Chapter 62: A New Conflict.
Aiden finished doing some stretches as he stood quietly in the center of the training ground. His breathing was calm and steady. After a moment, he lifted his hand and poured mana into his necklace.
A faint light flashed from the small crystal hanging around his neck, and an illusion formed around him, covering him completely so no one could see what he was doing. He was going to train stage two elemental spells, so he didn't want anyone to know.
Inside the illusion, Aiden stood still for a moment, then slowly raised his hand. Fire mana gathered around his fingers as he conjured an enhanced fire blade. The bright, burning blade of fire appeared in his hand.
Right after that, water mana gathered on his other hand, forming a long and flexible water whip. He didn't stop. He focused on the ground as earth mana rippled softly.
One earth golem rose, then another, then another. Soon, more and more golems formed around him until the whole space inside the illusion was filled with them.
Aiden controlled them all at the same time. The golems rushed at him as he swung the fire blade, slicing one golem cleanly in half. He cracked another golem's head with a heavy strike of the water whip.
The moment they fell apart, turning into piles of dirt and stone, Aiden used earth mana again and conjured them once more. Over and over, he repeated it. He kept summoning and destroying them, non-stop.
Earth spikes shot up from the ground, piercing through the golems as they shattered. Some melted into mud pools as water mana mixed with earth, and those golems sank and crumbled.
Lightning mana sparked around Aiden's arm as he conjured a lightning sword. Lightning rain fell suddenly from above as he trained all his other spells one by one, mixing them, changing them, pushing his control.
The golems also attacked him relentlessly. They moved fast and heavy, swinging their fists at him without mercy.
Sometimes their hits left small cuts on Aiden's skin, and sometimes he was hit so hard that it left deep wounds. But every time he was injured, Aiden simply healed himself and continued training. There was no moment of rest.
Outside the illusion, Aaron and Victoria watched quietly. They could not see the stage two spells. To them, Aiden looked like he was using stage one fire and water spells again and again.
But even then, the speed, the flow, and the rhythm were far beyond what they could copy. They still tried, copying his movements, his footwork, and his swings.
Aaron struggled the most. He had never fought in his whole life. His body didn't know how to move properly. He tried to follow Aiden's steps, but he kept losing balance.
His hands shook when he tried to copy a movement. Victoria was better than him because she had trained with Aiden for almost a month, but even she struggled badly. Aiden's movements were just too fast and too smooth. There was no pause in anything he did. He moved like a flowing river that never stopped.
Two hours passed. Night had come. Aiden finally stopped as he took a long, deep breath. His clothes were drenched in sweat from top to bottom. He looked toward Aaron and Victoria. They were already sitting on the ground. They had given up after an hour and had just watched him train after that.
Aiden turned around and began to walk toward the dorms. Aaron quickly stood up and followed behind him quietly. Victoria wanted to say goodbye, but she paused. She knew Aiden wouldn't respond, so she didn't say anything. She simply turned and headed toward her own dorm.
Aiden and Aaron entered their dorm room after a few minutes. Aiden walked straight to the bathroom and washed up, while Aaron waited outside. After some time, Aiden came out, drying his black hair with a towel.
His pale white skin looked even clearer and smoother under the warm light of the room. He stood in front of the mirror and began to comb his hair slowly. Aaron walked past him and entered the bathroom to wash up, too.
Aiden finished combing his hair and sat cross-legged on his bed. He closed his eyes and began to absorb mana from the surroundings. His mana was almost completely depleted, so he needed to refill it.
As mana entered his body through his pores, the burning sensation came again. But this time, he was used to it. He calmly circulated mana through his body. After a few minutes, he stopped holding back and rapidly absorbed mana at full speed.
Around fifteen minutes later, Aaron came out of the bathroom. He froze for a moment when he saw Aiden absorbing mana again.
Aiden had just finished physical training, yet now he was calmly absorbing mana as if his body didn't need rest. Aaron finally understood why Aiden was so strong. He didn't waste a single second. He trained every moment he was awake.
Aaron felt a spark inside him as he dried his hair quickly and sat on his bed. He copied Aiden and began to absorb mana. After fifteen minutes, he reached his limit. His body hurt, and his chest felt tight, but he didn't stop.
He clenched his teeth and pushed himself harder. After around five more minutes, his body finally gave up and forced him to stop. Even though it was short, Aaron felt happy. Before, he could only absorb mana for fifteen minutes. Today, he had done twenty minutes. He was proud of himself.
He lay down on his bed and watched Aiden quietly.
After around ninety minutes, Aiden opened his eyes. He stopped absorbing mana and took a glance at Aaron. Then he lay down and closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he fell asleep. The night passed peacefully.
Morning arrived as the sunlight slowly entered the room through the window. The soft chirping of birds echoed from outside. Aiden suddenly opened his eyes and sat up while rubbing them. He glanced at Aaron, who was still asleep.
He stood up and walked to the washroom to wash his face.
When he came out, Aaron was sitting up, rubbing his eyes, and yawning. Aaron looked at Aiden and said, "G-good morning."
Aiden looked back at him and replied, "Good morning."
It was the first time in a month that Aiden had replied to someone's greeting. He usually only nodded when Victor or his family greeted him. But now, he replied to Aaron.
Aiden had done it because he pitied him. Aaron had tried to copy his movements yesterday, but he was sloppy and weak. He didn't even know how to stand in a proper fighting posture. And Aiden also remembered how hard Aaron's mother had worked to send him here. So Aiden wanted to help him a little.
Aaron was shocked. Victoria had told him yesterday that Aiden barely spoke and only nodded at most. Yet today, Aiden replied.
There was still one hour before classes, so Aiden sat cross-legged again and absorbed mana. Aaron was impressed by Aiden's determination. He quickly got up and washed his face, and sat on his own bed, absorbing mana too.
After around thirty minutes, Aiden opened his eyes and got out of his bed. Aaron who had stopped a little earlier saw this as he followed him. Both of them walked out of the room and went to the cafeteria for breakfast.
The moment they entered the cafeteria, many students looked at Aiden. Whispering began immediately. Even second-year, third-year, and fourth-year students started talking.
"Isn't that the first-year kid who beat up the young master of the Draconia family?" "Yeah, he beat him easily. Even though that guy was a tri-elemental mana cultivator, he still couldn't do anything." "He's the strongest in the first year." "He's handsome, too."
Then some students noticed Aaron walking beside him.
"Who is that small kid next to him?" "He looks like a nerd." "What's with that weak body?"
Aaron heard everything and felt embarrassed while Aiden ignored all of it. He picked up a tray and began placing various foods on it—cooked meat, roasted chicken, fried fish, shrimps, lobster, lentils, cooked vegetables, and more.
Aaron picked his own tray and followed him.
They sat down and began eating. While they ate, they heard more whispers.
"Isn't that the girl who was with the black-haired kid yesterday?" "Yeah, he beat those two guys because of her." "She's the most beautiful girl this year." "She is, but that boy is here, so no one will approach her."
They were talking about Victoria, who had just walked in. She picked up a tray, got her food, and then walked toward Aiden and Aaron. She sat down right in front of Aiden.
"Good morning," she said calmly.
Aaron replied, "g-good morning," while Aiden simply looked at her and nodded.
All three of them began eating quietly.
But peace never lasted long.
A tall boy with dark green hair and eyes walked toward their table. He placed his hand loudly on the table, leaned forward, and looked straight at Aiden and said.
"Hey, kid, I'm your senior. Why didn't you greet me?"
Aiden looked him straight in the eyes… then ignored him and continued eating.
The boy frowned as he said. "Such a rude junior. Do you even know who I am? My name is David Aimeil. I'm a third year who has mastered all stage one mana spells and will soon become stage two, yet you're acting cocky."
Aiden looked at him and said, "You are sixteen years old, yet you haven't even become a stage two mana cultivator. It's pathetic."
Everyone nearby heard it and burst out laughing. David's face turned bright red with anger. But he forced himself to stay calm. He had already been punished three times for fights. If he fought again, he would be expelled. He couldn't risk it.
Then an idea came to him. A dirty one. He wanted Aiden to attack first.
He turned toward Victoria and smirked."You're really pretty. Why don't you hang out with me and my friends? We'll take good care of you."
Victoria's heard this as her anger exploded. "You bastard!" She stood up and raised her hand to slap him—
—but David caught her wrist easily. He was clearly stronger than her.
"Let go," Victoria said as she struggled.
David smirked and tightened his grip—
—and then suddenly he heard Aiden's voice.
"Let go of her hand."
David turned slowly toward Aiden and said with a smile,
"And what if I don't?"
Author's Note: Aiden once again gets into a conflict as David tries to force his hand. What will Aiden do in this situation.