Kael deftly conjured a stone arrow and launched it towards the eighth target. Swiftly, he did the same for the fourth and the tenth targets. Each arrow found its mark, hitting the bullseye with precision. By merging multiple processes into a single step, Kael had managed to significantly reduce the time it took to conjure the stone arrows. For instance, he simultaneously hardened the arrow's tip while he extracted the arrow from the ground.

This approach made the process considerably more complex, but Kael knew he would need to master more intricate spells in the future. Beth's trigger method facilitated the execution of more advanced spells with greater speed. The efficiency gained from combining steps was remarkable. Although Kael couldn't pinpoint the exact time, he estimated that it took about a second and a half to form and fire a stone arrow towards a target. His aim had improved dramatically.

Kael decided to assign names to his triggers. Whenever he wished to cast this specific spell, he would simply think about conjuring his 'stone arrow,' and his mind would rapidly complete the necessary steps.

It had been merely a few days since he began training with this spell, but Kael already felt confident in its combat readiness. Over the past few months, he had made significant strides, particularly in his magical abilities. This marked the most tangible progress he had experienced thus far, offering him a fresh weapon to wield. Though not particularly flashy or potent, it was a new tool he could rely on when needed.

Energized by his newfound prowess, Kael sought out Beth to inform her of his progress. With a sigh, she accompanied him to the backyard.

"Okay, I'll tell you a target to hit, and you'll try to strike it as quickly as you can. 4."

Kael promptly hit the target dead center. As Beth continued to call out targets, he summoned stone arrows and struck each one. After a dozen consecutive bullseyes, she finally nodded in approval.

"Congratulations, you have now mastered the most basic skill for magical combat. It only took you forever." A wide grin quickly formed on Beth's face. "Now, we get to the fun part! Close your eyes."

Kael's nerves stirred as he sensed an ominous thrill in his mentor's sudden enthusiasm, but he complied. Beth's voice echoed once more.

"Enhance the outside of your body with your aura. Good, now, dodge."

As Kael struggled to comprehend her instructions, he was struck in the head by a small yet heavy object. Had he not activated a protective layer with his aura, the blow would have inflicted considerable damage, possibly even rendering him unconscious. Another impact struck him in the gut.

Instinctively, Kael's eyes flew open, revealing two fist-sized stones lying on the ground before him. His mentor had been hurling rocks at him! An exasperated sigh escaped from Beth, and he glanced up at her.

"I said dodge! You're not supposed to be a punching bag. I'm conflicted. On one hand, I get to pelt you with rocks. But on the other hand, I'm seeing my disciple absolutely fail at a basic sensing exercise. You couldn't even keep your eyes closed!"

Kael suddenly grasped her intention; he was meant to use his mana sense to detect the incoming stones and evade them. The ability to use mana sense in battle, even as a warrior, would be invaluable. By not relying solely on sight or other senses, one could avoid surprise attacks.

Kael shifted his focus to his mana sense and noticed Beth manipulating something inside the house. Moments later, a simple, black scarf floated from the building, elegantly settling atop Kael's head.

"Since you can't be bothered to listen to instructions, put that on," Beth commanded, her tone irritable. Her expression swiftly swapped to eagerness. "Hurry up now, we need to get back to your training!"

Kael secured the scarf around his head, obscuring his vision. With a calming breath, he concentrated on the space between him and Beth. Suddenly, a stone struck his back.

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"You idiot, you have to be able to sense threats from anywhere! You think all of your enemies are going to be courteous and only attack from right in front of you? Weren't you in hundreds of battles? Did you survive purely on luck?"

Kael's face flushed with embarrassment. Since it was just him and Beth, he had tried to focus on his single adversary. But the true purpose of the training was to maintain awareness of one's surroundings and react swiftly to information gleaned from mana sense. Chiding himself mentally, Kael expanded his focus to a larger radius around him.

He sensed a stone hurtling from his right and stepped back to avoid it. Another plummeted from above, followed by one aimed at his left leg. Kael dodged the projectiles one after another, but their speed soon increased. He managed to evade another dozen or so stones before they became too swift, and he found himself dodging only two-thirds of them. Opting for a new strategy, he focused on protecting his vital areas from impact.

"Don't just sense the stones. I'm using magic to fling them at you. You should be able to sense the moment I take control of them. That's an extra moment you have to react."

Kael extended his senses further and intensified his concentration. The additional split-second warning was all he needed. After another ten minutes of relentless training, he began to consistently dodge every stone hurled his way.

"Good. Now we'll move on to the next step. Now you need to hit the targets while dodging stones. I'll give you a target, you shoot at it. If you miss… well, let's just say you don't want to miss."

As Kael continued evading the stones, Beth called out "four," and he promptly unleashed a stone arrow towards the target. He hadn't practiced aiming using his mana sense, which left him feeling frustrated that he hadn't even considered attempting it. While the trigger method eased the mental burden, it didn't eliminate the need for manual aiming.

As he concentrated on the spell, two stones struck him. Through his mana sense, Kael felt the stone arrow connect with the target, but his sense wasn't refined enough to pinpoint the exact impact location.

Suddenly, searing pain erupted from his left side. Staggering to regain his balance, he reached out with his senses and detected a stone pillar near his previous position, angled towards him.

"I told you that you won't want to miss," Beth chimed in. "You hit the first ring; I will only accept bullseyes. Every time you miss, you'll be punished."

Kael marveled at Beth's mana manipulation speed. The fact that she could cast a spell so close to him before he could fully sense it was astounding. However, he had no time to dwell on it, as stones resumed their relentless assault.

Beth continued to call out targets for him to strike. Each time, he would be pelted by at least one stone while aiming his projectile. Each time he missed the bullseye, Beth would strike him. After over a dozen attempts, he managed to hit the mark only once.

"Let's stop here. It seems you're not ready for this training yet. Let me know when you want to try again," Beth said as she walked back into the clinic.

Kael slumped to the ground, trying to catch his breath. The parts of his body struck by the stone pillars throbbed with persistent pain, seemingly bruising him despite his protective aura.

His deficiencies were apparent. It was somewhat expected that his magical skills would be lacking, as magic was still a relatively new ability for him. However, even after all this time, his mindset remained inadequate. If he had only thought things through more thoroughly, this situation could have been avoided.

He was grateful to Beth for so clearly revealing where he needed to improve. He had been thrilled after seemingly refining his stone arrows to a combat-ready level, but his magical foundations remained insufficient for actual battle usage. Without a solid foundation, how could he hope to effectively employ magic on the battlefield?

Kael gradually rose to his feet. He needed to learn to fight using his mana sense as his sole guide. He considered practicing his stone arrows while relying on his mana sense, but realized he couldn't accurately gauge his success or failure. He needed finer control over his mana perception.

Instead, Kael opted to complete his physical training for the day. As he began, he made a resolution: he wouldn't remove the blindfold until he could pass Beth's tests.

Thankfully, he managed to finish his physical training without any issues. Exhausted, he proceeded to tackle his evening chores, which proved far more challenging. Distinguishing between different vegetables was difficult, and sweeping was even more arduous, as he couldn't accurately sense minuscule particles like dust.

His chores took three times longer than usual, but he was glad to have chosen this path. Living his daily life through his mana sense underscored his ineptitude in utilizing it.

After completing his chores, Kael sank into his bed. He had encountered numerous obstacles that day, but there was no reason to despair. He had a clear path to follow and a mentor he could rely on. He was confident that Beth would continue to support him, just as she had today. Although his body still ached from the rigorous training, a sense of contentment washed over him as he drifted into sleep.