As night approached, Jash arrived at the training ground, finding it deserted.
"Where did he go after calling me?" he muttered, glancing around the training ground.
It was a vast room with white tiles and a transparent rooftop. It was different from the one where he trained with Caera in the morning.
'This is so empty,' noted Jash as he quickly got bored of it.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long, as Carcel arrived shortly after.
He was wearing a white shirt and pants which did not hide his large muscles. His sharp eyes and well-built body made him very imposing to anyone who saw him.
Yet Jash remained unfazed in the presence of his father, instead wondering about Caera. 'She prolly doesn't need it?'
He wasn't sure, as Caera had been training for a year longer and usually with Sera.
His internal pondering was interrupted by Carcel's serene voice. "So you came here yourself?"
Noticing the smirk on his father's face, Jash's lips twitched. 'He really wanted me to not come!'
Though it might seem contradictory to Carcel's calls, Jash knew his father would only be so sure about it after getting his mother's permission.
Since she approved his training, it gave Carcel the right to drag Jash into it if he had to.
'Damn it!' Jash lamented inwardly before responding, "I am here, so tell me what's the training today?"
Carcel's eyebrows rose as he smiled. "Given your lazy attitude over the years, it really is a wonder how you got such talent. Hence, first and foremost, body strengthening exercises."
Jash's barely stable facial expression crumpled upon hearing about the training he would undergo.
'Can't I just learn basic martial arts and then learn some mana technique?' Jash mused, suppressing the urge to voice his complaint.
After all, Jash wouldn't be learning for just a few days. He easily had 2 years before the academy began.
So, he really didn't wish to make his life any tougher than it already was.
"Jash, get ready for training. It won't be easy at all," Carcel grinned as he channeled his mana to activate the rune formations throughout the room.
Not only did it prevent anyone from noticing what was happening inside it, it also functioned as self-repairing and sound-proofing.
This was his extra measure for safety because he was going to make sure Jash didn't lag behind the others in the academy.
Naturally, it wasn't anything fancy but cold hard exercises.
Out of nowhere, Carcel stated, "Remember, the most important thing for a Hunter is not their mana, but their body!"
Jash felt puzzled at the sudden declaration and voiced out his doubt, "Dad, isn't mana more important? One can cast spells or coat their weapons with it. Besides, mana is the cornerstone for one to even awaken, let alone advance their ranks, as a Hunter."
Carcel grinned, "That's what most people think. But if your body isn't sturdy enough to hold the overwhelming mana, what good is it? It might as well be your bane at that point. Although most Hunters deny it, it's the truth."
'Did it seem like I didn't know?' Jash worried if his lie would get caught or not.
After all, he already knew about it and was planning to start today even if his father hadn't called him for the training.
'This just makes things easier, though.' He nodded to himself as it wouldn't matter if he showed better-than-expected results.
However, what if he showed results without undergoing any training?
Now, that would indeed be problematic.
Unaware of his internal agreement, Carcel said sternly, "You might not like the method, but it is what it is."
With that being said, Carcel didn't hesitate and produced a set of training equipment from his storage ring.
Before Jash could make sense of the situation, he felt his wrists and ankles becoming heavy. The feeling only lasted for a second as he directly fell to the ground.
"What...?" he blurted out in surprise before taking note of the weights tied to his ankles and wrists.
He couldn't even move and could only look helplessly at his father, in hopes of getting them removed.
Yet his pleading went unanswered as Carcel didn't even look at him, instead arranging the other equipment as he went on to say, "This will be your personal training room until the Academy Entrance Tests."
Not getting the expected reply, he turned around, only to find Jash sprawled on the ground with a hopeless expression.
"Stop acting. It's not even that heavy! Just some 5 kg per weight," Carcel scolded Jash all the while his eyes twitched at the sight.
'Not heavy, my ass! 5 kg per weight, that's 20 damn kg!!' Jash swallowed his complaints upon seeing his father smile and could only think about them to himself.
With no other option in sight, Jash tried to get up.
However, he kept failing and stumbling until a few dozen tries before barely stabilizing himself.
His arms and feet felt like heavy lead as he couldn't even move them with all of his strength.
As he struggled, the thought of using mana crossed his mind repeatedly, but he restrained himself each time.
If he used mana in a so-called body training, his training might not end until he lost sensation in his entire body.
"Alright, alright. Stop being a crybaby. You have to wear them 24/7 until you get used to them."
Hearing the hope of their removal, Jash felt slightly motivated and better, only for his hope to be drowsed by Carcel's next words.
"After that, I will increase the weight."
'How cruel,' commented Jash inwardly as he went through the torture disguised as training.
It seemed his father decided to go easy on him today and only asked him to get used to weights and run in them.
Believing his training would end soon, Jash pulled through it with his sheer will.
…
After about 15 minutes, Jash could run freely in the weights, as if his body adapted to them.
Carcel grinned at the sight and couldn't help but excitedly say, "Stop!"
Before he could continue, however, he was dumbfounded as Jash literally stopped and laid down on the ground.
He even went to the extent of closing his eyes.
"Who said your training ended?" Carcel said, with a few veins visible on his forehead.
If he planned to end Jash's training before, he really wouldn't end it any time soon after witnessing Jash's pathetic condition.
Unable to refuse, Jash followed along the training session as he continued to jog, run, sprint, and some weight-lifting.
Only after Carcel was satisfied did he nod. "Okay, the basic training is done. Go rest for tomorrow. We will do more advanced training."
Stunned speechless, Jash barely nodded and returned to his room.
Without even having the courage or strength to shower and have dinner, he directly fell on his bed and fell asleep pretty fast.
Although all he did were light exercises, the added 20kg were nothing to scoff at.
Also, since he had never trained even that much, his body wasn't used to it. The result was obvious.
Yet his father thought otherwise.
"His talent is really out of the norm," Carcel muttered to himself in the training ground.
"According to my estimates, he should've collapsed in the first hour only. Yet he completed the entire 3-hour session..."
"Looks like I need to increase the pace."
Jash who was sleeping peacefully suddenly felt a chill go down his spine and felt really uncomfortable for a moment.