Chapter 10: Slow But Steady

The walk back to the village was quiet, but Kael’s mind was anything but. He could still feel the faint buzz of essence flowing through him after siphoning from the beast during the hunt. It wasn’t enough to push him to the next rank, but it was a step forward, a reminder that power didn’t come all at once. Growth required patience—and effort.

Kael knew the rules of advancement, and the system wasn’t going to let him cheat his way to the top. His Mote (Rank 1) essence was still far from evolving to Aura (Rank 2), even though his aptitude—set by his Flicker—was fixed at Rank 3 for both essence and his evolving talents. The key was in gathering more essence, bit by bit, and honing his talents through real battles.

He reached the outskirts of Darvan just as the sun began to dip below the horizon. The village felt unusually calm, the sounds of evening routines filling the air as people prepared for the night. The hunt had caused a stir earlier in the day, but now, with the beast defeated, things seemed to return to their normal pace.

For most of the villagers, the threat was over.

For Kael, it was just beginning.

After speaking briefly with his father, who was relieved that Kael had made it back safely, Kael retreated to his room to rest and reflect. His father’s advice echoed in his mind—take things slow, don’t push too hard, don’t rush into danger. But Kael knew that the challenges ahead required more than caution. He needed to push himself, but in a smart way.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Kael summoned his status window, feeling the familiar sensation of the screen materializing in front of him. The numbers and ranks glowed faintly in the dim light of his room.

[Kael Rithen]

Essence Aptitude: Flicker (Rank 3)

Essence Level: Mote (Rank 1) — Progress: 35%

Talents:

— Sword Talent (Flicker) — Proficiency: 29%

— Endurance Talent (Spark) — Proficiency: 47%

— Sharp Senses (Stream) — Proficiency: 12%

— Stealth Talent (Stream) — Proficiency: 8%

Unique Skills:

— God Eye (EX)

— Copy & Evolve (EX)

Kael studied the window carefully. His Mote (Rank 1) essence had grown, but he was only about a third of the way to reaching Aura (Rank 2). It was a slow process, absorbing essence from both beasts and the world around him. Every battle helped, but reaching the next level would take time—and more than a few skirmishes.

His talents weren’t progressing any faster. Despite using his Sword Talent in combat, his proficiency was only at 29%, and even his Sharp Senses, which had evolved to Stream, was still sitting at 12%. The talents required consistent use, practice, and time in real fights to improve. His Stealth Talent, too, had seen little progress, with only an 8% proficiency. He could feel the potential of each talent, but they weren’t going to evolve on their own.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Aptitude opened the door to these higher ranks, but the journey through them was slow and demanding.

‘This is going to take time,’ Kael thought, his gaze narrowing. ‘I can’t rely on quick battles. If I want to evolve my talents and essence, I need to focus on real fights, harder fights.’

The thought of heading back into the forest crossed his mind, but he dismissed it for now. The forest was still dangerous, and there were other threats lurking—especially after what he’d seen with Revik. It was too soon to jump back into that level of danger without a plan.

Still, he couldn’t just sit around and wait. His path forward was clear: he needed more battles, more challenges, and more ways to test his talents. His growth couldn’t be rushed, but it could be guided.

The next morning, Kael rose early. The village had settled into its usual routine, but rumors of the baron’s hunt and the mysterious forces at play lingered in the air. Word had spread quickly about the size of the beast and the dangers that lurked in the deeper parts of the forest, making the villagers more cautious than usual.

Kael wasn’t interested in rumors, though. He had his sights set on something bigger.

It was time to put himself to the test again, but this time, he’d focus on honing his talents deliberately.

He started with simple exercises—sword drills, endurance training, and testing his Stealth Talent by moving unseen through the village outskirts. His proficiency in these areas wasn’t going to skyrocket overnight, but every small step mattered. And when it came to fighting, he would need every advantage he could get.

As the day wore on, Kael headed toward the training grounds where a few of the village guards sparred in their free time. He wasn’t planning on joining them just yet, but observing their movements and strategies might give him some insight into how to improve his own skills.

Watching the guards practice, Kael noted the precision in their strikes and the way they balanced defense with offense. His Sword Talent (Flicker) was still weak, but he could feel a certain rhythm forming as he practiced. The more he trained, the more natural it felt, as if his body was slowly adjusting to the talent’s demands.

The guards noticed him standing at the edge of the grounds, and one of them—a tall man named Jorn—gestured for him to approach.

“You’ve been watching for a while now,” Jorn said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “You want to spar?”

Kael considered it. Sparring with someone more experienced could help push his talents forward. Even though Jorn’s essence level wasn’t far beyond Kael’s, the guard’s skill and experience made him a good opponent.

“Yeah,” Kael replied, stepping forward. “I could use the practice.”

Jorn grinned. “Good. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

They squared off, wooden practice swords in hand. Kael’s Sword Talent (Flicker) immediately came into play, though he could feel the limitations of his low proficiency. Jorn was faster, more precise, and his movements carried the weight of years of training.

Kael did his best to keep up, dodging strikes and parrying where he could, but he was quickly overwhelmed by Jorn’s experience. A sharp swing connected with Kael’s side, sending him stumbling back.

“Not bad,” Jorn said, lowering his sword. “But you need to commit. Half-hearted strikes won’t win you a fight.”

Kael nodded, his mind already processing the feedback. Jorn wasn’t just testing his strength—he was teaching him how to improve. This was exactly what Kael needed: real challenges that forced him to get better.

They resumed sparring, and this time, Kael pushed himself harder, focusing on his timing and positioning. He took several more hits, but each one taught him something new about his own limitations. By the end of the session, his body ached, but his mind was sharper than ever.

As the sparring match ended, Jorn clapped Kael on the shoulder. “You’ve got potential, kid. Just need to polish it.”

“Thanks,” Kael said, catching his breath. “I’ll keep working on it.”

Jorn smiled and walked away, leaving Kael alone in the fading afternoon light. His Sword Talent had barely nudged in proficiency, but the experience of sparring had taught him more than numbers could show.

‘This is how I’ll grow,’ Kael thought. ‘By pushing myself, little by little.’

His path was going to be long, filled with challenges and setbacks, but every battle, every sparring match, and every test of his talents would get him closer to where he needed to be. His Mote essence would rise to Aura in time, and his talents would evolve, but only through steady progress.

And soon, the real tests would come—beyond the village, beyond the forest, and into the world where the strongest warriors gathered.

The Academy was still a distant goal, but Kael had already begun his journey toward it. The road ahead was long, but he would walk it with purpose, growing stronger with every step.