Jake the Snake.

A name that many malcontents and unsavory types knew. He was infamous as an information broker and a black market trader, and he was known to do side gigs in smuggling and monster fighting now and then. He was a wanted man in the Western Empire, but his real name and identity were unknown.

Well, people thought his name was unknown.

His real name was Jacob Richards, born into the once-prominent Richards family of the Western Empire. His father, Lord Nathaniel Richards, was a powerful warrior who was well-respected for his strength on the battlefield. He earned fame and fortune leading armies to victory, but that story was over a decade old.

Jake’s father was a gambling addict. Nathaniel’s reckless pursuits led him to accumulate an ungodly amount of debt. This was fine while the status quo lasted, but Nathaniel was always a warrior first. As is often the case with warriors, he met his end on the battlefield, leaving his family to deal with the debt he left behind.

His mother, Lady Isabelle Richards, came from a family of commoner merchants. She utilized her business acumen and resourcefulness to keep the family afloat for a time, but the strain took a toll on her health.

If that were all, then perhaps Jake might have still ended up on a good path. He struggled to live up to his status as the heir of the family, but tragedy struck them once more.

At the age of sixteen, his younger sister Amelia was brutally murdered. The reasons behind her murder were still shrouded in mystery now, a full decade later, but the traumatic event left a deep and lasting impact on Jake. He swore to exact revenge by exploiting her murderer to accumulate wealth and power. He vowed to drain the perpetrator of everything he had before ultimately subjecting him to a slow and painful demise.

Then he set out on his own, leaving his poor, aging mother to grieve and maintain the house completely alone. She was still alive, but I didn’t write many notes about her since Jake was ultimately a single-arc villain that Thaddeus killed early on in the story.

There were a lot of details about the dark path that Jake walked after that, but I’ll spare you those because this exposition dump got a little longer than I thought it would. Suffice it to say that Jake the Snake was very good at his job, and I definitely caught his attention by waltzing into his office the way I did.

That’s why I wasn’t surprised when I got a text from ‘Scam Likely’ early the next morning.

(Scam Likely) URGENT: Dear Brick, congratulations! You’ve been selected for a FREE stress relief consultation. Time is running out, so don’t miss this LIMITED OFFER. Visit my office ASAP to claim your exclusive session and unlock the secrets to a stress-free life. Act now! Regards, Jake.

“Wow, he went all in…”

I chuckled to myself reading the strangely realistic scam message. I could respect a man who put in this much effort.

It said ASAP, but I still had to attend Martial Body Conditioning and Intro to Magic Power. I also had a meeting with Thaddeus in a few minutes.

Throwing on a cadet uniform, I made my way over to the training fields. As I entered Training Field 5, I spotted Thaddeus beginning a sword dance in the center of the field. He held his sword firmly, the steel seeming to resonate with energy.

He started with slow, deliberate movements, extending the sword in front of him and drawing it back to his side. He transitioned into a series of gentle, controlled swings, allowing the blade to cut through the air with a whisper-like hiss, gradually increasing in speed and intensity.

With each passing moment, his movements grew more fluid and confident. As he danced, a silvery-white magic aura began to emanate from his body, subtly accentuating his movements and enveloping the sword in a shimmering, ethereal light.

His dance was mesmerizing, and I found myself completely captivated. His broad shoulders flexed and shifted beneath his flannel button-up as he executed each precise step, his white t-shirt was damp with sweat, clinging to his muscular form beneath.

He twirled, lunged, and parried, his sword slicing through the air with graceful arcs and swift thrusts. As the dance reached its climax, the silvery-white aura around him intensified, casting a brilliant, almost otherworldly glow on his surroundings. With a final, triumphant flourish, he brought the sword to rest, the aura dissipating as he completed the dance.

I whistled in appreciation, startling him from his trance.

“What the…!”

“Hot damn,” I replied, grinning from ear to ear. “That was so sparkly that I think you made the stars jealous.”

Thaddeus smirked. “I don’t blame them. With moves like these, it’s hard not to be envious.”

I laughed while shaking my head. “Y’know, if you ever decide to give up on the Hero gig, you would definitely be popular as an entertainer. Put on a half-decent outfit and I bet you’d be a nice piece of eye candy.”

He rolled his eyes. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll stick to sword fighting and killing monsters for now.”

“Probably for the best.”

He chuckled. “Right, right.”

His expression gradually shifted, his smile fading as his eyes took on a more somber, introspective look. Clearing his throat, he said, “So, uh… I saw what happened in the gnome dungeon. The aftermath, I mean.”

“Ah…”

I should have expected him to ask about that.

“I know how strong you are, Brick. I’ve been keeping a close eye on your progress, and I know you aren’t strong enough to beat a Gnomonculus and a full cabal of Arcane Inquisitor Gnomes. Even with Luxjo, Eden, and Princess Diana there, it doesn’t make sense.”

He was right. Eden was enough to take care of the sorcerers, but she knocked herself out in the process. Luxjo ultimately lost against the Gnomonculus. The fight should have been over at that moment.

“I wish I could tell you man, but it’s not my secret to share. I won because I was fighting with Diana. It might have been possible if I teamed up with Luxjo, but he got beat while I was tapped out.”

That was about as much info as I was willing to give him. I already forced Diana to reveal her secret in front of Lilith; I wasn’t about to go shouting it to the rest of the world without permission. I owed her that much respect, at least. Also, I knew this would be enough to satisfy Thaddeus.

“So the princess has a unique skill that she’s been hiding,” he realized. “We guessed as much but didn’t have any proof.”

“It’s a reasonable guess,” I replied in a noncommittal, neutral tone. “I heard you came by after and carried me out. Thanks for that.”

“No problem,” he said while flashing his teeth in a grin.

I checked the time on my phone and winced, “We don’t have much time left before MBC.”

“Hmmm…” he folded his arms and tilted his chin back while he pondered what to do. “How about I teach you a little technique you can use to impress Professor Lincoln?”

“Oh?”

“Here’s what you do: when you breathe in, focus on expanding your diaphragm and filling your lungs from the bottom up. Make sure your chest remains relatively still, and instead let your belly expand outward. When you exhale, contract your diaphragm and release the air from your lungs, starting from the top and moving down.”

He demonstrated the technique and I followed along as best as I could, practicing taking deep, controlled breaths. As I got the hang of it, I noticed a change: the deep, rhythmic breaths seemed to dissolve the tension building up inside me, replacing it with serene tranquility.

“One of the fundamental aspects of martial arts is ‘proper breathing’,” Thaddeus explained. “When you control your breath, you control your body and mind. This technique is called ‘diaphragmatic breathing.’ It’s said that it can help you stay focused and calm under pressure, and it will help you control any physical enhancements to your body.”

Stolen novel; please report.

I took a few more deep, controlled breaths before smiling. “Thanks, man. I’ll keep practicing it.”

We sat on the ground side-by-side, practicing breathing until students began to filter into the field for Martial Body Conditioning. I ignored most of the extras, keeping my eye on the towering four-armed Asura. The fiend waved at us when he arrived and then stepped off to the side to do his own thing.

As more students trickled in, a faint din of chatter filled the air, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter. I continued my breathing exercises, trying to keep my focus on the rhythm of my breath and not on the growing crowd around us.

It was obvious when Professor Lincoln arrived. The weight of his presence fell over us like a storm, heavy and inevitable. He strode into the field with confidence and power, his gaze stern and commanding. As his eyes roamed over the students, he paused for just a moment when he spotted me before moving on.

He moved to the center of the field, all chatter dying as every eye focused on him. Once he was done examining each of the students, his gaze landed on me once again.

“I hope you’ve all been doing your exercises. It’s only been a week; if you’re struggling now, this may not be the career path for you.”

‘Was that directed at me? Excuse me, good sir, but I am doing my exercises every day, thank you very much!’

Naturally, I kept those thoughts to myself. There wasn’t any value in broadcasting my narcissistic tendencies to the world like some out-of-control radio station. Not in this situation, at least, where the professor was already annoyed with me.

“Over the last few lessons, I’ve taken note of the level each of you are at,” he began. “As I’m sure many of you know, the techniques learned in this course are meant to serve as the foundation for a comprehensive martial style that incorporates magic. Some of you are already practicing a style, while others are complete beginners. As such, you will be graded based on improvement rather than on a static benchmark.”

He gestured toward Thaddeus. “You’re at a higher level than anybody else here. Would you care to assist me in a demonstration?”

“Sure,” Thaddeus said. “What kind of demonstration?”

“We’ll start at the bottom and work our way up to mana augments.”

“Alright, sounds good.”

The two moved so that they were facing each other with a few steps between them. Professor Lincoln addressed the class before beginning the demonstration.

“Always remember that your power comes from your foundation. At the most basic level, this means you must keep your center of gravity aligned. This will make your movements more fluid and powerful.”

As if they coordinated beforehand, Thaddeus took a wide stance and Professor Lincoln attempted to push him. The main character stood firm, unyielding. Then Thaddeus shifted his weight to one side and nearly toppled over when the professor tried to push him again.

Then Professor Lincoln stepped around Thaddeus and approached from his flank. Thaddeus spun around, regaining his firm stance, and intercepted the attack.

“Unless there is something stopping you, you should always be moving,” he said while continuing to circle around Thaddeus. “Positioning can turn a defense into an attack, and an attack into a defense. When you stand still, you give the initiative to your opponent, and we want to give our opponents as few advantages as possible.”

With the base part of the demonstration out of the way, both Professor Lincoln and Thaddeus channeled their mana. A silvery-white aura coated Thaddeus before settling inside of him, showing no outward sign that he had enhanced himself.

“Mana isn’t just for casting spells,” he continued. “It’s a force that can be channeled into your body, enhancing your physical abilities.” He raised a hand and gestured for Thaddeus to strike the center of his palm. The impact jerked the professor’s arm back.

His heavy gaze landed on me once again. “If you fail to control your mana, it can cause severe harm to your body. Visualize it as a stream, flowing from your core to your limbs.”

Both he and Thaddeus released their auras and let their enhancements fade away.

“Each of you will now find somewhere to sit, stand, crouch, kneel, pray, or whatever. You can practice your techniques, if you already have them, or begin developing them if you do not. I will be walking around if you have any questions, and I fully expect each and every one of you to demonstrate your efforts before you leave for the day.”

We split up, several people congregating together while others moved away to have more space to practice alone. I remained where I was and continued focusing on the breathing technique that Thaddeus taught me.

The Way of the Harmonious Warrior.

The fighting style I designed for Thaddeus was one of the best in this universe. Naturally, this claim was based on the fact that he is the main character and the mechanics of this world were created with him in mind. It wasn’t the strongest fighting style, nor the fastest, the most defensive, or anything like that. The Way of the Harmonious Warrior was intended to be the most comprehensive style, having five forms that each represented a style of combat.

While he had no way of knowing that I had caught on, the breathing technique that he showed me was part of the inspiration for one of those five forms. It was probably best to think of this as some sort of test to see how talented I am.

Fortunately, I created his fighting style.

I wasn’t a trained martial artist or anything, but I am very good at using search engines to pad my knowledge with the wisdom of the internet when I feel like it. His fighting style contained the combined wisdom of a hundred novels, Wikipedia, fifteen minutes on Quora, and a Reddit thread asking for advice on fighting styles.

It would be a while before I could use any of the five forms with any meaningful level of proficiency, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t work on the fundamentals now.

Since I didn’t have many battles under my belt yet, I mimicked the professor’s movements from his demonstration with Thaddeus. I took a wide, firm stance, keeping my feet light on the ground, ready to move. Closing my eyes to focus on my breathing, I tried to emulate the fluidity of the professor’s movements, shifting my weight from foot to foot.

Though I couldn’t see the embarrassingly poor movements, I could feel how clumsy my movements were. Until a week ago, I was a moderately respectable man in my early twenties who had a job, friends, and a hobby. Other than hitting up the gym once a week with my buddy, I didn’t care to exercise or do anything that improved proprioception.

I tripped over my own feet a dozen times or so before I found something of a rhythm. Once I could move several steps without falling, I tapped into the raw, poorly-tamed mana inside of me. The tempestuous storm heeded my call and began to clash and cause havoc. It was an inferno, the intensity threatening to consume me from within.

Instead of fighting it like I had been for the last several days, I began to breathe using the breathing technique that Thaddeus showed me. My belly expanded with each breath, filling up from the bottom like a reservoir, then contracted, pushing the air upward and out of my lungs. My chest remained still, the rhythm of my breath slow and controlled.

As I breathed, the storm gradually began to respond. The wild tempest started to ebb and flow with my breath as if they were dancing to the same rhythm. Sensing that I’d caught onto something, I began to move again, focusing on synchronizing every movement of my hands, feet, and body together with my breath. I wasn’t fighting the storm; I was directing it.

When I opened my eyes, I reflexively cringed, waiting for the pain that always came after I used my mana. Instead of pain, a sense of calm control washed over me. The storm was still there, but now it was in a state of controlled chaos.

This was the first step of the Resonant Breath, the Fourth Form of the Way of the Harmonious Warrior.

A window appeared, obscuring my vision.

You have learned to control your mana using a breathing technique.

=Status Up!=

Your magic control stat has increased from 3 -> 4.

Your magic power stat has increased from 2 -> 3.

==========

I collapsed to the ground, letting out a sigh of relief as I relaxed, releasing the technique. Given enough time, it would become natural, but it took conscious effort to maintain it right now. Sweat covered my forehead and my undershirt was stuck to my body. The cool sea breeze was nice and calming, and I took a moment to enjoy it.

“Cadet Layer, I trust you have some results to show me?” Professor Lincoln said, jolting me out of my reverie.

“Ah…” I stared at him for a moment, struggling to collect my thoughts. “Yeah, I made some progress.”

“Let me see.”

I groaned while pushing myself back to my feet. My whole body felt weak as if I’d just maxed out at the gym.

With a nod from Professor Lincoln, I closed my eyes and tapped into my mana again. Replicating the steps from before, I opened my eyes and began to move. With each step, faint glimmers of light, like sparks escaping a bonfire, flickered around my body. The sparks seemed to flow and dance in harmony with my movements.

Professor Lincoln raised his palm, a silent invitation. I planted my foot firmly on the ground and rotated my hips to draw power from my core. My right hand shot forward like a cannon.

The moment my fist made contact with his hand, there was a flash of brilliant light, as if a star had burst into life. The air seemed to shudder under the impact, a palpable wave of force radiating outward.

The professor flexed his wrist while studying my mana for a moment. Then he smiled. “In such a short time, you managed to take your first step. I’m impressed. I’ll look forward to seeing you improve.”

With that glowing commendation, he moved on to the next student.

The moment he turned away, I collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted. I could barely muster enough strength to move.

I used the rest of the class period to rest and recover. I just needed to be at a level where I could think straight and walk around; my next class was Intro to Magic Power, which was predominately theoretical.

More importantly, I had to go see Jake again after my next class. If I let myself get too tired, the meeting could end very poorly for me.

Once class was over, I gave Thaddeus a nod before heading out. It took everything I had to fight the urge to close my eyes and sleep as I staggered across the campus.

‘Well, shoot…’

Glancing at my phone, the thought crossed my mind…

‘Should I just reschedule?’