Chapter Five: Training
"Please… help me!"
When Alice saw the look on his face, she knew he had reached the conclusion she was waiting for. She smiled.
"Alright, alright… since you're an obedient boy, there's no need to beg.
This will be your first gift."
She stepped closer and lightly tapped his forehead with her finger.
Suddenly, a sharp pain surged through Akira's head. He rolled on the ground, screaming as he tried to suppress it. It felt as if his skull were cracking from the inside.
Then, slowly, the pain faded… and a notification flashed before his eyes.
---
[You have learned a new skill: Void Spear]
[Void Spear]
Rank: Basic
Description: Creates a spear of mana imbued with the element of darkness, 14 cm in length, and launches it toward the target.
Cost: 20 Mana
Cooldown: 5 seconds
[You cannot learn another skill for 24 hours]
---
Akira was still stunned when Alice interrupted him.
"That's enough for today."
She glanced around, then added in a practical tone,
"And since we can't stay here for long… we'll begin your training now."
She pointed at a distant rock, about 200 meters away.
"Do you see that rock?
Try hitting it with the skill you just learned."
Akira swallowed, then raised his hand toward the rock.
"Void Spear."
…Nothing.
He tried again.
"Void Spear!"
"Void Spear!!"
But the result was always the same: nothing.
Alice let out a breath and stepped closer, speaking patiently.
"Mana is the foundation of magical skills.
Its power, launch speed, and accuracy—all of it depends on your control over mana.
And you, so far… haven't moved even a single particle of it."
---
Akira closed his eyes, trying to sense the mana within his body.
Once. Twice. Dozens of times… more than half an hour passed, yet he felt nothing.
Fatigue began creeping into his muscles, and his mind was on the verge of giving up…
until he remembered that strange sensation from yesterday, when he had been on the brink of death.
The cold in his limbs. The tightness in his chest. That unfamiliar current flowing inside him.
"What if…?" he whispered to himself, trying to recall that feeling.
Suddenly, the mana inside his body stirred. It moved chaotically at first, then slowly gathered toward his right hand.
From a distance, Alice watched in silence, her smile widening.
"He really is talented… I thought he'd need a whole week to reach this stage."
A small magic circle formed in front of Akira's hand, and a short spear of dark purple energy emerged.
"Void Spear!" he shouted.
The spear shot forward at high speed. Akira opened his eyes in amazement as he saw it rush toward the rock, but…
It vanished before reaching it.
"I did it!" he said excitedly, then his face twisted in frustration.
Alice chuckled lightly.
"Good attempt. But if you don't supply the spear with enough mana… it won't last."
Akira tried again. Since he had opened the path once, it didn't take long this time.
"Void Spear!"
The spear flew again, stronger than before, but it disappeared just a few meters short of the rock.
Akira sighed in despair.
"Damn it… it was so close."
Alice patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry. In the end… you'll succeed."
He tried a third time. This one took longer than the previous attempt.
When he activated the skill, the spear shot forward—but to his surprise, it exploded the moment it left the magic circle.
Akira was thrown backward and fell to the ground, dust swirling around him. Fortunately, he wasn't injured.
Alice burst out laughing.
"Hahahahaha!!"
Akira lifted his dust-covered face, annoyed.
"Don't laugh at me."
"I'm sorry!" she said, holding back her laughter. "That's my fault… I forgot to explain something important.
Don't try to use more mana than you can control."
Akira exhaled and stood up, determination in his eyes. He tried again and again, applying every piece of advice Alice gave him.
By the eighth attempt, the spear finally launched… and struck the ground just a hand's breadth away from the rock.
Akira stood there in silence, breathing deeply, then smiled to himself—for the first time in a long while.
Floating beside him, Alice spoke in her usual calm voice.
"Akira, we have to stop. We need to return before sunset."
He looked up at the sky and saw the sun sinking toward the horizon, its orange light reflecting off the dust in the air.
"You're right. Let's go back."
Akira began walking toward the city, with Alice hovering beside him, not touching the ground.
Then he spoke suddenly.
"By the way… you said I have a title?"