Six years later....
Even before sunrise, Logan was already sitting in a lotus position, training. His back was straightened and his breathing was calm.
Mist coiled faintly around his small frame, a quiet aura of warmth drifting from within, not mana, but Qi.
He drew in a long breath slowly. Qi flowed through his meridians like a quiet river, pulsing with steady strength. After holding it for a while, he exhaled slowly. He continued this cycle. Each exhale carried a faint mist, coming out both from his mouth and nose. For the past six years, he had been continuously cultivating, and his internal energy had increased significantly. He was six years old now. Six years since Aiden Ferith died and was reborn as Logan Smith.
And already, his body was stronger than most adult warriors.
His fists could crack stone. His senses rivaled a hawk's. His muscles, though childlike in size, were packed with power. Yet none of this came from mana.
Even though he had already formed a mana core, he hadn't trained with it.
Not after what happened a year ago.
_________
One year back....
One evening, during meditation, Logan felt a strong connection toward the ambient energy in the air. It felt familiar, like an old friend. In a few moments, he condensed it into a rudimentary mana core within his lower dantian. The process was instinctive, smooth.
But it didn't stay unnoticed.
From the court, every noble family was appointed a mage for observance who would report back any update about breakthroughs, problems regarding mana training or even help with any difficulties to the families. The court mage, Abraham, sensed something odd during a routine check. Within the day, Rudeous and Mirena learned about this.
Logan was summoned before the elders of House Smith.
The moment Logan stepped into the hall room, all eyes turned toward him.
"House Smith has given birth to a prodigy." Someone whispered.
"Yes. Can you even believe this? He is only five but already formed a mana core. Awesome! I can't wait to see what more surprises he will bring for the family." Another added.
"Sussh. Silence." But someone didn't feel happy with these murmurs and told them to keep it quiet.
"You've violated House Smith's mana training law," one of his uncles suddenly said. His voice felt like he was talking to an outlaw. "Forming a mana core without undergoing the Enlightenment Ceremony is forbidden."
Logan was stunned. "Violation? Mana training laws? What is he talking about?" He wondered. He still steadied his breathing and looked toward that uncle. "I didn't know it was forbidden."
"You're five. Of course you didn't," Mirena said sharply. "But ignorance doesn't make you harmless."
Darius stood nearby with his arms crossed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Unstable mana control can cause an accident at any time… especially in the wrong hands."
His voice wasn't loud but jealousy was brimming with it.
Many nodded in agreement. Many seemed displeased with the claim but for some reason, they didn't raise their voices.
Logan didn't react. Finally he understood what was happening. It wasn't about the law. It was about fear. "So you want to play righteous. Alright. Let's see what game you all are playing." He thought.
Most noble children couldn't form mana cores before the Enlightenment Ceremony at age fourteen. It wasn't forbidden. It was almost impossible. There were only a few exceptional cases. And yet, he had done it effortlessly. How could Darius not be jealous and feel threatened?
Mother and son weren't afraid of instability. They were afraid of him. Afraid that if he kept progressing, Darius wouldn't stand a chance of inheriting the title of patriarch.
And the rest of the family members? Nobody wanted to cross the Stevens family, Mirena's bloodline. Even if many of them admired Logan's talent, they kept silent. And many were eager to please her.
Then Rudeous finally spoke.
"Logan," he said with an unreadable face. "The law exists to protect. Mana training at your age can be dangerous. For yourself. And others." A long pause followed. "I will overlook it this once. But from this moment forward, you are forbidden to train mana or use magic until your Enlightenment Ceremony. Disobey… and there will be consequences." He said that but inside, his heart ached. "Forgive me son. This is only to protect you." He thought to himself.
Alice protested. "You're punishing him for being gifted? How can you do this, Rudy?"
Rudeous gave her a look that stopped her from asking more.
Logan didn't flinch. He only nodded.
But Mirena leaned forward with dissatisfaction. "And what if he practices in secret?"
Rudeous's jaw tensed. "What else do you want?"
Abraham cleared his throat. "His mana core should be sealed. Only then can we be sure there will be no further incidents."
Several elders nodded in agreement. All were in cahoots, trying to flatter Mirena and earn her favour.
Rudeous didn't speak. He felt helpless inside. It seemed as if, for some reasons, his hands were tied.
Alice caressed Logan's shoulder with her trembling hands, holding back her tears. She wanted her son to live happily but she was helpless.
Logan placed his hands on her trembling hands and consoled her, "Don't worry, Mom. It's alright."
The sealing ritual was brief… A glowing rune was pressed to his abdomen, its light seeping into his skin. It didn't hurt.
But something inside him… shifted. Like his will being restricted.
Still, he said nothing.
Only made a promise to himself. "I will return this favour in due time for sure."
Though he had been excited to learn magic, he could wait until his mana core was unsealed again. And till then.....
"I will continue with cultivation only. I will focus on increasing my internal energy." He decided inwardly.
Those who thought they had won a war, didn't even know what they had brought upon themselves.
The months that followed were quiet on the surface.
He obeyed the order. No mana. In the silence, he focused on cultivation…trained every single day using the Void Soul Sutra, an advanced breathing technique from his past life that refined body, mind, and soul in harmony.
By day, he trained physically: lifting bricks, sprinting across the courtyard, doing push-ups until his arms trembled. Sweat drenched his clothes. His bones groaned under pressure, but instead of breaking, they grew denser. Stronger.
Even servants began to whisper.
"Why does the young master always do those weird trainings?"
In this world, due to the presence of magic, no one was used to physical training.
"Who knows? Maybe trying to calm himself. Who can live with being born with talent but forced to abandon it?"
"Yes. Maybe sorrow has made him go senile."
Many other family members also had the same question. But some scoffed.
"Huh! Is he trying to impress the patriarch thinking he would unseal his core again?"
"Dream on. How dare he thinks he can outsmart Darius?"
But their gossip didn't bother him.
Rudeous occasionally watched from afar with an unreadable expression.
But sometimes…just for a moment…a flicker of a smile would cross his face.
"That kid….he is still trying even when the whole family is against him."
_________
Back in the present.....
One morning, Alice found Logan in the garden, doing push-ups.
"Logan," she said in a concerned voice. "Why do you always do such things?"
He paused, then smiled politely. "I'm training in a different way. Increasing my physical strength."
She knelt beside him, caressing his hair with affection. "But they are always observing you, Logan. Please don't give them another reason. Your father won't be able to help much. His hands are tied. You know, right?"
"I won't. Don't worry about me at all. I will only learn magic when I am allowed to. And they didn't forbid me from doing physical training. So I am not breaking any rules." He smiled convincingly.
What he said was logical. They couldn't blame him for this. Unless they wanted to play even dirtier.
For now, increasing his internal energy through cultivation was enough.
Several days later during breakfast, Mirena said, "I heard the boy is doing physical training." She continued with an air of mock concern. "Is he trying to be a farmer like those magicless commoners, Alice?"
Alice's fist tightened slightly under the table. "Growing boys need to be strong."
Mirena sipped her tea, with her eyes fixated on Logan. "Let's hope that strength doesn't lead him into any trouble."
Logan looked up and met her gaze calmly.
"I've stopped all mana training, Lady Mirena," he said without a hint of fear. "As father instructed."
Darius leaned back, resting his chin on one hand.
"Well… by the time your Enlightenment comes around, I'll be so far ahead, you won't even see my shadow. All that physical training won't mean a thing."
He smirked.
"But don't worry. I'll take good care of you when I'm patriarch. Someone has to look out for the weaker one, right?
Logan didn't respond.
He never thought of competing with his elder brother for the patriarch position anyway.
But by the time Darius would awaken his mana at fourteen, Logan's body would already be stronger than most adult knights. He didn't give a damn about all these mockery and provocative words.
That winter, every day while the estate prepared for the seasonal festivals, Logan slipped into the woods beyond the estate walls.
Snow bit into his skin. The wind howled like a beast. But he welcomed the cold.
He continued his training.
Sometimes he would practice martial arts. Sometimes he would cultivate for hours. His internal energy continued growing at a steady pace.
But his training didn't go totally unnoticed. Rumors were spreading every day.
"He's still training, I swear."
"He isn't using any forbidden techniques to grow stronger and get revenge, is he?"
Many family members started noticing.
As nobody could understand how Logan kept growing, they started expressing their own hunches.
But Logan didn't care. Since no one knew about cultivation, they could only keep guessing.
He didn't want any recognition. No approval either.
All he needed was time.
Time to learn. Time to grow.
To be strong enough to protect whatever and whoever he cared for.