Every once in a while, you’re hit with an unexpected invitation into someone else’s chaos. An invitation for coffee, a subtle reach for your hand, a look that lingers just a little too long.

That’s when the dilemma hits—to accept or reject. To vastly oversimplify, it’s a question of whether you want to venture into the unknown or stay anchored in comfortable solitude. Both options have their own appeal, but they also each hold their own share of risks.

Sometimes, rejection is the more straightforward path. It often feels like a bid to protect ourselves and avoid the seemingly inevitable heartache that seems to follow the joy. But here’s the thing about rejection—it’s just as much about the other person as it is about you.

What do I mean by this?

When you reject someone, you’re sending a clear message. You’re saying that, for whatever reason, you can’t offer them what they are looking for. Maybe you’re not ready, maybe they’re not the right fit, or maybe the timing isn’t right. Whatever the reason, rejection isn’t something to be taken lightly. It’s not a stone you casually toss into the pond of someone else’s emotions.

Rejection isn’t just about saying ‘no’ to a date. It’s about acknowledging the vulnerability in their invitation, understanding the courage it took for them to extend it, and responding with respect and honesty. It’s about being clear about what you can give and what you can’t.

This is a firm, yet untested belief that I’ve held for years. As a man, I was typically the one doing the asking, and so I was usually the one getting rejected.

Jessica asked me out to coffee.

She caught me off guard. It was the first time I’d ever been asked out by a girl, and her hurt expression haunted my thoughts like a lingering specter. The memory replayed in my mind on a loop, a cruel rerun of a poorly written live-action adaptation.

As the day turned into night, Jessica remained at the forefront of my mind. She invaded my thoughts, uninvited but unavoidable. Even as I tried to sleep, my pillow offered little comfort. Each toss and turn was a silent plea to the universe, begging providence to somehow undo the blunder.

By the time the soft morning light started to seep through my window, casting long, lazy shadows on the walls, I was already wide awake. Dawn arrived with a grudging speed as if it were a reluctant witness to my sleepless torment. The quiet hum of a new day brought with it a new and welcome distraction:

Martial Body Conditioning.

Hitting the gym to run away from relationship drama is a time-honored tradition among men. If the gym is a rehabilitation center for broken people, then it stands to reason that Martial Body Conditioning should be like intensive therapy where mind and body learn to communicate again, using the language of sweat and perseverance.

“...”

Okay, this convoluted analogy is starting to get lost on me.

The point is that I felt like garbage for how I treated Jessica yesterday, and I needed to punch something. I needed the raw physicality of MBC to ground me back to reality, to dull the sharp edges of regret.

Training Field 5 was mostly empty when I arrived, the crisp morning air humid and carrying the fishy smell of the ocean. Thaddeus was already there, practicing his sword dance.

The silvery-white aura emanating from his body pulsed and flowed with every movement. In the original novel, I tended to describe Thaddeus’ internal state as one ‘approaching perfect harmony’, though he didn’t actually achieve that realm until much later in the story.

The Way of the Harmonious Warrior.

As I mentioned before, it was the form of martial arts that I designed for Thaddeus, uniquely tailored to his character, abilities, and the grand narrative of the story. There were five distinct yet interconnected forms, each representing a unique aspect of combat, and together I considered them to embody a complete system of martial arts.

In theory, I should understand the Way of the Harmonious Warrior well enough that I could practice it myself, but I simply didn’t have the experience to pull it off yet. For now, it was interesting enough to watch Thaddeus perform the techniques that I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into crafting. In fact, it was oddly cathartic to watch Thaddeus effortlessly manipulate his mana to slice the air with precise, elegant strikes. I stood there, mesmerized, as the sun rose higher and began to illuminate the entire field. The smell of the salty sea breeze mixed with the grass was calming, pulling me out of my reverie.

I approached Thaddeus, nodding in acknowledgment as he paused his sword dance. His silver aura dissipated gradually.

“Morning, Thaddeus,” I greeted, watching as he carefully sheathed his sword.

“Brick,” he returned the greeting while turning to face me. “You look like you snorted Floridian bath salts.”

“Nah, it’s not that serious,” I replied. “Just missing a little sleep.”

“Something on your mind?” he probed, his eyes carrying a hint of interest.

A sigh slipped past my lips before I could stop it. “It’s just…” I hesitated, knowing that I was about to step into dicey territory. “Do you know Jessica?”

He raised an eyebrow, giving me a playful smirk. “Jessica? You mean like the ‘one in every third rom-com movie’ Jessica, or…?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “More like ‘one in every third page of a web novel’ Jessica, but you probably don’t get that reference.”

“...You into erotica, bro?”

I rolled my eyes. “You had to go there. I’m talking about a girl in my Ethical Necromancy class.”

“I’m picturing a goth lolita with blonde twin tails.”

“Tsundere?” I checked.

“Tsundere,” he confirmed.

“Not even close.”

“She’s not worth it, man. You can do better.”

“She asked me out.”

His brow furrowed in concentration as he took a moment to study me. “And you’re not thrilled because…?”

“I…”

How was I supposed to explain this?

“I just… I’m not ready for it.”

He sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Brick,” he said, his tone firm yet understanding. “It’s alright if you’re not ready, but make sure you let her know. Saving the world will definitely keep us busy; you can worry about romance when you’re rich and famous.”

I snorted, holding back a laugh. “Your advice started off fine and then went to shit.”

He pulled his hand back and grinned. “Just don’t spend so much time worrying about this random girl that you forget about the mission.”

“I’m fine,” I lied. “I’m just waiting for contact from…”

My phone buzzed several times as I received a bunch of text messages. I checked them while carefully angling my screen so that Thaddeus couldn’t see it.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

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“There we go,” I said. “I should be able to make some good progress this weekend.”

(Me) BON VOYAGE

I sent my reply and put away my phone, an invisible weight settling on my shoulders.

“Good luck,” Thaddeus said. “Let me know if you need a hand.”

“Sure thing,” I replied offhandedly.

Professor Lincoln arrived shortly after, his imposing figure cutting through the early morning mist that clung to the training field. His presence was as large and commanding as usual, silencing any lingering chatter from other students in the field.

“Alright everyone, I hope you’ve been keeping up with your practice. There won’t be time to warm up; today is a practicum. Before the end of class, I expect each and every one of you to demonstrate to me that you have made progress toward your own comprehensive martial style that incorporates magic. You may begin. I will be wandering around if you have any questions or would like to check off your progress.”

“Demonstrate our progress…” I mumbled to myself.

“This one might be a little rough for you,” Thaddeus observed with a hint of sympathy in his voice.

“I’ll figure it out, I guess.”

“I’ll be nearby if you have any questions,” he said.

“Sure, sure,” I replied while waving him away.

After he moved a few steps away, I folded my arms and closed my eyes, turning inward to think about the assignment.

‘Our own comprehensive martial style… with magic…’

During the previous lesson, I made progress toward the martial style designed for Thaddeus:

The Way of the Harmonious Warrior.

Though I performed the first step of the Resonant Breath, the Fourth Form of the Way of the Harmonious Warrior, my status window didn’t reflect that. In fact, when I performed the technique, this was the notification I received:

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

The system didn’t name the breathing technique I used.

Fortunately, I already knew the reason why: I never developed my first internal magic circle.

This is a topic I’ve referenced once or twice before, but I didn’t explain it in detail since it was superfluous information at the time. Despite what you may personally feel about the contents of my monologues, I am extremely selective about the text and descriptions I let through.

Anyway, the term ‘magic circles’ is used to describe two different categories of organized magic circuits: internal and external. External magic circles are like the ones drawn by Lilith to create her three-phase magic power demonstrations. Those will be explained in increasing detail as I learn to use them going forward.

For now, let’s talk about internal magic circles, as I would have to create one if I wanted to accomplish today’s assignment.

Not every person in this world has mana. Rather, without the existence of ‘abilities’, not a single person in this world would have had mana prior to the discovery of demons, monsters, and treaders. When a person is born, there is a chance for them to have an ability, and all people who have abilities can generate, feel, and manipulate mana.

An internal magic circle is the first stage of development for a magic user. Once the magic user has enough control over the flow of their mana, they control the flow and form it into a complete magic circuit. There are many, many benefits to doing so, and it would take a very long time to list them all here. For now, I’ll simplify it by saying that possessing an internal magic circle allows magic users to use spells without redrawing new magic circles every time.

It should go without saying, but possessing an internal magic circle is widely considered a prerequisite to applying to Horizon Academy, let alone getting in. Me not already having one was an extremely unusual case.

After I unconsciously synchronized my mana while dancing the Tango with Lilith yesterday, I was fairly sure that I would be able to create one now.

I began to breathe using the Resonant Breath technique. My belly expanded with each breath, then contracted, pushing the air out of my lungs. As I breathed, the explosive flood of mana inside me stirred. The deadly storm began to flow with the rhythm of my breath much faster than before.

Soon enough, I sensed a shift. Leaping on that nebulous feeling, I willed my mana to circulate within my body, from my core, down to my legs, up my spine, and through my arms. I could feel the energy expanding, seeping into every part of my body before flowing back to the center, always returning to the origin point.

This origin would be the heart of the magic circle.

With every breath I took, I guided the mana into a specific form. The circle of mana became more rigid, more defined. Once the circular form was established, I released my mental grip and let it flow.

Just as I completed the circuit, a sudden rush of exhilaration filled me. It was as if a dormant part of me had finally awoken, igniting a powerful sense of oneness with my mana. It was an indescribable feeling, as though I had plunged into a cool river on a hot summer day, my entire being refreshed and rejuvenated.

An intense warmth emanated from the center of my body. My eyes snapped open just in time to witness a mesmerizing spectacle. From my core, a radiant, silver-white light began to shine, rapidly intensifying until it enveloped my entire body in a dazzling aura. The light pulsed with the rhythm of my breath, ebbing and flowing likes waves on a shore.

I lifted my hand in front of my face, watching as the glow danced over my skin, tracing the lines of my palms. It was awe-inspiring and a little frightening. Yet, I knew instinctively that this was right, this was progress.

As quickly as it had started, the glow began to recede, sinking back into my body and leaving only the faintest trace of light behind my eyes. I was left in a state of serene calm, my heartbeat matching the rhythm of the now-established circle of mana within me.

You have created an internal magic circle.

You currently have (1) internal magic circle(s).

Internal Magic Circle 1 - (Edit Name)

Configuration - Default

Capacity - 100%

Efficiency - 10%

→Addons (0/5): None

→Spells (0/5): None

→Techniques (1/5): Resonant Breath

After witnessing my achievement, Thaddeus chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. He strode toward me, slapping his hand on my shoulder.

“Brick,” he said, his eyes deadly serious. “You just became a Shounen protagonist.”

I met his gaze with an equally serious, deadpan look. “Is my hair defying gravity?”

“No.”

“Then it’s not Shounen yet.”

His serious face cracked and he desperately tried to bring it back while holding back the urge to laugh. “So… no power of friendship?”

“Nope.”

“Damn. What about three-minute-long transformation sequences?”

I shook my head. “Not yet.”

“Alright, alright,” he held up his hands in surrender. “But on a more serious note; congratulations. This is a big step forward.”

“Thanks," I said, feeling a smile tug at my lips. "It does feel different. I’m more in control.”

“It only gets better from here,” he encouraged.

The rest of the practicum went without a hitch. Thaddeus gave me a few tips here and there as I practiced activating my magic circle. I touched the ‘Edit Name’ portion and considered what to name it.

‘I’ll be filtering all my spells through this one, so it’s going to do a mishmash of everything until I get more magic circles…’

I could rename it later, so I didn’t really hesitate before locking in a name I found amusing:

Swiss Army Circle.

After class, I wandered aimlessly toward the cafeteria to pick up an early lunch before Intro to Magic Power. My mind was a little chaotic, a cross between elation at crossing my first magical milestone and gnawing worry about Jessica. I decided to focus on the immediate problem in front of me first.

“Let’s get some pizza for brunch,” I decided.