Kaelen slowly regained consciousness, his head slightly dizzy and the light around him dim.
He found himself sitting on a sturdy wooden chair, his back straight, though his body still trembled.
He raised his hand… it was wrapped in clean bandages, tightly secured.
There was no blood this time.
He touched it carefully, as if it didn't belong to him… as if it were something unfamiliar.
He looked around.
The room was simple.
Faint light slipped through a small window.
Wooden walls. Quiet. Still.
Then he noticed movement near the door.
Farouk entered calmly, his steps steady, his eyes fixed on him.
He stopped in front of Kaelen and stared for a few seconds without speaking.
"You're awake…" he finally said, his voice low but clear.
He took a slow breath and added,
"I left you for a few hours and came back to find you bleeding. What exactly happened to you?"
Kaelen shivered slightly. He tried to lift his head and meet his gaze, but the embarrassment was obvious.
Everything felt humiliating.
The tree.
The blood.
The pain.
Failing to control his aura.
He began explaining, sometimes in a low voice, sometimes stuttering with shame.
How the training started…
How he kept hitting the tree with no results…
How the pain suddenly returned…
How he collapsed and lost consciousness.
Every word felt heavy. Every movement tried to hide his embarrassment.
Farouk frowned.
"You really don't know anything about aura combat… not even the basics."
Kaelen forced a small, awkward smile.
"I… really don't know anything…"
Farouk sighed, half amused, half annoyed. But this time, his expression turned serious.
"Listen carefully. I won't repeat myself."
He stepped forward and extended his fist.
Aura burst from his hand.
It was red—deep crimson—glowing like fire, coiling around his fingers like living blood.
Kaelen stopped breathing.
His eyes widened, completely unable to look away.
Farouk continued, his voice calm but strict.
"When you want to hit something, you don't need to touch it directly to cause damage.
Aura moves. It explodes. It affects.
Everything changes once you stop relying on physical strength.
Your body will feel pain… but control over aura is what separates you from everyone else."
He stepped closer.
"You must keep some distance, boy. Kaelen."
He picked up a large rock. Rough. Solid. Hard enough that even strong punches would struggle to break it.
He looked at Kaelen with challenging eyes.
"This stone is difficult to break with your hands. Even I would struggle with pure strength."
Kaelen swallowed and watched carefully, his whole body tense.
In one swift motion, Farouk threw the rock into the air.
Then—
He struck.
His hand didn't even fully touch it.
BOOM.
The rock exploded into fragments midair.
Pieces scattered across the ground like sparks.
Kaelen stared, stunned, mouth slightly open.
Farouk smirked.
"Did you see?"
Kaelen couldn't even answer.
Farouk chuckled softly.
"No… you're a bit fast. I couldn't observe your reaction clearly."
Then his expression hardened.
"Follow me."
Kaelen obeyed.
They walked toward the same tree he had attacked earlier.
Farouk stopped in front of it and stood still, like he was part of the forest itself.
"Look closely, Kaelen."
He slowly raised his hand.
Crimson aura gathered around his palm, glowing faintly.
He moved his hand toward the tree trunk.
A few centimeters away.
Not touching.
"During combat… you don't need to touch your enemy. Just pressure. A small push… is enough to defeat them."
He pressed his palm against the air.
Silence.
Then—
A handprint appeared on the tree.
A clean, precise dent formed in the wood.
No contact.
Just aura.
A small mark, but terrifyingly clear.
Farouk looked at him sharply.
"Now do you see? This is the difference between physical strength and aura.
Once you master this… nothing will stand in your way."
Kaelen's eyes widened.
Everything suddenly made sense.
"I understand… I don't need to strike my enemy… pressure alone is enough."
Farouk nodded slightly.
"Yes."
Then he bent down and picked up several small stones.
He stepped back, creating some distance between them.
He glanced at Kaelen's injured hand.
"Since your hand is hurt, we'll train you differently… to develop your ability."
He held one stone while dropping the others near his feet.
His eyes sharpened.
"I'll throw these at you one by one. Your only task is to dodge. Don't touch anything. Just focus… and move."
Kaelen clenched his fist.
His muscles tightened.
His eyes locked onto every stone in Farouk's hand.
His heartbeat accelerated.
Blood rushed through his veins.
Every nerve in his body screamed—
Ready.