Morning sunlight streamed into Gale’s room as he groggily opened his eyes. Instinctively, he glanced at his hand—and froze. His mark had changed! What was once a low-tier mark had now evolved into a mid-tier one. Shock coursed through him, but that wasn’t the only surprise. He could feel mana flowing through the mark, responding to his will.
He clenched his fist, sensing a new ability had awakened within him—**Wind Guidance.**
> *Wind Guidance: Allows the user to manipulate the wind within one meter of their body, as long as their mana supply lasts.*
Gale was stunned. Not only had his mark advanced, but he had also gained an ability before fully awakening his mark. Excited, he decided to test it out. With a flick of his hand, a strong gust of wind surged around him, doubling his speed. Anything within his one-meter radius was slightly pushed away by the force.
Filled with confidence, he tried to push a glass off the table using the wind alone. Yet, despite his efforts, the glass barely moved an inch. Frustrated, he grumbled, **“I wanted an attack ability, not a speed boost!”** Exhaustion soon set in, his mana draining quickly. He nearly collapsed, drenched in sweat. His abilities were strong, but his control and stamina were lacking.
---
### Combat Class Begins
Later that morning, in the combat training hall, a strict instructor named **Julin** stood with his arms crossed, glaring at the students.
"Today is your first combat class. We will begin with warm-ups, and then you will choose a weapon to train with. Now, introduce yourselves!"
One by one, the students stated their names. If anyone spoke too softly, Julin would roar, **"Louder! Speak like warriors, not cowards!"** The students quickly learned not to test his patience.
Meanwhile, outside the classroom, Gale was sneaking in late. He had been too caught up testing his ability and lost track of time. As he tiptoed inside, Julin noticed him instantly. A strong gust of wind—Julin’s own mana-infused technique—blew Gale right back out the door.
"**Run ten laps around the training ground!**" Julin ordered. Gale tried to protest, but Julin merely smirked, **"Make it fifty after class."**
Realizing resistance was futile, Gale sighed and started running.
---
### A Strange Trend and Weapon Selection
After finally entering the class, Gale kept his hand bandaged, hoping to hide his mark. His friend **Jack** noticed and whispered, "Trying to copy the others?"
Apparently, covering one's hands had become a trend in their class. **Jon** had been wearing bandages for three months, and **Luminer**, the top student—the only high-tier awakened in the academy—had started wearing them as well. Seeing this, many students followed suit without understanding the reason. Julin, however, saw through the foolishness. Luminer’s bandages were made from a special material that aided muscle recovery, unlike the imitations worn by the rest.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
With introductions done, Julin led the students to the **weapon storage room**. The shelves were filled with swords, spears, shields, and other old-world military tools.
"These are real weapons, so be careful," Julin warned.
Each student picked a weapon. Gale grabbed a sword, Jon selected gloves lined with sharp thorns, and Luminer also chose a sword.
Julin instructed, "Form groups based on your weapon of choice and meet me outside."
---
### Brutal Training
The real torment began when Julin led them to the training grounds.
"Now, warm-ups! Anyone who slacks off runs five laps!"
The warm-ups started simple: **hands up, stretch, squat—** but they continued for four grueling hours. By the end, most students collapsed, completely drained. Only **Gale, Luminer, and two others** remained standing, though Gale was drenched in sweat. Jon, a low-tier fire awakener, had collapsed long ago. Luminer, however, stood tall, unaffected.
The exhausted students groaned, "We can’t move…"
Julin smirked. "Only four hours, and you're already giving up? How will you fight an entire day in an emergency? This is your first lesson—train your body to endure."
He then called **45 students** by name. "All of you, run five laps. Now."
When they protested, he smiled—the same wicked grin he had given Gale earlier. They had no choice but to obey.
"The rest of you, class is dismissed," Julin announced.
Gale, thinking he was free, turned to leave. "I'm going home now."
Julin grabbed his head. "And your **60 laps**?"
"Wait, teacher, I—"
"Make that **65.**"
Gale paled and immediately started running.
---
### Pushing Limits
Evening arrived, and Gale was utterly exhausted. Sweat dripped from his body as he struggled to keep moving. Beside him, **Luminer** was still running effortlessly. "Still 25 laps left, Gale," he reminded with a smirk.
"Stop it… You're not even being punished!" Gale gasped.
"I’m encouraging you," Luminer replied calmly.
Each step became agony for Gale, but he refused to stop. Julin observed in silence. *Luminer has exceptional battle talent and stamina, but Gale… his willpower is incredible.* He had initially planned to stop Gale after 20 laps, but seeing his determination, Julin decided to see how far he could go.
Then, something unexpected happened.
Gale’s **mark began to glow**. A vision flashed before him—a young boy battling **hundreds of Yuantel**. The boy gathered mana in a unique way, and without realizing it, Gale's body instinctively mimicked the technique. His mind calmed, and his ability **activated on its own**, absorbing mana at an accelerated rate.
His speed increased. The exhaustion that had weighed him down moments ago vanished. The final laps passed in a blur, and with the **65th lap complete,** he collapsed, unconscious.
Julin stood frozen, trying to comprehend what had just happened. "How did he…?"
---
### Aftermath
In the infirmary, Luminer and Julin stood by Gale’s bedside, waiting anxiously. When the nurse checked on him, she **smiled**. "He's perfectly fine—just exhausted. He’ll be up soon."
Suddenly, **soft snoring filled the room**. Gale was sleeping peacefully.
Julin and Luminer exchanged looks. They had worried so much, only to find him **snoring without a care in the world**.
They both sighed at the same time. *This guy is really good at making people angry.*
