At the end of the first week at Velcrest Academy. Arthur sat cross-legged on his bed in the dormitory, eyes closed, his breathing steady. It was deep into the night, the academy grounds quiet save for the occasional gust of wind rustling through the trees outside. A faint, steady glow surrounded his body – his mana, pulsing in rhythmic waves.

For the past week, he had been refining his control, absorbing mana and compressing it within his core. But he knew that merely gathering and compressing mana wasn’t enough. To reach the First Circle, he needed to refine his control, to mold his mana into something more structured, something stable.

The instructors at the academy had emphasized that forming the First Circle wasn’t just about brute force or sheer mana accumulation. It required finesse, a deeper understanding of one’s internal flow.

Arthur focused inward, peering into the depths of his mana core. Within his dantian, he could sense a dense sphere of energy, shining like a miniature sun. Over the past week, he had been pushing it further, compressing the energy, solidifying it. But now, he has reached the final step.

He extended his will, guiding the mana. Slowly, with meticulous precision, he began to direct the dense energy outward, weaving it into a circular form around his core. It was a delicate process, any mistake, any lack of control, and the mana would collapse back into an unstable state.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he gritted his teeth, his fingers clenching into fists. The pressure within his body increased, his core pulsing violently, resisting the change. But Arthur remained focused. He knew this was the moment of breakthrough.

‘Steady… Hold it…’

The mana slowly extended outward, forming a thin, radiant ring around his core. At first, it flickered, unstable, but Arthur’s will held firm. Bit by bit, the ring solidified, its glow intensifying. A sensation of overwhelming clarity washed over him. His body trembled slightly, then…

Boom!

A silent explosion of energy rippled through him. His mana core stabilized, and the newly formed ring hummed with raw power. A feeling of lightness, of newfound strength, filled his veins.

Arthur’s eyes snapped open, glowing briefly with a deep, golden hue before fading. He exhaled sharply, his breath misting in the cold night air.

He had done it. He was now a First Circle Mage.

A wave of energy coursed through him, invigorating every fiber of his being. His mana control had reached a whole new level. He clenched his fist, feeling the power within.

Not only had he advanced, but he had also reached a significant milestone in Mana Manipulation, a fundamental skill that every mage needed to wield spells effectively.

Though the academy hadn’t yet provided any official spellbooks, Arthur knew that Mana Manipulation was the first step. Without it, no mage could properly cast spells or advance in their realms.

He lifted his hand, channeling a small amount of mana to his palm. Unlike before when he tried it a few days ago, the flow was smoother, more refined. He shaped the energy into a small, flickering sphere. It wasn’t a spell, merely a controlled manifestation of raw mana, but even this simple act felt vastly more stable than before.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Though this small amount of mana doesn’t help him much now. But when he increases his capacity and learns new spells that will be an entirely different thing.

Curious, he pulled up his Status Panel.

//——————–//

[STATUS]

Name: Arthur Sully

Designation: ECHO

Rank: 1st Circle Mage

Age: 27

Height: 6’3″

Mana: 60.7 Units

Strength: 22.96 Kilotons 

Speed: 467.3 m/s

Durability: 131.6 GPa 

[ABILITIES]

[Reactive Evolution] [Superior Regeneration] [Toxin Immunity] [Gene Lock] [Technopathy (Lv3)] [Energy Absorption (Lv3)]

[Mana Manipulation (Lv1)]: A novice at manipulating mana.

[EQUIPMENTS]

-Spear Of Heaven

-ECHO Armor

-Obelisk (Interdimensional Artifact)

-Shadowfang (Dark Steel Sword)

-Stormpiercer (Mithril Spear)

//——————–//

Arthur’s gaze lingered on his rank section.

It felt surreal. Just a month ago, he had never even heard about mana before, and now, he had reached a milestone that many students would take months to achieve in a week.

Though he reminded himself not to become complacent and continued to absorb mana from the mana stones throughout the night and the consecutive days.

…

Arthur’s one-week break eventually came to an end. The attacks on the mining station had grown significantly less frequent, indicating that the beasts were either pulling back or regrouping. Either way, things were stabilizing, at least for now. That meant it was time to return to Solace Prime. During these few days he also tried to find other deposits of Element-M but he didn’t find any.

On the last day of his stay here he bid his goodbye to James and boarded an UFE spaceship and returned to Solace Prime.

…

The familiar environment of Solace Prime greeted him as he exited the docking bay. The air was crisp, the lighting artificial but perfectly balanced to simulate a planetary atmosphere. He made his way through the military corridors, nodding at passing officers who saluted him.

Upon reaching the command center, he was quickly escorted into Admiral Kane’s office. The admiral stood behind a sleek holo-desk, analyzing some reports. As Arthur stepped in, Kane looked up, a flicker of curiosity crossing his features.

“Lieutenant Sully,” Kane greeted, motioning for him to enter. “Back from your… break?”

“Eh…Lieutenant?” Arthur asked bewildered at the greeting, as he was just a corporal when he left for Trakuun-5 so how come the admiral was calling him by a different designation.

Admiral Kane gave a small smile hearing Arthur’s confusion. “Yes you have been promoted. Though it’s still confidential, but I guess I can tell you. You will be awarded after you return to Dreadnought for your contribution on the battlefield and outside of it.”

“Dr. Conrad Elrich was actually able to create a healing serum from the blood you provided him with, and it’s extremely potent being able to regenerate even lost limbs. You have done a great service to humanity. With the serum the casualty rate of soldiers would come down by a lot.”

Arthur nodded hearing that, he was surprised that Dr. Elrich was able to produce results so soon. Then Arthur continued, “Actually I’ve also got something important to share.”

He retrieved a data pad and placed it on the desk, tapping a few commands. Holograms of molecular structures, alloy compositions, and armor schematics sprang to life above the table.

“I’ve been working on a new alloy, one that could drastically improve ECHO armor. It’s lighter, more durable, and provides enhanced energy dispersion against plasma-based weaponry. The modifications also improve mobility without compromising defense.”

Kane’s eyes narrowed as he studied the projections. He flicked through the data, scanning through properties of this alloy and stress test simulations. “You developed this in… what? A few weeks?” His voice carried a hint of disbelief.

Arthur crossed his arms. “Had some time to think while I was not fighting.” Though he didn’t create the alloy, he can’t just say he got it from the ruins, as that would be considered treason for withholding information.

Kane exhaled, rubbing his chin. “This… this could change the game entirely. If these projections hold, we’re looking at a armor that’s ten times more resistant to kinetic impact and even better against energy-based attacks.” He looked up. “And you’re certain these schematics are production-ready?”

Arthur nodded. “I’ve tested small-scale samples. You’ll need to refine the large-scale production, but the framework is solid. I also tweaked the existing ECHO armor design to accommodate the alloy without requiring a complete overhaul, so they can start production without modifying the production line much.”

Kane let out a low whistle. “This is groundbreaking, Sully. The kind of advancement that usually takes R&D teams years.” He clasped his hands together, giving Arthur a measured look. “You just gave the UFE an edge. An edge we desperately need against the Chimerians.”

Arthur remained silent, letting the words settle. He wasn’t in this for praise, he just wanted to make sure humanity had every advantage it could get.

Kane leaned back in his chair. “That said… even with this blueprint, it’ll take over a year to modify all existing ECHO units. We’re talking millions of soldiers. Manufacturing, distribution, retrofitting, it’s a logistical nightmare. And let’s not talk about if the higher ups will be ready to spend more than seven times on a single ECHO armor than they are currently spending.”

Arthur expected as much. “Well… even if the modifications roll out gradually, it’s better than nothing.”

Kane nodded, his respect for Arthur evident. “You’ve done more for us in a few months than most officers do in their entire careers. Consider this noted in your record.”

Arthur shrugged. “Just doing my part.”

The admiral let out a short laugh before extending a hand. Arthur shook it firmly.

“Alright, I will try to make sure the decision passes as swiftly as they can.”

With that Arthur left the Admiral’s office.

…

After leaving Kane’s office, Arthur took a short detour before heading to his room. He made his way toward the mess hall, knowing exactly who he was looking for.

Inside, he spotted Kael and Lira, seated at their usual corner table. Kael was leaning back in his chair, while Lira was skimming through something on her wrist display, while doing their lunch.

Lira looked up first, her expression shifting into a smile. “Well, well. Look who finally decided to show up.”

Kael glanced over his shoulder, grinning. “Thought you got lost in the forest of Trakuun-5 or something.”

Arthur smirked. “Hey, I was on a mission there. And no, I didn’t get lost.”

Kael scoffed. “B*llshit. To you it’s probably a holiday for a week.”

Lira sighed dramatically and gestured to the seat across from them. “Sit down. Tell us what else you did while we were stuck dealing with logistics and patrol duty.”

Arthur sat, shaking his head with amusement, then began recounting his experiences leaving out a few details, of course. He told them about how he was exploring Trakuun-5 and how mesmerizing the scenery was on the planet. Its different flora and fauna, and he even bought some exotic looking fruits that were not poisonous for them.

The night stretched on as they caught up, sharing stories, banter, and a rare moment of relaxation. 

Soon, he would have to return to Dreadnought Mk XI. And there, new challenges awaited.

***

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