tugging at his lips. "The day has come. Today I'll begin my core manifestation… under Mother's guidance."
The air shimmered. A soft silver light spilled across the room as Selena Bloodcrest entered, her long silver hair flowing behind her like liquid moonlight.
She blinked once at him and smiled faintly. "You're already here, Kaito? Woahh…" her eyes narrowed, taking in his torn sleeves, bruised arms, and bandaged feet. "Which kind of training did you do to end up looking like this?"
She tilted her head, smiling softly, though her thoughts whispered something sharper.
Well, I already know. I saw everything after all.
Kaito looked up, scratching the back of his head. "Nothing serious, Mother. Just trained a bit with needles and daggers."
Selena sighed, placing her palm gently on her forehead. "Hmm? You won't tell me then?" She lowered her hand, her tone turning serious. "Well, it doesn't matter. Let's focus on your core manifestation. It's already been delayed too long."
The warmth in her golden eyes faded, replaced by a calm, cold intensity. The air grew still, almost sacred.
"Listen carefully, Kaito," she said, voice sharp as a blade. "Arkanis Pulse isn't just a manifestation method. It's rebirth through agony."
She stepped closer, her hand hovering above his chest. "Unlike ordinary channels, this one rejects the mortal design. You'll have to destroy your own veins, tear them apart from within, until mana replaces your blood."
Her palm pressed down, and Kaito felt a flicker of warmth beneath his heart.
"When the pain becomes unbearable," Selena continued softly, "when your body screams to stop—don't. Because only then will the second heart begin to form."
Her fingers glowed with divine light. "The heart of mana, the heart engulfed in flames."
Kaito's breath hitched. The chamber itself seemed to hold its breath with him.
"It will feel like drowning in fire," Selena said. "Every inhale pulls in death. Every exhale must bend that death into control. If you lose focus, your core collapses. If you hesitate, you die."
She paused. Her tone softened, just slightly.
"But if you endure…" she smiled faintly, her voice lowering to a whisper. "You will see the world as I do. You will breathe mana itself."