Passive Time

The system responded in its usual monotone. "Initializing Time Affinity training program. Warning: Time manipulation is inherently volatile. Caution is advised. Training will proceed in controlled stages."

Sol exhaled, bracing himself. "Alright, hit me with it."

"Stage One: Temporal Perception. Before any manipulation can occur, you must first learn to sense the flow of time. This will involve increasing awareness of micro-movements, reaction timing, and internal synchronization."

Sol furrowed his brows. "So… I need to feel time before I can even think about changing it? Makes sense. How do I start?"

"Exercise One: Focus on an object in motion. Track its movements in real-time, attempting to perceive shifts in velocity and trajectory beyond standard human limitations."

Looking around, Sol spotted a loose pebble near his foot. He picked it up and tossed it into the air, watching as it arced downward. He caught it and repeated the process, trying to notice the tiny shifts in speed and rotation. At first, it felt normal—just a rock moving through space.

Then, something changed.

After several minutes of concentration, the movements of the pebble seemed to slow—not physically, but in his perception. It was as if his mind had expanded, stretching each moment so he could analyze every micro-movement. The subtle flicker of light over its surface, the faint wobble in its rotation—details he never would have noticed before now stood out with striking clarity.

His heart pounded in excitement. "Whoa… I think I feel it."

The system chimed in. "Acknowledged. Continue training until perception stabilizes. Further exercises will be unlocked upon completion."

Sol grinned. This was only the beginning.

Determined, he continued the exercise for hours on end, far longer than he had trained with his other affinities. He tossed the pebble over and over, tracking its every movement, watching how the light refracted off its surface, how the air resistance subtly altered its path. Each repetition sharpened his perception, stretching his awareness further. His mind adjusted, refining itself like a blade against a whetstone.

The world around him began to shift—not physically, but in how he experienced it. He noticed the way dust particles moved lazily through the air, the near-invisible trembling of his fingers as his body naturally adjusted for balance, the way the smallest shifts in the air around him hinted at movement before it even fully occurred.

It was mesmerizing. At some point, it was no longer just about watching—it was about understanding. Time itself was a river, and now, he could see the currents that ran beneath its surface. He was no longer just tracking motion; he was immersed in it.

Then, after countless hours of focus, something clicked.

The pebble he tossed didn't just move—it left a faint trace, almost like an afterimage, a remnant of where it had been milliseconds before. It was as if time itself was unveiling its own echoes to him. Sol's breath caught in his throat as he watched, his vision expanding beyond the immediate moment. He could see movement before it fully happened, just barely ahead of real-time.

He had done it. His perception had finally stabilized, reaching a level he never imagined possible.

The system's voice interrupted the moment. "Temporal Perception stage complete. Preparing next phase of training."

Sol exhaled sharply, his mind still reeling from what he had just experienced. The way time had unfolded before him, the way movement had left those faint traces—it was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. He clenched his fists, anticipation thrumming through his veins. If this was just the beginning, what came next?

"Stage Two: Temporal Acceleration. Objective: Increase perception to the point of reactive augmentation. This stage will focus on refining mental response time and cognitive adaptation, allowing the user to process information faster in real-time."

Sol's eyes narrowed. "So, you're saying I'll be able to think and react faster?"

"Affirmative. Initial exercises will begin with cognitive synchronization. Initiating first test: Host must evade randomly generated projectiles while maintaining enhanced perception."

Before Sol could even process what that meant, the room around him shimmered, and suddenly, small glowing spheres materialized in the air. They hovered silently for a split second before launching toward him at high speed.

Sol barely had time to react. He threw himself to the side, narrowly dodging the first one. Another shot toward his chest, forcing him to twist mid-air. The world stretched before him again, his perception flaring—but this time, it wasn't just about seeing the movement. It was about responding to it.

A grin tugged at the corner of his lips. "Now this... this is going to be fun."

The training continued far longer than he anticipated. Each time he felt like he was getting the hang of it, the system adjusted the difficulty—faster speeds, unpredictable trajectory shifts, erratic movement patterns. Sol was constantly on edge, his body and mind pushed beyond their limits. He took hits often, the glowing spheres smacking into his shoulders, legs, and ribs, but he never let frustration get the better of him. Instead, he adapted, sharpening his reactions bit by bit.

Whenever exhaustion crept in, he took breaks—eating the energy-rich fruits he had grown and playing with Peach, who seemed to enjoy running circles around him while he rested. But the moment he felt ready, he dove back in, his focus unwavering.

Days passed in an unrelenting cycle of training and recovery. The strain on his mind was immense, but his progress was undeniable. His ability to track motion in real-time became sharper, his reflexes faster. The once impossible task of dodging the unpredictable attacks became second nature, his body moving before his mind could even process the danger.

And then, after what felt like an eternity, he passed. The final barrage of spheres shot toward him at blinding speeds, but this time, he saw everything. His mind didn't just keep up—it was ahead, predicting every movement before it even happened. He weaved through the assault effortlessly, his body fluid and precise.

The last sphere whizzed past him, missing entirely. Silence filled the space.

The system chimed. "Temporal Acceleration stage complete. Would you like to proceed to the next stage?"

Sol collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily, a wild, exhausted laugh escaping him. He was completely drained. Every inch of his body screamed for rest, his limbs aching from days of relentless training. Despite his exhaustion, he couldn't help but feel triumphant.

"Nope," he wheezed, still grinning. "I need a damn break."

"Acknowledged. Training suspended."

Sol took a deep breath, trying to slow his racing heart. As he lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, a thought crossed his mind. Throughout his training, he had noticed something—just like his Plant Affinity, there had been no noticeable energy drain. He had assumed manipulating time would take an immense toll, yet he felt no depletion beyond mental strain.

"System," he said, voice laced with curiosity. "My Time Affinity… why didn't it drain me like my Illusion Affinity did?"

The system responded promptly. "Based on recorded training data, your Time Affinity remains locked beyond passive use. You have not actively manipulated time. Instead, your training utilized your natural passive affinity to enhance perception, reflexes, and cognitive acceleration."

Sol's eyes widened slightly as he processed the revelation. "So… you're telling me that all of this—predicting movements, dodging at impossible speeds, seeing those echoes—was just my passive ability?"

"Correct."

He let out a stunned breath. If the passive benefits alone could elevate his body and mind to this level, what would happen once he unlocked actual time manipulation? His heart pounded at the thought. 

Before he could delve deeper into it, the system interrupted his musings. "Warning: While passive usage does not consume energy, prolonged use can result in severe mental strain. Excessive reliance without adequate recovery may lead to cognitive fatigue and perception distortion."

Sol sighed, rubbing his temples. "So there's a limit. Figures."

Deciding not to push himself any further, he let his exhaustion take over and drifted into sleep. His body welcomed the rest, his mind sinking into the darkness of deep, dreamless slumber. 

Hours later, his eyes fluttered open. The first thing he noticed was how refreshed he felt, his fatigue completely gone. Stretching his limbs, he sat up and reached for one of the glowing fruits from his tree, biting into its juicy flesh. The revitalizing energy coursed through him, waking him up completely.

He exhaled, standing up. "Alright… let's do this. System, initiate the next stage of training."