As the information about the Silver talent circulated in the light and dark factions, although they all reacted differently, they all made a common decision. To stop the rumors of Silver talent spread around too much.
Nobody wanted a third faction to take advantage of this variable. Although one may believe that in no way would there be a third faction that could even make a dent in their power struggles. But the leaders of these factions believed otherwise.
There have been many instances where a third party has taken advantage of their situation. Sometimes they assassinated a major figure, which led to a huge power vacuum. And sometimes sabotaging them both, which led to expensive monetary and personnel losses.
Both of the factions weirdly complimented each other. Nobody wanted the third wheel in their toxic relationship.
What they didn't know was that a third wheel was already formed even before the news of Jake's Silver talent came out. It was the Guild Master who hid the information about his darkness element for his personal greed.
If any of these factions had known the actual ability of this new chess piece. After all, no one wants a chess piece that can become stronger than them.
Unbeknownst to the fact that some information was hidden about Jake, Baron Robert Balek did what everyone expected him to do. A recruitment letter was sent to Jake for him to be recruited under Lord Balek's banner.
The Underworld has yet to make a move on Jake, but one can be sure that there was some scheme cooking inside the background.
But the Light faction wasn't really sure of it. So they wanted to put pressure on Jake to hurry up and take him to his side. Baron Balek wanted Jake to join the Royal Knights Academy in the Capital of the Kingdom.
This was done to separate Jake from his parents and brainwash him. This was an excellent plan to manipulate a child. Still, nobody knew that inside, Jake was an adult that came from another world.
Right now, Jake was living his life normally. It was the first time he was experiencing the magic, and he was training how to control it properly.
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[Jake's POV]
My life has normally been going since my awakening ceremony, but only if you exclude all the tension and psychological pressure inside my house. This whole time, my dad had a serious look on his face, like he could cut anyone with just his gaze. (Fuck, man!)
This Silver talent was more like a cure for commoners like us. On the day of my awakening, we got a letter from the town lord. He wants to recruit me and send me away for my studies. (Fuck, I just wanted to live everyday life.)
My dad told me that the Royal Knights Academy of Ethos is the biggest educational institute in the Kingdom. Going there will mean potentially never seeing each other again. (This world is so fucked up!)
I never wanted to be a dog for anyone. (Do I really have to leave my family?)
Am I lucky or really unlucky? (Why does every good thing take so much sacrifice?)
Will I escape this hell if I become strong enough? (This is my only hope). I hung on to this idea and kept diligently training.
I was sitting in the lotus position, trying to focus on the magic I had. I wanted to refine its control, send it to all corners of my body, and then back in my Magic Core. I was a Silver Potential, which means I was awakened at [Level 5]. (I am at the same [Level] as my older brother, I wonder what he thinks of this)
The bronze only awakes at [Level 3], and common potential doesn't get any Level bonuses. Breaking through to the next Level takes a huge effort and sometimes needs a lot of potions and training resources.
A Common Talent person can potentially become the strongest person in the world. Still, nobody has the guidance or resources to become stronger. And better guidance is always provided for the Higher Talents. (Truly unlucky, but this is life in this world)
I regulated my breathing as I had practiced over the last three years from books. It wasn't hard for me to get into a 'trance-like' state because I had experienced this thing with my swordplay. (Let's get a feel of magic now!)
I tried to feel my surroundings; I wanted to sense the magic around me. Then as if hearing my will, I felt something steadily leaving my solar plexus and assimilating into the surrounding air. (It should be my magic leaving the Magic Core)
I sensed it! It is really faint and surrounds me from all sides, just like air. The same substance (Let's call it Magicule) was inside me too. It was denser inside of me, and it felt semi-liquid. Only the core looked like a true-solid ball of energy.
I tried gathering Magicule inside my core. This method was called [Magic Breathing]. It allows the user to absorb magic from surroundings inside its core. Then by using [Core Compression], I assimilated the absorbed magic into my core, making it a part of me.
I can do this process to integrate my body with magic. (Yes, now let's try this with my sword)
After a few hours, I got up and started swinging my sword. Getting into a trance-like state. I tried to sense the surrounding for magic and used the [Magic Breathing]. My Magic Core started aching, but it was more like the pain while doing cardio exercises.
I kept straining myself until I couldn't take it anymore, and the results I got were worth it. My [Mana Breathing] got a lot easier, and I can do it while walking now as long as I can get into a trance.
I subconsciously assimilated magic into my swordplay, but it wasn't refined or trained at all. I needed to improve on this and control this. (Agh~ My chest hurts)
I was a lot tired, I wasn't used to using magic, and although my body was getting used to it, it left me quite exhausted. (I am sleepy)
I have never felt my magic run out till now. Just my body couldn't keep up with my magic and got severely damaged. Well, this type of body-breaking training may get frowned upon back on Earth, but not here. (Better eat dinner and go to bed)
And even if I did go overboard, even by this world's standards, I had a passive regeneration ability. It was a property of my Water-type element. (Where is my darkness, though?) I still can't feel any dark element inside of me. Maybe it takes time to appear (Let's not care about that now, I can't really do anything about it)
Tiredness overtook me after dinner, and I kept thinking about the best option I could take to avoid getting used and thrown into the garbage. I didn't know when I slept.
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