Chapter 1

Alexander was stunned when he heard that, but he had already figured it out; he just refused to believe it. But now that Thaddeus had said it out loud, it made him realize that he had actually gotten teleported to a new world. And with that realization came excitement, fear, and confusion on how this happened, and why exactly it was him that got teleported to this new world.

Then Thaddeus spoke again "so you have two choices here, I can leave you in the middle of this forest and you will probably die to bandits, or I take you to my house, train you and you serve me as a soldier when you are powerful enough. I will give you a basic education about this world and a mortal lightning technique, so, which do you choose?" Thaddeus stated, but Alexander knew what he would choose immediately

"I choose the latter option, Mr Thaddeus." Thaddeus smiled at that and said "Wonderful, and you can call me Teacher." After that Thaddeus walked up to him and picked him up, Alexander was confused when suddenly, he was 100 meters in the air! He flailed his arms until he realized he wasn't falling and that's when he felt hands under his armpits carrying him to a destination unknown to Alexander.

As they were flying above the forest, Alexander started looking around, and all he saw were trees, and more trees. However, occasional screams echoed from the forest... they sounded all too human. "Teacher, how did you know I was from another world?" Thaddeus looked pleased at Alexander calling him teacher and answered his question; "you have no qi in your body, just like a new-born baby. You aren't even in the first mortal rank" Thaddeus said, but that brought up another question.

"What is qi and the first mortal rank?" Alexander said confused by what all that meant, and Thaddeus answered him as if reciting something he learnt long ago "qi is the life of the world; it is what keeps the world running and allows mere mortals to become gods able to destroy worlds with but a thought. It's what allows us to cultivate and surpass our limits - qi basically rules the world and without it we would all probably be dead. And the first mortal rank is what starts the cultivation journey for everyone, although most choose not to pursue that path, instead opting for a safer lifestyle."

Alexander could understand not wanting to cultivate for a more peaceful and safer lifestyle, but he still had Thaddeus' power fresh in his mind, and he wanted - no, yearned for that power, so he wouldn't have to run from mere bandits ever again. As he made that promise to himself, he felt his resolution to become stronger strengthen, and he knew at that moment that he would do whatever it takes to become stronger; he despised running away from danger.

Thaddeus spent a few hours flying at 100 mph. Alexander guessed it was that fast, but what confused him was why the wind didn't rip his face off – it instead went around them like they were an unstoppable force. When they arrived at the destination, they were greeted by a tremendous castle, and guards on the walls were respectfully bowing to Thaddeus.

As Thaddeus flew over the walls and into the castle, he said to Alexander, "From today on you will be trained under me as my student. Even though we do not have the same element as each other, I will train you in the ways of your weapon of choice." Alexander was confused because he didn't know what having an element meant, and asked "Teacher what is an element?" He answered a second later, "An element is something everybody has, for example my element is wind; I am good at concealing my presence and speed, but my power is lacklustre."

As he was speaking about his element, it brought up a question, 'what is my element' and as he thought of that, he asked him that exact question. "Your element is lightning, and your element is good for speed and precise strikes - almost like mine, if we didn't count your lightning body." Thaddeus muttered that last part and, Alexander was about to ask what he meant when Thaddeus spoke up, "ah, we've arrived!" he said as we entered a room full of scrolls and he started looking around for a specific scroll. After a few minutes he pulls out a scroll that looks downright ancient and hands it to Alexander.

"What is this, teacher Thaddeus?" he asks quizzically, "It's a cultivation technique for the mortal ranks." That just made him more confused, but before he could ask the question, Thaddeus picked up on his expression and elaborated more, "It allows your body to get stronger by giving you a breathing pattern made specifically for your element. The breathing pattern allows you to bring qi into your body. I will bring you to a room to practice it - follow me." He started walking further into the castle.

They reach the end of the hallway and turn right, into a room that has absolutely nothing in it, but something feels different in this room; Alexander feels stronger for some reason. "Read the scroll then do what it says." He sits in the lotus sitting position and attempts to breath in the way it says. He takes a few tries to complete it but once he does, he feels something shift within him. He starts spasming a lot as his muscles get stronger and his bones denser. He knew this wouldn't be the last time this happened to him, but he was still excited at the prospect of getting stronger and stronger, until he didn't have to run from anything.

As the spasming calmed down and Alexander sat up, he saw Thaddeus standing over him with a beaming smile on his face, "congrats on getting to the first mortal rank. You're as strong as a ten-year-old now!" He says with a bit of amusement, and Alexander couldn't help but sigh, 'I still have a long way to go.'