Three days had passed.
It was Sunday, the only day off during the week at the academy. While most students were resting or hanging out in the courtyards, Kaen was outside the inner boundaries of the institution, in a spot few knew about: a quiet forest surrounding the academy. A small lake reflected the sky, and the trees formed a natural circle around it. The sound of water, the soft rustling of leaves... everything in that place gave off a strange sense of peace.
Kaen was sitting on the ground, legs crossed, eyes closed. To someone watching from afar, he might have looked like a meditating monk.
But the truth was a bit more complicated than it seemed.
Kaen wasn't meditating. He was storing mana.
For any mage, that would be insane.
Storing mana?
How could anyone even do that?
If for alchemists the philosopher's stone was the most desired treasure, for mages, the ultimate dream was a body capable of storing pure mana.
But there was Kaen... doing exactly that.
That was one of the reasons he had mastered the character so completely during the game.
A character that stored mana?
Who would care about that, when there were dozens of items and catalysts for that in the game?
But Kaen, the character, was built to depend on it. His combat style based on repulsion vectors only worked with good mana storage.
Anyone from Earth with some basic physics knowledge would say:
'What this guy does is based on Newton's Third Law.'
"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
But to create a reaction, you needed an initial impulse. Something to act as fuel.
In Kaen's case, that fuel was pure mana. Not shaped into fire, ice, or lightning.
It was raw energy, condensed in his Inertia Core, a kind of energy center that stored that mana in condensed form and used it as the base for his vectors.
That's how he created his techniques.
The mana entered the core and was transformed into vector force when he wanted. That force acted in the space between him and the target, pushing, launching, repelling. All based on mass, direction, and intent.
Without that foundation, Kaen's abilities simply wouldn't exist.
The secret wasn't just in the force vector. It was in the internal counter-vector Kaen generated within himself.
Every time he launched someone away with his Vector Thrust, Newton's Third Law tried to act. It was like the universe itself saying:
"You pushed someone. Now you'll be pushed too."
But Kaen had learned to trick the universe.
The moment he created the repulsion force, his Inertia Core activated an internal containment vector. It was a wave of energy that traveled through his body in the opposite direction, canceling the reaction.
It was like Kaen applied the force against the world, and at the same time, applied an equal force against himself, from the inside out.
The result? He stayed in place.
Not by breaking the laws of physics. But by playing with them.
There were several variables that had to be considered for his powers to work.
That's why the character was labeled useless by players—they couldn't pull off even half of those steps.
"That's really interesting."
Kaen heard the voice and opened his eyes immediately.
"Hmmm?? You can hear me?"
He ignored it, still focused.
"Weird... I was sure you had heard me."
In front of him, a light figure floated from side to side. Small, with translucent wings and a clear aura.
Her appearance screamed:
"I'm a fairy!!"
She flew around Kaen, watching.
"You're storing mana in your body? I could've sworn you primates couldn't do that like we can."
She sat carelessly on Kaen's head, who was already showing a slightly annoyed expression.
'How did I start hearing and seeing her...?'
Kaen wondered.
Fairies were mystical beings. They couldn't be seen or heard by just anyone.
They were part of the natural world, connected to mana in its purest state.
'Could it be that storing mana temporarily boosted my senses?'
"You really can't hear me?"
She floated in front of him, placing her tiny hands on his cheeks.
"Get away from me..."
Kaen raised his hand and pushed the fairy aside with a light motion, like brushing away an insect.
"Ouch!"
The fairy spun in the air.
Fwoosh!
"Ahh, so you can see me!"
She flew closer again, excited.
"Besides storing mana, you can see me too... you're definitely a different kind of primate."
'Who is she?'
Kaen knew there were fairies in the world of Chronos Realms. And that people with strong mana enhancement could see them.
But it was just a minor detail in the game. A visual effect with no impact on the story. You could even disable it in the settings.
"Hey... hey... you're not listening to me?"
She pulled him back to reality.
"Don't bother me. Go find something to do."
"What? Do you know who I am?"
"Don't care."
The fairy pouted, puffing up her cheeks.
Kaen stood up.
He clenched one of his fists, feeling mana circulate more freely through his body.
It was a new sensation.
'Looks like my senses really do get sharper while storing mana.'
He had never felt that while playing. But here, in this world, everything was different. He wasn't just a player anymore.
His senses were sharper. Hearing, sight, even touch. Everything felt like it was working on a higher level.
He stretched his arms and legs, feeling his body a bit numb after staying still for so long.
"Hey! I said stop ignoring me!"
Kaen slowly turned his face toward the fairy, taking his time, as if trying to guess what nonsense she'd say next.
"Finally... you should be grateful you're talking to someone so—"
Her sentence was cut short. Her body started glowing and slowly vanished, like particles of light fading into the air.
'Looks like the effect doesn't last long yet.'
The heightened senses faded along with the stored mana.
The fairy disappeared. And with her, the soft sound of her wings.
'Time to head back to the academy.'
====
It was Monday morning.
Sunlight streamed through the tall windows and lit up the floor, but it didn't change the bored expression on his face.
Kaen walked with his hands in his pockets, heading toward the Magic Combat classroom.
The hallways were more crowded than usual. Students chatted excitedly about the first practical class.
Kaen, on the other hand, just kept walking at a slow pace, dodging groups.
While walking, he heard fast footsteps behind him, along with slightly heavy breathing.
"Hey, where were you on Sunday? I didn't see you at the academy. Did you go home?"
Marco appeared beside him, talkative as always.
'Home?'
Kaen paused for a moment.
Since arriving in this world, he had never bothered to imagine the character's backstory.
Mainly because... there wasn't one.
Unlike most protagonists with tragic or elaborate histories, Kaen, the character, was just someone from the streets. Simple as that.
A nobody.
He got into the academy because someone sent a recommendation letter to the headmaster.
And since he had nothing to lose... of course he accepted.
"I was just around..."
"Around? Where's that?"
Kaen ignored Marco's joke and kept walking at his own pace.
Now that the tutorial was over, he wanted to understand what the classes would be like from now on.
'Combat magic... for someone who doesn't even use magic?'
He thought.
"There are a lot of students here today."
"Oh, you don't know?? Today is Professor Aeryn's class. They say she's really good at what she does. And... beautiful."
"So that's why?"
"..."
As soon as he entered the room, Kaen felt it right away.
The air seemed heavier. Mana flowed through the space as if it had a life of its own.
'Could it be because I stored mana yesterday?'
The whole place felt like it was breathing compressed energy.
Aeryn was already in the room.
Short, calm posture, and a simple smile on her face. She had dark brown hair and amber eyes that stood out for their unusual color. She wore a long robe in the classic mage style, with subtle reinforcements for combat.
Her presence was solid, with a relaxed energy that contrasted with the mana-charged atmosphere.
'I don't know why she filled the room with mana...'
Kaen yawned, sitting in the back.
"But this place is perfect for a magical nap."
"All you think about is sleeping..."
Marco grumbled, sitting next to him.
"..."
"...."
A few minutes passed.
Class began.
Aeryn, who had just finished writing and drawing magical diagrams on the board, walked to the center and introduced herself with a laid-back smile.
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Aeryn, and today we're having a practical class on Magic Combat. Don't worry, we're not throwing anyone against the wall... yet."
Some students laughed. The light mood quickly spread through the room.
"I know combat can seem harsh or dangerous, but... think of it like dancing. It's not just about strength. It's about timing, rhythm, and reading your opponent. If you don't understand that, you'll get hurt before even casting your first spell."
She then made a small gesture with her hand, and a magic barrier formed in front of her.
"Today we're going to talk about defense. One of the most underestimated parts of magic combat."
She walked slowly from one side of the room to the other, observing the class.
"I watched your entire practical exam. Many of you did well. Some even surprised me. But what stood out the most was what most of you were missing: defense."
Aeryn crossed her arms.
"What's the point of knowing powerful attacks if you can't block a strike from a low-class ogre?"
She paused.
"You won't just be facing class two or three monsters with squirrel-level intelligence. In the magical world, you'll fight real mages, or rational creatures far more dangerous."
Aeryn looked directly at a few of the more excited students in the front row.
"In that exam, I saw students lose not because they lacked power... but because all they knew was how to attack."
She then demonstrated a basic sequence: quick shield conjuring, impact redirection, and posture stabilization.
Time passed as she explained everything.
Marco was writing down notes with impressive focus.
Kaen, on the other hand, had his head down, arms resting on the desk, and his breathing was almost unnoticeable.
What started as boredom had turned into a light nap, disguised just enough to look like he was deep in thought.
"Alright... all good so far?"
Aeryn looked around. Almost everyone nodded.
"Then let's test it with a volunteer."
Unlike what you'd expect... several hands shot up at once.
Of course, right? A fun, beautiful, and skilled teacher. Who wouldn't want to stand out a little?
Aeryn glanced around the room. Almost every student had raised their hand with excitement. Most of them, naturally, were boys.
She observed them with mild curiosity, until her eyes landed on the back of the room.
That's when she noticed Kaen, head down, completely unaware of what was happening. He was actually asleep. Not even trying to fake it.
Aeryn sighed, slightly amused.
'He really thinks my class is that boring?'
"You in the back. The one who looks like he's in another dimension. Come up here."
Several students turned their heads at the same time, staring at Kaen.
Marco nudged his shoulder.
"Wake up! She called you!"
Kaen slowly lifted his head, blinking lazily, eyes still heavy.
'Knew this crap would fall on me...'
"Sorry, can't you pick someone else? I'm not good with this stuff..."
Aeryn raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms.
'Bold of him to try to get out of this so easily.'
"Don't worry. It'll just be a simple demonstration."
"But I—"
"I insist."
She cut him off with a firm look and a gentle smile that made it clear he didn't have much choice.
Saying no again would be plain stupid.
Kaen didn't want trouble with teachers. At least not this early.
He got up calmly, hands still in his pockets, and walked toward the center of the room like someone heading to grab a coffee during break.
'Like I had a choice...'