The ancient notebook felt surprisingly heavy despite containing barely a hundred pages.
Kael returned to his dormitory before anyone could question why he had been wandering around the restricted section of the library.
Fortunately, the original Kael had lived alone.
Unlike ordinary students, members of prestigious noble families were granted private dormitories. It was one of the few advantages that came with being born into House Grayford.
The room itself was surprisingly plain.
A neatly made bed occupied one corner. A wooden desk stood beside a large window overlooking the academy grounds. Several bookshelves lined one wall, although most of the books had clearly spent more time collecting dust than being read. A practice sword rested in a rack near the entrance.
That was about it.
Kael looked around.
The original Kael rarely invited anyone over. Not because he disliked company. Nobody wanted to spend time with the academy’s weakest noble.
The moment the door clicked shut, Kael locked it before drawing the curtains. Only then did he place the weathered notebook on the desk.
He stared at it for several seconds.
"Okay. Let’s see if sneaking into the restricted section was actually worth the trouble."
He carefully opened the first page.
Unlike modern books, the handwriting was elegant and flowing. Several diagrams accompanied each paragraph, showing strange symbols and anatomical illustrations of the human body.
Kael immediately recognized the style. It looked like something straight out of a cultivation novel. Then he read the first sentence.
A weak vessel blames the heavens. A wise vessel tempers itself before seeking power elsewhere.
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. Definitely sounds like something an ancient cultivation master would say."
He continued reading.
According to Professor Aldren, long before Hero Cores and Villain Cores became the dominant sources of power, humanity had relied almost entirely upon strengthening the body.
Every breath, heartbeat, muscle, bone, everything could supposedly be refined through precise control.
Eventually, the human body could reach levels that ordinary people considered impossible.
Then Hero Cores were discovered. And everything changed. The ancient method slowly disappeared. Not because it was ineffective. Because Hero Cores produced reaults much faster.
Why spend ten years tempering one’s body when a Hero Core could instantly grant overwhelming strength?
Generation after generation abandoned the ancient path. Only scattered records remained.
Kael leaned back slightly.
"So humanity discovered a shortcut and immediately stopped doing things the hard way."
He paused.
"Honestly, that’s pretty believable."
If someone offered him two choices, one requiring ten years of training and another capable of producing similar results within a fraction of the time, most people would choose the second.
He turned another page.
The Breathing Technique appeared deceptively simple. Inhale for four heartbeats. Hold for two. Exhale for six. Repeat continuously while circulating energy throughout specific parts of the body.
The instructions were straightforward. The accompanying notes, however, warned of one important detail.
The technique required complete concentration. If the practitioner lost focus, the circulation would collapse and the exercise would produce no meaningful result.
Kael stared at the instructions.
"That’s it?"
He reread the page. There was no flashy technique. No complicated hand seals. No secret chant.
Just breathing.
For someone who had spent years playing Eclipse Heart, it almost felt ridiculous. Still, he knew better than to judge something based on appearance.
The ancient combat manuals in the game had always been designed around specific requirements. Some appeared useless at first but became terrifying once properly developed.
Kael sat cross-legged on the floor.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
He closed his eyes.
Inhale four heartbeats, hold for two, and exhale six.
Again.
The first few minutes passed without anything happening. Kael remained patient. He wasn’t discouraged. The notebook clearly stated that beginners often required several days before sensing any changes.
He continued for five minutes, ten, then fifteen.
Nothing.
His legs began to ache, his back became uncomfortable, and his mind wandered.
’Did I really spend my first free afternoon sitting on the floor breathing like this?’
He almost laughed.
’If someone from Earth could see me right now, they’d probably assume I’ve joined some weird meditation cult.’
He forced his attention back to his breathing.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
Twenty minutes passed. Then thirty.
Sweat gradually formed across his forehead. His breathing became smoother while his heartbeat slowed. The noises outside gradually faded into the background.
Then...
A faint warmth appeared beneath his ribs. Kael’s eyes immediately opened.
"What?"
The sensation disappeared. He froze. For several seconds, he simply sat there. Then he smiled.
"Okay. I definitely felt that."
He looked down at himself. It had only lasted for a moment, but it had been real. Kael immediately closed his eyes again. This time, he knew what he was searching for.
He resumed the breathing technique.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
This time, the warmth returned much faster. It slowly spreading outward, like a gentle current flowing beneath his skin.
Kael’s expression became serious.
His muscles, still sore from yesterday’s beating, gradually relaxed. Even the bruises covering his arms seemed slightly less painful.
’It really works.’
That realization changed everything. This wasn’t some useless historical technique.
It was a real deal.
Kael continued.
He had no idea how long he remained there. When he finally opened his eyes, nearly two hours had passed. His uniform was soaked with sweat. Yet strangely, his body felt lighter.
Kael slowly stood.
"My first day and I already achieved something."
He looked at the notebook.
"Professor Aldren, you might actually be onto something."
His gaze shifted toward the status crystal hanging above his desk.
Every student received one upon enrollment. By injecting a tiny amount of Hero Core energy into it, students could examine their current physical condition.
After Kael placed his hand against the crystal and injected energy into the crystal, blue light flickered.
Then a familiar display appeared.
Name: Kael Grayford
Age: 17
Hero Core Rank: F
Strength: 8
Agility: 7
Endurance: 8
Mana Capacity: 9
Combat Evaluation: Lowest Tier
Kael stared at the numbers. Then frowned.
"Nothing changed."
He thought about it for a moment. Then he remembered something.
The status crystal only measured Hero Core development. Body refinement belonged to an entirely different system. Its improvements couldn’t be detected by ordinary devices.
"So the crystal can’t detect it."
Kael smiled faintly.
"That’s convenient."
He looked at the numbers again.
He notice another thing. There’s no level indicator in his status panel. In Eclipse Heart, every player had a level. It would improve through sequence of events: Kill monsters, complete missions, gain experience, then level up.
But this world was no longer a game. At least, not in the way it had been when he played it. The game mechanics he remembered did not necessarily apply anymore.
"Maybe the level system doesn’t exist here."
He frowned.
"Or maybe it does, and I just haven’t found a way to access it."
He shrugged.
"Guess I’ll find out eventually."
There was no point obsessing over something he couldn’t verify. Kael picked up the wooden practice sword beside his desk.
He took a basic stance.
Then swung.
Whoosh.
Another swing.
Whoosh.
He did it again and again.
He focused on his breathing. His movements were still far from impressive, but something felt different.
His breathing remained stable. His arms didn’t become as heavy. And his body recovered faster between movements.
By the hundredth swing, Kael was still standing comfortably. He stopped and looked at the sword. The original Kael would normally have been exhausted after around sixty swings.
Kael grinned.
"Not bad."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"And this is only day one."
If the ancient technique really worked the way the manual described, months of consistent training could completely change his physical condition.
Kael looked at the battered notebook again.
"Let’s see how far this can go."
...
The following morning began with practical combat lessons. Hundreds of students gathered across the enormous outdoor training grounds.
Weapon racks surrounded several combat arenas, while magical barriers shimmered above each platform to prevent stray attacks from reaching spectators.
Professor Magnus stood at the front of the class.
"Today’s lesson is Weapons Compatibility. Choose any practice weapon."
The students immediately dispersed to pick their preferred weapons.
Swords.
Spears.
Axes.
Daggers.
Bows.
Even oversized hammers.
Kael naturally walked toward the sword rack. The moment his fingers touched one of the wooden blades, a familiar voice came from behind him.
"Planning another embarrassing performance?"
Several students laughed. Kael didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
Victor Hale.
Second son of a baron.
Ranked among the academy’s top thirty freshmen. Not particularly exceptional, but more than talented enough to bully the original Kael.
Victor walked closer with a smug smile.
"I heard Leon beat you unconscious yesterday."
Another student laughed.
"What happened to all that noble pride?"
"Maybe he finally realized where he belongs."
Kael sighed internally.
’Here we go.’
He selected the wooden sword.
"I don’t remember asking."
The laughter stopped. And Victor blinked.
"What?"
Kael turned slightly.
"I said I don’t remember asking."
His voice wasn’t aggressive. That somehow made it worse. Victor’s expression darkened.
"Watch your mouth."
Kael stared at him for a moment. Then shrugged.
"Sure."
He turned around and walked toward the assigned arena. Victor’s expression became even uglier.
Kael didn’t care.
’Arguing with someone like this is a terrible use of my time.’
Back on Earth, he had learned one simple lesson:
You couldn’t win every argument. Sometimes the smartest thing to do was simply refuse to participate.
Professor Magnus soon began calling everyone’s name. And then he stated the rules.
"Practice matches. No Hero Core abilities. No offensive magic. Pure weapon fundamentals only."
One pair after another entered the arena.
Clack.
Clack.
Wooden swords collided repeatedly. And Magnus criticized every mistake without hesitation.
Eventually...
"Kael Grayford."
Kael stepped forward. His opponent was announced immediately.
"Victor Hale."
Several nearby students began whispering.
"This won’t last long."
"Poor Kael."
"Victor is going to crush him."
Victor entered the arena with a confident grin.
"I’ll go easy on you."
Kael ignored him. He assumed a basic stance. Nothing fancy. It was essentially the same stance the original Kael had used.
Professor Magnus raised one hand.
"Begin."
Victor immediately charged.
Fast.
Much faster than the original Kael could normally react. His wooden sword descended diagonally.
Kael didn’t panic.
He breathed.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
The breathing technique was unconsciously activated. Then immediately, time seemed to slow ever so slightly.
His body moved instinctively. He stepped then turned. The wooden sword missed his shoulder by mere centimeters.
Victor’s eyes widened.
"Huh?"
Kael created distance.
He didn’t counterattack.
Victor frowned.
Then charged again.
A horizontal slash.
Kael dodged.
A vertical strike.
He dodged again.
A forward thrust.
Another dodged.
Every attack missed by the smallest possible margin. The spectators gradually became louder.
"Did Kael just dodge that?"
"No way."
"Is Victor holding back?"
Even Professor Magnus narrowed his eyes. Kael wasn’t faster. He wasn’t stronger. His swordsmanship wasn’t extraordinary either.
So how he managed to dodge every attack?
The answer was simple. He wasn’t trying to outrun Victor. He was simply moving as little as necessary. His movements were more controlled. It also seemed like his state of mind was very calm.
’This is interesting.’
Kael watched Victor’s shoulders, his stance, his feet, and the direction of his eyes.
Victor’s frustration grew.
"Stand still, idiot!"
He charged again. This time, he attacked more aggressively. And that was his mistake.
Aggression created openings.
Kael saw one.
It was tiny. But it was more than enough. He stepped forward. Twisted his wrist. And struck Victor’s hand.
Smack.
The wooden sword slipped from Victor’s fingers.
Clatter.
Silence.
Victor stared at his empty hand. Kael stared at the sword lying on the ground. For a moment, neither moved.
Then Professor Magnus spoke.
"...Point."
The spectators exploded.
"He disarmed Victor!"
"How?"
"Did anyone see that?"
"Was that actually Kael?"
Victor’s face turned red.
"That was luck!"
Kael picked up his sword. He looked at Victor.
"Maybe."
Victor froze.
But Kael just shrugged and said, "If that’s what helps you sleep tonight."
A few students nearby struggled not to laugh. Kael returned the wooden sword to the rack and stepped away. He wasn’t interested in arguing. Whether it was luck or skill didn’t matter. He knew exactly why he had won. He had stayed calm. Then acted when the opportunity appeared.
’I won.’
Kael glanced at his hand.
’That’s enough for now.’
Professor Magnus watched him leave the arena. His expression remained serious.
"Interesting."
Last time, Kael Grayford couldn’t have performed those movements. The change was too obvious for an experienced combatant to overlook.
The veteran commander narrowed his eyes.
Something had changed in that boy. And Magnus trusted his instincts. His instincts rarely made mistakes.
From a distant balcony overlooking the training grounds, another pair of eyes had been watching the entire match.
Long silver hair moved gently in the wind.
Seraphina Eversnow.
Her eyes followed Kael until he disappeared into the crowd.
"...That dodge."
Her voice was barely audible. She had seen countless students fight. Most relied on speed, strength, technique, and talent. But Kael’s movements had been different. He had wasted almost nothing. It wasn’t simply dodging. It was efficiency.
Seraphina’s eyes narrowed.
"I’ve seen that rhythm before."
But where?
She couldn’t remember.
For some reason, however, the weakest noble student in the academy had suddenly become far more interesting than he had been yesterday.