The sun had left the sky once again as Seth made his way back to his assigned dorm.
Feeling a new surge of power through himself, he had challenged Raiden more rigorously and so, he had gotten a more thorough beating. If it had been solely physical combat, Seth might've stood a chance against Raiden but it wasn't.
His ass got served to him.
Although he got a more serious beating, he was in a better condition compared to any other day.
"I'm getting there." He smirked when he thought of how he had tanked the mana-infused punches of his private tutor.
"You're later than usual." A voice called out from the small room at the entrance of the dorm. It was none other than the dorm master.
"Hehe… I was out training so seriously with my teacher that we lost track and I ended up beaten till he was satisfied." Seth gave the old man a bow before a smile bloomed on his face.
"Oh…"
The old man's eyes traveled around Seth's body for a moment before his eyes matched Seth's once more.
"I see, I see. Congratulations, young Seth." The man had sensed the change in Seth's mana level and being aware that Seth had achieved so merely a few weeks after joining the institute, he was completely stunned and also happy.
'That favor will have to wait since I can't just give him anything in return.' The old man thought.
"You should move up then. Wash up and get lots of rest."
Seth nodded and turned to leave but the old man called out once again.
"Here."
Seth's head turned only to see a loaf of bread flying toward him. He easily caught it with both hands. It was warm as well as softer than anything he had seen. So soft he had to ask if it was really bread.
"Eat it while it's still warm. That's the best way to enjoy it. You must be hungry." The old man instructed.
"Thanks, old man." Seth gave one last bow to the old man before turning to take his leave.
"No matter what happens, don't come back here. Just go to bed!" The old man warned Seth.
He followed the old man's instructions as he began to consume the bread while it was still warm, still thinking of the old man's last words that he shouldn't return no matter what happened.
While he didn't immediately notice, the aches in some parts of his body began to fade away before eventually, he couldn't feel it. But it was too hidden for him to notice at first.
It wasn't until Seth arrived in front of his room did he notice the slow and subtle change that was taking place.
He swung his leg, expecting a sharp pang on his thigh, where Raiden had given him a solid blow but no pain came from swinging the leg.
He repeated the same thing on his left arm where Raiden had almost dislocated the shoulder.
Only now did he understand the old man's words. He had planned to heal Seth of the pains and the bread Seth thought was ordinary, accomplished just that.
"Thank you." Seth whispered before he opened the door.
"You're late." Seth was greeted by all three roommates.
"Sorry, we got lost in time." Seth apologized as he walked into the room.
All three roommates, Taro, Rizar, and Ghanjar sat lotus-style on their beds.
"Just join us. We'll be done in an hour." Rizar, the oldest in the room suggested.
"After all I've been through today, I should go directly to bed but what can I do when my senior has made a request from me." Seth jumped on his bed and sat lotus style to join his roommates.
"What are we doing?" Seth asked.
"Trying to solidify our cores. We're Class Two magic users so it's a bit easier for us. Since you're still a Class One, it'll be harder and slower for you." Rizar explained.
"Well… that would've been the case if it was a day ago," Seth replied, mana slowly flowing toward him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ghanjar asked, afraid to believe his thoughts.
Seth looked at all three of his roommates before letting them in on the good news with a smile on his face. "I leveled up today…"
Shocked gasps could be heard from his roommates. "That's way too fast!" Rizar let out a surprised exclamation.
"You're not even fifteen yet, are you?" Ghanjar asked. He seemed to have expected it to an extent.
Only Taro didn't say a word at first. He was smiling. 'He did it way faster than I did.'
"Congratulations! You broke my record." Taro gave Seth a thumbs-up and a smile.
"You held the record?" Seth asked.
"Yeah. I broke Raela's record as I achieved Class Two two months earlier than she did." Taro replied, his face that was mostly expressionless showing traces of pride.
Rachel had broken the record held at the institute for over ten years as she achieved Class Two five months after her fifteenth birthday.
When Raela arrived, she broke the record, as she entered Class Two four months after her fifteenth birthday.
It didn't take long for it to be changed again as it didn't take long before Taro achieved it two months after his birthday.
'I knew he was a monster. He's more of a monster than my sisters.'
If anyone heard Seth's thoughts, they'd yell at him. He was busy complaining about meeting a more monstrous genius than his sisters, but what about him? He had done it before he even clocked fifteen years.
"You're a well-hidden dragon." Seth murmured, his body continuously absorbing mana from the surrounding into his core along with his other roommates.
"He had specifically requested that the principal not help in any way as it would boost his fame if he did." Rizar explained as he leaked a secret of Taro.
"Well, I was just going to ask why the principal didn't support him after all his achievement but you've answered my question before I even asked."
Seth turned to look at Taro. "Why?"
Taro scratched his head before letting out a sigh. "Just because…"
His sentence ended there.
"Ah… I understand." Seth immediately understood. He had also wanted to remain undercover but he seemed to have enemies always after him, unlike Taro who was like a ghost in the class.
Until he started moving around with Seth, Taro was barely known in the class.
"Well then. Thank you for the meal today. It's one of the reasons we're meditating right now as it contains mana that we need to absorb." Rizar spoke up again, his eyes closed this time as he was getting ready to fully immerse himself into the meditation.
"It's also why I could level up. Glad you all enjoyed it. Now, let's get this done." Seth answered as he also closed his eyes, delving deeper into his meditation.
He felt a wave of relaxation wash over him as his meditation turned to sleep without Seth knowing.