Chapter 15: Shadow Step
Determined to become stronger, Kael began waking up early each morning to run and exercise. He pushed himself to his limits, ignoring the pain and fatigue that consumed his body. As the sun rose above the horizon, Kael would already be deep in his training regimen, running laps around the academy grounds, doing push-ups, and practicing various other exercises.
One morning, as Kael pushed through his routine, Corvin and his gang happened upon him. They sneered and jeered at Kael's efforts, mocking him with cruel laughter. "Look at the weakling, trying to become strong! Pathetic!" Corvin taunted, his gang members snickering behind him.
"Yeah, who do you think you are, Kael?" Rafe chimed in, laughing. "You'll never be one of us."
Not satisfied with just taunting Kael, Corvin stuck out his foot, tripping Kael as he ran past. Kael stumbled and fell, the impact stinging his palms and knees. He took a deep breath to calm himself, knowing that retaliating would only fuel their amusement.
Instead of showing any sign of anger, he simply picked himself up, dusted off his clothes, and continued running, ignoring Corvin's attempts to provoke him.
"Hey! Are you ignoring us, you little twerp?" Corvin shouted, his face reddening with anger. "You think you're better than us? Ha! Just wait, you'll never be anything but a weakling!"
Kael remained steadfast in his resolve, focusing on his breathing and the rhythm of his feet hitting the ground. He refused to let their words affect him, choosing instead to channel his energy into his training.
Corvin and his gang, clearly annoyed by Kael's indifference, continued hurling insults and jeers at him. "You're wasting your time, Kael! You'll always be a nobody!" Drystan yelled.
As Kael continued his routine, his determination to grow stronger only intensified. He knew that one day, he would prove them all wrong, and nothing they said could shake his conviction.
Days turned into weeks, and Kael's efforts began to pay off. One morning, as he completed his daily exercises, the Arcanum Interface announced, "Congratulations, Kael! You have leveled up to Level 2. You have been awarded 5 attribute points to allocate as you see fit."
Excited by his progress, Kael contemplated where to allocate his newly earned attribute points. "Hmm, I think I'll put them into strength," he muttered to himself, "I need to make sure I can hold my own in a fight." He allocated the points to his strength, feeling a surge of power course through his body.
[Kael, as a reward for your progress and leveling up, I am granting you a new skill: Shadow Step. This skill will enable you to teleport short distances by stepping into one shadow and emerging from another within your line of sight. Mastering this skill will provide you with a tactical advantage in both combat and stealth situations. Remember to practice and refine this skill to enhance its effectiveness.]
The Arcanum Interface explained how to use the Shadowstep technique, detailing the necessary focus and energy required to execute it successfully. Kael listened attentively, his eyes wide with excitement and curiosity. He couldn't wait to try it out for himself.
As soon as the explanation was over, Kael wasted no time in putting the new skill to the test. He began to practice, attempting to teleport from shadow to shadow around the academy grounds. He found the sensation of moving through the shadows disorienting and dizzying, causing him to struggle with maintaining his balance upon reappearing.
Frustrated, Kael muttered to himself, "Damn it! This ain't gonna be easy..."
Kael couldn't quite execute the technique properly. The range of the teleportation was limited at level 1, and he found himself feeling disoriented each time he tried to move through the shadows. He knew that if he could increase the range of Shadow Step and overcome the dizziness, it would become an even more powerful and versatile skill.
The system continued, [Your next quest, Kael, is to develop your magical skills. You have been working hard on your physical strength, but it is important to maintain a balance between physical and magical prowess. I suggest you continue to hone your basic spellcasting abilities, and use Shadow Step in a battle.]
Kael nodded, furrowing his brow as he pondered the system's suggestion. "Battle? It seems a bit early to use it in one," he said hesitantly, "but I guess I need to test it in a real situation to truly understand its capabilities."
Not long after Kael learned the Shadow Step skill, he came across a troubling scene. In a dimly lit corner of the academy grounds, Rafe, one of Corvin's gang members, was leaning over a fellow student, his face twisted into a threatening sneer. The delinquent had a tattoo on his neck and a piercing in his eyebrow. He was bullying a fellow student, demanding that the student hand over some Elyrian Crowns (EC). The frightened student cowered under Rafe's threatening demeanor, clearly at a loss for what to do.
"Just give me the EC, and maybe I won't break your nose," Rafe growled menacingly, his hand balled into a fist.
Just as Kael witnessed the scene, he saw Rafe pulling his hand back, ready to deliver another punch. Without hesitation, Kael stepped in and grabbed Rafe's arm, stopping his attempt to strike the weaker student.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Kael demanded, his eyes locked on Rafe's.
Rafe scowled, surprised by Kael's sudden intervention. "Mind your own business, runt," he snapped, trying to yank his arm free from Kael's grip.
Rafe's face twisted with rage as he glared at Kael. "You dare to interfere, weakling?" he spat. "Very well, I challenge you to a one-on-one duel! You'll regret ever crossing my path."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone