Chapter 33: Training Complete.
Aiden was now eleven years old. Every passing day had been a test of endurance, will, and unwavering determination. He trained with Julia in parasitic mana relentlessly, his body aching with pain, his mind burning from exhaustion, yet his spirit never faltered.
From dawn until the moon hung over the skies, he practiced again and again under Julia's watchful eyes. She never spoke much, her expression always calm and emotionless, but every gaze she gave carried weight heavier than words.
Parasitic mana was unlike any other element he had encountered before. Its very nature was treacherous — subtle, deceitful, and cruel. To grasp its essence, one needed absolute precision in both control and emotion.
Julia had explained once, in her cold, detached tone, that this mana was born from dominance — from understanding another's body and mind as extensions of one's own. It demanded control, not just of mana, but of one's heart.
If you can't control your emotions during training, you will become emotionless, a completely different person. That was the consequence of learning parasitic mana.
For Aiden, mastering parasitic mana was nothing short of difficult and torment. He had to keep his emotions stable while learning spells that sought to control others. His heart wavered often — guilt, hesitation, and doubt clashing against his will.
But each day, when he looked toward Julia's unmoving expression, something within him hardened. She did not praise him, nor did she scold him. She only watched, like an indifferent immortal observing the efforts of a mortal.
Every day, he fought against beasts in the forest. Julia would watch from afar, her eyes cold as steel. Aiden would inject mana into the bodies of wild creatures, trying to disrupt their movements or manipulate their instincts.
Most days, he failed. The beasts would charge at him relentlessly, tearing through the air with claws and teeth. His body was often covered in bruises and cuts. He bled, he fell, he screamed in pain — yet every single time, he stood up again.
He had faced death countless times during these months, but the fear no longer shook him. It became something familiar, a companion that walked beside him in his training.
He knew he could not afford to hesitate. If he faltered for even a second, the beasts would tear him apart.
Julia never interfered. Even when he was wounded, she would simply watch. Only after Aiden collapsed would she step forward, take him to Sara to heal him, and say in her monotone voice, "We will begin again tomorrow."
Those words were burned into his heart like a curse — and a command that he could not defy.
The difficulty of the spells was unimaginable. The parasitic element contained only three core techniques, yet mastering even one was like attempting to control a mashed-up spider web with bare hands.
He had to time the injection perfectly, channeling the parasite at the exact moment of contact. If he failed, the mana would dissipate uselessly or, worse, rebound back into his body, injuring him severely.
Aiden struggled every day. The first few months were brutal. He failed more times than he could count. But with each failure he learned.
Slowly, with endless repetition and relentless practice, he began to grasp the flow of parasitic mana. His control improved; his injections became faster, smoother, and deadlier.
Four months passed before he could fully control the Emotion Parasite — the spell that disrupted an opponent's emotions. At first, it was too subtle for him to sense. He couldn't tell if his mana had taken effect or not.
Sometimes, he would inject the parasite and still be attacked. But over time, he began to feel it — the mind world of his enemy's emotions, the flicker of hesitation in their eyes, the weakening of their will. The changing of their emotions.
When he finally mastered it, he knew. It wasn't about overpowering others; it was about understanding them. About knowing where their fears lived, and striking that fear with unrelenting precision.
Three and a half more months passed before he mastered the Thought Parasite. This one was even harder. He had to learn to disrupt the flow of thought itself — to interfere with consciousness, to twist reason and perception to create chaos while they were trying to conjure a spell or were planning an attack.
It was like holding a blade made of mist on the enemy's neck all the time: too delicate, but dangerous. But Aiden persevered.
He practiced on beasts every day. Every time he failed, he learned something new — how thoughts were shaped by mana, how they looked or felt, how emotion and intent guided perception.
Finally, after long months of torture, he succeeded. When he cast the Thought Parasite on a raging wolf, he saw its madness turn to confusion.
It stopped mid-charge, its body trembling as its instincts and reasoning shattered under the weight of his influence.
The final spell, Body Parasite, took two and a half months. Compared to the first two, this one was a physical struggle. He had to manipulate the mana within another's limbs, forcing them to move against their will.
It was terrifying, and it demanded a deeper understanding of the human body structure. Aiden's mastery of healing, puppeteer, and other elements made it easier for him to adapt — but even then, it drained him completely every time he practiced.
He collapsed often. His body screamed in pain, his mana channels ached, and sometimes, he lost consciousness entirely. But Julia never stopped him. She only stood in silence, her gaze fixed upon him like a shadow that could not be shaken.
Nine months — that's how long it took him to master parasitic mana. The longest and hardest training of his life. But now, after all the suffering, after all the blood, sweat, and exhaustion, Aiden had done it. He had mastered the tenth and final element.
He stood in the center of the garden once again, his body drenched in sweat, his breathing steady yet heavy. The sun was falling behind the horizon, dyeing the world in shades of crimson and gold. The air was quiet, the same for the faint hum of mana that still lingered around him.
He thought to himself, 'Parasitic mana really is the hardest to master. If I had tried to learn it before the others, it would have taken me at least eighteen months. But thanks to my understanding of the other nine, I was able to grasp it in nine.'
A faint smile appeared on his lips, though it was filled more with exhaustion than pride. His body ached, yet his heart felt light. He had grown stronger.
He could now fight a stage two mana cultivator on equal grounds despite still being at stage one. His growth had far exceeded even his own expectations.
Julia stood before him, her gray combat dress flowing gently with the evening breeze. Her eyes, cold as ever, watched him with quiet intensity. She rarely expressed emotion, but even she couldn't fully hide her surprise.
She had once been hailed as the top student of the Eldoria Magic Academy, a genius who broke records that none could match — yet this boy, whom she thought to be 14 years old, had surpassed her talent in almost every aspect.
She had to acknowledge that Aiden was more talented than her, and he also had lightning elemental, which meant he was tri tri-elemental mana cultivator. This also meant that he would be a lot stronger than her at the same stage.
She finally spoke, her voice calm but faintly softer than usual."You have mastered it really fast."
Aiden straightened his posture immediately. He knew that in Julia's words, this was the closest thing to praise he would ever receive. He bowed his head slightly, his tone respectful and calm as he said, "It's all thanks to you, ma'am."
Julia's expression didn't change, but she gave a small nod. In her own way, she acknowledged him. Then her gaze shifted toward Jonathan and Sara, who were watching quietly from the edge of the garden as she said. "I will leave in the evening."
Her words were final, steady, and cold.
Sara, who had lived a year with Julia during her stay, spoke almost instinctively, "Can't you stay longer?"
Julia simply shook her head, her black hair flowing slightly as she did. "No." Her tone carried no emotion, only certainty.
Then she turned her attention back to Aiden. Her blue eyes met his black ones, sharp as blades yet calm as still water. "We didn't have a single duel in the year I taught you," she said. "Let's have one."
Aiden's heart skipped a beat. For a brief moment, his expression shifted — a mix of surprise and determination. This was something he had wanted for months. Every time he had asked her for a duel, she had refused. But now, finally, she had agreed.
He clenched his fists and nodded firmly. "Okay."
They both walked toward the center of the garden. The air around them was still, heavy with tension. Aiden took his fighting stance, his mana subtly swirling around him. Julia stood motionless, her presence calm yet overwhelming.
Aiden could feel the pressure radiating from her, like standing at the edge of a vast ocean that could drown him in an instant.
Yet instead of fear, he felt excitement. This was his final chance — his only opportunity to prove himself before his Teacher left. He wanted to show her everything he had learned, to leave a mark that would make her remember him.
Jonathan, who was standing beside Sara, looked at both of them and sensed the weight of the moment. He could see the fire in Aiden's eyes, the calm readiness in Julia's stance. For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Then, breaking the silence, Jonathan's deep voice echoed through the garden — firm and resonant as he said. "Begin."
The moment the word left his lips, the mana around them trembled, and the air itself seemed to have stopped moving.
Author's Note: Each chapter brings Aiden closer to the depths of his fate. Every element he masters tightens the chain that binds him to destiny. His brilliance, his pain, his resolve — they are but whispers before the storm that approaches.
Written by The Hymn of Evil.