Threads of the Past

Moonlight gently illuminated Kaelan's bedroom, casting soft shadows along the walls as he mentally prepared himself for tonight's training. Seated cross-legged on the familiar floor, breathing calm and steady, Kaelan allowed his thoughts to drift clearly to memories from his previous life—memories from when he stood at the pinnacle of magical power as Archmage Aerion.

He vividly recalled countless spells and techniques mastered in those days, born from desperate battles, meticulous research, and tireless experimentation. In particular, one subtle yet extraordinarily versatile technique rose clearly in his mind—a skill he once called Mana Threading.

In his former life, mana threads were thin, invisible filaments of pure mana, ideal for delicate manipulations, stealth operations, silent attacks, and setting intricate defensive traps. Aerion had painstakingly refined this method into perfection, a cornerstone of his battlefield tactics.

"It served me flawlessly back then," Kaelan mused silently. "In this structured, rune-integrated world, its potential might be even greater."

Determined, he stretched out his senses, clearly feeling the gentle currents of mana filling the room. With practiced care, Kaelan began shaping an extremely thin thread of mana, maintaining precise control so it remained stable yet practically invisible, even to his acute mana sensitivity.

Initially, the thread formed hesitantly, briefly wavering. Adjusting his approach subtly, merging intuitive memories from his previous life with this world's structured mana flow, Kaelan swiftly stabilized it, thinning it further until it became almost completely undetectable.

A faint, satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Next, he carefully guided this nearly invisible thread across the room, letting it gently wrap around a small wooden figurine atop his dresser. His concentration remained calm and unwavering, precisely manipulating the mana thread.

Slowly and silently, the figurine lifted from the dresser, suspended gently in mid-air by the delicate mana thread.

"Perfect," Kaelan thought, his satisfaction deepening. "Even better control than before."

Encouraged, he gradually expanded his practice, weaving multiple threads simultaneously, guiding them into complex, web-like patterns that shimmered faintly beneath the moonlight. His extraordinary precision and innate mana control allowed these intricate formations effortlessly—structures that could be immensely useful for traps, defense, or surveillance.

As the night progressed, Kaelan cautiously pushed experimentation further. He considered blending elemental properties into these threads, inspired clearly by his former life's advanced spell-weaving. Carefully integrating air mana, he caused threads to vanish entirely from visible detection. Adding a subtle current of fire mana, he crafted threads capable of sudden ignition—a stealthy yet potent attack method.

Excitement surged quietly within him. This wasn't mere replication; he had explicitly improved and adapted previous techniques, blending structured mana and elemental properties with intuitive knowledge from his past life. The resulting mana threads were clearly superior, versatile, and entirely original—testaments to Kaelan's profound talent and creativity.

Satisfied for now, Kaelan gradually allowed the threads to disperse safely, leaving no trace behind. He transitioned calmly into focused meditation, mentally visualizing the newly developed skill with absolute clarity.

Although no direct acknowledgment from the world's system occurred—such explicit recognition would come only during his official Awakening Ceremony—Kaelan's extensive previous-life experience and intuitive mastery assured him the technique was fully integrated into his practical abilities.

"Mana Threading," Kaelan thought with quiet satisfaction, choosing to retain the original name from his past. "Another skill mastered intuitively, and countless more waiting to be rediscovered and perfected."

Quietly rising to stretch, Kaelan gazed thoughtfully out the window, reflecting on his next steps. Every intuitive skill developed from memories of his past life deepened his hidden advantage, preparing him carefully for the dangers he increasingly sensed would soon arise from the dimensional rifts.

The ambient mana outside remained subtly restless, a constant reminder of growing threats. Ethan's experiences at Luminis Academy, the kingdom's strained rune-knights, the escalating appearance of rifts—all clearly indicated the situation would soon escalate beyond mere distant concern.

Kaelan stood silently, gazing into the peaceful moonlit garden below. His resolve sharpened even further. Until the time came when he could openly display his true strength, he would continue quietly cultivating his hidden talents, carefully building a vast repertoire of powerful, original skills.

Returning to his bed, Kaelan finally allowed himself to rest. Even as sleep quickly overtook him, his dreams softly echoed with vivid memories from his previous life, gently whispering the countless possibilities still lying ahead—each skill, each discovery waiting patiently to emerge at precisely the right moment.

Outside, the moonlight slowly waned, giving way to the first hints of dawn. Aurelia slept peacefully, entirely unaware of the quiet prodigy within its midst—carefully mastering and innovating techniques far beyond what this structured world had ever known.

Only during his eventual Awakening Ceremony would the world finally glimpse the astonishing array of intuitive skills Kaelan had privately developed. Until then, he patiently continued, step by careful step, preparing silently for the day when he would openly reveal his extraordinary, unmatched power.