Morning at the orphanage.
Snow covered the courtyard, the cold air biting at the skin.
Lily was already outside, pacing back and forth while rubbing her hands together for warmth.
"Brother Law is late…" she muttered impatiently.
"Aunt! Why don't you teach me first? He's taking forever!" Lily said eagerly.
Lily grinned mischievously. 'Just you wait, Brother Law. Once I learn lightning… I'll zap you for leaving me behind yesterday.'
Aunt Maria shook her head helplessly, knowing that Lily already had a bad thought..
Meanwhile…
In his room, Law was still asleep.
But inside his dream, another thing was happening.
Two cores were pulsing. One burned with a faint red glow, while the other shimmered with a calm blue light.
The ancient runes circling it's suddenly stirred.
One by one, the runes began to shift. A deep brown hue enveloped the first, and a faint vibration of earth energy radiated from it.
Another turned pale blue, whispering of water. The third ignited with flickering red flames, while the fourth glimmered bright green, with wind around it.
Law froze. His mind went blank for a moment.
'Four… affinities?' He thought, heart beating faster. 'Even the most talented person only have three affinities the moment they awakened. How… how is this possible?'
'No, this is wrong.. It's not that I have four affinites but the runes is the one responsible for it.'
Law took a deep breath and held out his hand toward the brown rune.
'Since this related to earth, I should try imagining something similar, right?' He muttered.
Law imagined a ball of dry mud, the rune pulsed once, then slowly began to shift.
Its glowing brown edges softened, turning into a small, solid ball of dry mud that hovered in front of his palm.
Law wiggled his fingers, testing the weight. The mud ball spun slightly, wobbling as if alive, responding to his focus.
'Not bad,' he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips. 'I can actually control this…'
Then, with a sudden jolt, Law wake up from his sleep.
'It's a dream… after all,' he thought, still catching his breath. Yet the faint warmth pulsing in his mind told him otherwise.
'No… that feeling… it was too real. Maybe that is my affinity... Runes, huh.'
He sat up, gripping the edge of the bed.
Then he tried to call out the runes, but nothing happen.
'Maybe I don't awaken my Mana Cores yet?'
This is the difference between Knight and Sorcerer. The former need to achieve Second-Circle first before unlocking Aura while the latter need only the First-Circle to use Mana.
He slapped his forehead. 'Of course… how could I forget something so basic?'
Law blinked, stretching his arms lazily. The soft light hitting his face made him squint.
'Wait… morning already?' His eyes snapped open, heart skipping a beat.
'Shit… I forgot about training today!' he thought, slapping his forehead.
He jumped off the bed and rushed to the bathroom, letting the warm water wash away the remnants of sleep.
After a quick shower, Law put on his clothes and hurried out of the room.
Cold air greeted him as he stepped into the courtyard.
Lily was sitting cross-legged on the snow-covered ground, eyes closed in concentration. In front of her, Aunt Maria stood with her hands behind her back, calmly lecturing.
"…Remember, don't force the mana," Aunt Maria said. "First feel it, then guide it slowly."
Lily nodded slightly, still trying to focus.
Just then, she opened her eyes and immediately spotted Law standing at the edge of the courtyard.
Lily's eyes lit up the moment she saw him.
"Brother Law!" she called.
Instead of complaining, she quickly stood up and walked over to him. Then she looked up at him with big, pitiful eyes.
"Brother… are you angry with me?" she asked softly.
Before Law could react, she grabbed his hand with both of hers, holding it tightly.
Law blinked, confused by the sudden change in attitude.
"Angry? Why would I—"
Lily lowered her head slightly, looking almost wronged.
"You didn't train with me yesterday… and today you're late too…" she said quietly.
But for a brief moment, a sly glint flashed in her eyes.
Suddenly—
Crack!
A tiny spark of lightning jumped from Lily's fingers and traveled straight into Law's hand.
Law flinched slightly.
A faint tingling spread through his palm, like a small static shock.
"…Huh?"
He blinked and looked down at his hand.
"That's it?"
Lily froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"What?!"
She quickly raised her hand again, staring at her fingers as if something had gone wrong.
"That should've worked!" she complained.
From the side, Aunt Maria let out a small chuckle.
"Looks like you're a bit behind, Lily," she said calmly.
Lily turned to her, pouting. "Behind? But I just—"
Aunt Maria gestured toward Law. "Law has already formed his First-Circle."
Lily blinked. "What?"
She slowly turned her head toward Law, eyes widening. "Wait… you already reached-First Circle?"
"Yeah," he said nonchalantly.
Lily froze, then puffed her cheeks. "But I'm also at First-Circle!"
"That is why, at the same level, the difference between the strength is almost the same without any technique" Aunt Maria told her.
"Is that so? Hmm… Aunt, teach me faster!" she said, tugging lightly at Maria's sleeve. "I can't let Brother Law get too far ahead!"
Aunt Maria chuckled. "There is no need to rush." A hint of surprise crossed her eyes.
'Law already reached First-Circle…' she thought.
With no one to guide him, it is indeed a terrifying talent to reach that level first.
In this current age, almost all new awakeners can't creater the First-Circle without guidance.
Then, Aunt Maria said "Law, I'm sorry but I can't really teach you much."
She said this becaus she is a Sorcerer. With no experience in the Knight Path.
"It's okay Aunt, I can just listen to you while you are teaching Lily." Since Law also had Mana Core, it's not waste of his time listening.
Lily sat cross-legged on the snow, her fingers crackling with tiny sparks while Law stood beside Aunt Maria.
"Lily, since you already formed the First-Circle, to advance further you just need to gather the Mana into your core. That's all" Aunt Maria said.
"Just that?" Lily was speechless, she thought it will be different than forming it.
Law, who was watching was also surprised a bit. 'It seems like the different between this is just the source of energy.'
Then, he sat beside Lily and focused his mind into his consciousness.
Inside of Law consciousness.
Two Cores were pulsing with golden Runes, one with a circle while the other with none.
Although Law could already form his First-Circle at Mana Core, he decided to do it when he was alone.
Although he trust Aunt Maria and Lily, it's better not make them worry or anything.
Law looked at his Aura Core, and then begin to gather the Aurion.
As the progress continue, Law realized that the amount of Aurion inside his Core is still not halfway through the Low stage.
With that, his mind return to reality. He decided that since the Knight Path focused on the physical body, he want to to gather the Aurion while workout.
Thus, Law stand up and told Aunt Maria about this.
First, he decided keep it simple by walking around and breathing to gather the Aurion
He felt it, the rate of Aurion being gather to his Core increase.
'Aurion really is related to the physical. The more exercise you do, the more Aurion there is on your body.'
Law increase his workout by changing from walking to running. 'It increase again!'
He was smiling while running, sensing that his body is becoming stronger and stronger.
Evening came, and the courtyard was bathed in the soft golden light of the setting sun.
Law slowed to a stop, letting his breaths even out. His chest felt light, his muscles pleasantly warm from the workout.
He glanced down at his hands, then back at his core, he already reached the Mid stage!
Compared to yesterday, when he had only done the breathing exercise alone, he was surprised. Back then, even simple breaths left him panting, his body trembling with fatigue.
But now he felt no such exhaustion. Instead, he feel that he could run for a whole day more!
Just as he was thinking about trying to test his strength, Law felt a tickling at his back.
He stiffened and glanced over his shoulder, Lily was crouching behind him, a mischievous grin on her face, her fingers wiggling like tiny sparks.
"Brother Law!" she giggled. "Are you surprised?"
Law proceed to chopped her head lightly.
"Hey!" Lily yelped, ducking instinctively, sparks fizzing off her fingers.
Law raised an eyebrow, smirking. "That's what you get for sneaking up on me."
Since it's already evening, he decided that he will form his First-Circle at Mana Core this night and test his strength tomorrow
With that both Lily and Law walk towards Aunt Maria who is standing nearby.
"Since you worked so hard today, I decided to cook your favourite dishes today!" Law said to Lily.
Her eyes widened, sparkling. "Really?! "
"Yay!" Lily clapped her hands, nearly spinning in excitement. "Then I will help you!"
Listening to her saying that she wanted to help, Law broke in sweat coldm
"Uhh, stinky girl is not allowed on the kitchen! So you need to shower and let me handle this alone." He immediately thought something to drive her away.
Lily wrinkled her nose. "Stinky girl? I don't smell!" She sniffed her armpits exaggeratedly, then shook her head. "See? Nothing!"
"I don't believe you!" Law said back.
"Then how about you smells it!" She move closer towards Law.
"Ugh, just go take shower first!" Law run to Aunt Maria and take her away to kitchen leaving Lily behind alone.