Chapter 44– The First Lessons
Ethan awoke to the first rays of dawn filtering through the narrow window of his dorm. The Academy grounds were already alive—distant shouts from early morning combat drills, the hum of magic coursing through the grand halls, the rhythmic clanking of weights being lifted in the training yards.
The air was thick with ambition, the kind that turned people into monsters of strength or shattered them under pressure.
This was no ordinary school.
Leonhardt, his roommate, was already up, dressed in the simple training attire issued by the Academy. His silver eyes flicked toward Ethan as he stretched, rolling his shoulders with an ease that suggested years of disciplined practice.
"You're awake," Leonhardt noted. "Good. Orientation is over. Now the real lessons begin."
Ethan and Ronan made their way through the Academy's inner pathways, which pulsed with energy. Every inch of this place was filled with the presence of the strongest talents across nations.
The Academy wasn't just a school. It was an empire of its own, and each student was a future ruler of power.
Their first stop was the Battle Arts Division, where combat, techniques, and raw strength were honed. Towering stone arenas surrounded the field, and on the central stage, an instructor demonstrated something that made the air tremble—
A single flick of his finger sent a shockwave through the ground.
"This is what we expect from you," the instructor, Master Volgren, stated coldly. "Strength is only respected when it is absolute. If you are weak, you will be prey."
Ethan clenched his fists. This wasn't just training. This was war.
Nearby, Ronan was absorbed in watching a group spar. The clash of steel, the shifting footwork, the tactical feints—it was a dance of destruction.
"I can't wait to fight one of them," Ronan murmured, a glint of excitement in his eyes.
Ethan smirked. "Let's survive first."
Their next stop was a place Ethan had anticipated the most—the Resonance Chambers.
A hall dedicated to understanding traits, abilities, and the deeper nature of Resonance.
An instructor with calm, calculating eyes stepped forward. Master Ithran, a man known for dissecting even the most complex abilities.
"You have all come here with power," he began. "But how many of you truly understand it?"
Silence.
"Today, you will learn the difference between having power and wielding it."
A stone slab was placed before them, covered in ancient runes.
"Touch it, and let it reveal the depth of your resonance."
One by one, students approached. Some caused faint pulses of energy; others, nothing at all. Then, it was Ethan's turn.
He stepped forward, laying his hand upon the stone. A faint hum resonated—then grew.
Stronger. Deeper. The stone vibrated, then cracked.
Murmurs filled the room.
"Interesting," Ithran muttered. "Your resonance isn't simple weapon enhancement, is it?"
Ethan met his gaze but said nothing.
He had already suspected it—his ability wasn't just about synchronizing with weapons. It was about synchronizing with anything.
An opponent's movement. A trait's energy. The very essence of power.
Ithran nodded. "Your power is wasted if you don't master it fully. We will refine it here."
Ethan exhaled slowly. This was it. The first step.
The Unknown Threat – A Presence Watching
As the lessons ended, Ethan and Ronan exited the halls, their minds filled with the intensity of the day. The Academy wasn't a place to simply grow stronger—it was a battlefield disguised as a school.
But as they walked, Ethan felt something.
A presence.
Hidden within the sea of students, someone was watching them.
Not a rival student.
Not an instructor.
Something else.
Something that made the air feel heavier.
Ronan noticed it too. He turned slightly, his fingers twitching, ready to fight.
Then—
A whisper.
So faint, Ethan wasn't even sure if it was real.
"Your master's disciples, huh? Let's see how far you make it."
And then the presence was gone.
The Academy was more than a school.
It was a game of survival.
And someone was already making their first move.