Book 1: Chapter 23 – Path of Improvement

As soon as the words left his mouth, the audience fell into stunned silence before erupting into a fervent uproar.

Jabari, the centre of attention, simply rolled to his feet, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He ignored the dull ache coursing through his body, intending to return to his place among the other trialists, until he noticed their wide-eyed stares.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" he asked, bewildered. "Do I have something on my face or something?"

"You just set a new record – seven minutes and nine seconds," Kwame explained, shaking his head. He could tell Jabari had been too busy laughing to even register the announcement.

Jabari blinked. Only now did he realise why they were all gawking at him. Even he had to admit – it was unexpected.

'I guess I underestimated my spirit ability,' he mused before turning back to the invigilator hesitantly.

Kwame immediately caught the look on the boy's face. "What is it?"

"Uh..." Jabari scratched his head. "Is it possible to play that game again in the future?" His eyes shimmered with barely contained excitement.

The moment the words left his lips, the other trialists gawked at him as if he had lost his mind.

For all of them – even Chantelle, who had fared the best – the test had been nerve-wracking. The knowledge that even the slightest mistake could earn them a punishing strike from those high-speed spheres had kept them on edge. Yet here was Jabari, looking as if he were ready for another round without a second thought.

Kwame let out a helpless chuckle. "As long as you pass the trials and join the institute, you'll definitely get the chance to 'play the game' again."

Jabari grinned, nodding happily before heading back to join the other trialists, awaiting further instructions.

Before he could leave, however, Kwame clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks, I needed that," Jabari muttered, rolling his shoulders.

Kwame raised an eyebrow. 'To be this calm after having his shoulder popped back in...

I'm looking forward to seeing how he performs on the final test.'

Shaking his head, he stepped back onto the platform and faced the gathered children. "That brings us to the end of the first day. I suggest you all rest as much as possible – tomorrow is the combat assessment."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Most of the trialists already knew what was coming, yet the announcement still weighed on them. Many sported bruises from the test, their confidence shaken. Others, especially the stronger candidates, practically buzzed with anticipation. Tomorrow would be their chance to prove what they were really made of.

As Jabari made his way toward the exit, hoping to regroup with Inayah and the others, he felt the weight of numerous gazes on him – bitterness, envy, and raw competitiveness reflected in their eyes.

Jamal, his usual sneer in place, brushed past him. "Don't let one good score get to your head, rat," he scoffed. "Tomorrow, I'll show you the real difference between us."

Jabari barely had time to react before Jamal disappeared into the crowd.

He stood there for a moment, watching him go. He never once believed he would be able to rattle someone like Jamal, one of the trial's top contenders. And yet...

A slow smile spread across his face.

They had noticed him.

Even if they didn't want to admit it, they had acknowledged him.

"Congratulations on a successful first day," Heba said, her voice breaking through Jabari's daze.

He turned in surprise just as Inayah threw herself into his arms.

"I knew you could do it!" she squealed, her face aglow with excitement.

The entire walk back, she didn't stop chattering about his performance. Over and over, she gushed about how amazing he had looked, weaving through the barrage of spheres during the reaction test. The pride in her eyes was unmistakable; it was as though she were bragging about her own accomplishments rather than his.

Even so, despite her enthusiasm, the moment her head hit the pillow, she was out cold. Even with Heba's help, her body remained fragile. She had pushed herself to stay awake through the day's events so that she wouldn't miss a single second of her brother's triumph.

"Now that you've put Inayah to bed, it's time we sort you out," Heba said, beckoning him into her room. "Can't have you in too much pain tomorrow. Take off your top and lie down on the bed."

Jabari froze.

He knew the rules. Growing up in the slums might have left gaps in his education, but even he understood the societal norms between men and women. Alone, in a grown woman's bedroom, half-undressed on her bed? His already dark-skin visibly reddened.

Heba raised a brow, then chuckled. "You can relax. I'm not about to take advantage of you. I just need to get at those bruises."

"Ooh, right." Jabari swallowed hard and peeled off his shirt before lying back stiffly. His skin prickled under the unfamiliar sensation of exposure.

"Yikes," Heba murmured, inspecting the angry purple bruises blooming across his torso and shoulder. "Those balls did a number on you. Does it hurt?"

"I've had worse," he mumbled, eyes fixed on the ceiling as if it held the answers to his embarrassment.

Heba chuckled again. "You're awfully quiet. Everything alright?"

Jabari didn't respond, but the heat in his cheeks was answer enough.

"Okay, okay," she relented. "No more teasing." She positioned her hands above his bruises and began murmuring an incantation. "God of the Sea, heed my call..."

A cool, soothing energy radiated from her palms. Jabari gasped softly as the pain melted away, replaced by a sensation of tranquil relief. His eyes fluttered shut, and a low groan escaped his lips before he could stop it.

Even knowing Heba was a Mage hadn't prepared him for the reality of her magic. The pale blue glow emanating from her hands bathed the room in soft, ethereal light as the throbbing in his muscles faded by the second.

"I have to say, you really surprised me today," Heba said as the glow pulsed gently. "A week ago, you were just a slum kid, and now you're setting new records for the Beast-Warrior Institute." She smiled faintly. "After today, I guarantee every Elder in the institute will know your name. Congratulations – you've taken your first big step forward."

Jabari shifted uncomfortably beneath her gaze. "Maybe, but I still can't compare to your brother."

"Little Zuzu?" Heba arched a brow. "His talent is unmatched by everyone in my tribe – past and present. He's also had the best possible training environments for as long as he could walk. His breaking a few records here and there is to be expected. If he couldn't, he wouldn't deserve his place as one of Ulo's Four Young Dragons."

Jabari's brow furrowed. " Four Young Dragons? What's that?"

"They're the four most talented warriors of our nation's younger generation," Heba explained. "And Oluwa…

He's publicly recognised as the head of the list."

Jabari's lips pressed into a thin line as a single thought echoed through his mind. 'The strongest, huh?'

"Okay, that should do it. Go back to your room and get some rest – you've got another big day tomorrow, and you'll need to be at your best," Heba said, pulling Jabari from his thoughts.

He blinked and sat up, glancing toward her. A thin sheen of sweat clung to her brow, catching the light and accentuating her already otherworldly beauty. Yet, more than that, it revealed something he hadn't considered before – using magic wasn't as effortless for her as she made it seem.

"Thank you," he said softly, gratitude plain in his voice.

"It's fine. Now go get some rest." Heba gave him a gentle push toward the door and ushered him out. The door clicked shut behind him before he even realised what was happening.

Jabari stood there, staring at the closed door. Only then did it hit him. He'd been alone with Heba – someone who clearly knew more about him and his abilities than she let on, and he completely forgot to ask her about it.

Shaking his head, he made his way back to his room.

Yet, despite Heba's advice, he couldn't bring himself to go straight to sleep. The day's events had ignited a spark of curiosity he couldn't ignore. Settling into a cross-legged position on the floor, he closed his eyes and turned his focus inward.

First, he channelled his spirit into his senses one by one – sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste – enhancing each individually. The process was familiar now, almost instinctive.

Next, he tried to fuse his sight and hearing, just like he had during the trial.

The results were…

 Frustrating!

Earlier, it had felt almost natural, but now it was like pushing two stubborn stones together. He could do it, but it required far more concentration. Ten long, gruelling seconds passed before the senses finally merged, granting him that familiar clarity.

Then-

Snap!

A fleeting distraction shattered the connection.

Jabari scowled. For some reason, linking two senses was significantly harder than blending all five. The discovery baffled him.

'Why is it harder to do less?'

He focused on the spiritual pathways extending from his glabella – thin threads of energy branching toward each sense. Activating a single pathway was simple; he just had to guide his spirit along one thread. Activating two, however, required splitting his attention, like simultaneously trying to draw a circle with one hand and a square with the other.

Upon coming to that realisation, it only made him all the more confused about how he was even able to fuse all five senses in the first place – even if only for a moment before passing out.

In that moment, as he stopped trying to actively control his Spirit, he sensed that it innately wanted to travel down all five paths at once; it was just that his mind couldn't continuously take in that much information all at once.

From that, he understood that if he wanted to access that state again, he had to work his way up from being able to simultaneously focus on two separate things to five. At that point, he should be able to actively withstand it.

Jabari knew he was a long way off. Still, he wasn't disheartened by it. Now he knew his path of improvement!