It was night time and I had successfully reached home after hunting another beast.
It was another E rank beast berserk rodent.
It was a two feet tall mouse with long teeth coming out of its mouth. Like its name this was able to increase its strength by going berserk but it didn't matter. Because for its ability to work it's health needed to decrease till a certain point. So before it reached that point it had already turned to ashes by my flame.
So after killing the berserk rodent I gained another ability.
[ Rage: after your health decreases by 30% you will enter rage mode. ]
[ Health regeneration speed increases by 20% ]
[ Your damage increases by 1.5x ]
'it will be quite useful in life threatening situations'
'And plus with mana I gained I think I can make four fireballs around the size of football.'
'I wonder which beast I should kill tomorrow. Anyway my first priority is to increase my mana capacity, so maybe I should just kill rodents for a few days, they were easier to kill since they weren't cunning like a flame python who waited for the right time to sneak attack.'
'And my training with Alex will start from tomorrow at 7 am.'
Thinking all of this I moved to bed since it was already late and I needed to wake up early tomorrow.
**
Next morning
I woke up early and was waiting for Alex at the training ground.
I didn't have to wait for too long, Alex appeared in training grounds a few minutes after me. but unlike yesterday when he was wearing formal suits, today he was wearing a blue track suit with white shirt underneath.
Noticing that Eric was staring at him Alex raised his eyebrow and asked.
"What are you looking at?"
I didn't mind his tone and replied straight forward.
"You kinda look like a PE teacher."
"Is that so? Now give me ten rounds of the training ground!"
The change of tone was so abrupt that I didn't know how to answer.
"Come on didn't you hear me? run! run!"
"Y-yes"
After the initial run Alex told e to do 100 push ups, 100 crunches and many other exercises.
After 2 hour
"Haaa....haaa..." after doing all the exercises Eric was lying on the ground completely exhausted he was sweating all over the body.
"It's gonna haaa... hurt like haaa... hell tomorrow." I managed to spew some words in the middle of my deep breaths.
It had been some time since I did some exercises.
Alex who was looking at me from afar, came closer. And asked
"You remember the mana control I taught you?"
I was lying on the ground exhausted just nodded my head clearly indicating that I was too tired to speak.
"Then use it."
I tried to sit but was stopped by Alex.
"Do mana control while resting."
'What?'
"The situation will not always be favourable towards you so you must be able to recover at any position at any time."
Hearing that explanation I had no words to rebuke and with a sigh I did as I was told to.
I closed my eyes and absorbed the amount of mana which I could absorb. Slowly but surely a warm sensation spread throughout my body. I continued this for 1 hour straight, and when I opened my eyes I was left astonished with the condition of my body.
'Pain is at least deceased by half, and I can move my body again. it must be side effect of mana control.'
It was the only explanation I could think of other than the health potion, but if the health potion was used then there wouldn't be any pain left. As to confirm my speculation Alex also said.
"A side effect of Mana control is it tries to keep your body in optimal condition. That's why the pain you were feeling before is reduced."
I nodded while understanding Alex's explanation.
"So is today's training over?"
Alex looked at me and smiled.
"you wish, it's just getting started."
But in my eye that smile wasn't a normal smile, no it was the smile of the devil.
In the next few hours I was made to do mana control in various ways. Like doing it while hand standing, under the water, while climbing the wall, hanging on the ceiling etc.
"Now remember to always do mana control whenever you are free and don't forget tomorrow at 7 am sharp"
It was only after 6 hours of training that Alex decided that it was enough for today and let me go. but not without reminding him about tomorrow's training.
I was so tired that I just nodded and moved out of training grounds.
Just when I left the training ground I called out.
"Maverick"
"Yes, young master?"
"Bring me 3 mana potions, 3 health potions and 3 stamina potions"
Maverick didn't say anything and vanished from his spot. A few minutes later Maverick returned with a ring in his hand.
"spatial ring?"
"Yes young master since you are going hunting it is better for you to keep your belongings in it rather than carrying them around with you."
"You are right."
I took the ring and injected some mana in it. With this, the ring recognised me as its owner.
And I was able to see space inside the ring. It's size was around a small room and within that small room there were thirty bottles, around the perfume bottle size.
They were equally divided in three groups, one group had light red liquid in it, the other had light blue liquid and the third one was colourless.
They were clearly health, mana and stamina potions.
Seeing them I just smiled and wore the ring on his index finger, it was a gold ring with a silver line inscribed in between. It looked expensive but that didn't matter to me. Hell I lived in a freaking castle.
I again injected a small amount of mana in the ring and then I thought of taking out one of the stamina potions.
And then the ring glowed for a second and the bottle with colourless liquid appeared in my hand.
I removed the cap and drank the whole drink in one Swift motion. A warm feeling spread throughout my body and all exhaustion from training disappeared.
"Ready the wolf I'm going hunting again."
Saying that I left toward the entrance of the castle.
**
20 days later
I was barely standing on my two feet, and glaring at Alex who was standing 2 meters away from.
"Relax"
THUD-
just when those words came out of Alex's mouth. I was barely standing and fell to the ground, Others would think I was dead if not for my chest movements.
"Tomorrow at 7 am"
Alex was just about to leave when I called out to him.
"Alex"
"Yes?"
Alex was slightly surprised that Eric asked for something.
Staying here for so many days Alex had a general idea of Eric's personality. he liked to be alone, Other than his Buttler Eric barely ever talked to anyone.
If Eric could hear Alex's thought he would surely have a speechless expression.
It wasn't that he was indifferent or liked to be alone it was just hard for him to communicate with other people. since his background was so high normal children were intimidated by him.
And other children from the Alastair family just wanted to get close to him since he was guaranteed the next head of the family.
And after his brother's disappearance Eric wasn't interested in making friends either he would just lock himself in the library and read books all day long. There was even a time when he was kidnapped and kidnappers weren't outsiders they were servants of the castle. After that incident there were always guards around him, that's when Maverick entered the house and became Eric's Buttler.
" I'm having a hard time gathering mana nowadays. It feels like I need to collect but I can't "
Alex was confused at first but soon gathered his bearing. But then Alex's eyes widened in shock.
'Breaking through the mana sensing stage Already? It's too fast even for geniuses, It took them around two months. How is he able to do it this fast?'
Although Alex was shocked inside but he didn't let his emotionless expression break.
"It means you are going to breakthrough from Rank. Don't do anything unnecessary and focus on gathering your energy at the abdomen."
I closed my eyes and gathered all my mana at the abdomen.
"Now release all the mana inside Body and gather it again
Do it until you are able to breakthrough"
Alex was about to leave when he noticed muscle spasm occurring to Eric . Then suddenly Eric opened his mouth and black gas was released from his mouth.
Soon I opened my eyes and felt the power coursing through my body. That's when Alex congratulated from back.
"Congratulations on breaking through
-E rank."