"Since I know your physical capabilities," Darius said calmly, eyeing Kai with a steady gaze, "we're going to start now. But we'll take it slow… what you're about to go through is only half of what I endured on my first day. And as time passes, I'll only increase the difficulty."
Kai swallowed hard, a knot tightening in his stomach. The words sounded ominous, yet he knew this was the path he had to walk if he truly wanted to master ice magic. He had no choice but to steel himself, to put his faith in Darius—because Darius was the only one pushing him forward, the only one who believed he could do more.
"Take off those gloves," Darius commanded. "You won't be needing them for this."
Without hesitation, Kai quickly and carefully slid the Frost Guard Gloves from his hands, slipping them into his pocket.
"Start by punching the air a thousand times," Darius smirked, crossing his arms as he issued the strange command.
Kai's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What?" he exclaimed, suspicion creeping into his voice. "You've got to be kidding me. Just… punch the air and a thousand times at that?"
Darius's smirk deepened, a glint of challenge in his eyes.
"Exactly. Just punch," he said simply, "but don't gather any mana yet. You're going to use your body—your muscles, your breath—to control mana, not your core. While you punch, I'll be explaining the reasons for this."
Kai hesitated for a moment but then shrugged, preparing himself. He started punching—fist after fist—feeling the physical strain immediately creeping into his arms.
The first hundred punches felt like a mountain to climb.
"This is insane." He thought, sweat prickling his forehead. "This is even worse than running ten laps, he must be nuts to expect a small six year old boy to do that."
Darius's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Don't stop. Consistency matters more than speed."
Kai gritted his teeth, pushing through the burning sensation. His arms trembled, muscles protesting, sweat pouring down his face. But he kept going, punch after punch, each one a testament to his resolve.
Typically, a standard magic user would follow a straightforward method: focus on their core, draw mana from it, and then cast a spell. But for Kai, things would be different.
"Every movement you make," Darius explained as he circled him like a hawk observing its prey, "creates a flow inside your body. Your muscles move. Your blood circulates. Your breathing shifts. And your mana, your magic follows all of that, and these punches are going to be the foundation of everything you'll learn from now on."
His punches slowed momentarily, a flicker of realization crossing Kai's face.
"Huh," he muttered. "I never knew such a method existed."
Darius stopped in front of him.
"Normal mages control mana directly from the core, but you—" he paused, "you can't afford to do that. You'll be forcing your body to lead, and your mana will follow."
Kai's fists continued to lash out, the rhythmic pounding echoing through the courtyard like a heartbeat.
One hundred, two hundred, three hundred punches—his arms shaking, trembling under the relentless effort. Sweat soaked his brow, and his muscles screamed in protest.
"...this is just insane," he muttered, "One thousand punches? This is even harder than running ten laps."
"Don't stop."
Kai clenched his teeth, determined. He pressed on, pushing past the pain.
Four hundred, five hundred punches—his arms felt like lead, his shoulders burned with every movement, but he refused to stop. He kept punching, even as his vision blurred and his breath grew ragged.
Then, something strange happened.
"...huh?" Kai's brow furrowed as he sensed it.
His body—though trembling—began adapting. The pain didn't intensify; instead, it plateaued. His movements grew more natural, less stiff. It was as if his muscles remembered what they were supposed to do, as if his body was learning the rhythm.
Eight hundred, nine hundred punches. His fists moved almost instinctively now—not with brute force, but with steady, deliberate precision.
Finally—
"One thousand."
Kai's arms dropped, trembling, his torso heaving for air. His whole body was soaked in sweat, but he felt… victorious.
"...I did it," he whispered, a breathless smile forming.
Darius nodded slightly, a hint of approval behind his calm exterior.
"Good. Rest now for five minutes," he said. "And then repeat."
Kai's eyes widened again, shock registering on his face.
"...Again? Are you serious?"
Darius smirked.
"You think that's enough? That's not even a third of what I endured on my first day. That strange man made me do ten-thousand punches in the air, non-stop."
Kai's grin was wry.
"You're joking, right?"
Darius's expression remained unchanged.
"Nope."
Silence stretched between them—an unspoken challenge lingering in the air, as Kai stared at him with a mixture of disbelief and resolve. The trainer's calm smile made it clear: this was only the beginning.
Time slipped by quietly. Five minutes passed in the blink of an eye. Kai, surprisingly, was already recovered—his body bouncing back faster than anyone could expect, thanks to his strange ability. Darius had no idea about this, of course.
He raised his fists again, determination burning brighter than ever.
This time, by the five hundredth punch, his body protested more fiercely—muscles stiffening, burning like hot irons. But he pushed on.
"Start feeling your body," Darius instructed. "Don't just move—be aware of it."
Kai frowned, confused.
"Feel it?" he asked.
"Exactly," Darius nodded. "Now add mana as you punch. Feel the flow."
Kai hesitated, then tried. He threw punches while attempting to gather mana—an unstable, clumsy effort. His flow was shaky, slipping away almost immediately.
"It's not working," Kai muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
"Of course it won't work now, you just started. Keep trying."
Punch after punch, Kai persisted. Then, suddenly, the flow of mana seemed to follow his movements—more stable, more controlled. It wasn't perfect, but progress was undeniable.
Darius's eyes flickered with surprise, but he kept a neutral expression.
"Seriously..." he murmured internally. "...he keeps surprising me today. Maybe he can do what I couldn't."
A flashback flickered in Darius's mind—his first grueling day of training with that mysterious man, who had asked him to throw ten-thousand punches without explanation. Darius had only managed a thousand before his arms gave out, but that strange man had simply stared at him, silent.
Then, that man had demonstrated something extraordinary—standing still, yet channeling mana so powerfully that ice gathered around his arm as if by magic alone. No core needed. It was cold, precise, and utterly effortless.
Darius remembered the lesson clearly—how that moment had ignited his desire to push beyond his limits. And now—
"He's doing it," Darius thought, eyes narrowing with pride and a hint of awe.
Kai's breathing grew heavier, but he was pushing further. He was close—closer than he'd ever been.
And then—
The faintest chill emanated from his fists.
"I can feel it," Kai whispered, and his eyes were shining with excitement.
Darius's grin burst forth uncontrollably, laughter spilling into the air.
"Hahaha... You're truly something else," he said, eyes twinkling with admiration.
Kai looked at his trembling hands, a mix of exhaustion and newfound understanding swirling inside him. He had completed his second round of throwing a thousand punches.
"That's it for today," Darius finally announced.
"We'll meet again tomorrow. You're dismissed."
As Darius turned to leave, Kai hesitated.
"Wait, sir—Darius—are you free this evening?"
Darius glanced at him, a blank expression.
"Why do you ask?"
Kai scratched the back of his head nervously.
"Umm..." Kai hesitated, then quickly added, "I'd like to take a look around the market. Having someone like you, who's trusted by my father, accompany me wouldn't be a problem at all."
Darius looked at him.
"I wish I could, but I've got some things to do. Sorry."
Kai nodded, a small smile on his face.
"It's okay. Thanks for listening."
Darius waved him off, then left the training ground.
Kai was left standing there, the cold air wrapping around him like a quiet promise. Despite the fatigue—no, because of it—he felt a strange lightness inside.
"What now?" he wondered, looking at the sky.
He headed back to his room, the chill still lingering on his skin, but his mind was ablaze with new possibilities. His body recovered faster than ever, and his heart beat with hope. After changing into fresh clothes, he sank onto his bed, his mind already racing. Thoughts swirled: "I want to go outside. But what should I do now?" A tense feeling settled over him as he wondered how he was going to manage stepping out of this house.
Since the day Kai was born into this world, he had never stepped outside his mansion—not even once. His family's strict rules forbade the heir of the Glacius Family from leaving the estate until they turned twelve, and Kai was only six. Yet, despite these restrictions, he yearned to step beyond these walls, just once, to see what the outside world looked like.
"I want to go outside," he whispered to himself. "But how?"
Suddenly, someone popped into Kai's mind: his mother, Mara.
"Oh, right! I should ask her... yes, that's it."
Kai often saw Mara come and go from the house for shopping. She was never alone—always accompanied by two guards and a maid.
"Maybe this time, I should behave like a proper child and go with her... hehe. "
A mischievous smile spread across his face, teeth gleaming.
"Yes, that's it! I'll do that."
With a newfound determination, Kai jumped out of bed and headed toward Mara's room, excitement bubbling inside him.