[Ding!]
[First physical threshold unlocked]
[Body development progress]
[Description:]
[Overall efficiency in speed, movement, endurance, and recovery slightly improved]
[Progression:]
[Threshold 1 out of 7 unlocked. (Threshold 7 represents the peak of human potential.) Further growth requires regular effort and recovery]
'Woah!' Noa exclaimed.
The change was instantaneous. His body felt lighter, and his breath steadier.
It felt like he had rid himself of a little bit of the strain, allowing him to push harder than ever.
This was progress. Small one, but progress nonetheless.
So he sprinted, faster and smoother this time.
It felt like Dragon's constitution worked even better, boosting his endurance.
Meanwhile, Commander Haric watched from the sidelines, his arms still crossed, eyes still narrowed. He was silent this entire time, watching with interest.
Yet now his eyes glowed for a second.
Noa was still a mess.
He ran like he would stumble at any moment, his form crude and his breathing chaotic.
But something changed.
Noa's steps became sharper, as if his legs gained more control.
It was a small shift, but Haric's seasoned eyes were quick to notice it.
'First threshold. Didn't think he would hit it this soon. Does he have a warrior's talent?'
When Noa finished his first lap with a still-going burst, the man uncrossed his hands.
"You improved," he said.
Noa almost tripped over his legs, surprised. He didn't expect Daric to notice it this easily.
But uttering even a single word was too much for him.
Instead, he gritted his teeth and ran.
The exhaustion was still there, lingering as if to remind Noa of its existence. He, however, tried to push it to the back of his mind.
Yet each step got harder, more tiring, more painful.
Just because he reached the First physical threshold, it didn't make him invincible.
It was nothing but a tiny boost to his measly strength.
"I can do it," Noa said to himself.
Having experienced the progress of his labor, he wouldn't give up.
Just like that, he ran second, third, and fourth laps, his eyes almost shut, and his clothes completely drenched in sweat.
He was no longer sprinting at his full speed.
There was nothing left of him but primal instincts.
No thought.
Just sheer will and determination kept him from collapsing.
After seeing the finish line and noticing Haric waiting closely, Noa leaned forward, feet barely moving against the dirt.
Then he reached.
The destination. The end of the first practice.
And he was drained, his thoughts returning as his breathing quickened to uncontrollable levels.
"Good job," Haric called out, approving.
Noa could only nod, his back embracing the ground.
Thankfully, the exhaustion seemed to fade, though he was sure most of it would remain until he got a good night's sleep.
"See?" he said to the commander after his breathing softened. "I am better than monkeys."
Haric laughed.
He finally betrayed his serious expression, a mischievous smile dancing on his face.
"You are wrong if you think I would give you a sword this easily. This was nothing but a warmup you will be doing from this day onwards," he said, waiting for the boy's reaction.
'He is nuts?' Noa almost stood up in anger.
But the pain made sure to keep him sprawled in the dirt.
'Now I know why he agreed to train me,' Noa realized. 'He is having fun.'
"Bring it on," he said, forcing himself to sit up, glaring at the man.
Haric hadn't moved.
His stare, both calm and unreadable, crawled under Noa's skin.
"You need healing," he said. "Do you want me to call someone?"
Noa snorted.
"Tell me what you want me to do. I will crawl if I have to."
The commander raised an eyebrow.
"At least you have the attitude. Let's see how long you can last."
He then took a tiny flask out of his coat and tossed it toward Noa. The glass container nearly hit the ground, but Noa's reflexes kicked in at the last second, saving the potion.
"Drink it," Haric said. "You are in no condition for the next practice session."
The flask was cool to the touch, light green liquid glowing inside.
Noa twisted and popped it open.
It had a bitter scent, making his head dizzy.
But Noa downed the whole thing without hesitation, emptying it in a single gulp.
It quickly flowed through his stomach, spreading a cool sensation like a cold cola. Immediately, the pain dulled, and his lungs extinguished the fire.
Of course, it couldn't fix everything, but it was more than enough for Noa to face a man with confidence.
"So," he trailed his words. "What is our next step? Are you going to beat the shit out of me?"
"Good guess," Haric answered, locking eyes with him.
"Then what?" Noa questioned.
"I never said it was the wrong guess," the commander said, grinning.
Noa bit his tongue, refusing to give the man the satisfaction of getting a reaction out of him.
Seeing that he needed to add more, Haric changed his stance and said,
"Hand-to-hand combat. I want to get rid of your soft hands and make you a true warrior."
"Hmm. About that," Noa remembered something. "Can you explain the difference between a mage and a warrior? I can't really tell them apart."
Tamers were categorized into two main branches.
The first one was a normal tamer, some of whose contracted beasts lived outside of their bodies.
The second ones were Mergers. They, just like Darik, fused with beasts.
On paper, these two categories weren't so different from each other.
They required the same amount of resources to evolve, and their strength depended mostly on the rank of the beast.
As for Warriors and Mages, they were a completely different matter.
From Noa's understanding and from the knowledge he had gathered in just one day of reading, the main disparity lay in the mind and body.
Yet Noa wasn't so naïve to believe that was all.
He was curious to learn more, and the man before him seemed like a perfect candidate to answer his questions.
Unfortunately for him, the commander was an asshole, and he punched Noa in the gut.
"Impress me and we can talk," he said, looking at Noa, who almost stumbled to the ground.
'I really hate this guy,' Noa thought, coughing as his vision blurred.