The sun had barely risen over Velcrest Academy, casting long shadows across the vast training fields. Despite the early hour, over fifty first-year students had already gathered at the training grounds, standing in scattered groups, stretching or rubbing sleep from their eyes.

Arthur and Finn arrived early, standing near the front with relaxed postures. Finn let out a yawn, cracking his neck as he scanned the large open field. It was a massive space, bordered by dense trees on one side and academy buildings on the other. At the center stood a raised platform, where instructors would no doubt address the students.

“Man, I don’t know what they’re planning for us today, but I have a bad feeling about this,” Finn muttered, crossing his arms.

Arthur smiled and replied. “Well…we just have to go with the flow.”

Before Finn could retort, heavy footsteps echoed across the grounds. The murmurs died down as a towering figure strode into view. The man was a beast of muscle, a mountain of strength wrapped in a sleeveless black uniform. 

His exposed arms were thick with veins, his skin weathered like hardened leather. A scar ran down the left side of his face, just missing his sharp green eyes. His short, dark hair was streaked with silver at the temples, and he carried himself with the confidence of a veteran warrior.

The man stopped in front of the students, arms crossed. His gaze swept over them, sharp and calculating, as if assessing their worth in a single glance. Then, in a deep, rumbling voice, he spoke.

“My name is Garrick Glynehal. From today onward, I will be overseeing your morning training. You can address me as Instructor Garrick” His voice carried effortlessly across the field.

“Before you start waving magic around like fools, you need to understand one thing.” He raised a fist and clenched it tightly letting mana cover it. “Mana is power. But power without control leads towards destruction. And control…” He pointed his thumb against his chest. “…begins with the body.”

A few students exchanged confused glances, but Garrick continued.

“Your bodies are the vessels that channel mana. The stronger the vessel, the greater the power it can contain. If you push mana through a weak body, it will tear you apart from the inside. Muscles will cramp, bones will strain, and if you’re reckless enough, your own magic will kill you.”

Some students stiffened at his words. Others scoffed quietly, believing magic alone was enough. Garrick’s sharp eyes caught them immediately.

“I see some of you think you’re exceptions. Let me make this clear…you’re not.” His voice turned cold. “You can have all the talent in the world, but without a strong body, you will never reach the peak of magic.”

He paused, letting the words sink in before he continued.

“For the next three months, every morning from seven to ten, you will train your bodies. You will run, lift, and push yourselves beyond your limits. Only then will you be worthy of learning magic.”

A few groans rose from the crowd, but Garrick ignored them.

“Your first task is simple.” He turned, pointing toward the massive training field. The dirt track surrounding it stretched far and wide. “This track is roughly two kilometers in circumference. You will run twenty laps starting now!” [A/N: 1.24 miles]

The moment the number was spoken, several students paled. A few even gasped.

“Twenty laps?!” someone exclaimed.

“That’s forty kilometers!” another student shouted in disbelief. [A/N:24.85 miles]

Garrick’s face remained impassive. “Good. You can count. Now start running.”

A few students hesitated, waiting for further instructions. Garrick’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Did I stutter?”

That was enough. The students broke into motion, some taking off at a sprint, others pacing themselves. The sound of dozens of feet hitting the ground filled the air.

…

At first, everything seemed fine. The more athletic students kept a steady pace, while some of the more inexperienced ones sprinted ahead, eager to prove their worth.

Arthur and Finn took a casual start, jogging at an even rhythm.

“This is gonna suck,” Finn muttered, already feeling the strain.

By the fifth lap, the field was already separating into groups. Those who had started at a sprint were now slowing down, struggling for breath. Their faces were red, and their steps grew heavier. Garrick had noticed, but he said nothing. He believed that learning from mistakes is one of the best ways to move ahead in life.

Arthur glanced around. The noble-borns were doing relatively well, most had received physical training growing up. The noble girl with White level talent was far ahead of everyone, maintaining a controlled but impressive speed. The commoner boy with White level talent was in the middle, keeping a steady rhythm. Meanwhile, many others were beginning to drop back, their lack of endurance catching up to them.

By the tenth lap, students were panting heavily, their legs burning.

Arthur, however, was completely unaffected. His enhanced body could handle far worse than this, and he hadn’t even started pushing himself. He jogged comfortably, keeping pace with Finn, who was faring better than most.

As Arthur reached the commoner boy with White level talent, the boy turned his head slightly, noticing him for the first time. His sharp eyes took in Arthur’s effortless stride, no heavy breathing, no visible sweat.

The boy blinked in surprise. “You’re… not even tired?”

Arthur gave a small shrug. “Not really.”

The boy studied him for a moment before nodding. “I’m Leon.”

“Arthur,” he replied simply.

Finn, catching up, grinned. “And I’m Finn. Since we’re all suffering together, might as well get to know each other, right?”

Leon smirked. “You call this suffering?”

Finn let out a dry laugh. “Oh, don’t worry, it’ll get worse.”

Leon chuckled but kept running. “You’re different,” he said, glancing at Arthur. “Most people with high talent don’t have blank affinity.”

Finn groaned dramatically. “Alright, enough smart talk. Let’s focus on not dying, yeah?”

The three laughed and continued running, the sounds of struggling students echoing behind them. Garrick stood watching, arms crossed, a knowing look in his eyes.

…

The noble girl with White level talent was the first to complete the twenty laps. Despite the grueling distance, she barely looked exhausted, her composed expression never wavering. She slowed her pace only after crossing the finish line, placing her hands on her hips as she caught her breath. A few of the more physically trained nobles weren’t far behind, their disciplined backgrounds allowing them to endure the challenge better than most.

Arthur’s group finished next. Finn was breathing heavily, sweat trickling down his forehead, but he forced a grin as he crossed the line. Leon, while tired, still had enough energy to stand tall, though his shirt clung to him with sweat. Arthur, on the other hand, looked completely unaffected. He could have run twice the distance and still not felt the strain.

More students trickled in, some stumbling as they finished their final lap, their faces contorted in exhaustion. Others collapsed the moment they crossed the line, gasping for air and clutching their aching legs.

By the time most of the students dragged themselves to the finish, the sun was already climbing higher in the sky, marking the approach of ten o’clock. However, there were still a handful of students who hadn’t completed all twenty laps, struggling along the track with sheer determination but little energy left to give. Their steps were sluggish, and a few looked ready to collapse.

Instructor Garrick, who had been silently observing the entire time, narrowed his eyes as he took stock of the students. His gaze lingered on Arthur, who stood with a relaxed posture, not even winded. The sheer contrast between him and the others was impossible to ignore.

“You.” Garrick’s deep voice cut through the air as he turned to Arthur. “Do you practice martial arts?”

Arthur met his gaze calmly. He could tell that Garrick was looking for an explanation for his absurd endurance, but there was no need to complicate things. So, he simply gave a small nod. “Yes.”

Garrick studied him for a moment longer, his expression unreadable, before he gave a grunt of approval and turned his attention back to the remaining students.

“That’s enough,” he announced. “Those of you still running…stop where you are.”

The exhausted students, though reluctant to fall short of the requirement, obeyed, dropping to their knees or bending over as they sucked in deep breaths.

Garrick waited a few seconds before addressing the entire class. “Listen up. Some of you handled this challenge well. Others struggled, and a few barely scraped by.” His sharp gaze swept across the crowd. “That’s fine. You’ll improve, or you’ll break trying. Either way, you will not remain weak.”

A few students shivered at the cold certainty in his voice.

“For those of you who couldn’t finish, your mistake was in how you approached the run. Speed doesn’t matter if you burn out before the end. Stamina conservation is key.” He continued after a few seconds. “Control your breathing. Regulate your pace. Do not let your pride dictate your effort, let discipline do that instead.”

He let the words sink in before continuing, “Tomorrow, we start again at seven sharp. If you’re late, you will regret joining Velcrest Academy.”

Silence hung in the air, the students already dreading what punishment Garrick might have in store.

“Your classes begin at eleven,” he finished. “Dismissed.”

Relieved murmurs spread through the crowd as students slowly began dispersing. Some limped away, others dragged themselves toward the dorms, eager to clean up and recover before their first academic lessons.

Arthur, Finn, and Leon walked together toward their respective dorms. Finn let out a deep groan, rubbing his sore legs. “I swear that man is a demon in human form.”

Leon nodded. “He’s strict, but he knows what he’s doing.”

Arthur glanced toward the training grounds as they walked. Garrick had already turned away. There was no doubt in Arthur’s mind that the man was going to push the students to their limits every single morning.

“First three months are common classes,” Leon said, changing the topic. “Then we get split into specialized courses based on our affinities.”

Finn rolled his shoulders. “Which means we better enjoy this free time while we can.”

Arthur nodded, filing the information away. Though he had no recognized affinity, he would figure out a way to work around it when the time came.

Once they reached the dorms, they quickly washed up, changed into fresh clothes, and made their way toward the classrooms. The academy halls were bustling with students, some chatting excitedly, others dragging their feet from exhaustion.

When they finally entered their assigned lecture hall, they found seats near the middle. The room steadily filled, students taking their places as the clock neared eleven.

Arthur scanned the crowd, taking note of the noble girl with White level talent sitting gracefully near the front. Her posture was perfect, her expression calm and composed, as if the morning’s grueling run had been nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

At exactly eleven o’clock, the door swung open, and a woman strode inside.

She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with shoulder-length auburn hair neatly tied back. Her emerald-green eyes were sharp yet warm, giving off an air of quiet confidence. She wore a crisp instructor’s uniform, fitting her slender but athletic frame.

She reached the podium and placed a hand on it, surveying the class before speaking.

“Good morning,” she said, her voice smooth and clear. “I am Professor Elaine Roth, and I will be your homeroom teacher for your first year here at Velcrest Academy.”

A murmur spread through the class. Some students nodded in recognition, others whispered among themselves.

Professor Roth took out a list and began the roll call. 

“Eva Rosewood,” the professor called.

The noble girl with White level talent raised her hand slightly, her voice calm. “Present.”

Arthur committed the name to memory. ‘So that’s her name.’

“Leonardo Caldwell”

Leon raised his hands and said, “Present.”

“Natalya Velorin,”

A shy looking girl with silver blonde hair raised her hands, “Present.”

Arthur remembered Finn saying something about her, this girl has Blue level talent. But because there were two people with White level talent, she was mostly ignored. Though Blue level talent was also rare to see, from the fact she was the only one with Blue level talent in their class. Arthur took note of that.

When his own name was called, he answered simply, drawing no particular attention.

Once roll call was finished, Professor Roth closed the list and smiled slightly. “Now, I’m sure many of you are eager to begin your studies. However…” She leaned against the podium. “Today, you’re getting a break.”

The room went completely silent for a moment before a wave of surprised murmurs filled the air.

Finn blinked. “Wait… seriously?”

Professor Roth nodded. “Your classes will follow the schedule starting tomorrow. Use today to explore the academy, familiarize yourselves with the layout, and get some rest. You’ll need it.”

A few students cheered quietly, relieved to have a day off after the morning ordeal.

“Dismissed,” Professor Roth said with a smile before walking out.

As soon as she left, Finn turned to Arthur and Leon with a wide grin. “Alright, now this I can get behind.”

Leon chuckled. “I suppose we should make good use of this time.”

Arthur simply nodded, and suggested they go and submit the fees and collect their uniform first.

***

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