"I thought I'd figure it out on my own, but hey, training sounds better," Nova said with a grin, standing in the center of the training hall.
He was dressed in a lightweight, breathable sports shirt and shorts that allowed full range of motion, clearly expecting some kind of intense, mana-powered workout. His eyes wandered around the room.
This used to be a full-blown gym inside the manor, but now it was stripped bare. All the equipment were nowhere to be seen, no machines and weights. Just open space lined with exercise mats.
Then his gaze fell on Vincent.
His uncle sat cross-legged at the center of the room, eyes closed in deep meditation. He looked so focused, it was like he hadn't even noticed Nova's entrance.
Nova hesitated, then spoke again. "So… are you, like, channeling some ancient mana technique or something?"
Still no response.
He stepped closer and leaned in, waving a hand in front of Vincent's face. "Hey… I'm here now. I'm rea…"
"Have you made progress?" Vincent's cold voice sliced through the air. He didn't move, he didn't even open his eyes.
Nova straightened instantly, caught off guard. That tone, it was the exact kind of cold, mysterious teacher energy he'd always seen in movies and anime.
"I did," Expecting the teaching process to start, he replied with confidence but he kept his voice low, trying not to show his smile. "All kinds of progress."
In his head, this was the start of a classic training arc. Imagining the old scenes from stories, ancient masters teaching their stubborn students how to begin their journey to greatness.
"As expected," Vincent nodded, then asked calmly. "So, what does mana feel like?"
Vincent asked, not even moving in his position. His tone was firm, but he knew that Nova hadn't made progress, he didn't even touch the beginning of how to sense mana. He was just testing him to see how he wants to play out his lie.
Nova blinked hearing the question. He'd hoped to fake it until something clicked but now that he was being asked directly…
He looked down and hesitated.
Should he lie? Saying something about the mana he sensed was out of this world. Or something like, his mana pool is so large that it can be used as rocket fuel.
He tried to remember all the mana theories he read in the internet but nothing came to mind.
The silence stretched.
Eventually, he sighed. He just gave up. "Alright, I didn't sense shit. I even tried to use my reading powers to detect it or something, but it was useless."
Then, with a dramatic flair, he raised his fist. "You've gotta help me, Uncle. I need the power to rule the world!"
He stood proudly, all seriousness betrayed by the goofy grin plastered on his face.
Vincent slowly opened his eyes, getting a better look at Nova. He stood from his sitting position.
"Cut the nonsense," he said. "Get ready."
"Get ready? For what?" Nova dropped his raised fist, tilting his head in confusion.
Vincent didn't answer.
Nova's eyes snapped toward him, he saw something the moment his eyes laid on Vincent's movements.
His body moved before he even finished the thought.
Nova ducked and rolled backward just as a burst of air pressure slammed into the space where he'd just been standing. The floor cracked slightly beneath the force of the blow.
"Wait! I'm not re…"
His shout was lost to the shockwave, but he landed safely on his back, blinking up at the ceiling, his heart was already beating loudly.
When he looked up, Vincent was already standing in his earlier position. Right where Nova had been.
"You dodged that?" Vincent asked his voice calm. "Did you read my movements?"
Nova, still flat on the mat, let out a breath, his chest rising and falling from the adrenaline.
"I don't know! I saw you and I reacted. It was weird. I feel like... I saw how you were going to move."
Vincent's sharp eyes narrowed slightly, but there was a hint of approval hidden deep in his cold gaze. "That's good. That instinct will help you in the future. Keep that feeling. Trust it. Now get up, we're not finished."
Nova groaned, rolling onto his stomach before pushing himself upright. "Continue what!? Beating me? I can barely follow your movements!"
"Let your body move to that feeling of yours, instinct or whatever you call it." Vincent's voice stayed calm, almost bored, but his posture shifted subtly, loosening his shoulders like a predator preparing for a hunt.
"We're going to train it."
"But what does that have to do with mana?" Nova asked, brushing dust off his shorts and standing awkwardly, confusion painted all over his face.
Vincent didn't answer right away. He started walking toward Nova, slow and deliberate. Each step picked up speed like a heavy pendulum swinging wider and faster.
His eyes locked on Nova's like a hawk, and Nova instinctively shifted his stance.
Without warning, Vincent's fist came flying at him slowly this time, almost controlled.
But Nova barely ducked under it, stepping back just in time.
Vincent continued attacking, weaving basic jabs and sweeps like a dance, pushing Nova on the defensive as he explained in his steady tone, as if lecturing in a classroom.
"A person with talent can sense mana... either through battle, or by using external tools."
Another punch came, Nova side-stepped clumsily, nearly tripping over his own feet.
"There are many methods to feel even a sliver of mana. One of the most common," Vincent said, feinting a low kick that Nova dodged with a grunt, "is using a mana stone. They amplify mana around the user to help them sense it."
"M-mana stone!?" Nova choked out, weaving through a series of lighter punches.
"Yes. Mana stones are natural resources of the world, rarer than diamonds, richer than gold. They're usually found in areas dense with mana veins. But…"
Vincent's next punch came in faster, forcing Nova to throw up his arms to block.
"They're extremely rare. And even if you have one... it doesn't guarantee awakening."
Nova panted, narrowly dodging another strike. "Wait… ARGH… then why can't I just use a mana stone!? Rather than getting beat up like this!?"
"This is for the best," Vincent said without missing a beat. Then he added under his breath, just loud enough for Nova to catch it, "...And I wanted to do this for a long time now."
Before Nova could process that, a heavier punch slammed into his guard, knocking him flat onto his back again.
He lay there for a moment, arms bruised, staring up at the ceiling in betrayal. "You don't have to hit me this hard! And I heard that, you know!"
Vincent smirked only slightly. "You wanted this. You said you needed the power to rule the world." He mocked, his voice dry as desert sand. "This is how you'll get it."
Nova let out a long, suffering sigh, regretting every heroic word he'd said earlier. But stubbornness burned in his chest. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up once again, this time planting his feet more firmly.
His hands opened and closed, trying to catch the strange feeling he had earlier, hoping that the tiny flash of foresight will trigger again.
"Fine then." Nova lowered himself into a stance, his eyes sharper than before.
"Let's go! Let's start this mana training thing."