Kealin stood in the training room. The dim lighting and quiet atmosphere provided a stark contrast to the chaos that often filled his mind. Alex stood before him, his eyes fixed intently on his student's form.
"Today we're going to focus on refining your combat and mana manipulation skills," Alex said, his voice firm but encouraging.
"You've shown great potential, but control is key."
Kealin nodded after Alex had asked him to train with him. He saw the latter as someone he could now look up to. He was eager to learn more about his newfound powers and protect his friends from whatever threats lay ahead.
The two of them began with simple exercises, with Alex guiding Kealin through each process step by step. Kealin's focus wavered at first, his mind still reeling from recent events, but with each attempt, he grew more confident and his movements became more fluid.
"Alright, the real training begins now," Alex said, and immediately the air around him became dense and heavy with energy.
The muscles on his body were now bulging with power, and the aura around him grew exponentially. Kealin had felt this sensation before during their earlier battle.
"Hit me with everything you've got," Alex said as he walked forward, his stance relaxed but ready.
[Strength: 10% (+5)]
Kealin readied his fist and rushed forward with determination, channeling his mana into the attack. But in mid-air, it felt like he had crashed into a brick wall, his punch meeting an invisible barrier that stopped him cold.
"Mana zone—a technique that gives you permanent control over mana in a certain area," Alex explained as Kealin stumbled backward from the impact.
"Sit down," Alex said, and Kealin obeyed, settling cross-legged on the training mat.
"...Now visualize the mana in your body taking the shape of a hand and then visualize it grabbing the energy around you..."
Kealin took a deep breath, focusing all his energy inward. He visualized the mana within him transforming into a spectral hand and grabbing the energy that surrounded him. The mana seemed to bend and wrap around his form like a second skin.
"..Now you must know that although you have good mana control, creating a mana zone is very hard. It took me weeks to master the technique, so don't—"
Suddenly, the atmosphere around Kealin became dense and charged with power. His body was glowing slightly with an ethereal light, and the aura around him grew tremendously, crackling with raw magical energy.
[Congratulations! You have successfully created a mana zone.]
[All stats have increased by 10%]
[Strength: 10% (+10)]
[Agility: 5% (+10)]
[Endurance: 5% (+10)]
[Speed: 15% (+10)]
"But how...?" Alex was mesmerized. Controlling mana wasn't hard for someone with supernatural abilities, but creating a mana zone would normally take one weeks, months even. But Kealin had accomplished it in less than five minutes.
Even Kealin was surprised by his own achievement, but he thought it must be the system or Chronos helping him somehow.
"Come to think of it, I haven't talked to Chronos in a while... hey... Chronos, you there?"
"Yes, master, and it seems like you've made significant progress. I believe that this skill will aid you greatly in the future," Chronos replied, his digital voice carrying a hint of pride.
As the training progressed, Alex introduced more complex scenarios, helping him navigate through a series of obstacles while manipulating his mana to avoid various traps. The challenges pushed him to his limits, testing both his physical endurance and magical control, but he refused to give up despite the difficulty.
With each failure, Alex offered words of encouragement, helping him refine his technique and approach each challenge from different angles. His guidance and unwavering support were invaluable, and Kealin felt a deep sense of gratitude towards his new mentor.
******
Meanwhile, at the station, Max and Lena were no longer in the interrogation room. Instead, they were in the Captain's office, waiting for updates on their case.
"I thought they said we could go once we're cleared," Max said, clearly frustrated with the situation.
"I know, but the fact that we are here means that someone was trying to put the blame for this whole thing on us. So it's best to remain at the station for now," Lena explained logically, though she too was growing impatient.
Sarah was currently reading through April and Rudy's files and had not really paid attention to the two teenagers in her office. That was until Tom came in with new information.
"Any clues that may lead us to the culprits?" Sarah asked, looking up from the files.
To which Tom just shook his head. "....I don't know if it's related or not, but we just got another call from a woman whose son seems to have gone missing. And funny enough, he goes to the same school as the victims," Tom said, pulling out a notepad with the details.
"What's his name?" Sarah asked, her detective instincts kicking in.
Tom was expecting some sort of reaction from Sarah, but it came from someone else entirely.
"What's his name?" Max asked suddenly, his voice carrying an urgency that made both officers look at him sharply.
"Kealin Thompson. Is he an acquaintance of yours?" Tom asked, but Max didn't respond. Instead, he just left the room abruptly, with Lena following close behind him.
******
Meanwhile, in front of an apartment stood a black-haired girl with a headband, and beside her was a blonde in a police uniform.
"Your technique is certainly effective," the officer said as the shadows enveloped his body before moving towards April. The shadows dispersed, revealing a blonde teenage boy—Rudy, who had been disguised by April's illusion magic.
"Oh... so you admit that my plan was way better?" April said with a smug smile, clearly pleased with her handiwork.
To which Rudy scoffed and walked past her without responding, his pride still stung from their recent failures.
"I'll admit it was a good plan. We killed three birds with one stone..." Rudy said grudgingly as they approached the apartment door.
*Knock* *Knock*
"NYPD may know about us now, but they won't be able to stop us," April said confidently.
A middle-aged woman in a red shirt and black leggings opened the door, looking confused by the unexpected visitors.
"MJ, right?... We're here to see Kealin," April said sweetly, her innocent appearance belying the dangerous magic she wielded.