It can be said that I managed to establish a weekly regimen:
Morning training with Liam and Nero
Lessons from 8 AM to 3 PM
Additional courses: three in Archery, three in Unarmed Combat, and one in Studies of Breathing Techniques
Ending the day with meditation
This was my intended schedule for the week. But, as with most plans, reality wasn't always ideal.
September 6th
Today was supposed to be an archery-focused day according to my initial plan. However, during our lesson, Mr. Michael announced that our points-based competition would take place after sunset. Those assigned the role of prey, myself included, were given an opportunity to camouflage and hide better, but we also had to hunt at least one seeker and steal their flag to avoid losing the points we'd accumulated.
For me, this competition was important. In the previous lesson, where I had been a seeker, I managed to earn 30 points. Unfortunately, Liam had lost his accumulated points then, so I knew he would likely be targeting me this time—my points were exactly what he needed to catch up.
During the regular part of the lesson, we were given two missions to complete. These missions varied in nature:
Some involved finding medicinal plants or objects without precise locations, adding a layer of difficulty.
For those using ranged weapons, the tasks required hitting specific dummies scattered across the territory. These dummies were nearly identical, with only small symbols marking the correct targets. Their positions changed daily, making detection harder.
The real challenge, however, was time. Each student was required to complete both missions within an hour. The second mission could only be received after completing the first, meaning success often depended on luck.
Liam had luck on his side today. His first mission target was only 1 km from the start, allowing him to finish both tasks with a final time of 35 minutes and 46 seconds. My luck wasn't as good, but I still managed a respectable 39 minutes and 21 seconds. These were considered strong results, given the record time of 30 minutes set by a first-year student in previous years.
Lunaris, on the other hand, wasn't so fortunate. Her time exceeded 45 minutes, which was considered quite poor—especially for someone from a major clan.
The remainder of the lesson was spent on theory and analysis of our performances.
With three hours remaining until the start of the hunt where I'd play the role of prey, I had a busy schedule ahead:
Train at the dojo for at least two hours
Pick up supplies and bring them back to my room
Find a suitable location to set a trap for the competition
Finally, once I returned to my room, I'd have to decide whether to prioritize meditation or sleep.
As soon as the professor announced we were free, I sprinted to the Archery Courses. Time was tight, and every second counted.
Arriving at the dojo, I quickly removed my shoes and headed straight to the archery area. Once there, I positioned myself, stabilized my breathing, and prepared to activate my circuit. Out of habit, I glanced at the chair where Mr. Karlos usually sat to observe my training—and, of course, he was already there.
I could swear he hadn't been there when I entered.
He's definitely not a spirit? It's just impossible for someone to never show even the slightest sign of movement or life.
"Hello," I greeted him, ignoring the unease his presence always brought me.
"Hello," he replied, his voice as monotone as ever. His eyes—lifeless, tired, and intimidating—seemed to pierce right through me.
I turned back to my training, pushing away the discomfort. Today's focus was elemental archery. Unlike before, I knew that simply commanding the element wouldn't work. The movements mattered just as much as the intent.
Grabbing a Ground Quiver full of arrows, I placed it within easy reach and activated my circuit.
Let's start slow, I thought.
With practiced ease, I nocked an arrow, drew the bowstring, and released once it reached optimal tension. My eyes stayed locked on the target as the arrow flew. No sooner had it landed than another arrow was ready, the rhythm of my movements increasing gradually.
As I continued, something began to shift. My hand, guided by my aether, felt a new sensation. The arrow I had just nocked began to glow faintly, surrounded by a swirling green wind formed from my aether. When I released it, the arrow shot forward with far greater speed than any of its predecessors.
But that wasn't the most surprising part.
I watched in awe as wind currents seemed to converge toward the arrow, as though it were a magnet pulling them in. These currents amplified its speed, propelling it faster than I thought possible. The arrow pierced the target cleanly and continued through, embedding itself in the wall behind it—a feat none of my previous arrows had achieved, as they had only ever sunk halfway into the target.
I was about to take a well-deserved break when Mr. Karlos's calm yet commanding voice interrupted me.
"Continue," he said, "and memorize the sensation of how your hand moves. Only now are you starting to learn what it means to shoot a bow."
In real fights, the most important attack is the first one—no one will give me time to stabilize my tempo.
I grabbed another arrow, but this time, the element didn't appear. The same happened with the next three shots. Finally, on the fourth attempt, the green wind once again wrapped around the arrow as I released it.
Concentrate. What do I feel? What exactly is changing?
I focused on my senses without taking my eyes off the target. I felt the wooden floor beneath me, the steady grip of the bow in my left hand, the tension of the bowstring in my right. The cold air pressed against my skin—a stark contrast to the warmth of my hearts, which beat in unison. My aether flowed steadily through my arteries, circulating and wrapping around my body, creating that familiar, protective aura.
As I nocked another arrow, wrapped once more by the green wind, I noticed a faint yet undeniable sensation. It was weak at first, but once I recognized it, it became obvious.
The element is formed from my aether at the surface and the atmospheric aether that I cannot directly control.
I realized that the formation of the element was a combination of natural phenomena and the will of my own aether. The key was balance. While my aether interacted with the atmospheric aether, it could not merge too strongly with the natural forces, or it would dissipate entirely. This discovery highlighted the fragile yet controllable nature of elemental aether.
Once I understood this principle, my arrows wrapped in the green wind became more consistent. Only occasionally did an arrow fail to produce the phenomenon.
Mr. Karlos's calm, steady voice cut through my thoughts.
"Now try using the technique."
I grabbed a new arrow and began charging it with aether. As I drew the bowstring, I tried to maintain the technique, but the tempo I had so carefully honed fell apart. The element didn't appear.
Again and again, I attempted to combine the technique with the element, but it eluded me. The added step of charging the arrow with aether slowed my pace, making me less efficient. Each time, it took one to two extra seconds to fully prepare the arrow for the technique.
Mr. Karlos's voice rang out again, breaking my frustration.
"Why don't you start charging the arrow with aether immediately, before you nock it?"
Yes, that would be better, I thought.
"I'll try now," I said aloud.
The issue stemmed from the fact that the arteries in my right hand are missing compared to my left, making it less efficient for channeling aether. Because of this, I'd grown used to charging the arrows only after I had positioned them on the bow.
With this adjustment, I prepared to find a new rhythm—one where the aether and element could flow seamlessly into my movements.
As I placed my right hand on a new arrow and attempted to transfer aether into it, something unexpected happened. The moment a small amount of aether entered the arrow, the ManaVentis surrounding my hand disappeared. The charged aether dissipated entirely as I lost control over it.
I stopped, frowning. That's not good.
"You don't have aetheric arteries in your right hand, do you?" Mr. Karlos asked in his usual calm voice.
"Yes," I admitted.
"Then you won't be able to channel aether into objects with your right hand, unfortunately."
"But ManaVentis still forms around it," I pointed out. "Even if it's weaker compared to other parts of my body."
"It forms because of the aether being emitted from pores in other areas of your body," he explained. "However, when you attempt to channel that aether into an object, it dissipates. Without its own pores to regenerate the used aether, and because it takes time for aether from other regions to flow there, your control collapses. For now, stick to using your left hand to channel aether and focus on maintaining a steady tempo."
I nodded, processing his advice. As I turned back to the archery range, I noticed the sky growing dimmer. Checking the time, I realized I only had 30 minutes left before the Hunt for Points event began.
"I have to go. We have lessons later today," I said.
"Alright," Mr. Karlos replied. "Until next time."
Quickly, I put my shoes back on and made my way to the lesson area.
When I arrived, I saw a group of people warming up. They were part of the seekers' group. A little further away stood Mr. Michael, observing them. I approached him directly.
"Why are you still here? You only have 15 minutes before they start looking for you," he said, raising an eyebrow.
"I got held back a bit in class," I explained.
"Sure," he replied dismissively, gesturing toward a collection of tools laid out nearby—ropes, knives, and other basic supplies.
"Take what you need for the trap and head out quickly," he instructed.
"I understand," I said with a nod.
I selected a length of rope, a knife, and a bracelet—standard issue for this activity. This time, we weren't allowed to bring weapons.
With the tools in hand, I sprinted toward the forest, knowing I had limited time to prepare for the hunt.