The morning air felt cool on Zeke's skin, as he made his way through the forest. The sun had not yet fully crested the horizon, casting a soft glow over the world. Despite the early hour, he was awake and alert.

He had spent all of yesterday buried in thick tomes on magic theory. Now, as Maximilian stood before him, he knew it was time to put that knowledge into practice.

"Zeke," Maximilian said, his voice stern. "From now on, you’ll have to get up at this time every day. That way, we can train for three hours before your classes start."

Zeke nodded. He was determined to do whatever it took to prove himself worthy of the trust Maximilian had shown him. His father had taught him the belief that with hard work and dedication, he could overcome any obstacle. It was time to put that theory to the test.

"Listen up, my boy," Maximilian began, his kind eyes fixed on his student. "From now on, our mornings will be dedicated to training in Blood Magic. You'll still attend your morning classes at the academy for now. After lunch, I'll take you out of the school to get some combat experience against monsters."

Zeke's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why do I have to fight monsters instead of training my spells?" he asked.

Maximilian chuckled. "Because the stress of actual combat puts a great deal of pressure on the mind and body. That pressure is the best way to stimulate progress for mages, in my opinion. Stress is a fantastic learning aid, you see."

Zeke nodded, trying to wrap his head around this logic. All of a sudden, he realized why his Blood Core was about to evolve so early. The bullying, the separation from his family, and the painful loss of Lilly: All of those events combined put immense pressure on Zeke. He felt like he was suffocating each day since coming here. If stress was really as beneficial as Maximilian claimed, then Zeke wouldn't be surprised if his other cores were close to evolving too.

"…And in the evenings," Maximilian continued, "you'll continue to study magic theory, just as you did yesterday. If everything goes according to plan, you will be able to learn the spell in time."

Zeke nodded, steeling himself for what was to come. The path ahead would be difficult, but with Maximilian's guidance, he was confident that he could overcome this challenge.

“I understand… but why are we out here?” he asked in confusion.

“Good question! I want you to run a lap around this small forest every morning before we start our lesson. It often helps to get the juices flowing before trying to practice Magic,” Maximilian said. “I’ll meet you back at the mansion in half an hour… at the latest.”

Zeke thought the old man was joking at first, but Maximilian’s face remained serious. With a hesitant nod, he started the trek around the forest. Just about half an hour later, a completely exhausted Zeke met up with Maximilian inside the training room of the mansion.

The old man smiled at his disheveled state, patting Zeke on the shoulder. “Now, I am certain that your teachers taught you next to nothing when it comes to Blood Magic as well. We'll have to work extra hard to make up for that. Let's start with the most versatile spell of any Magic school — Manipulation.”

Despite his state, Zeke's eyes lit up with excitement. He had long since wanted his tutors to teach him proper blood magic spells, and now that wish was finally coming true.

"[Blood Manipulation] is exactly as the name suggests, the ability to control blood," Maximilian explained. "At lower levels, it can be used to speed up the functions of organs and muscles by increasing the blood flow. It can also be used to stem the bleeding from wounds. It's a very useful spell to have in your arsenal, especially when combined with other blood magic spells."

Zeke nodded, taking in every word. He soon realized how he was supposed to integrate the power of his Mana to control the flow of blood. It turned into a painful lesson as the practice began revolving around stopping the Blood from a fresh cut. Maximilian would slice open a thin cut on his arm. Zeke's mission was to stop any drop from escaping the wound and subsequently close it shut.

Usually, such practice could only be done a very limited number of times, but Zeke’s perfect affinity made him appear tireless. The hours passed by as he worked on his control. It was painful work, but with each passing minute, Zeke's control became firmer.

As the three hours of training came to an end, Maximilian stood before Zeke, a proud smile spreading across his face.

"That was truly impressive, my boy! Not only your determination to push through the pain but your progress as well," he said, his voice filled with amazement. "I would have stopped much sooner if you weren’t making such tremendous strides. This level of advancement is nothing short of astounding. It took me almost a week to advance my own [Fire manipulation] to that level."

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Zeke beamed with pride, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over him.

"If you can keep up this speed of advancement, you'll graduate from being an apprentice in no time at all,” Maximilian praised.

Zeke nodded, basking in the sense of fulfillment only a job well done could bring. He knew that he still had a long way to go, but this had been a great start.

"It’s time for breakfast, otherwise you won’t be in time for classes," Maximilian said as he patted Zeke on the back.

Soon after, Zeke set off for his classes, his mind racing with excitement. His good mood didn’t hold for long, however, as the morning classes were especially dry today. Compared to the Magic lessons he had with Maximilian, these were a slog to get through.

During a particularly boring class, he tried to increase the blood flow to his brain, curious to see what would happen. To his surprise, a change occurred immediately. He felt more clear-headed. Even, the material of the class seemed to come more easily to him as well.

As the day went on, Zeke's excitement only grew. His mastery in [Blood Manipulation] improved steadily. Thanks to his increased brain function, he had no problem following along with the classes while working on his Magic at the same time. It wasn’t that he was getting smarter per se, but focusing on two different things had become vastly easier.

He couldn’t wait to share this discovery with the old man. Finally, the last class of the day ended, and Zeke could be seen sprinting across the academy grounds moments later.

"Maximilian, you won't believe what I learned today!" Zeke exclaimed as he burst through the door into the old man’s study. "I figured out how to use [Blood manipulation] spell to increase my thinking speed!"

Maximilian nodded approvingly, a small smile playing on his lips. "That's impressive, my boy. But try not to overdo it. Once you feel comfortable, you can try improving different parts of your body at the same time."

Zeke took in Maximilian's words. He knew that mastering [Blood manipulation] would take time and dedication, but he was determined to succeed.

"Only when you can freely turn on and off all the enhancements to your body at will, you will be considered to have mastered the apprentice level of the spell," Maximilian continued. "But don't let that be your only goal. Keep pushing yourself to learn and grow as a mage. The journey to true mastery is never ending."

Zeke nodded, feeling grateful for Maximilian's guidance. He spent the entirety of his lunch trying to find ways to improve his skill in [Blood manipulation]. Meanwhile, Maximilian had been preparing something, and now he called Zeke over to join him.

The boy made his way over to the other room, curious to see what Maximilian had been up to. When he entered, he saw that there was a set of light leather armor and a backpack on the table, as well as a staff. The staff was made of wood, but the ends on both sides were reinforced with metal.

"Put on the armor," Maximilian instructed. “Let’s see if it properly fits you.”

Zeke obeyed, putting on the armor. The leather was incredibly flexible and he could put the entire set on in only a few moments without any help. When he was fully clad in leather, Zeke picked up the weapon and gave it a few test swings. His movements were clumsy as he had never held this type of weapon before. He couldn't help but wonder why Maximilian had chosen it for him.

"Why this weapon?" Zeke asked.

"It’s a good fit for you," Maximilian said with a smile. Zeke looked down at the staff and then back at Maximilian. He didn’t feel like this was a good fit for him. He would much rather have a sword. Maximilian chucked upon seeing Zeke’s unconvinced expression.

"Body type Cores passively improve the body over time," Maximilian said. "There are three kinds of Body Cores: Blood Cores, Bone Cores, and Flesh Cores. They are known to make the body stronger and more durable by permanently nourishing the blood, bone, and flesh respectively with a flow of attuned mana."

Zeke nodded, understanding dawning on him. "So that's why I'm a lot stronger than other kids my age, even with my build," he said, recalling how he had always been able to hold his own against Martin and his bully friends back in his village.

"Yes," Maximilian confirmed. "Your Blood Core will give you an edge, and as you continue to develop your skills and control, you'll become even stronger. It's important to balance your physical training with your magical studies. Both are crucial to becoming a well-rounded combatant."

Zeke nodded, determined not to ignore his physical training in the future. He had always liked to be physically active, but it didn’t reflect in his build at all. His arms were still as scrawny as they had always been. Nobody would ever call him muscular. He had always been among the most slender boys in his village. It had always been something of a sore spot for him, as his father was built like an Ox.

"With your increased strength, a blunt weapon like this staff will be the best choice," Maximilian explained. "And remember, the staff has a longer reach than almost every other weapon, giving you an advantage against untrained foes."

Zeke had to agree with the logic behind those words. Feeling the weight of the weapon in his hands, he realized that he was going to have to fight actual monsters soon. A wave of nervousness washed over him, as his mind filled with images of dragons burning down villages, of nightmare creatures made from fire and darkness tossing around burning buildings like they were toys.

"What kind of monster are we going to hunt?" Zeke asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.

Maximilian chuckled at the look of worry on the boy’s face. "Don't worry, Zeke. We're not hunting dragons or Titans. Today, We're hunting goblins."

Little did he know that this announcement stirred the almost forgotten fear that still lurked in the boy’s heart. His first run-in with the green pests had almost cost Zeke his life. Now, he would be forced to face them once again.

“Great,” Zeke said with a false smile on his face. “Can’t wait!”