Avince sat at the dinner table with his parents, Erwin and Ashna, and his sister. The smell of Ashna's herb-roasted chicken lingered in the air, but his plate was only barely touched. His mind was buzzing too much to focus on eating.

"Top one percent in exams and first place in the dungeon rankings?" Erwin said, leaning back in his chair, a wide grin spreading across his face. "That's my son."

"Oh please," Amyra rolled her eyes, though her smirk betrayed her joy. "Don't inflate his ego too much, Dad. He already barely fits through our doors." She playfully nudged her brother's arm.

Ashna shot her husband a playful glare but couldn't hide her own pride. "Avince, you've done so well. But first place in the dungeon rankings? That's... unexpected. What happened?"

Avince shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. "I think it's because my team reached the Rank B boss faster than anyone else by doing the puzzle faster. It wasn't anything flashy, my team is just... efficient. The rankings this time are more about problem solving than raw power, after all."

Erwin chuckled. "Critical thinking is often underrated. Most young ability-users just try to brute force their way through power, which you can't really do with runic puzzles. You're thinking ahead, which is good."

"I guess," Avince muttered, glancing down at his phone on the table. The emails were still open, and he had been waiting for the right moment to bring them up.

Clearing his throat, he spoke. "So... I got some emails today. One's from the academy, and the other's from a dojo."

"A dojo?" Erwin raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. The Kenshi-Ryu Dojo. They're offering to sponsor my training in swordsmanship."

Amyra nearly choked on her drink. "You? With a sword? Oh, this I have to see. Please tell me they'll let me watch the training sessions. I need some quality entertainment in my life."

Ashna tilted her head. "Swordsmanship? That doesn't seem like your style."

"That's what I thought too," Avince admitted. "But I've been thinking... my close-combat skills are pretty weak. Maybe learning some sword techniques could help me become more versatile."

Erwin nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "It's not a bad idea. Swordsmanship teaches discipline and footwork, which could benefit you even if you don't rely on a blade. But don't spread yourself too thin. Focus on what aligns with your strengths."

Avince hesitated. "Yeah, that's the thing. I'm not sure what my 'strengths' are yet. I'm still figuring out how to use my ability effectively."

"What about the other email?" Ashna asked, her tone more cautious.

"It's from the academy," Avince said, his voice tinged with excitement. "They've chosen me as a candidate for the district tournament training program."

The table fell silent. Even Amyra's usual playful expression turned serious.

"The district tournament?" Amyra leaned forward, concern evident in her voice. "Brother, those fights get intense. Last year's finalist ended up in the hospital for three weeks."

Ashna's eyes widened, but her expression quickly shifted to one of concern. "Avince, that's a huge opportunity, but it's also dangerous. District tournaments aren't just about showcasing skills—they're brutal. You'll be going up against some of the best ability-users your age."

"I know," Avince said, meeting their gazes. "But I want to do this. I need to push myself if I'm ever going to catch up to people my age."

Ashna frowned, clearly torn. Erwin placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Ashna, he's not a child anymore. If he wants to compete, we should support him."

She sighed but nodded. "Fine. But only if you promise to prioritize your safety, Avince. No reckless heroics."

Avince smiled. "I promise."

The conversation shifted to Avince's training, the remains of dinner growing cold on their plates.

"You mentioned close-combat skills," Erwin said, pushing his plate aside. "That's a smart focus, but what about your mana control? How are you progressing there?"

Avince shrugged. "It's... okay. I'm getting better at channeling mana into runes and basic magic applications, but my stamina is still an issue. I can't sustain high-level techniques for long."

"Stamina comes with time," Erwin said, nodding at Amyra's observation. "What about your simulation ability? Have you found ways to maximize its potential?"

Avince felt a twinge of guilt at the half-truth. "I'm still exploring different approaches. Each time I use it I can feel how much I've improved in combat and learn something new."

"You mentioned close-combat skills," Erwin said, pushing his plate aside. "That's a smart focus, but what about your mana control? How are you progressing there?"

Avince shrugged. "It's... okay. I'm getting better at channeling mana into runes and basic magic applications, but my stamina is still an issue. I can't sustain high-level techniques for long."

"Stamina comes with time," Erwin said. "What about your simulation ability? Have you found ways to maximize its potential?"

Avince felt a twinge of guilt at the half-truth. "I'm still exploring different approaches. Each time I use it I can feel how much I’ve improved in combat and learn something new.

He thought about the dungeons—the real source of his growth. The way he can get precious resources there, and how each encounter pushes him to adapt and improve.

"Keep at it," Erwin encouraged. "Your ability is unique—if you can master it, you'll develop skills that others can't easily replicate."

Ashna placed a gentle hand on his arm. "You'll figure it out in time. For now, focus on the basics—stamina, close combat, and mana control. Build a strong foundation, and the rest will follow."

After dinner, Avince retreated to his room, spreading out his research materials on his desk. He'd spent a few days studying Christian Valdris's papers and theories, particularly his groundbreaking work on transmogrification. Unlike traditional understanding of the technique, which focused on changing the form of objects, Valdris focus is to temporarily alter the properties of weapons and even the human body itself through precise mana application.

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The morning sun cast long shadows across the academy grounds as Avince made his way to the specialized training facility.

Outside the large workshop building, marked by a bronze plaque that read Christian Valdris – Specialized Transmogrification Studies, nearly thirty students had gathered.

The building itself was impressive—three stories of reinforced stone and metal, with large windows that gleamed with protective enchantments. Training dummies lined the outer walls, many bearing scorch marks and deep gouges from previous sessions.

The doors opened silently, and Christian Valdris stepped out. He was tall and wiry, with sharp features and calculating eyes behind wire-rimmed spectacles. His appearance was deceiving—Avince had read about his combat achievements. The man had once held off three B-rank ability users using nothing but his transmogrification techniques.

"Welcome to Specialized Transmogrification," Christian announced, his voice carrying clearly across the courtyard. "You're here because you've shown interest in my classes and applied for this trial class. Whether you continue with the rest is entirely up to you."

They filled into the workshop, and Avince's eyes widened at the sight. The interior was vast, with individual workstations arranged in a semicircle. Each station was equipped with various materials—wood, metal, stone—and surrounded by runic arrays that glowed with latent power. The walls were lined with demonstration weapons of all types, from simple training swords to exotic implements Avince didn't recognize.

"Before we begin," Christian said, taking his position at the center of the room, "let me correct some misconceptions about transmogrification. Many of you have probably read that it's about changing the form of objects—reshaping metal or transforming materials. That's the basic application, yes, but it's not what we'll be focusing on here."

He picked up a wooden training sword from a nearby rack. "True combat transmogrification is about understanding the properties of materials and temporarily imbuing them into objects or even your own body through precise mana application."

With a subtle flare of mana, the wooden sword in his hand took on a metallic sheen. "I haven't transformed this wood into metal," he explained. "I've coated it with my mana, giving it the properties of iron while maintaining its original form. The advantage? It's still as light as wood, but now hits with the force of metal."

The class watched in stunned silence as he demonstrated further. He ran his hand along the blade, and the metallic sheen transferred to his fingers. When he tapped the stone floor, it rang out with the clear sound of metal on stone.

"This is what separates combat transmogrification from basic material manipulation," Christian continued. "It's not about permanent changes—it's about adaptability. In a real fight, you won't have time to completely transform your weapons. But coating them with different properties? That you can do in an instant. With enough practice that is."

He gestured to the workstations. "We'll start with the basics of mana coating. Remember—you're not changing the material itself. You're overlaying its properties with your mana."

Avince found himself paired with a girl named Marina at one of the workstations. Each station had been laid out with various materials: wooden practice weapons, metal ingots of different types, and samples of stone and crystal.

“Long time no see,” Marina said with a small smile as she adjusted her gloves.

Avince blinked in surprise before grinning back. “Marina? I didn’t realize you were here. Feels like forever since senior high.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” she replied, nodding. “Guess we’re back to being classmates again, huh?”

“Looks like it,” Avince said, feeling a bit more at ease as they exchanged a brief, friendly laugh before focusing on the task ahead.

"Start with something simple," Christian instructed the class. "Take a wooden practice weapon and try to coat it with the properties of the metal samples. Focus on maintaining an even mana distribution."

Avince picked up a wooden short sword and one of the iron ingots. He'd practiced basic transmogrification before, but this was different. He needed to understand the properties of the iron—its weight, its hardness, its very nature—and replicate those qualities with his mana.

His first attempt resulted in a patchy coating, some parts of the wooden sword showing the metallic sheen while others remained unchanged. Beside him, Marina had managed to achieve a more consistent effect with her practice staff, though the metallic properties flickered unstably.

"Interesting approach," Christian said, passing by their station. "You're trying to force the properties into the wood. Instead, think of your mana as a conduit. Let it carry the essence of the iron, not just its appearance."

Avince nodded, adjusting his technique. This time, he spent longer studying the iron ingot, really feeling its properties through his mana. When he attempted the coating again, the result was more uniform, though still imperfect.

"Better," Christian commented.

Christian had made a round of the workstations, observing each pair's progress and offering advice where needed. He adjusted stances, suggested alternative methods for mana flow, and pointed out subtle mistakes.

Christian’s hands-on approach seemed to energize the students, and as he moved back to the center of the room, his tone became more challenging. “Body coating isn’t just for weapons. It’s time to test your ability to reinforce yourselves directly.”

"Now, who wants to try coating their own body?"

A murmur of excitement ran through the class. This was what many had been waiting for—the application of transmogrification to physical enhancement.

A student stepped forward first,seemingly confident with their ability. Following Christian's instructions, he placed his hand on a steel ingot, studying its properties. When he channeled his mana, his entire arm took on a metallic sheen.

"Good initiative," Christian said, "but watch this." He picked up a small hammer and struck the student’s transformed arm. The sound rang out clearly, but the student winced.

"You replicated the appearance and hardness of steel, but not its ability to distribute force," Christian explained. "In a real fight, that would still result in broken bones. Remember—you need to understand every aspect of the material you're replicating."

The lesson continued for another two hours, with students experimenting with different materials and applications. Some focused on precise, small-scale transformations. Others worked on full-body enhancements. While her workbench partner, Marina seemed to have a talent for combining properties from different materials, creating unique effects.

As the class ended and students filed out of the workshop, Avince stayed behind, examining his practice sword. The metallic coating had mostly faded, but he could still feel traces of the technique in his mana pathways.

"Something on your mind?" Christian asked, organizing materials at his workstation.

"Just thinking about what I’ve learned," Avince replied. "Could this be combined with other techniques? Like, if I want my body to handle powerful magic applications for example..."

Christian raised an eyebrow, a glint of enthusiasm creeping into his voice. "Interesting perspective. Transmogrification is incredibly versatile—it’s one of those abilities that can complement almost anything if applied right. You should consider signing up for the full course. We could explore those possibilities in depth."

Avince caught the subtle shift in Christian’s tone and couldn’t help but smirk. “You’re just trying to get me to enroll so you earn more credits, aren’t you?”

Christian chuckled, completely unabashed. “Hey, I won’t deny that. But I’m serious—there’s potential here. Besides, I’d much rather rack up credits teaching someone who’s actually interested than someone who’ll sleep through class.”

Shaking his head with amusement, Avince carefully returned the practice sword to its rack. He couldn’t help but feel the weight of the choices before him. Between the dojo’s offer of swordsmanship training, the district tournament program, and these advanced transmogrification lessons, his path forward felt both exciting and overwhelming. But at least one thing was certain: Christian had a knack for pitching his course with charm.

As he walked back across the academy grounds, the setting sun painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, Avince found himself smiling. He might not fully understand his whole path yet, but he was certainly finding a lot of ways to grow stronger.

That night, as he lay in bed reviewing the day's lessons, his mind kept returning to the possibilities. Coating weapons with different properties, enhancing his own body's capabilities, combining these techniques with magic... The potential seemed endless.

"One step at a time," he reminded himself, closing his eyes. Tomorrow would bring new challenges and new opportunities to grow stronger. For now, that was all he needed.