Kairo stood in the center of the room, the familiar weight of his aura pressing down on him. His body ached from the previous training, but his mind was sharp, focused. His hands clenched, and he could feel the slight tingling of his aura under his skin, a constant reminder that his mastery of Ren was still a distant goal.
Roderick stood in the corner of the room, watching, arms crossed. His presence was ever-looming, always silent, always judging. Kairo could feel the man's eyes boring into him, weighing every second, every breath he took.
"You've made progress," Roderick said finally, breaking the silence. "But progress means nothing unless you can control it. I don't need power without precision."
Kairo inhaled deeply, steadying his thoughts. He had been practicing Ren for weeks now, but every time he thought he had gained control, it slipped away. He wasn't fast enough. His bursts were either too small to matter or too overwhelming to control. It was a constant cycle of failure.
Roderick's voice cut through his thoughts. "Today, we test that precision. I'm going to make you think, Kairo. The next step isn't just about releasing energy. It's about using it intelligently."
Kairo nodded. He had learned not to argue with Roderick, especially not when it came to training. He had to prove himself—he knew that. It wasn't about what Roderick wanted to see; it was about what Kairo needed to achieve.
"Ready yourself," Roderick said, his tone devoid of emotion. "You're going to face a real test today. And you're going to do it with Ren."
Before Kairo could respond, Roderick snapped his fingers. The room around him seemed to shift—faint, ghostly shapes materialized from the air, their edges blurry and translucent. They were dummies—illusions at first glance—but as they took form, their movements became strangely realistic, with enough weight and aggression to test Kairo's defenses.
The figures moved with surprising speed, attacking Kairo from every angle, their strikes calculated and quick. They weren't lifeless; they were as real as any opponent Kairo had faced, except for the faint shimmer in the air surrounding them. It was Roderick's doing, Kairo realized.
Instinctively, Kairo shifted into a defensive stance, preparing himself. His first impulse was to strike, to use a burst of Ren to push them back, but he hesitated. He remembered Roderick's words: precision.
Kairo focused inward, gathering his aura, letting it build slowly. He had to feel the pressure again, to control the flow. As one of the figures lunged at him, Kairo released a controlled burst of energy, using Ren to deflect the attack. The force was enough to send the dummy stumbling back, but the control wasn't there. He hadn't been precise enough.
Another figure lunged, this time faster. Kairo didn't have time to think. His hand moved instinctively, pushing another burst of energy outward, but it wasn't focused—it scattered.
The figures kept coming, relentless, forcing Kairo into a frantic dance of defense. He could feel his breath coming faster, his chest tightening with each failed attempt. With every burst of energy, he realized he was missing the mark. He was too reckless.
"Stop," Roderick's voice rang out, cold and sharp.
Kairo froze. The figures disappeared in an instant, leaving only silence. His body trembled from the effort, sweat clinging to his skin. He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears, the weight of failure pressing down on him.
Roderick approached slowly, his eyes narrowed with calculation. "You're too eager again. You release the energy without understanding the moment."
Kairo swallowed, pushing his frustration down. "I tried."
"Trying isn't enough," Roderick said, his voice almost a whisper now, but the disappointment was clear. "You think Ren is just about power. But it's not. It's about control over that power. You need to think before you act. Use your mind before your body."
Kairo nodded, swallowing the sharp sting of failure. His muscles burned, and his mind raced. He understood what Roderick was saying, but how? How could he possibly control something that felt so powerful, so unruly?
"Let me show you," Roderick said. His voice dropped lower, and in the blink of an eye, he moved.
Kairo barely had time to react as Roderick closed the distance between them. A burst of energy slammed into him, so intense that it pushed him back, knocking the wind out of his chest. Kairo fell to the ground, gasping for air.
Roderick stood above him, his expression unchanged. "You see? I didn't have to overwhelm you. It was focused. It was precise. You need to understand Ren the way I do. It's not a force you unleash blindly—it's an extension of your mind."
Kairo struggled to catch his breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. The intensity of Roderick's energy lingered in his body, a stark reminder of how far he had to go.
Roderick took a step back, giving Kairo a moment to compose himself. "You're not ready for the next phase of training just yet, but I will prepare you. The next step is endurance—you will learn to hold Ren for as long as possible. This is about more than power; it's about sustaining control. We will go deeper into your endurance, and you will build the stamina to last longer."
Kairo stood, wiping the sweat from his brow, determination rising within him. He could feel his aura swirling inside of him, hungry for control. He would find it. He had to.