Once upon a time, a human king named Gunglain sought the gods' aid to vanquish his enemies, monstrous beings wreaking havoc on earth.

Aware of the human frame's limitations against the overwhelming might of these creatures, the gods granted Gunglain power, but only within his right hand.

Astonishingly, this partial gift was enough. The monsters, famed for their brute strength, were effortlessly vanquished.

However, Gunglain's body remained unstable. To prevent losing control, he sealed his newfound power in stages.

As time progressed, his adversaries grew ever stronger, and divine strength alone seemed insufficient.

In his quest for more, Gunglain turned to another entity: a demon.

After lengthy negotiations and meeting certain conditions, he acquired demonic power in his left hand.

This dual force brought about a precarious balance, spawning new abilities like magic and extraordinary physical resilience, not just in Gunglain but his human allies too.

This tale was what Kenneth had learned about the origins of his own powers.

In his right hand, he wielded divine force.

Hard to believe, perhaps, but no more so than the existence of monsters, right?

This story illuminated the significant disparity between his powers and Steven's: Kenneth's divine strength was sealed from the outset, while Steven's was not.

"Can I ever unseal this power?" Kenneth pondered.

"I'm not sure, but I'm here to help you try," came the reply.

"How do you know all this?"

"That's a long story for another time. Right now, urgent matters demand your swift empowerment."

"A formidable monster to confront soon?"

"Not immediately, but it's wise to prepare for this new world."

Kenneth nodded slowly, devoid of alternatives.

"Alright, let's start your rapid training!"

"Shouldn't we wait for my wounds to heal?"

"There's no time. You must endure. Besides, I believe your wounds are already healing."

True enough, his katana wounds were closing, a testament to the divine power's might.

"Your recovery is beyond comprehension, but remember, minimize injuries. The power you've borrowed isn't meant for humans, and its side effects are unknown."

Aaron's expression was grave. Kenneth wanted to avoid the training but seemed to have no choice.

"So, what's the training regimen for rapid strength gain?"

"Let's start with a test. Can you run 100 meters in 11 seconds?"

The world record stood at 9.58 seconds. A far cry from an achievable non-athlete number.

"Hey, I won't be able to—"

"Don't declare defeat before you've even tried. Where's your courage?"

Irritated by the challenge, Kenneth took his position.

Running from one end of the cafeteria to the other covered 50 meters, necessitating a swift return, a disadvantage that could prolong his time.

But Kenneth felt something different. With each stride, immense energy coursed through him, cracking the ground beneath his feet.

The turn felt otherworldly, as if he could take flight at any moment.

He finished, not even winded.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Incredible..."

"Your new body is indeed remarkable. HAHAHA! But the long journey still lies ahead!"

"What was my time?"

"How should I know? I'm not a sports coach! I didn't bring a stopwatch!"

"..."

"Alright, now let's move on to another physical exercise: 100 push-ups in 5 minutes!"

"Um, sir..."

"Call me Aaron!"

"Yes, Aaron! But, are exercises like this really going to make me stronger?"

"Too many questions! Just do it! And stop with the 'sir'! I'm not your lord!"

"Okay, Aaron!!" Kenneth yelled, startled by Aaron's loud voice.

"This kid is physically ready, but mentally, he's not there yet. I need to temper him before he faces that person."

The training went on for four grueling hours.

The heavy rain from earlier continued to pour, turning the ground into a flood. Fortunately, the school was secured from the basement to the fourth floor, safe from monsters, thanks to Aaron's efforts.

"Okay, time's up! Stop!"

THUD!

Kenneth collapsed to the floor, exhausted. He'd never undergone such intense training; Aaron seemed almost unhinged.

"I said stop, not rest..."

"Ah... Sorry, Aaron.."

"Now, I'll truly teach you fighting techniques."

"!!!"

"You can fight in a normal human way, right?"

"Yes, I've learned some self-defense techniques."

"Good, then I can directly teach you control!"

"Control? What's that?"

"The power in your right hand, it's strongest there, but that doesn't mean it can't be channeled elsewhere."

"Try to kick me in the face."

"Are you sure- ah, never mind. Get ready!"

Kenneth tried to kick Aaron's face. But strangely, it was as if he hit an invisible barrier, just an inch away. How was that possible?

"This is energy control. You can execute defense or attack from a distance greater than the point of impact."

"Now, as you kick, feel the energy flow from your right hand and transfer it to your leg."

"Err.. It sounds complicated."

"If I could explain it easily, I'd be the world's best martial arts teacher. Just try it!"

"How can I understand with so little guidance?" Kenneth wondered.

He attempted the kick, imagining the surge of energy moving to his leg, especially close to the point of impact.

BOOM!!

"Oh no."

Kenneth's kick sent Aaron flying about 10 meters. This was not good.

"Aaron! Are you okay!?"

"... Are there still dentists in times like these? My teeth feel loose."

"..."

Aaron sprang up, facing Kenneth in an instant.

"WAHH! You scared me!"

"Hmm, it seems you have a talent for control? Or is it your power? It should be harder."

"Alright! In the remaining time, we need to keep training on control! To improve your attack and defense!"

"Okay!"

Aaron smiled, pleased. Finally, Kenneth was doing something without too many questions.

"I'm going to take a short walk, there's something I need to check."

"Okay, I'll continue training here."

Aaron disappeared into the dark corridors of the school.

On the fourth floor in the laboratory, a fierce red flame blazed from within the room. Smoke, gray and dense, billowed from the cracks of the door.

A fire!

But no one emerged from the chaos.

Inside, three culprits of the inferno were trapped: Robert, Tania, and Margareth. What were they doing there?

They had fallen into Aaron's trap. Ten goblins and five skeletons ambushed them. Four of their basketball team members had perished, but amidst the horror, a discovery was made.

"Tania! Are you okay!?"

From her hands, flames erupted. She was the primary cause of the fire.

In front of them, five goblins writhed in agony from the flames, but five more, along with the skeletons, seemed unaffected by the fire.

"I will protect you!"

Robert advanced, shouting, fending off the goblin and skeleton attacks. Strangely, their strikes seemed to do little more than tear his clothes and leave superficial scratches.

"E.. Eh? I don't feel a thing..?"

The goblins were confused, their attacks having no effect on this unusual being.

Margareth, shocked to see Robert under attack, inadvertently unleashed her magic.

"Heal!"

Robert's wounds vanished rapidly.

"Hmm.. just three people? But a good combination... A magic caster, a defender, and a healer."

"HELLO KIDS, HOW'S IT GOING? HOW DO YOU LIKE THE GAME??? HAHAHA!"

Startled, the trio turned as Aaron suddenly burst in, shouting boisterously.

Instinctively, they attacked, but when they refocused, they were striking at air.

"Done playing? Seems like you three make a decent team."

Aaron was already standing behind them.

"Hey, damn uncle! You-"

"Forget about him for now, focus on the gobli.. huh?"

All the goblins and skeletons lay in pieces, scattered on the floor.

Realization dawned on the trio that the person beside them was no ordinary human.

"Wh.. who are you, uncle?"

"Coming from someone who can shoot fire from their hands, is impervious to physical harm, and can heal wounds? What are you guys? HAHAHA!"

They fell silent, bewildered by his odd reaction.

"You TRAPPED us! And our friends died BECAUSE OF YOU!" Tania yelled.

The adrenaline fading, Margareth collapsed, overwhelmed.

"Margareth!" Robert caught her swiftly.

"Listen, you two... I mean, you both. This world, full of monsters, is brutal. Those who can't awaken their abilities fast enough will perish."

"But with the adrenaline and such monsters, those who can control the energy leaking from the seals will survive."

"Is there no other way..? Huhuhu." Tania couldn't hold back her tears, realizing the grim reality.

"... To survive, sometimes we must face loss."

"This time, join Kenneth. I believe you can help him."

"But you kicked us out earlier, now you're asking us to go back?"

"Earlier, your abilities weren't awakened, and you were useless. Now you can take care of yourselves. There's plenty of food there; rest up. Kenneth and I will be leaving soon."

Having checked on those who had gained abilities, Aaron returned to the cafeteria.

Suddenly, an immense tremor shook the ground. But this was no ordinary earthquake.

Through the windows, a colossal sight was visible: a 100-meter-long sea dragon, a leviathan, approached, ready to engulf everything.

"Oh crap, this is it. We're done for," Aaron muttered, staring outside at the impending doom.