Adam woke up to the chirps of spring crickets. The pink light of dawn had yet to drive the night's darkness back, as he had wanted.
Sliding off the comfortable blanket, he freshened up, then buttoned his white shirt. The necktie dangled loosely as he wrapped himself in the college's warm, dark robes and left.
Though the dormitory's silence reminded him of a crypt, he saw shadows dance in the soft light filtering beneath the doors of the most diligent students. The lounge was similar in its natural serenity. The silvery glow of the moon illuminated the sofas, drawing pale patterns on their otherwise colorful fabrics.
Like yesterday, he sank into the softness of the beige one, arms sprawled on the polished wooden back. He closed his eyes in wait, the peace making him smile. No Teacher Louis, mysterious room, or golem to defeat in twelve days. He simply unburdened his mind.
For a few precious minutes, silence. Then, the staircase creaked beneath the small feet of Quintella. She peeked cautiously through the bars of the handrail until their gazes met. She rushed at him.
A bright smile curved her lips as she hugged him. "You beat me again!" she whispered, pulling back to straighten her shirt. "I really tried this time. Went to bed the second my head hit the pillow. Am I late?"
Adam patted her blond hair, shaking his head. "I know boys older than you who can't wake up early." He rose and held her hand. "Keep the same enthusiasm after your first day, and you might become my best student."
She raised her free hand eagerly, and they left the dormitory. They crossed the college garden. The helix of petals ruffled their hair like the spell of a mischievous fairy. They tasted the sweet dew and smelled the fragrant nectar until they halted before the training ground.
Beaten earth replaced grass, pull-up bars the trees, and weights the flowers.
"It's ours until sunrise," Adam grinned, clapping his hands. "Warm up first. I'll teach you how to strengthen your muscles with mana later. I know you'll do your best, Quintella, but not for the right reason."
Quintella's eager smile twitched. "Putting Grimhild in her place, avoiding punishment, and becoming like you. Are there better reasons?" she started, counting on her fingers.
Adam grabbed her wrist gently and curved her fingers until they formed a fist. "There are countless reasons, but only one true drive that won't betray you." He pointed at her heart. "You don't train to protect others or defeat enemies. You train to become better than you were yesterday."
Quintella's eyes widened. "Like cultivators!"
"Like cultivators." Adam nodded. "Don't compare yourself with the other students, Quintella. Let them mock you if they're that petty. They don't matter—what does is my promise: you'll surpass most of them if you focus on yourself."
"I trust you, big brother." With a grin, she retrieved Bao from her robes pocket and put her on the ground.
Adam glared at the baby panda as Bao glanced around curiously. "Why did you bring her?"
"Bao will train to become strong with me." Quintella simply tilted her head. "She can't?"
Her naïve question prickled his heart with an innocent needle, and for a moment, he remained silent. Eventually, he sighed. "Let her train at her own pace and don't fool around. Now run until you can't anymore." He glanced at Bao, whose dark eyes sparkled with intelligence. "The two of you. Don't disturb her."
"Yay! Let's go, Bao!" Quintella raised her fist and bolted around the field, followed by a curious Bao.
Lips curved, he watched them sweat together. When they reached their third lap, Quintella bent over her kneecaps.
The air felt like acid, and her muscles burned as if fire replaced blood in her veins. Yet, she puffed her chest when he clapped. Even if she had done worse than when Grimhilde's whips threatened her back, he knew she had given her all.
"Good," he declared, walking to her. His hand met her shoulder, and he helped her walk at a slow, steady pace. "Don't stop abruptly, but walk to ease blood flow. I'll help you recover while teaching you."
Verdant light coated his palm in mana that thrummed with vitality. It seeped into her wounded muscles with each step they took, repairing damaged fibers.
"The key is to guide mana into your muscles during effort. Organs are muscles, too, so don't neglect them, especially not your heart." He placed his hand on her back. "Focus on the feelings."
He sent a wisp of pure mana into her, and she knotted her brow over her closed eyes. Though her mana circuits were active, she had never truly drawn mana. The sensation was alien, like a wisp of warm energy brushing the inside of her back. She shivered, not in dread, but comfort as she felt the wisp scatter into rain. Wherever they fell, her body drained every bit of it like parched earth.
She realised the run was like a drought and mana a fresh spring. But not only. There was a calculated pattern in the chaotic fall of the rain. "Mhm." She let out a delighted sigh. "I understand. Well, not entirely, but I think I could do it myself if you show me a few more times."
"Step by step, Quintella. Don't rush it," he smiled and nudged her beneath the lowest pull-up bars that barely reached her shoulders. "Now that you're warm, we'll work on your endurance."
"Ah? Sarah told me about weight training. Shouldn't I start with that?"
He shook his head, his voice gentle but firm. "It'll hurt your growth. I can heal you, but why bother when other methods work just as well? This'll be comprehensive training, during which you'll not only grow stronger, but learn to defend, strike, dodge, and parry."
He crouched low and jerked his head to the right of the bar. Then, he took a step while weaving his head left. "That's our first exercise. Imagine the bar is a fist you must dodge to approach your adversary."
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AN: I'll likely summarise the rest of the training to jump into Diane's class unless you want to read more about it.