Eren sat quietly, meditating.
He guided his energy slowly—
Carefully—
Letting it flow through his meridians with focus.
At first, everything remained stable.
So, gradually, he tried to increase the speed.
But the moment he did—
Pain returned.
Sharp.
Immediate.
Eren frowned slightly.
…Why is there no improvement?
…Am I rushing this?
…Or should I just let it flow naturally… and allow my meridians to strengthen over time?
He paused, thinking.
Then—
A thought surfaced.
If that's the case…
Then what's the difference?
Without hesitation, Eren activated the pendant.
Immediately—
The sensation within his body changed.
He focused inward.
Observing.
Analyzing.
The flow of energy became faster—
But also steadier.
Each cycle moved with a consistent rhythm.
Smooth.
Uninterrupted.
…Perfect.
Eren narrowed his eyes slightly.
This should have helped him understand.
But instead—
It only made things more confusing.
…Why is it faster…
…but not hurting me?
After a moment, he deactivated the pendant and resealed it.
Silence returned.
The confusion lingered.
It slowly turned into frustration.
Eren let out a quiet breath, then reached for a notebook.
Writing had always helped him organize his thoughts—
A habit he had carried since middle school.
He began listing what he knew.
…The flow is faster.
…But also steady.
…And consistent.
He paused.
"…Is it because of that?"
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"…Stability… and rhythm?"
Then another thought emerged.
"…How do I create that kind of flow on my own?"
He leaned back slightly, thinking deeper.
"…Stable…"
"…Does that mean there's some kind of core inside the meridians?"
He frowned.
But that didn't feel right.
…If there were, Li Shen would have mentioned it.
Eren exhaled slowly.
…Then what am I missing?
Feeling that he was stuck—arriving at the same conclusion no matter how many times he re-evaluated it—Eren decided it was time to end the day.
After cleaning his desk and putting his notes back in place, he lay down on the bed and drifted off to sleep.
--------------------
The next morning, I received a message from Caine.
We agreed to meet at the cafeteria.
After getting ready and changing into my gym clothes, I headed out.
When I arrived, Caine was already waiting near the entrance.
Seeing him wearing the same gym uniform still felt surreal.
After all—
a three-meter-tall Tauren wasn't something I could get used to so quickly.
"Let's go," he said. "We'll jog there."
Without waiting, he started moving.
I followed immediately.
As we jogged past the residential sector, heading toward the training grounds near the colosseum, he spoke again.
"So… did you find your answer?"
I thought for a moment, organizing my thoughts.
"…How should I put it…"
A brief pause.
"Some of the questions were answered right away."
"But when it comes to the nature of energy itself… it's hard to explain in just a few words."
Caine nodded as he listened.
"…Then explain what you're certain about first," he said.
I nodded slightly.
While jogging, I began to explain what Li Shen had told me—
That anyone could release their energy outward.
That the determining factor wasn't limitation…
But Origin.
And understanding.
I explained my thoughts—
That perhaps Caine wasn't unable to release his energy…
But was instead limited by the common sense of his world.
That he had simply accepted it as impossible.
"…So you're saying…"
Caine slowed slightly, his voice turning more thoughtful.
"…I just need to believe I can release it… and ignore everything I was taught?"
He fell into deep thought.
I glanced at him.
That was dangerous.
A three-meter-tall Tauren jogging while distracted—
Not a good combination.
"…Caine—"
I was about to snap him out of it—
THUD.
I collided with someone.
"…Sorry—"
The word stopped halfway.
I looked up.
A girl stood in front of me.
Long blue hair flowed down past her waist, swaying slightly from the impact.
But what made me pause wasn't her appearance—
It was her presence.
Elegant.
Composed.
There was a quiet, regal aura about her—
Something fundamentally different from the students I had met so far.
Even compared to Caine.
For a brief moment, I found myself staring.
"…Sorry," I said again, quickly correcting myself.
"I wasn't paying attention."
She didn't react immediately.
Her gaze rested on me-
"...it's fine."
After saying that she walk past me.
Seeing this I look at Caine who was beside me, now he is ahead while still in deep thought.
I catch up to him.
"Caine, you should stop spacing out." I said while tapping him on his arm since I can't reach his shoulder.
He reacted after looking at my direction.
"Hmm...sorry Eren I was too focused, did I miss something?" He look around.
"No it's nothing important." I said to him.
We then continue to jog again to the Gym.
-------
At the other end of the road—
"…He's quite strange…"
The girl murmured softly to herself.
She turned and headed toward the staff dormitory area.
Before long, she entered a uniquely structured tower.
"You're here, Selene."
A mature yet gentle voice greeted her.
"Aunt… didn't you say there was someone interesting in the same year as me?" she asked.
"Yes," the woman replied with a faint smile.
"He's a student of someone I know."
---------
At the gym—
Caine stood behind me, spotting as I performed weighted squats.
"Caine… can you train me in combat?" I asked between reps.
"Sure," he replied. "It's a good way to train your body through active movement, so you don't become too rigid."
He paused briefly.
"But first, we finish the workout. Two more sets, then we head to the colosseum."
I nodded in agreement.
After finishing our sets, we immediately made our way to the colosseum.
After booking a spatial field, Caine began explaining.
"Before we start—do you have any fighting experience?" he asked.
"None," I replied. "My world isn't prone to conflict. Even when there is, civilians rarely get involved unless it's a world war."
"A nice world," he said.
"…It has its own problems," I replied. "Class disparity, unstable leaders, and inefficient resource distribution."
Caine nodded slightly.
"Alright. Back to training."
A brief pause.
"Since you have no experience, we'll start with sparring."
"It's the best way."
He cracked his knuckles lightly.
"After all… I learned through instinct and experience too."
Seeing him ready himself I calm my nerves by breathing in and out slowly.
I focused my gaze on him and slowly approached, raising my hands into a standard boxing stance.
It was the only stance I knew—
something I had picked up from watching boxing and UFC fights.
Caine glanced at me—
Then moved.
No warning.
He lowered his body and surged forward, aiming to grapple.
Fast.
Far faster than I expected.
I reacted instinctively—
Stepping to the side.
Barely.
His arm brushed past me as he moved through.
If I had been even slightly slower—
That would have ended it.
I immediately widened the distance, my heart beating faster.
…His reach is too wide.
A three-meter body wasn't just intimidating—
It changed everything.
"Caine—can you hold back?" I said, steadying my breath.
"That almost ended the fight immediately."
"No."
His reply was simple.
Calm.
"Since we're sparring, I'll be serious."
A brief pause.
"Don't worry."
He straightened slightly, then looked down at me.
"I'll match your pace."
Before I could respond—
He moved again.