Chereads / Empathic Awakened / Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: The Weight of Expectation

Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: The Weight of Expectation

Kai awoke before dawn, a heaviness pressing down on him that had nothing to do with his physical surroundings. The remnants of sleep clung to him, making it hard to shake off the strange dreams he'd had. Flashes of his parents, dungeons filled with shadows, and unfamiliar faces drifted through his mind, but none of it made any sense. 'I can't even get a decent night's rest before training starts,' he thought bitterly, pushing himself out of bed.

His small house felt emptier than usual, the quiet echoing through the rooms as he moved. He went through the motions—dressing, grabbing a quick bite of bread—and all the while, his thoughts were swirling around what lay ahead. Today would be his first real test. Instructor Maiko had made it clear yesterday that their training would push them, and Kai was already dreading what would come next.

'What if I'm not ready?' The thought had been gnawing at him since the moment his hand touched the Awakening Crystal. Watching Kenji smash through the training dummies yesterday only deepened the unease. [Berserker] was a class built for battle, for power. [Empath]… wasn't.

"Stop thinking like that," he muttered to himself, rubbing his face. 'I have to focus. I have to believe that I'll figure this out.' But even as he said it, the doubts remained. [Empathic Mimicry]—an unawakened ability—didn't exactly fill him with confidence. Until he could figure out how to use it, he was stuck relying on [Analysis], a D-rank skill that, while useful, wasn't enough to turn the tide in a fight.

With a sigh, he slipped the Basic Combat Skill Book into his pouch. The knowledge from the night before still hummed faintly in his mind, the movements and techniques feeling more natural than they had before. It wasn't much, but it was something. And for now, that had to be enough.

As Kai stepped outside, the sun had just started to rise, casting a soft golden hue over the village. People were already moving about, some preparing for the day, others talking excitedly about the upcoming training. Kai's stomach twisted at the thought of what lay ahead. 'What if today proves what everyone already thinks? That I'm not strong enough to be an adventurer?'

His feet carried him automatically toward the training grounds, and before long, he spotted Hiroshi waiting near the entrance, his arms crossed and a grin plastered on his face. Hiroshi had always been the more confident of the two, his [Storm Mage] abilities giving him a natural edge in combat.

"Morning, man!" Hiroshi greeted him, clapping him on the shoulder. "Ready to get some actual training in?"

Kai forced a smile. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Hiroshi didn't seem to notice the unease in his voice. "Don't worry. Today's just about figuring out how our abilities work. You'll be fine. And hey, maybe you'll figure out more about that mysterious [Empathic Mimicry] thing."

'Maybe,' Kai thought, though the idea felt more like wishful thinking than anything else. He appreciated Hiroshi's optimism, but there was still too much uncertainty hanging over him. What if his [Empath] class never lived up to its potential? What if he failed today?

As the students gathered at the training grounds, Instructor Maiko stood at the center, her sharp eyes sweeping over the crowd. She wasted no time addressing them, her tone as commanding as ever.

"Today's training will push you beyond what you think you can handle," she began. "The world you've stepped into is unforgiving. Your Gifts and Classes may define your abilities, but it is your skill and determination that will define your survival."

The students stood at attention, tension rippling through the air. Kai's pulse quickened. He could feel the weight of Maiko's words pressing down on him, the same pressure that had kept him awake most of the night.

Maiko gestured toward the far end of the training grounds where several makeshift arenas had been set up. Dummies and targets stood scattered about, but there was also an obstacle course, and—more ominously—a series of combat rings where students would face off against each other.

"We'll begin with combat training," Maiko continued, her voice cutting through the murmurs that had started to spread. "Each of you will be tested on how well you can use your Gift and Class in a fight. This isn't just about raw power—it's about control, precision, and strategy."

'Combat training?' Kai's stomach sank. He wasn't ready to fight. Not yet. [Analysis] could help him understand his opponents, but would that be enough?

"Don't worry, you won't be facing each other just yet," Maiko added, sensing the unease in the crowd. "First, you'll be paired against dummies that have been enhanced with defensive enchantments. They'll simulate the resistance of real opponents. Only after that will you face each other."

Kai let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or anxious that he wouldn't be fighting a classmate right away. 'At least I have a little more time to figure things out,' he thought.

One by one, students were called to the arenas, stepping up to face their enchanted dummies. Kenji, of course, went first, his [Berserker] abilities on full display as he tore through the dummy with raw power. The crowd cheered as he landed blow after blow, the enchanted wood and metal crumbling beneath his strikes.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Kenji shouted, his grin wide as he flexed for the crowd.

Kai watched, his gut twisting. 'I can't compete with that. No amount of strategy can make up for that kind of raw strength.'

Next up was Sakura, her movements a blur as her [Wind Dancer] abilities came into play. She danced around the dummy, using her [Wind Manipulation] to slice through the air with precision. Each gust of wind hit its mark, and soon the dummy lay in pieces at her feet.

"Efficient and controlled," Maiko said with a nod. "Good work, Sakura."

As the training continued, more students demonstrated their abilities, each showing a different approach to combat. Kai watched them all with growing unease. His turn was coming, and he still wasn't sure how to make the most of his abilities.

"Kai Natsume," Maiko called, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You're up."

His heart pounded in his chest as he stepped forward, the eyes of his classmates boring into him. 'Just breathe. You've got this,' he told himself, though the words felt hollow. He approached the dummy, his palms slick with sweat.

'Okay. Start with [Analysis],' he thought, activating the skill.

[Analysis Activated]

Target: Enchanted Dummy

Level: 5

Type: Combat Simulation Dummy

Weaknesses: Blunt force, Lightning-based attacks

Defense: High

Kai's eyes scanned the dummy, absorbing the information. It was a start, but knowing the weaknesses didn't help if he couldn't hit hard enough to exploit them.

'Okay, focus,' he reminded himself, shifting into a basic combat stance that he'd learned from the Basic Combat Skill Book. With a deep breath, he threw a punch, aiming for the dummy's weak point.

His fist connected, but the dummy barely budged. The enchantments held firm, and Kai's strike had little effect. He gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling up inside him. 'Come on. I need to hit harder.'

He tried again, this time following up with a series of kicks, but each strike landed with minimal effect. The dummy remained standing, seemingly unphased.

From the sidelines, Hiroshi called out, "You've got this, Kai! Don't overthink it!"

'Don't overthink it,' Kai repeated in his head. But how could he not? His classmates had all excelled, and here he was, struggling to make a dent in a dummy. His hands clenched into fists, and for a moment, he could feel the emotions of everyone around him—Kenji's smug confidence, Sakura's focused determination, Hiroshi's unwavering support.

Suddenly, that familiar pulse of energy surged through him, the same sensation he'd felt during training the day before. It was faint, but it was there—a connection to the emotions of those around him.

Kai focused, letting the energy flow through him. He couldn't explain how or why, but he could feel their emotions, their power. It was fleeting, but it was enough. He launched another punch, this time with more force behind it. His fist connected, and the dummy rocked back slightly.

'It's working,' Kai thought, his heart racing. 'I can do this.'

He followed up with a swift kick, landing it on the same weak point he'd identified with [Analysis]. The dummy's defenses cracked under the pressure, and a small part of it crumbled away.

"Kai, focus on the emotional connection. Use it," Maiko called out, her eyes sharp as she observed his movements.

Kai took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment as he reached out with his senses. He could feel Hiroshi's encouragement, Sakura's calm focus, even Kenji's raw energy. It was like a current of emotions flowing through him, and he let it guide his next strike.

With a surge of determination, he launched a final punch, his body moving instinctively. His fist connected with the dummy's weak point, and with a loud crack, the enchantments finally gave way. The dummy shattered, splintering into pieces.

The crowd murmured in surprise, and Kai stood there, his heart still racing. He hadn't expected to succeed. He hadn't expected the emotions around him to fuel his strength. But somehow, it had worked.

"Well done," Maiko said, her voice calm but approving. "You're starting to tap into your Gift's potential. Keep honing it."

Kai nodded, though his mind was still spinning. 'What just happened?' he wondered. Was that [Empathic Mimicry]? Or was it something else? Either way, it had worked, and for now, that was enough.

As the day came to a close, Kai found himself sitting alone on a nearby hill, the sun dipping below the horizon. The events of the day played over and over in his mind. He'd managed to tap into something—something powerful. But it was still so uncertain, so vague.

'Is this what my class is supposed to be?' he wondered. 'Am I supposed to rely on other people's emotions for strength?'

A part of him felt conflicted. On one hand, it was encouraging to know that his class had potential, that he wasn't completely helpless. But on the other hand, it meant relying on others in a way that made him feel vulnerable. What if he couldn't always sense their emotions? What if he was alone?

He sighed, lying back on the grass as the stars began to dot the sky. 'I have a long way to go,' he thought. 'But at least I'm not starting from zero.'

End of Chapter 3

This chapter follows Kai as he begins to tap into his [Empathic Mimicry], slowly gaining confidence in his abilities, while still grappling with doubts. Let me know if you'd like any changes or if you'd like to explore certain aspects further!Here's Chapter 3 of Empathic Awakened, following the same pattern as the previous chapters with a minimum of 3000 words, inner thoughts, and square brackets for skills and system messages:

Chapter 3: The Weight of Expectation

Kai awoke before dawn, a heaviness pressing down on him that had nothing to do with his physical surroundings. The remnants of sleep clung to him, making it hard to shake off the strange dreams he'd had. Flashes of his parents, dungeons filled with shadows, and unfamiliar faces drifted through his mind, but none of it made any sense. 'I can't even get a decent night's rest before training starts,' he thought bitterly, pushing himself out of bed.

His small house felt emptier than usual, the quiet echoing through the rooms as he moved. He went through the motions—dressing, grabbing a quick bite of bread—and all the while, his thoughts were swirling around what lay ahead. Today would be his first real test. Instructor Maiko had made it clear yesterday that their training would push them, and Kai was already dreading what would come next.

'What if I'm not ready?' The thought had been gnawing at him since the moment his hand touched the Awakening Crystal. Watching Kenji smash through the training dummies yesterday only deepened the unease. [Berserker] was a class built for battle, for power. [Empath]… wasn't.

"Stop thinking like that," he muttered to himself, rubbing his face. 'I have to focus. I have to believe that I'll figure this out.' But even as he said it, the doubts remained. [Empathic Mimicry]—an unawakened ability—didn't exactly fill him with confidence. Until he could figure out how to use it, he was stuck relying on [Analysis], a D-rank skill that, while useful, wasn't enough to turn the tide in a fight.

With a sigh, he slipped the Basic Combat Skill Book into his pouch. The knowledge from the night before still hummed faintly in his mind, the movements and techniques feeling more natural than they had before. It wasn't much, but it was something. And for now, that had to be enough.

As Kai stepped outside, the sun had just started to rise, casting a soft golden hue over the village. People were already moving about, some preparing for the day, others talking excitedly about the upcoming training. Kai's stomach twisted at the thought of what lay ahead. 'What if today proves what everyone already thinks? That I'm not strong enough to be an adventurer?'

His feet carried him automatically toward the training grounds, and before long, he spotted Hiroshi waiting near the entrance, his arms crossed and a grin plastered on his face. Hiroshi had always been the more confident of the two, his [Storm Mage] abilities giving him a natural edge in combat.

"Morning, man!" Hiroshi greeted him, clapping him on the shoulder. "Ready to get some actual training in?"

Kai forced a smile. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Hiroshi didn't seem to notice the unease in his voice. "Don't worry. Today's just about figuring out how our abilities work. You'll be fine. And hey, maybe you'll figure out more about that mysterious [Empathic Mimicry] thing."

'Maybe,' Kai thought, though the idea felt more like wishful thinking than anything else. He appreciated Hiroshi's optimism, but there was still too much uncertainty hanging over him. What if his [Empath] class never lived up to its potential? What if he failed today?

As the students gathered at the training grounds, Instructor Maiko stood at the center, her sharp eyes sweeping over the crowd. She wasted no time addressing them, her tone as commanding as ever.

"Today's training will push you beyond what you think you can handle," she began. "The world you've stepped into is unforgiving. Your Gifts and Classes may define your abilities, but it is your skill and determination that will define your survival."

The students stood at attention, tension rippling through the air. Kai's pulse quickened. He could feel the weight of Maiko's words pressing down on him, the same pressure that had kept him awake most of the night.

Maiko gestured toward the far end of the training grounds where several makeshift arenas had been set up. Dummies and targets stood scattered about, but there was also an obstacle course, and—more ominously—a series of combat rings where students would face off against each other.

"We'll begin with combat training," Maiko continued, her voice cutting through the murmurs that had started to spread. "Each of you will be tested on how well you can use your Gift and Class in a fight. This isn't just about raw power—it's about control, precision, and strategy."

'Combat training?' Kai's stomach sank. He wasn't ready to fight. Not yet. [Analysis] could help him understand his opponents, but would that be enough?

"Don't worry, you won't be facing each other just yet," Maiko added, sensing the unease in the crowd. "First, you'll be paired against dummies that have been enhanced with defensive enchantments. They'll simulate the resistance of real opponents. Only after that will you face each other."

Kai let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or anxious that he wouldn't be fighting a classmate right away. 'At least I have a little more time to figure things out,' he thought.

One by one, students were called to the arenas, stepping up to face their enchanted dummies. Kenji, of course, went first, his [Berserker] abilities on full display as he tore through the dummy with raw power. The crowd cheered as he landed blow after blow, the enchanted wood and metal crumbling beneath his strikes.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Kenji shouted, his grin wide as he flexed for the crowd.

Kai watched, his gut twisting. 'I can't compete with that. No amount of strategy can make up for that kind of raw strength.'

Next up was Sakura, her movements a blur as her [Wind Dancer] abilities came into play. She danced around the dummy, using her [Wind Manipulation] to slice through the air with precision. Each gust of wind hit its mark, and soon the dummy lay in pieces at her feet.

"Efficient and controlled," Maiko said with a nod. "Good work, Sakura."

As the training continued, more students demonstrated their abilities, each showing a different approach to combat. Kai watched them all with growing unease. His turn was coming, and he still wasn't sure how to make the most of his abilities.

"Kai Natsume," Maiko called, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You're up."

His heart pounded in his chest as he stepped forward, the eyes of his classmates boring into him. 'Just breathe. You've got this,' he told himself, though the words felt hollow. He approached the dummy, his palms slick with sweat.

'Okay. Start with [Analysis],' he thought, activating the skill.

[Analysis Activated]

Target: Enchanted Dummy

Level: 5

Type: Combat Simulation Dummy

Weaknesses: Blunt force, Lightning-based attacks

Defense: High

Kai's eyes scanned the dummy, absorbing the information. It was a start, but knowing the weaknesses didn't help if he couldn't hit hard enough to exploit them.

'Okay, focus,' he reminded himself, shifting into a basic combat stance that he'd learned from the Basic Combat Skill Book. With a deep breath, he threw a punch, aiming for the dummy's weak point.

His fist connected, but the dummy barely budged. The enchantments held firm, and Kai's strike had little effect. He gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling up inside him. 'Come on. I need to hit harder.'

He tried again, this time following up with a series of kicks, but each strike landed with minimal effect. The dummy remained standing, seemingly unphased.

From the sidelines, Hiroshi called out, "You've got this, Kai! Don't overthink it!"

'Don't overthink it,' Kai repeated in his head. But how could he not? His classmates had all excelled, and here he was, struggling to make a dent in a dummy. His hands clenched into fists, and for a moment, he could feel the emotions of everyone around him—Kenji's smug confidence, Sakura's focused determination, Hiroshi's unwavering support.

Suddenly, that familiar pulse of energy surged through him, the same sensation he'd felt during training the day before. It was faint, but it was there—a connection to the emotions of those around him.

Kai focused, letting the energy flow through him. He couldn't explain how or why, but he could feel their emotions, their power. It was fleeting, but it was enough. He launched another punch, this time with more force behind it. His fist connected, and the dummy rocked back slightly.

'It's working,' Kai thought, his heart racing. 'I can do this.'

He followed up with a swift kick, landing it on the same weak point he'd identified with [Analysis]. The dummy's defenses cracked under the pressure, and a small part of it crumbled away.

"Kai, focus on the emotional connection. Use it," Maiko called out, her eyes sharp as she observed his movements.

Kai took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment as he reached out with his senses. He could feel Hiroshi's encouragement, Sakura's calm focus, even Kenji's raw energy. It was like a current of emotions flowing through him, and he let it guide his next strike.

With a surge of determination, he launched a final punch, his body moving instinctively. His fist connected with the dummy's weak point, and with a loud crack, the enchantments finally gave way. The dummy shattered, splintering into pieces.

The crowd murmured in surprise, and Kai stood there, his heart still racing. He hadn't expected to succeed. He hadn't expected the emotions around him to fuel his strength. But somehow, it had worked.

"Well done," Maiko said, her voice calm but approving. "You're starting to tap into your Gift's potential. Keep honing it."

Kai nodded, though his mind was still spinning. 'What just happened?' he wondered. Was that [Empathic Mimicry]? Or was it something else? Either way, it had worked, and for now, that was enough.

As the day came to a close, Kai found himself sitting alone on a nearby hill, the sun dipping below the horizon. The events of the day played over and over in his mind. He'd managed to tap into something—something powerful. But it was still so uncertain, so vague.

'Is this what my class is supposed to be?' he wondered. 'Am I supposed to rely on other people's emotions for strength?'

A part of him felt conflicted. On one hand, it was encouraging to know that his class had potential, that he wasn't completely helpless. But on the other hand, it meant relying on others in a way that made him feel vulnerable. What if he couldn't always sense their emotions? What if he was alone?

He sighed, lying back on the grass as the stars began to dot the sky. 'I have a long way to go,' he thought. 'But at least I'm not starting from zero.'