As Pao finished her count Amukelo's eyes flickered open, as usual. At first, there was nothing but a tense anticipation hanging between them, but suddenly, a massive stream of energy erupted from him, illuminating the backyard with an ethereal glow. The force of the release caused the grass around him to swirl as if caught in a silent whirlwind.
Pao, taken aback by the unexpected magnitude of the display, instinctively stepped back, her eyes widening in sheer amazement. Amukelo, equally surprised, turned his hands over, inspecting them as if they were new to him. He felt a rush of power coursing through his veins, a raw and untamed force that was both exhilarating and slightly intimidating.
"Now, try to condense some of that energy into your fist," Pao instructed her voice a mixture of excitement and caution.
Amukelo focused, his gaze intense. His fist began to glow with a faint light, a visible manifestation of his effort to control the mana. However, as quickly as it appeared, the light vanished, leaving a trace of warmth in his hand but no visible sign of power.
Despite the disappearance of the light, Pao jumped with excitement, clapping her hands together. "You succeeded, Amu!" she exclaimed. "And not just that, you also have massive reserves of mana. Look at how much smaller mine is." To illustrate her point, she released her own mana, producing a stream of energy that, while impressive, was noticeably smaller than Amukelo's.
Amukelo looked on, his admiration for Pao's abilities undimmed by the comparison. "It's amazing how easily you can release that mana," he commented, his voice filled with newfound respect.
Pao smiled warmly at him, "You'll get there, I'm sure of it. And sooner than you think. Considering how little you knew about mana and how large your reserves are, you're progressing incredibly fast."
Encouraged, Amukelo half-joked, "Who knows, maybe I'll use a sword and a magic staff in the future." His laughter suggested he didn't entirely believe in the feasibility of his own suggestion.
Pao, perhaps influenced by the wine, took his words more seriously than intended. "I think you should," she said earnestly. "I can imagine you crushing your opponents in melee combat and then following up with powerful wind blades."
Amukelo laughed, entertained by the idea, but then turned back to the practicalities. "Should we try again?" he asked, eager to continue their practice.
Pao shook her head, her practical side taking over. "It's your first time trying; it's most likely that you'll need to rest before you can do it again. Besides, it's getting late, and I assume you'll train tomorrow anyway, even if we stayed up late."
Amukelo rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, chuckling. "Yeah, you're right," he admitted.
"Let's call it a day," Pao suggested, her tone gentle yet firm. "And I would call it a successful day."
The following day was very intense for Amukelo. Starting early in the morning, he and Padrin met with their designated teacher at the training facility, an experienced instructor known for his stringent and effective teaching methods. As the training session commenced, Amukelo quickly realized the value of having an attentive guide. The teacher was meticulous, able to spot subtle flaws in posture or technique that neither Amukelo nor Padrin could detect on their own.
As they practiced, the teacher interjected with sharp critiques and commendations. Whenever Amukelo or Padrin repeated a mistake, the teacher imposed small penalties—additional drills, or repeating the sequence until it was nearly flawless. This approach kept them on their toes, deeply aware of each movement's purpose and execution. It wasn't just about correction but also about understanding why a move was effective or why it failed, which significantly deepened Amukelo's comprehension of combat.
During one particularly challenging drill, when Amukelo executed a complex combination with minimal errors, the teacher paused the session to discuss it. He explained how the precise alignment of Amukelo's body and the timing of his strikes lessened the impact of his lack of power and speed relative to Padrin. This insight was a breakthrough for Amukelo, showing him that technique could indeed make up for other deficiencies.
Meanwhile, Bral and Idin observed from the sidelines, absorbing every critique and piece of advice given. They didn't want to interrupt the focused atmosphere but found themselves mentally noting down observations to apply to their own practices. Inspired by what they saw, they eventually moved to another part of the facility to do the same rigorous self-analysis to their training. They adopted the one-combination-followed-by-feedback format, discovering quickly that this method significantly accelerated their understanding and skill adaptation.
Hours later, as the session wrapped up and Amukelo's body ached from the relentless training, he found a different kind of challenge awaiting him in the inn's backyard. Pao was already there, waiting for him. They began the magic training with a review of the basics, which Pao insisted was crucial before attempting to channel mana again. Despite his fatigue, Amukelo was eager to make progress in this discipline.
Initially, his attempts to release mana were clumsy and short-lived. His concentration faltered repeatedly under the weight of physical exhaustion and the frustration of repeated failures. However, after a short rest and some gentle encouragement from Pao, Amukelo managed to successfully release a steady stream of mana. This time, he focused not on the power of the release but on maintaining it consistently. He managed to sustain the flow for around a minute.
Flushed with success, Amukelo tried to replicate the achievement, but his following attempts were less successful. His energy reserves were clearly depleted, and no amount of mental fortitude could overcome the physical exhaustion.
Pao suggested they conclude the session. "You've done incredibly well today," she assured him, her voice warm with pride. "Let's rest now. You need to recover if you're going to keep improving at this rate."
Over the course of several weeks, Amukelo and his companions experienced remarkable growth and change. The intense training sessions with Padrin had brought Amukelo closer to his partner's skill level. Although he had not yet bested Padrin in a sparring match, the duels had become increasingly competitive, with both participants now fighting under standard duel rules, aiming for strikes that could be considered potentially fatal in a real combat scenario.
Amukelo's progress was evident; he occasionally managed to land hits on Padrin, though none were critical. Meanwhile, Bral and Idin, inspired by Amukelo's advice, accelerated their growth, which allowed them to have individual training like Amukelo and Padrin. They chose to partner up together.
As the initial funds from their large betting win began to dwindle, the group resumed undertaking quests. The return to active adventuring brought a refreshed sense of purpose and helped stabilize their finances. Simultaneously, Pao dedicated herself to expanding her mana reserves, motivated by the revelation of Amukelo's substantial innate capacity. Through rigorous practice, she significantly increased her own reserves, narrowing the gap between her and Amukelo.
Amukelo himself made considerable strides in his magical training. He reached a point where he could reliably release and manipulate his mana, though he was still far from casting any spells. The progress was steady, and every small advance brought him closer to integrating magic into his combat style.
Bao also pursued her own path of improvement. With no dedicated facility for archery training available, she leveraged her old noble connections to access seasoned archers who could provide advanced personal instruction. Her skills with the bow improved markedly, enhancing her contributions to the guild's endeavors.
The guild as a whole was increasing through the silver rank at a very fast pace, getting them closer to the golden rank. Individual progress was mirrored by their collective rise, with each member advancing through the silver rank at a commendable pace.
After about two and a half months of intense growth and learning, Padrin announced that he would be departing on the mission with his primary guild, the Hummingblades. The mission was expected to take him away for anywhere between one to three months.
As Padrin prepared to leave, he gave Amukelo some more advice. The guild gathered to bid him farewell, promising to maintain their progress and look forward to his return.