Training...for real

After making Nyx smile, Raze didn't linger. He turned and walked away, his mind already shifting toward what mattered—getting stronger.

"I need to boost both my soul and body. But how exactly do I do that?"

He clenched his fists as he stepped into the training grounds. The world around him was ruthless. Strength was the only thing that determined a person's fate. If he wanted to control his own destiny, he had to grow—faster than anyone else.

"I still don't fully understand my system. Can it teach me?"

As if responding to his thoughts, a faint hum filled the air. A circular sigil with shifting, intricate patterns materialized near his ear.

[I can, and I most certainly did tell you.]

A smirk tugged at Raze's lips. Guess I should start listening properly, then.

"Alright, first things first—show me my stats."

A translucent screen flickered into existence before him.

[User: Raze][Mage Soul Level: Flickering Soul (Mana: 10/100)][Body Level: Peak Mortal Body][Elemental Affinity: Void]

Raze narrowed his eyes. He already knew his Soul Level needed to be fed mana to grow, but when it came to training his body, things were unclear.

"So to level up my soul, I need more mana, right? But I already feel full."

[You should have paid more attention to your studies instead of only training your body.]

Raze scoffed. Now my own system is mocking me?

[Your mana reserves are separate from the energy required to level up your soul. The mana in your body is used for casting spells. To evolve your soul, you need to feed it mana directly.]

"Feed it mana? But if my reserves are full, how am I supposed to absorb more?"

[Just because your reserves are full doesn't mean you can't absorb more. You possess the Void Absorption technique, which allows you to continuously pull in mana from the surroundings. Any excess mana will be used to strengthen your soul instead of filling your reserves.]

Raze's eyes widened. That means… even if I don't actively cast spells, I can still keep growing stronger just by absorbing mana?

This changed everything.

"Damn, that's useful."

For a moment, he let the information sink in. Then, another thought struck him.

"Hey, do you even have a name? Calling you 'System' feels weird."

[No, I don't.]

"Can I give you one?"

A short pause.

[Sure.]

Raze grinned. I've got the perfect one.

"How about Lila?"

The response came immediately.

[I said I don't have a name, not that I lack self-respect.]

Raze chuckled.

"Fine, fine. How about... Akeno?"

Another pause. Then—

[Acceptable.]

"Alright, Akeno. Now tell me how to improve my body."

[You are at the Peak Mortal Body stage. A mortal body does not require special methods—only physical training. Strengthening it is a matter of discipline and effort.]

Raze frowned slightly.

"So I don't need any fancy techniques?"

[Correct. Mortal bodies grow stronger through basic physical conditioning. Strength, endurance, agility—these must be honed through training.]

That meant his Void element didn't play a role in his body training. At least, not yet.

"Tch. So it's just more of what I've already been doing."

It made sense. He had already trained his body relentlessly to reach Peak Mortal Body. If there was something beyond this, he'd have to figure it out on his own.

For now, he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the present.

Training began.

Every muscle burned. His body screamed in protest, but he pushed himself further.

Fists striking against hardened stone, legs burning as he sprinted through uneven terrain—he focused on explosive movement, raw endurance, and absolute precision.

Each punch left his knuckles raw. Each kick sent vibrations up his bones. Sweat dripped down his back, but he didn't stop.

When his body finally reached its limit, he switched to mana absorption.

Seated in a meditative posture, he activated Void Absorption.

A silent force stirred around him. The air thickened as invisible streams of energy seeped into his body. Unlike before, where he focused on filling his reserves, he now let the mana sink into his soul.

It felt… different.

Like an abyss opening within him, stretching deeper than he could grasp.

A part of him wondered if he was being swallowed by his own power.

But he didn't resist.

Because tomorrow, he'd be even stronger.