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That meant real combat against high-level opponents accelerated the synchronization.
Ethan stared at the number for a few more seconds before closing the system.
"If that's the case, I'll need stronger opponents," he murmured.
At some point during the night, he fell asleep.
The next morning, a knock sounded on his door.
Ethan opened one eye.
Another knock.
He sat up slowly. "Coming."
When he opened the door, Sharon was standing there holding a folded set of trainee clothes.
"Wong gave these to us," she said. "You would have been present if you had woken up at the assigned time."
Ethan blinked. "I forgot the time."
He glanced at the clock inside his room.
9:17 AM.
Sharon raised an eyebrow. "Training started at five."
He shrugged. "I was tired."
She handed him the clothes.
"Anyway, Wong said you'll train directly with the Ancient One later. She'll take you after noon. So it didn't matter much for you," she said, clearly not pleased. "How convenient."
Ethan looked at her. "Don't you usually wake up at four in the morning? How is this any different?"
She stared at him for a moment.
"Can't I be jealous for once?" she replied.
He tilted his head slightly.
"Fair enough."
She crossed her arms. "We had meditation for two hours. Then balance exercises. Then theory."
"And?" he asked.
"My legs hurt," she said flatly.
Ethan almost smiled.
"Good. That means you are getting a break."
She gave him a look but did not argue as indeed Storm training many times more harder then what she was doing here.
"Get dressed. The morning session is almost over anyway."
He nodded and took the clothes from her.
"Okay. I'll be there."
As she turned to leave, he muttered quietly to himself, "Women truly are mysterious creatures."
"What was that?" she asked without turning around.
"Nothing."
She shook her head and walked away.
Ethan closed the door and looked at the trainee robes in his hand.
"Five in the morning…" he muttered.
He changed quickly wondering she might teach him.
Sharon shook her head and walked away.
Ethan closed the door and looked at the trainee robes in his hand.
"Five in the morning…" he muttered.
He changed quickly, wondering what exactly the Ancient One would teach him today.
A few minutes later, he arrived at the training courtyard.
The Ancient One was standing calmly, watching six trainees practice forming small golden mandalas between their hands.
She glanced at him.
"You are here."
He nodded. "Yes."
He looked at the group. "Are they my fellow partners?"
The Ancient One smiled slightly.
"No. They are your students."
Ethan blinked.
"My… students?"
"Yes."
He looked genuinely confused. "Am I not here to be taught by you?"
"You already understand the fundamentals," she said calmly. "What you lack is control and refinement. Teaching others will force you to simplify your understanding. That is also a form of training."
He was silent.
"From now on," she continued, "you will study Eldritch magic in the library during the morning. In the afternoon, you will teach these trainees. In the evening, you will spar with me."
Ethan processed that.
So mornings were theory. Afternoons were teaching. Evenings were combat.
He shrugged. "Okay. You are the teacher."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"For now, go to the library and begin studying Eldritch magic."
He nodded and left the courtyard.
Soon he entered the library.
Inside, he noticed Kaecilius sitting at a table, reading a thick book. The air around him felt heavy.
Ethan glanced at the title briefly. It looked related to advanced dimensional theory and death-related energy structures.
Kaecilius calmly closed the book.
"You are not ready to look at forbidden knowledge yet," he said, giving Ethan a steady look.
Ethan shrugged. "I wasn't asking."
He walked past him without reacting.
Instead of going toward the restricted section, he moved to the basic Eldritch magic shelves.
He pulled out an introductory volume and sat at a nearby table.
If he was going to teach in the afternoon, he needed to understand the structure properly—not just overpower it with necromancy.
He opened the book and began reading carefully.
For once, he focused purely on learning control.
The book explained the basics of Eldritch magic in a very structured way.
It described how to draw energy from other dimensions safely.
It showed the correct hand movements for stable constructs.
Ethan read every page slowly.
He compared it to his own method.
His necromantic power was willful and direct. Eldritch magic was precise and layered. Every spell followed a fixed pattern.
"It makes sense why Eldritch magic is more complicated," Ethan muttered. "My magic follows my rules. I control it completely. But this… this is borrowed power from higher beings."
He tapped the page lightly as he thought.
"Does that mean someone could draw power from me too?"
He seriously considered the possibility.
If Eldritch sorcerers could channel energy from higher dimensions, then in theory, beings of sufficient power could also become sources.
But he quickly shook his head.
"At my current level, that's not possible."
He was not a higher-dimensional entity. Not yet.
"I should grow stronger first, then think about things like that," he said quietly.
He pushed those thoughts aside and returned his focus to the book.
For the next hour, he read without stopping.
He practiced the hand signs slowly.
He memorized the energy pathways described in the diagrams.
He adjusted his breathing to match the rhythm mentioned in the text.
After enough repetition, something clicked.
He raised both hands and formed a small golden mandala.
This time it did not flicker.
It rotated smoothly, the outer ring stable, the inner symbols aligned perfectly.
He narrowed his eyes and added a second layer.
The construct held.
"Good," he said quietly.
Next, he attempted a basic Eldritch shield.
He stepped into an empty practice space inside the library hall and extended his arm.
Golden energy gathered in front of him.
A circular shield formed, solid and steady.
He tapped it lightly with a pulse of necromantic energy.