Friday Morning - 6:00 AM
Kaelen woke naturally, his body pulling him from sleep with familiar efficiency. Despite only three hours of rest, he felt remarkably clear. The deep cultivation session had done more for his recovery than sleep alone could have managed.
He sat up slowly, testing his body. The soreness from the Kira fight was almost gone, reduced to a faint background ache that was easily ignored. His muscles responded normally.
Good. He'd need to be at full capacity for today's fights.
Kaelen dressed in training clothes and headed outside to complete his daily training.
By the time he finished, the sun had begun its rise over the academy's eastern towers, painting the glass and metal in shades of amber and gold.
[Daily Quest Complete: Physical Conditioning]
[Rewards: +30 XP (Base & System) | +1 Stat Point]
[Base Level: 9] (990/2300 XP)
[System Level: 7] (1690/2100 XP)
[Stat Points: 20]
[Weekly Quest Progress: Daily Quests (5/7)]
Five days down. Two to go.
Kaelen wiped sweat from his face and headed back to shower. The hot water helped fully wake his muscles, washing away the lingering fatigue.
By the time he dressed in his uniform and checked his schedule, it was almost time for morning classes.
...
The lectures passed in a blur of information that Kaelen absorbed mechanically. Professor Nyra's discussion of energy circulation patterns. Instructor Vek's analysis of technique efficiency in prolonged engagements.
Between classes, students moved through the corridors in steady streams. A few glanced at Kaelen as he passed. Words about today's fights had spread.
"Kaelen Burn's fighting twice today..."
"Who?"
"Don't know. Some Novice ranks."
"Easy wins then."
"Probably."
Kaelen kept walking, ignoring the whispers.
...
By lunch, Kaelen was at the table where he dines with his friends.
"Two fights today," Lira said without looking up. "You sure that's smart the day before a dangerous mission?"
"I need to complete the requirement," Kaelen said.
"What requirement?" Daniel asked, looking up from his glasses.
Kaelen hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Personal goal."
"That's ambitious," Torven rumbled. "Most students space them out more."
"I don't have time to space them out."
Sera's crystalline gaze shifted to him. "Conserve energy. Don't burn yourself out before Saturday."
"I won't," Kaelen said.
...
Combat Dome 5 - 1:50 PM
The entrance to Combat Dome 5 was less crowded than Dome 3 had been for the Kira fight. Maybe two hundred students in the tiered seating, curious spectators rather than the massive audience his previous fights had drawn.
Kaelen preferred it this way. Less pressure, less distraction.
He reached the staging area and sat on the single bench, closing his eyes to center himself.
Breathe. Focus. Adapt.
A chime sounded. Five minutes to match start.
Kaelen stood and walked toward the tunnel leading to the arena floor.
...
The arena opened before him, thirty meters of reinforced crystal floor gleaming under overhead lights. The suppression barriers shimmered faintly at the edges.
Across from him, his opponent emerged.
Dane Cross was tall, six feet, with a lean, athletic build. His hair was light brown, cut short in a military style. His eyes were sharp, calculating, carrying the kind of focus that came from serious training.
He wore standard combat training clothes with subtle modifications, reinforced padding at the joints suggesting an Enhancer background despite being listed as wanting to test anti-magic tactics.
They made eye contact across the arena.
Dane nodded once, a gesture of respect.
Kaelen returned it.
A referee descended from the elevated platform, a man in academy instructor uniform with a neutral expression.
"Standard sanctioned sparring match," the referee announced. "First to yield, knockout, or referee stoppage. Non-lethal techniques only."
He looked at Dane. "Ready?"
"Ready."
He looked at Kaelen. "Ready?"
"Ready."
The referee stepped back, raising one hand. "Begin!"
Dane moved immediately.
Not a charge, but a controlled advance. His footwork was precise, balanced, keeping his center of gravity low. His hands came up in a defensive guard, protecting his core while maintaining mobility.
Trained fighter. Experienced.
Kaelen activated Chrono-Perception, the world fracturing into slow motion. He watched Dane's approach, reading body language and weight distribution.
Then Dane's speed increased.
Not gradually. Suddenly. His entire body accelerated, closing the distance in a burst that caught Kaelen off guard.
[Analytical Scan Lv. 2]
[–5 A.E.]
[Dane Cross]
[Classification: Enhancer]
[Ability: Velocity Surge]
[Grade: C]
[Cultivation: Initiate Basic Control, Bond Stage]
Velocity manipulation. That explained the sudden acceleration.
Dane's fist came in fast, aimed at Kaelen's midsection. Kaelen used Flash Step, blurring left.
[–19 A.E.]
[A.E.: 456/480]
But Dane adjusted mid-attack, his speed surging again to track the him. His fist connected with Kaelen's ribs, the impact was solid despite the partial dodge.
[–15 HP]
[HP: 365/380]
Kaelen created distance with Spatial Warp, distorting his position.
[–24 A.E.]
[A.E.: 432/480]
Dane followed immediately, his enhanced velocity allowing him to close gaps that would normally create tactical advantage. His strikes came fast and controlled
Combinations of jab, cross, low kick, each one enhanced by velocity surges at critical moments.
Kaelen blocked the jab, deflected the cross, but the low kick caught his leg.
[–10 HP]
[HP: 355/380]
This wasn't working. Dane's velocity manipulation countered Kaelen's spatial mobility advantage. Every time Kaelen created distance, Dane closed it instantly.
He needed to change tactics.
Kaelen activated Temporal Drag, targeting Dane directly.
[–14 A.E./sec]
The air around Dane thickened, time slowing by twenty-five percent. His movements became sluggish, his enhanced velocity fighting against temporal resistance.
But the effect was less than expected. Dane's ability seemed to partially counter the temporal slow, his velocity surges pushing through the drag with effort.
Still, it created an opening.
Kaelen moved in, his fist coated with aether from Aether Manipulation.
[–5 A.E./sec]
His strike connected with Dane's shoulder, a clean hit.
Dane grunted but didn't retreat. Instead, he grabbed Kaelen's extended arm and used a velocity-enhanced throw, leveraging Kaelen's momentum against him.
Kaelen hit the arena floor hard, rolling to absorb the impact.
[–20 HP]
[HP: 335/380]
He came up quickly, but Dane was already there, pressing the advantage.
The fight continued, fast exchanges of strikes and counterstrikes. Kaelen used Spatial Lock briefly to freeze Dane in place.
[–20 A.E./sec for 1 second]
One second of immobility. Kaelen used the opening to land two clean hits before the lock expired.
But Dane adapted, using velocity surges defensively now, accelerating away from attacks at critical moments to minimize damage.
Five minutes into the fight, both were breathing hard. Kaelen's aether reserves were at sixty percent. Dane showed signs of fatigue from constantly surging his velocity.
Then Dane changed tactics.
He stopped using velocity surges for offense and focused entirely on defense and evasion. Every time Kaelen attacked, Dane would accelerate away, reset positioning, and wait.
He was trying to outlast Kaelen's aether reserves.
Smart.
Kaelen needed to end this quickly.
He activated Spatial Lance, forming the compressed spatial projectile in his palm.
[–38 A.E.]
[A.E.: 316/480]
The distortion hummed with barely contained power. Kaelen aimed low, targeting Dane's leg.
He released it.
SHRIEEEK
The Spatial Lance tore through space, moving faster than sight.
But Dane saw it coming. His eyes widened, and he used a massive velocity surge, accelerating to his maximum speed.
The lance grazed his thigh, drawing blood but not landing the clean hit Kaelen had intended.
Dane stumbled, his leg was injured but still functional. He caught himself, breathing hard, blood welling from the shallow wound.
But he didn't yield.
"Good shot," Dane managed, his voice strained. "But not good enough."
Then he surged forward with everything he had left.
The attack was reckless. An all-out aggression fueled by desperation. Dane's fists came in fast, enhanced by velocity surges that burned through his remaining stamina.
Kaelen blocked, dodged, countered, but some attacks got through.
[–15 HP]
[–10 HP]
[–20 HP]
[HP: 290/380]
His health was dropping. He needed to end this.
Kaelen used Flash Step to create distance.
[–19 A.E.]
[A.E.: 297/480]
Then he activated Aether Burst at maximum output, releasing it directly at Dane's position.
[–29 A.E.]
[A.E.: 268/480]
BOOM
The explosion caught Dane mid-surge. The concussive force threw him backward, slamming him into the arena floor.
Dane tried to stand, his arms trembling, but his body wouldn't respond. He'd burned through his stamina completely.
He collapsed back down, gasping.
"I yield," he managed.
The referee appeared immediately. "Match concluded. Victory by yielding: Kaelen Burn."
The crowd reacted with moderate applause. Not the roaring excitement of previous fights, but respectful acknowledgment of a well-fought match.
Kaelen walked over to where Dane lay, extending a hand.
Dane took it, letting Kaelen help him up. "You're fast," he said, breathing hard. "Really fast."
"Your velocity control is impressive," Kaelen replied honestly. "You almost had me."
"Almost." Dane smiled faintly despite the exhaustion. "Next time."
"Next time," Kaelen agreed.
Medical staff approached, treating Dane's leg wound and checking both fighters for injuries.
Kaelen's wristband chimed.
[Victory Confirmed]
[RP Earned: +148]
[Current RP: 2,191]
[Weekly Quest Progress: Win 3 Sanctioned Sparring Matches (2/3)]
Two down. One to go.
Kaelen dismissed the notification and headed for the exit. He had five hours until the next fight.
Time to rest and recover.
...
Kaelen's Dorm Room - 3:30 PM
Kaelen lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His body was sore but manageable. His aether reserves had regenerated to about seventy percent.
[HP: 340/380] (regenerating)
[A.E.: 336/480] (regenerating)
He had three and a half hours until the next fight. Enough time to recover most of his resources.
Kaelen closed his eyes and focused on controlled breathing, guiding his aether circulation to speed recovery.
His wristband chimed. A message from Lira.
>Lira: Heard you won the first one. How are you feeling?
>Kaelen: Tired but it's manageable. Resting now.
>Lira: Don't push too hard. You still have tomorrow.
>Kaelen: I know. I'll be careful.
>Lira: Good. Let me know how the second fight goes.
>Kaelen: Will do.
He set the wristband aside and returned to rest.
Time passed slowly. His body gradually recovered, his aether regenerating, his minor injuries healing through passive Health Regeneration.
By six-thirty, he felt refreshed even though he doesn't have full reserves.
[HP: 370/380]
[A.E.: 432/480]
Good enough.
Kaelen stood, stretched, and headed toward Combat Dome 4.
...
Combat Dome 4 - 6:50 PM
The entrance to Combat Dome 4 was even less crowded than Dome 5 had been. Maybe a hundred students scattered through the tiered seating, most of them here out of casual curiosity rather than specific interest.
Kaelen reached the staging area and sat on the bench.
A chime sounded. Five minutes.
Kaelen stood and walked toward the arena.
...
The arena floor was identical to the previous ones, thirty meters of reinforced crystal gleaming under lights.
Across from him, his opponent emerged.
Lin Mei was shorter than Kaelen, maybe five-foot-four, with a compact, athletic build. Her hair was jet black, pulled back in a tight ponytail. Her eyes were dark brown, sharp and assessing.
She wore lightweight combat clothes with minimal armor, prioritizing mobility over protection.
They made eye contact.
Lin bowed slightly, a formal gesture. Kaelen returned it.
The referee descended. "Standard sanctioned sparring match. First to yield, knockout, or referee stoppage. Non-lethal techniques only."
"Ready?" he asked Lin.
"Ready."
"Ready?" he asked Kaelen.
"Ready."
"Begin!"
Lin didn't move.
She stood in place, her hands at her sides, watching Kaelen with calm focus.
Kaelen activated Analytical Scan.
[–5 A.E.]
[Lin Mei]
[Classification: Mage]
[Ability: Gravity Well]
[Grade: B]
[Cultivation: Initiate Basic Control, Channel Stage]
Gravity manipulation.
Kaelen circled slowly, testing. Lin turned with him, maintaining distance, and not attacking.
Then Kaelen felt it.
Weight.
Subtle at first, like carrying an extra pound or two. But it increased gradually, pressure building on his shoulders and legs.
The arena floor seemed to pull at him, gravity intensifying in the space around his body.
Lin's ability was active. She wasn't launching attacks, she was manipulating the environment.
Just like Kira had with temperature.
Kaelen activated Flash Step, trying to close distance quickly.
[–19 A.E.]
[A.E.: 413/480]
But the movement felt sluggish. The enhanced gravity slowed him, made flash step less effective. He appeared closer to Lin, but not as close as intended.
Lin raised her hand, and the gravity around Kaelen doubled.
He stumbled, his knees buckling under the sudden increase. His body felt like it weighed three times normal, every movement requiring enormous effort. His bone was cracking under pressure.
[–5 HP]
[HP: 365/380]
Kaelen formed an aether shield with Aether Manipulation, trying to block the gravitational effect.
[–15 A.E.]
[A.E.: 398/480]
But gravity didn't care about shields. The force passed through the construct as if it wasn't there, continuing to pull at Kaelen's body with relentless pressure.
This was bad.
Lin walked forward calmly, maintaining the gravitational field. "You can yield anytime," she said, her voice steady.
Kaelen gritted his teeth. "Not yet."
He activated Temporal Lock, targeting Lin directly.
[–33 A.E.]
[A.E.: 365/480]
Lin froze, her body suspended in temporal stasis.
The gravitational pressure remained. The technique was already active, it didn't need Lin's conscious control to continue.
Three seconds. That's all he had.
Kaelen used every ounce of strength to move forward, fighting against the crushing gravity. One step. Two steps. Three.
He reached Lin just as Temporal Lock expired.
She unfroze, eyes widening as she registered his position.
Kaelen's aether-coated fist drove into her midsection, a clean hit.
Lin gasped, the impact breaking her concentration. The gravitational field flickered, weakening for a moment.
Kaelen used the opening. Flash Step to create distance.
[–19 A.E.]
[A.E.: 346/480]
Spatial Warp to confuse positioning.
[–24 A.E.]
[A.E.: 322/480]
Then Spatial Lance, aimed at her leg.
[–38 A.E.]
[A.E.: 284/480]
SHRIEEEK
The projectile shot forward.
But Lin recovered faster than expected. She raised her hand, and the space directly in front of her compressed violently.
The Spatial Lance hit the gravitational compression and dispersed, its energy scattered by the intense warping of space.
Kaelen's eyes widened. She'd used gravity to counter his spatial attack.
Lin's expression was strained but determined. "My turn."
The gravity around Kaelen tripled.
His body slammed into the arena floor, pinned by invisible force. He couldn't move, couldn't stand, could barely breathe under the crushing pressure.
[–20 HP]
[HP: 345/380]
His bones creaked. His muscles screamed. Blood pounded in his ears.
He had seconds before something broke.
Kaelen activated Aether Burst directly beneath himself, releasing explosive force against the arena floor.
[–29 A.E.]
[A.E.: 255/480]
BOOM
The explosion launched him upward, breaking free of the localized gravitational field through sheer concussive force.
He landed badly, rolling across the crystal floor, but he was mobile again.
Lin didn't let up. She extended both hands, and gravitational wells formed around Kaelen simultaneously, trying to pin him from multiple angles.
Kaelen used Flash Step repeatedly, burning aether to stay mobile.
[–19 A.E.]
[–19 A.E.]
[–19 A.E.]
[A.E.: 198/480]
His reserves were dropping fast. He couldn't sustain this.
He needed to end it now.
Kaelen activated Temporal Drag around the entire arena.
[–27 A.E./sec]
[A.E.: 184/480]
Time slowed by twenty-five percent at eight everywhere. Lin's movements became sluggish, her gravitational manipulations delayed.
He had learned that he can decrease and increase the efficiency of a skill, dependent on the amount of aether he his giving.
Kaelen pushed through the temporal effect, his own authority exempting him from the drag.
He closed distance with Flash Step one more time.
[–19 A.E.]
[A.E.: 152/480]
His fist, coated with aether from Aether Manipulation, drove toward Lin's exposed side.
[–10 A.E./sec]
Lin tried to raise a gravitational barrier, but the temporal drag slowed her reaction.
Too slow.
Kaelen's strike connected cleanly.
CRACK
The impact sent Lin spinning, her concentration breaking completely. She hit the arena floor hard, gasping.
Kaelen released Temporal Drag immediately, conserving what little aether remained.
[A.E.: 142/480]
Lin tried to push herself up, her arms were trembling, but her body wouldn't cooperate. The accumulated damage and exhaustion had drained her completely.
She collapsed back down.
"I yield," she whispered.
The referee appeared. "Match concluded. Victory by yielding: Kaelen Burn."
The small crowd applauded politely.
Kaelen walked over to Lin, extending a hand. She took it, letting him help her up.
"Your gravity control is terrifying," Kaelen said honestly.
"Your spatial techniques are worse," Lin replied, managing a faint smile despite the exhaustion. "That lance could have killed me."
"I aimed for your leg."
"I know. Thank you for that." She released his hand, breathing hard. "Good fight."
"Good fight," Kaelen agreed.
His wristband chimed.
[Victory Confirmed]
[RP Earned: +152]
[Current RP: 2,343]
[Weekly Quest Progress: Win 3 Sanctioned Sparring Matches (3/3)] (Complete)
Three sparring matches. Complete.
Kaelen dismissed the notification and headed for the exit.
His body was exhausted. His aether reserves were low. But he'd completed the requirement.
Tomorrow was Saturday.
The mission.
And he'd be ready.
...
Kaelen's Dorm Room - 9:00 PM
Kaelen collapsed onto his bed, too tired to even remove his training clothes properly. His body ached, his aether was almost depleted, and exhaustion pulled at him like a physical weight.
But he'd done it.
He pulled up his System interface with the last of his energy.
[Weekly Quest: Adaptive Trials]
[Progress]
- Complete 7 Daily Quests Consecutively (5/7)
- Win 3 Sanctioned Sparring Matches (3/3) (Complete)
- Complete 3 RP Missions (0/3)
- Kill 5 F-Rank Beasts (0/5)
- Cultivate for 10+ Hours (18/10) (Complete)
- Complete 1 Club Mission (0/1)
- Allocate 5 Stat Points (5/5) (Complete)
[Categories Complete: 3/7]
[Categories In Progress: 2/7]
Three complete. Two in progress. Five total if Saturday went well.
Enhanced rewards were within reach.
Kaelen dismissed the interface and closed his eyes.
His hand moved unconsciously to the pendant beneath his shirt, feeling its weight against his chest.
His mother's gift. A mystery he still didn't understand.
But it was with him. Always.
Sleep came quickly, pulling him under like a tide.