A faint warmth pressed against Aron's eyelids.
He exhaled slowly, and the breath that left his lungs felt… different.
Lighter.
Deeper.
Controlled.
He opened his eyes.
The world looked sharper. The morning light, the dust drifting in the air, even the faint creak of the wooden window—everything felt clearer, as if a veil had been lifted from his senses.
His body felt weightless, yet full of energy.
His heart beat in a calm, powerful rhythm that matched Emperor's Breath perfectly.
Aron froze.
Was this… all from one night of training?
He quickly checked the technique's mastery.
0.01%
His expression stiffened.
"...Only this much?" he whispered.
His muscles, breathing, and senses were transformed—yet the technique itself had increased by a microscopic amount. In his past life, he had never sensed even a fraction of this power.
If this was what 0.01% could do, then what was the true nature of Emperor's Breath?
A familiar, calm presence stirred within him.
Merl's voice echoed softly in his mind.
"Confused?"
Aron sat up. "Why did my body change so much when the mastery is so low? This doesn't make sense."
Merl chuckled lightly, a sound filled with ancient patience.
"Emperor's Breath is not a technique you memorize.
It is a technique you become.
Find yourself, Aron.
And stop treating it like a simple breathing method."
The presence faded, leaving only silence.
Aron clenched his fists.
Become the technique? What does that even mean…?
No answer came, but one thing was clear—Emperor's Breath belonged to a realm of arts far beyond anything he had touched in his past life.
He stood, washed quickly, and headed out.
Training Ground — Early Morning
Mist lingered over the stone courtyard when Aron stepped onto the training field.
Only a handful of knights were present, stretching and practicing basic drills.
Their heads turned.
A child barely awake-looking walking into the training grounds at dawn?
A few knights raised their brows, surprised, but quickly dismissed him.
Probably a noble brat imitating warriors.
Unimportant.
Aron ignored every stare.
He stood at the edge of the field, inhaled once, and began.
Foundation Training Begins
His legs trembled as he lowered into deep squats.
His lungs burned as he pushed through push-ups.
His arms shook as he practiced explosive movements.
Sweat poured down his back as he stretched until his bones complained.
This body was young-too young for this intensity.
But Aron wasn't a child.
He was a man who had survived hell in another lifetime.
He continued without pause.
His vision blurred.
His muscles screamed.
His breath broke into uneven gasps.
One knight paused training, watching him with a frown.
"Is that kid trying to kill himself…?"
Another shrugged. "Let him be. He'll collapse soon."
They weren't wrong.
Aron finally staggered.
His knees hit the cold stone.
His arms failed to support him.
Pain exploded through his limbs.
But…
He closed his eyes and activated Emperor's Breath.
A slow, deep inhale.
Mana flowed.
Warmth spread through his exhausted muscles.
Pain softened.
His heartbeat steadied.
His lungs opened.
It felt like he was sinking into warm water, the tension draining from every fiber of his body.
Aron exhaled.
Then… he stood again.
The knights froze.
"That brat… got up?"
"Impossible. He looked like he was about to faint."
Aron didn't spare them a glance.
He simply resumed training.
Legs → arms → core → balance → flexibility.
Every exercise repeated until his vision darkened again.
And again, when his body approached its breaking point—
Emperor's Breath saved him.
He knew this method was dangerous.
If not for EB, this routine would shatter his bones and tear his muscles.
But that was the point.
This was his way of grinding.
If he wanted to surpass his past life…
If he wanted to save his family…
If he wanted to face the horrors that took everything from him
Then this pain was nothing.
Aron was halfway through another round of grueling stretches when a familiar voice echoed across the training ground.
"Aron?"
He paused.
Rina stood at the entrance, holding her wooden practice sword.
Her eyes widened the moment she saw him—sweat-drenched, trembling, pushing his body far past what a child should attempt.
She stepped forward, stunned.
"You… what are you doing?"
Aron wiped sweat off his forehead, breathing heavily but steadily thanks to Emperor's Breath.
Rina stared at him like she was seeing a different person entirely.
"You're really training? You?" She pointed at him, disbelief obvious.
"Whenever I asked you to practice with me, you always refused. You either slept or hid in the library. Why suddenly… this?"
Aron met her gaze calmly.
He didn't want to reveal his real reason.
Not yet.
Not until he was strong enough to change everything.
So he gave the simplest answer he could.
"I think I need a little bit of strength…"
He paused, catching his breath.
"…so I can laze around comfortably."
Rina blinked.
Then burst into laughter.
"Pfft—! That's your reason? Seriously?"
Aron shrugged.
"It's a good reason."
She shook her head, still smiling.
"Well… if you say so. Just don't die before breakfast."
Aron smirked faintly. "No promises."
Rina rolled her eyes and stepped onto another part of the field to begin her own drills, though she kept glancing at Aron from time to time - confusion and curiosity mixing in her expression.
For her, this was strange.
Unnatural.
The Aron she knew was lazy, unmotivated, uninterested in training.
But the boy in front of her now
covered in sweat, trembling, yet continuing relentlessly
This wasn't the Aron she remembered.
She couldn't shake the thought:
What changed him?
Aron ignored her gaze, settled into position, and
resumed his next exercise.
Because this was only the beginning.
As Aron pushed through another round of harsh stretches, the wooden door to the training grounds opened softly.
Rina Velaris stepped in.
She carried her wooden sword with natural ease, sunlight catching the edges of her hair.
Without greeting anyone, she walked to her usual spot, took a quiet breath, and began.
Her first swing sliced the air with clean precision.
The second flowed smoother.
The third connected into a seamless arc.
Within moments, her movements transformed into a beautiful rhythm-fluid, sharp, controlled like flowing water.
Every step matched the beat of her sword.
Every rotation was flawless.
To ordinary eyes, it was beautiful.
To Aron, it was frightening.
Even at this age… she moves like this?
Curiosity rose-quiet but persistent.
"Merl," Aron whispered inside his mind, "show me Rina Velaris' system profile."
A soft chime responded.
A glowing interface formed in front of his eyes.
[SYSTEM PROFILE — RINA VELARIS]
Name: Rina Velaris
Age: ??
Innate Talent: ??
Path Affinity: ???
Blessing: ???
Realm (Previous Life Peak): ???
Current Realm: ???
Potential Rating: ???
Threat Level: ???
Aron stared, confused.
Everything-absolutely everything-was hidden behind ??.
He opened his mouth slightly.
"What…?"
A final line appeared at the bottom, glowing in faint red:
Insufficient Authorization.
User Level Too Low.
Aron froze.
He wasn't strong enough…
Not even to view her basic status.
Not her talent.
Not her realm.
Not her affinity.
Not even her potential rating.
Merl's voice rose gently, almost amused:
"Some individuals exist above what you can comprehend at your current level, Aron.
Grow stronger…
and the system will allow you to know who she truly is."
Aron's eyes returned to Rina Velaris.
She stepped, spun, and struck-her blade moving with elegance and lethal precision.
The air itself seemed to ripple with each motion.
She wasn't just talented.
She was a phenomenon.
Aron swallowed hard.
Rina Velaris… just how terrifying were you?
And in this lifetime… how far can you go?
He clenched his trembling fists.
"Fine. I'll grow strong enough to see your truth.
By the time the sun slipped past the rooftops, the training grounds had emptied completely.
The knights had left after finishing their drills.
Rina Velaris had returned inside after her sword practice.
Now, only one figure remained in the entire courtyard.
Aron.
His small body moved with stubborn determination, drenched in sweat, breath heavy but controlled.
Each repetition pushed deeper into the limits of what a child should endure.
He stumbled, he shook, he nearly collapsed multiple times
But he never stopped.
I wasted too much time in my past life…
I won't repeat that mistake.
Whenever the burning pain overwhelmed his muscles, he activated Emperor's Breath.
A deep inhale.
A steady exhale.
Mana circulated through his body smoothly, calming the strain just enough for him to continue.
The technique didn't magically heal him
It simply stabilized his body, preventing him from breaking completely.
And that was enough.
A Quiet, Empty House
The silence around him felt heavier because the mansion was nearly empty tonight.
His father was away-leading the suppression of a monster hoard near the northern border.
Such missions were dangerous but common for him.
Davin and Robin had gone with their father to gain experience.
Both had talent, and their father was shaping them into real warriors slowly.
Rina Velaris was the only one left at home…
Too young to be taken into real combat, but already frighteningly gifted.
Aron had seen enough of her sword dance today to feel both pride and unease.
He tightened his jaw.
They all had potential…
But in my past life, none of us survived that war.
The thought stabbed him in the chest.
Aron Pushes Into the Night
The moon rose quietly, silver light spilling across the stone floor.
Aron forced himself into another round of footwork drills.
His legs trembled violently.
His arms felt numb.
His lungs burned.
Finally, his knees buckled and he crashed to the ground, palms scraping against the rough stone.
"...Damn."
It took everything just to lift his head.
But he closed his eyes…
…and sank into Emperor's Breath once more.
The breathing pattern soothed the shaking inside his body.
His muscles relaxed, the pain settling instead of exploding.
His heart steadied its rhythm.
Slowly-very slowly-he recovered enough to sit upright.
The training ground stood empty around him.
No knights.
No servants.
Not even footsteps in the distance.
Just his breathing echoing through the courtyard.
He looked up at the moonlit sky and whispered to himself:
"This is the path I chose…
And I will keep walking it."