Bloodline training session

Adam had planned to hone his bloodline abilities today. Since arriving at the academy, he hadn't practiced much, and if he let that continue, his skills would dull. Fortunately, he had secured a training room in advance.

Upon reaching the dorms, he bypassed his own room and proceeded directly to the training grounds. The facility, situated to the left of the mall, occupied a significantly larger surface area.

"Excuse me, I'm here for my reservation," he said to one of the cadets stationed at the counter.

"Your name and training room number?" she asked.

"Adam Walker, training room six," he replied.

She skimmed through a tablet for a few moments before nodding. "Found it. Adam Walker, training room six, from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM."

Handing him a key card, she added, "Training room six is just around the corner."

"Thank you," he said, taking the card and following her directions. Soon, he stood before a door marked with the number six. Scanning the card against the sensor, he heard a soft click as the door unlocked.

The room was immense yet barren—devoid of furniture except for a screen affixed to the right side of the entrance. The metallic gray walls were no surprise; all training rooms were engineered to simulate various terrains based on the user's preferences.

The most remarkable aspect? The simulations felt astonishingly real. Hard light constructs replicated the sensation of touch, and with the aid of advanced storage technology, the room was virtually limitless. 'Whoever devised this technology must be a phenomenal genius,' he thought, genuinely impressed.

He turned to the screen, scrolling through an assortment of terrain presets: dense forests, jagged cliffs, sprawling metropolises, and more. Opting for a fusion between a rocky expanse and a sparse woodland, he made his selection. Instantly, the metallic chamber transformed into his chosen setting. The only telltale sign of its artificial nature was the fact that he was already aware.

Now, it was time to train.

"Null," he murmured. In an instant, the fabric of gravity distorted. Everything within a ten-meter radius—including himself—began to levitate. Pebbles, twigs, even the synthetic rock formations defied gravity.

Adam had come a long way in mastering his bloodline abilities. True mastery was impossible, as they continuously evolved, but he had refined his control. He had perfected the ability to amplify gravity while remaining unaffected. However, he had yet to prevent himself from rising when nullifying or diminishing gravitational forces.

To overcome this limitation, he programmed the training room to induce zero gravity after three minutes. He wanted to analyze the effects of artificial weightlessness firsthand. Perhaps, if he were lucky, he might have a breakthrough.

As the timer hit three minutes, his body felt weightless. Floating uncontrollably, he noted how alien and disorienting it felt. Shaking off the initial shock, he attempted to anchor himself to the ground—to no avail. He only ceased rising upon reaching a predetermined height. 'Must be a restriction of the simulation space,' he speculated.

There was just one problem—he would have to endure this state for five minutes until normal gravity resumed.

"Or maybe not!" A sudden realization struck him. What if he increased his own gravitational pull? It was a gamble, but one worth taking. Carefully, he augmented the force acting upon his body, and little by little, he descended until his feet reconnected with solid ground.

"So that's the key," he muttered.

He needed to verify his hypothesis. The moment gravity reset, he activated his ability once more. This time, while everything around him floated, he remained rooted. He almost berated himself for not realizing it sooner—all he had to do was counteract the nullified gravity with an enhanced personal gravitational field.

However, there were drawbacks. This method required substantially more essence and mental fortitude. Maintaining focus on both nullifying external gravity and grounding himself was mentally exhausting. A single lapse in concentration, and he could suffer serious injury.

But a solution was already forming in his mind—he needed to make this counterbalance instinctive. With enough training, his body would unconsciously resist floating whenever he used 'Null.'

Determined, he threw himself into relentless practice. Time blurred until the room shimmered, reverting to its original metallic state, signaling the end of his session. Utterly drained, he made his way out.

Back at the reception, the cadets from earlier had been replaced. That reminded him—he needed to find a part-time job. A mere two-hour session had drained 50 points from his account.

But first, he needed a shower. The stench clinging to him was unmistakable.

Upon reaching his dorm, he wasted no time freshening up before preparing a modest meal—scrambled eggs with a medley of vegetables. Once he finished eating, fatigue overwhelmed him, and before he realized it, he had drifted off to sleep.

Five hours later, he awoke. Unable to fall back asleep, he resumed condensing his star.

The next day arrived swiftly. Dressed in his academy uniform, he made his way to class. To his surprise, he was the first to arrive—not even Aurora had beaten him. Humming a tune, he settled into his seat.

Then, without warning, a figure materialized in a nearby chair.

It was her.

She had teleported directly into the seat. 'Having a space-affiliated bloodline must be incredibly convenient,' he mused, a tinge of envy creeping into his thoughts. The idea of teleporting anywhere at will was enticing, though he knew it must have limitations.

As if sensing his gaze—no, she definitely did—she turned and locked eyes with him. Just as before, he quickly averted his eyes. After what felt like an eternity, she finally looked away.

'Hah, I can breathe again.' He inwardly sighed in relief and distracted himself by browsing the features on his bracelet.

Within the hour, students began filing in. When Owen arrived, he sent Adam a playful wink. Forcing a smile, Adam nodded back. 'It's for your own good,' he reminded himself.

At precisely 8 AM, Instructor Cornwell strode into the room. "I trust you've been well since our last session," she began. "Alright, I'll begin by taking attendance."

Afterward, she delved into the lesson—Equations. It was a course heavily reliant on complex calculations, but Adam found it surprisingly intuitive. Whether it was due to her excellent teaching or his own aptitude, he wasn't certain. Following class, they proceeded to the combat grounds.

"You know the drill," the instructor commanded.

Resigned to their fate, they each took a bloodline suppressor. The conditioning regimen was grueling, but this time, Adam wasn't as debilitated as before. 'Guess the training really works,' he mused. Though he was barely standing, he had undeniably improved.

Still, his endurance needed significant work. 'How should I go about strengthening it?' he pondered. After the combat class, Adam and Levi were on their way to the cafeteria when they were unexpectedly intercepted.

"Just the guy I was looking for," Owen declared, a familiar grin stretching across his face. Adam responded with a strained smile, already bracing himself for whatever Owen had in mind.

Owen's gaze flickered toward Levi, his interest piqued. "Hmm? And who's this?"

Adam, ever the straightforward one, gestured to his companion. "Oh, he's Levi. We live on the same floor."

"Well, the friend of my friend is also my friend," Owen said with an easygoing smile, his demeanor as effortless as ever.

"Where are you headed?" Adam asked, already knowing the answer.

"To the cafeteria, of course. Isn't that where you two are going?" Owen replied, his tone light and expectant.

"Yes," Adam confirmed simply.

"Well then, let's get going," Owen announced, taking the lead. Adam noticed Levi's expression falter momentarily when Owen joined them. Though Levi masked it quickly, Adam had already caught on to the slight frown that had flickered across his face.

Upon reaching the cafeteria, they each grabbed their servings before settling at the table Adam had been frequenting for the past few days. It wasn't long before Owen, ever the conversationalist, directed a curious question at Adam.

"So, which planet are you from?"

"I'm from Earth," he answered nonetheless.

Owen chuckled. "Figured. You've got the accent and discipline."

Adam blinked. "Accent? What accent?" he thought, genuinely confused.

Owen, amused by his reaction, elaborated. "In case you haven't noticed, denizens of every planet have their unique traits."

"Like what?" Adam asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Well, those from Mercury have high heat resistance, those from Venus typically have tanned skin, Earthlings like you have discipline ingrained in their bones—and yes, a slightly distinct accent. Martians are more perceptive than most. Not sure about Jupiter's people, but Saturn's tend to be optimistic. Uranus? Ruthless. Neptune's folk are cold and indifferent, and Pluto's... well, they look like ghosts, deathly pale." Owen shuddered at the last remark, as if recalling an unsettling memory.

"Of course, these traits mainly apply to bloodline holders, not regular civilians," he clarified.

Adam nodded, genuinely appreciating the insight. "Thanks, that was rather enlightening."

Owen grinned sheepishly. "You're welcome."

Adam found Owen to be something of an enigma. One moment he was serious, the next, lighthearted and playful. But if there was one constant, it was that ever-present, borderline annoying smile. More perplexing, however, was why Owen had taken such an interest in befriending him. Adam was merely a three-starred Rank 4 commoner, while Owen was a noble—a one-starred Rank 2, part of the elite at the top of the academy's food chain.

After pondering it for a while, he decided to shelve the thought for another time.