Chapter 7: The Second Day of Training

Day Two: Refinement and Growth

The morning sun barely peeked over the academy walls as I stepped into the unused training yard for the second day in a row. The crisp air carried the distant sounds of students clashing swords and casting spells in the main courtyard. But here?

Silence.

The ache in my muscles from yesterday's training lingered, a dull reminder that my body was still adjusting. At least I wasn't tripping over my own feet anymore.

Today's training regimen was clear:

Training Objectives

1. Mana Control Refinement – Yesterday, my mana circulation had been clumsy and inefficient. Today, I needed to smooth it out and make it instinctual.

2. Combat Drills – My body was adapting to my new stats, but my reaction speed still lagged. Time to fix that.

I rolled my shoulders, took a deep breath, and sat down cross-legged on the cold stone floor. Mana control training came first.

---

Phase 1: Refining Mana Control

Closing my eyes, I focused inward.

Mana was faint inside me—like a single ember in a dying fire. Weak, fragile. But it was there.

Yesterday, I had struggled to move my mana. It had felt like forcing water through a clogged pipe—rough, inefficient, and borderline painful. I wasn't guiding it. I was fighting it.

But today, I had a better approach.

Instead of brute-forcing my control, I focused on the natural flow of energy within me. I visualized it as a river—slow-moving, hesitant. My job wasn't to force it forward, but to nudge it along, like guiding a drifting boat downstream.

At first, the mana resisted.

It hesitated, wavered.

Then, after several minutes of patient control—

It clicked.

The mana flowed.

Smooth. Controlled. Efficient.

The difference was night and day. Yesterday, moving mana had felt like trying to push a boulder uphill. Now, it was like sliding a hand through water.

Ding!

A familiar chime echoed in my mind, and a translucent notification appeared.

---

[Skill Leveled Up!]

Mana Control (Basic) [E] → [E+]

---

I opened my eyes and immediately noticed the difference.

The world felt clearer. The air seemed crisper, like I had been wearing foggy glasses all my life and had only now taken them off.

A smirk tugged at my lips. Good. Progress.

With improved mana control, my spells would be faster, my efficiency would rise, and most importantly—I'd waste less energy.

It also meant I could push my Eclipse Vision further without exhausting myself in seconds. Not that I planned on using it yet—the mana drain was still ridiculous.

Still, a step forward was a step forward.

I stretched my arms, exhaled, and stood up. Time for the next phase.

---

Phase 2: Combat Training

I walked over to the nearby weapon rack and picked up a wooden training sword. A simple, well-balanced piece—nothing special.

My old self, Alden Blackwood, had basic swordsmanship, but that was it. No advanced forms, no real skill. Just the fundamentals.

I took a stance and swung.

The moment I moved, I felt it again—the disconnect.

My body was faster than my mind expected. The increased agility from yesterday's rank-up meant my reflexes still hadn't caught up.

I adjusted and swung again. Smoother this time.

Step. Swing. Pivot.

Over and over.

I focused on the basics first—cuts, thrusts, slashes. After half an hour, my movements finally felt natural again. The lag was disappearing. My mind and body were syncing.

But sword swings weren't enough. I needed real combat experience.

Unfortunately, I had no sparring partners yet.

So I settled for the next best thing.

---

Target Practice: Training Dummies

I approached the academy's enchanted training dummies—stone constructs reinforced with auto-repair magic. Designed for combat drills, they could withstand repeated strikes without breaking.

I took a stance and charged forward.

First strike – Horizontal slash.

Second strike – Diagonal cut.

Third strike – Thrust.

Each movement was faster, sharper than before. The improved mana circulation helped with my reaction speed, allowing me to execute attacks with precision.

But there was a problem.

Even with clean technique, my strikes lacked impact. The dummy barely showed any signs of damage.

I frowned.

I wasn't weak, but I wasn't strong either.

At this rate, I wouldn't last a second against higher-ranked students, let alone the protagonist.

I needed more than just raw stats.

I needed a proper combat style.

---

Weapon Arts & Martial Styles

In this world, combat techniques were divided into two categories:

1. Weapon Arts – Specialized combat techniques focused on a single weapon (e.g., Sword Arts, Spear Arts, Dagger Arts).

2. Martial Styles – Broader fighting systems that incorporated footwork, evasion, and counterattacks.

A proper Weapon Art could turn even a weak fighter into a lethal one.

Right now, I only had Basic Swordsmanship [D], which was just generic swings and stances. It was like knowing how to punch but not knowing how to actually fight.

I needed a real style—one that suited my strengths.

And I already knew where to find it.

---

The Hidden Sword Manual

In the game, there was a hidden sword manual stored in the academy's library. It wasn't some god-tier technique, but it was a solid foundation.

It would be a huge step up from my basic sword swings.

If I could find it, it would give me a real fighting chance.

---

Final Thoughts for the Day

I wiped the sweat from my brow and sat down, catching my breath.

Today had been productive.

✔ My mana control improved.

✔ My body was syncing with my new stats.

✔ I was one step closer to getting a real combat style.

But I was still weak.

The protagonist and the main caststudents were already at D rank or higher, while I was struggling at E-.

Still, I wasn't in a rush.

Power wasn't about reckless growth.

It was about building a solid foundation—one that wouldn't crumble under pressure.

One step at a time.

Tomorrow, I'd visit the library.

And if things went well?

I'd finally get my hands on a real combat style.