Raiden woke up later than usual the next morning, which was a rare slip from his usually disciplined routine. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he recalled the events of the previous night. The memory of taunting Kent brought a mischievous smile to his face. Things had escalated to the point where their father had been forced to intervene.
When Kent stormed in, complaining about his missing diary, he'd insisted Raiden was behind it since he'd last seen his brother leaving the room. Their father, well aware of Raiden's mischievous tendencies, had questioned him directly.
"Raiden," Lord Cedric had said, his voice calm but stern, "did you take your brother's diary?"
With all the innocence he could muster, Raiden had shaken his head. "Of course not, Father."
Cedric had narrowed his eyes, using his heightened senses to detect any signs of deception. But Raiden had mastered the art of lying convincingly—his heart remained steady, and there wasn't a single fluctuation to give him away.
In the end, their father dismissed the matter, advising Kent to search his room more thoroughly before pointing fingers.
Now, as the morning light streamed through the windows, Raiden stretched and got dressed. He knew he was late for breakfast, and his family had likely already eaten. Taking his time washing up, he savored the moment of peace before heading down to the dining hall. Sure enough, his food was waiting for him, still covered to keep it warm.
He ate leisurely, finishing every bite, then made his way back to his room. But before he reached the door, a thought struck him—training. He needed to train.
But before that, there was one more thing he had to do.
_____
Raiden walked down the hallway and stopped at the door of Kent's room. Pushing open the door without knocking, he found his older brother seated at his desk, writing intently in a new book. The ornate cover and fresh parchment said it all—a new diary. Raiden smirked.
Kent glanced up, an eyebrow raised. "What do you want, Raiden?"
"I came to right my wrongs," Raiden said with exaggerated sincerity, placing a hand over his heart. "But it seems you've already moved on."
Kent's eyes narrowed. "So you admit it—you took my diary."
Raiden's grin widened. "I never said that." He turned to leave, but Kent's voice stopped him.
"Where is it, Raiden?"
With a dramatic sigh, Raiden pointed his finger up, toward the chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
Kent followed his finger, his eyes widening as he noticed the shadowed shape nestled in the decorative metalwork.
"How…?" Kent began, but he shook his head. He didn't want to know how his younger brother had managed such a feat.
Relief replaced his frustration as he saw the missing book. Manipulating wind mana, he conjured a gentle spell that caused the diary to levitate from its hiding place and floated it down into his waiting hands. He caught it and then turned to find Raiden still standing in the doorway, watching with interest.
"Don't you have something better to do?" Kent asked, his tone playful but weary. "I have work to do, and I don't need you getting in the way."
Raiden grinned, offering a mock salute. "As you wish, dear brother."
With that, he left, satisfied that his mission had been accomplished. Kent would be too preoccupied with his diary to monitor him for the day—a small but important victory.
Now, it was time to train.
_____
Raiden made his way back to his hidden training spot, making sure he wasn't seen. Once inside the familiar chamber, he activated the [Skill Draw System] and pulled up his skill list.
Today's goal was mastery. He needed to earn skill points through practice, and he was determined to make the most of it.
He chose to start with an E-Rank skill: [Flicker Flash].
The skill gave him a 10% speed boost for ten seconds, but it came at the cost of five mana points per use. A small (0/100) indicator appeared next to the skill's name, confirming what he had suspected—it would take a hundred successful uses to fully master the skill. Each activation attempt would drain his mana but also bring him closer towards mastery.
Raiden took a deep breath and summoned his stats panel. He hadn't paid much attention to it before, but now it was more relevant than ever.
*****
[Name: Raiden Goldheart]
[Race: Human]
[MP (Mana Points): 240]
[HP (Health Points): 100]
[Strength: 18]
[Agility: 15]
[Endurance: 16]
[Dexterity: 14]
[Intelligence: 20]
[Unallocated Points: 4]
[Skills: 38]
*****
Raiden scanned the numbers, focusing on his mana points. '240 MP. That means I can use [Flicker Flash] twenty-four times before running out.'
It was a good starting point, but he knew it wasn't anywhere near enough to even achieve half-mastery, let alone full mastery. He'd need to pace himself and push through his limits.
"Let's get to work," he muttered.
Taking a steadying breath, Raiden activated [Flicker Flash].
The next instant, mana surged through him as a sudden burst of speed kicked in. The world seemed to blur slightly as he moved, his body responding with newfound agility. He darted across the chamber, weaving around obstacles and testing the limits of his skill.
Ten seconds later, the effect wore off, leaving him feeling the slight drain of mana.
(1/100) appeared next to the skill's progress bar. Raiden grinned. It was a small step, but progress was progress.
He activated the skill again, pushing himself to move faster, sharper and more precise with each try. He repeated the process, each activation bringing him closer to mastery.
By the time he'd used the skill twenty-four times, sweat poured from his forehead, and his mana reserves were nearly depleted. He slumped against the wall, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily. The progress bar now read (24/100)—far from mastery, but a solid start.
"Not bad," he muttered, wiping his brow. "But there's still a long way to go."
Raiden closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. He would rest, recover, and then continue. This was just the beginning. With every training session, he would inch closer to mastery—one skill at a time.
And when the time came to reveal to the world what he was capable of, he would be ready.
He opened his eyes, determination burning within. 'Let's see who's ready to stop me.'
_________________________
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A/N: Please guys, I need all those power stones you guys keep hoarding. Interact with the book so I'll know I'm actually writing to an Audience.
Just knowing I have readers is enough motivation to keep writing. So please, engage with the book. Leave comments and support with those stones of yours. Thanks in advance.
If we manage to hit 100 power stones, I'll release two bonus chapters.