Chapter 61: Learn from Watching.
Aiden then absorbed high-density mana from the surroundings as his body felt as if it was burning from the inside. The mana around him was thick like mist, filling the dorm room with a faint shimmer.
Each breath he took pulled that mana into his body, and the moment it entered, his veins heated up as if fire was flowing through them. He felt as if just absorbing this mana made him feel like he had gotten stronger.
He continued to absorb mana from the surroundings as his body slowly began to adapt to the fiery sensation. At first, it hurt, like tiny needles poking every inch of him, but the more mana he pulled in, the more his body adjusted.
His muscles tightened, his breathing became steady, and the pain slowly turned into a warm strength spreading through his limbs. Time passed slowly as the mana around him thinned and refilled again, following the natural flow of the academy's high-density zone.
After two hours, Aiden had reached his limits as he finally stopped absorbing mana. His body felt heavy and drained, but there was a sharp clarity in his mind that wasn't there before.
He opened his eyes as he saw Aaron staring at him with curiosity. Aaron had been staring at him the whole time, unable to look away.
He was clearly surprised. He, as a stage 1 mana cultivator, could only absorb mana for fifteen minutes before reaching his limit, while Aiden—who was the same age as him—had absorbed it for hours.
Aiden looked him in the eye as Aaron suddenly lowered his gaze. Even though nothing violent happened, he was still fearful of Aiden. Aiden didn't say anything as he got up, brushed off the dust on his clothes, and began to walk toward the door.
Aaron saw this as he asked hesitatingly, "W-where are you going?"
Aiden heard this as he stopped and looked back at him and said, "Training." Then he turned around and began to walk again.
Aaron heard this as he began to think, panic rising slightly in his chest. Then he said hesitatingly, "C-can I train with you?"
Aiden didn't look back as he said coldly, "No, you can't."
Aaron heard this as he was clearly disheartened. His face fell, and his shoulders dropped a little. He was a commoner who lived in the countryside. His father was a mana cultivator, but he had died too early.
He lived his life with his mother in the countryside as he grew up. Their home was small but warm, surrounded by fields and trees. He read many of his father's books as he learned about mana hearts, mana cultivators, elements, and mana artifacts.
Those old books were worn out and yellow, but he treasured them because they were the only things left behind by his father.
He then learned how to use breathing techniques to absorb mana. He waited for himself to be twelve years old and then began to absorb mana.
It was really hard for him at first—his body hurt, his head spun, and he often fainted—but he still did it. And when he got to the age of fourteen, he finally created a mana heart.
He was very happy, thinking he was special, but then he got to know that he was the most common type of mana cultivator, as he only had a single elemental affinity. He could only use light element which was mainly used for support.
He didn't give up hope and continued to train. After a month or so, his mother caught him using mana spells. Even though she was not a mana cultivator, she knew about them from Aaron's father.
Aaron told her everything, and then his mother didn't scold him because he was just like his father. In fact, she was even proud that her child was not an ordinary person like most in this world.
Then his mother began to prepare to send Aaron to the magic academy that her husband had told her about. She worked day and night to save the money as she was finally able to afford his academy expenses. And so Aaron had become a student of this academy.
He didn't want to waste his mother's effort and disappoint her. His thoughts were racing as he didn't know anyone strong. Aiden was the only one he had ever seen fight. He didn't know how to use spells in combat. He felt lost, unsure if he would survive in a place filled with geniuses from noble families.
He suddenly resolved himself as he suddenly sat on the ground and lowered his head. His nose was touching the ground as he said, "P-please teach me how to fight, please…"
Aiden turned around as he saw Aaron prostrating before him. He looked at him coldly as he said, "Why should I train you?"
Aaron heard this as tears began to form in his eyes. "Please teach me… I don't want my mother's hard work to go to waste. I want to make her proud. There is no one in the academy I know… please teach me… I will do anything… just teach me how to fight."
Aiden heard this as he thought for a second. His expression didn't change, but something flickered inside him, a memory he couldn't push away. Then he turned around and began to walk again.
Aaron saw this as tears were rolling down his cheeks. For a moment, he felt hopeless again, until he suddenly heard Aiden's voice.
"I won't waste my time on you. You can come with me and learn by watching me. That's all I can do for you."
Aaron heard this as his eyes lit up. There was a flicker of hope in them as he hurriedly stood up and rushed toward Aiden, wiping his tears but smiling lightly.
Both of them walked out of the dorms as they walked for a few moments. The academy hallways were quiet, with students resting in their rooms because classes would start tomorrow.
The cold evening breeze brushed against their faces as they stepped outside. Then they both reached the training ground as they saw someone already standing there.
She was Victoria. She was dressed in brown training clothes as she knew that Aiden would come. She stood confidently in the center, her long hair tied up, her expression serious. She looked at Aiden and said, "I knew that you were going to come here."
Aiden looked at her as he didn't reply.
He walked past her. Victoria, who was used to his behavior, didn't mind it as she said, "What will we be training today?"
Aiden continued to walk as he said, "I already told you that you and I don't have anything to do with each other."
Victoria heard this as she felt a bit sad. Her fists tightened slightly.
She then gritted her teeth as she said, "If you don't want anything to do with me, then why did you beat those guys up?" There was a hint of anger in her tone.
Aiden still didn't stop walking as he said, "I did it because of your father's request."
Victoria felt even angrier as she said, "Dad told you to help me when I was in danger. I could have beaten both of them easily. They weren't even that strong."
Aiden heard this as he replied simply, "Do you really think you could have beaten Joshua after beating those two?"
Victoria suddenly fell silent. She wanted to refute, but words didn't come out of her mouth. She knew that she couldn't beat Joshua even if she had not fought the others. She stood there completely silent as she saw Aiden walking away.
Then she suddenly noticed Aaron, who was following behind Aiden, as her anger flared up again. She then said with anger in her tone, "Who is he? Why is he following you?"
Aaron heard this as his body stiffened while Aiden replied coldly, "He's my roommate."
Victoria heard this as she asked, "He's your roommate, huh? Then why is he following you to the training ground? Do you think I am a fool? You are going to train with him—whom you have just met today—but you are not going to train with me?"
Aiden heard this as he said calmly, "I am not going to train with him. He is going to watch me train and learn himself."
Victoria heard this as realization struck her. How could Aiden, who was cold towards everyone will be willing to train with someone he had just met? She felt a bit embarrassed.
She had jumped to conclusions without even asking properly. But suddenly an idea came to her mind as she said, "Is that so? Then I will also watch you and learn myself."
Aiden didn't say anything as he reached the center of the training ground and began to do some stretches. The ground beneath him was cool, the air quiet except for soft winds.
Victoria saw that Aiden didn't reply as she knew what it meant.
He didn't mind her learning from watching him.
She then looked at Aaron, who was clearly scared, and apologized, "I am sorry for startling you."
Aaron heard this as he replied hesitatingly, "N-no problem."
Victoria then introduced herself, "I am Victoria Grayson, and you are?"
Aaron hesitated as he replied, "A-Aaron Anwell."
Victoria then looked at Aiden and said, "Let's do our best to learn from him. Even though he is cold towards people, he is not a bad person."
Aaron nodded as they began to watch Aiden train.
Author's Note: This chapter marks the beginning of a friendship between Aiden and Aaron as he learns by watching Aiden.