Silas was lying down when he was suddenly shaken awake. When he opened his eyes, he saw Aiden standing over him.
"Get up," Aiden said. "It's alarm time."
Silas glanced at the clock. It was 4:00 a.m.
"It's not even morning yet," Silas said. "Why are we training this early?"
Aiden tossed him a jacket and replied calmly,
"Do you think people who achieve greatness gain power while lying in bed? No. They suffer. While others sleep, they work. While others eat comfortably, they punish themselves to reach a higher level."
He continued,
"Not everyone is born with talent, and not everyone is capable of hard work. Talent is something you're born with, but hard work is something you learn—and not everyone can endure it."
Those words struck Silas deeply. He stood up, put on the jacket, and followed Aiden outside.
They began running. Silas didn't get tired—not even once.
Aiden glanced at him and said, "Your running is impressive, Silas."
Silas replied, "I used to run all the time—to survive. Running has never been difficult for me."
Aiden nodded. "Everything that tied you to your past ends today. From this moment on, you are not who you were yesterday. You are no longer the hunted—you are the hunter. Don't run. Don't escape. Let others run from you."
Silas nodded. "Alright."
The sun rose while they were still running. Running itself wasn't hard for Silas, but the other training was—lifting weights, push-ups, endurance drills. His body was lean and weak, not strong or muscular.
Aiden said, "We'll rebuild your body. As it is now, you won't be able to control your powers. You need balance."
"Okay," Silas replied.
"Training's over. Time for breakfast and studying."
Aiden looked at him. "What's wrong? Are you unhappy with the training?"
"No," Silas said. "I just feel weak… I want to change."
Aiden nodded. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. The change you want isn't ordinary. Be ready—every morning is a promise. Within this month, I'll change you."
Silas smiled. "Alright."
"Go take a shower while breakfast is prepared," Aiden said.
After they ate, Aiden said, "Now we begin studying. Follow me."
Silas followed him eagerly to the library.
Hours passed. Silas looked completely exhausted—but Aiden was shocked.
"How is this possible?" Aiden muttered.
"What happened?" Silas asked.
"Have you studied before?" Aiden asked.
"No," Silas answered calmly. "Today is the first time I've ever touched a book or a pen."
Aiden was stunned. This kid is unbelievable, he thought. He understands everything instantly. Is he even human? He shows fatigue, yet nothing seems difficult for him.
The first day ended with Silas completely astonishing Aiden.
One Week Later
"Silas," Aiden said, "your body has stabilized. It's time to begin training your abilities."
He added, "You learned how to read and write in just one week. I still can't believe it."
Silas smiled slightly. "That's because of you. Thank you, Aiden."
"Now let's talk about your power," Aiden said. "What did you feel the first time you noticed it?"
"Cold," Silas replied.
He remembered the pain—but he hid it.
Aiden sensed something. "It's fine. Everyone has secrets."
Then Aiden demonstrated his ability.
A blue flame appeared—beautiful, yet deadly. He controlled it perfectly, using a special training material designed to withstand power.
"Wow… it's beautiful," Silas said.
"Don't be fooled," Aiden replied. "The more beautiful it is, the more dangerous it becomes."
"Hand-to-hand combat or weapons?" Aiden asked.
"Weapons," Silas answered.
They entered a room filled with weapons.
"Choose one," Aiden said. "You have a few minutes."
Silas chose a light, elegant sword—the weakest one there.
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Why that one? It's the most beautiful, but also the weakest."
"You told me yourself," Silas replied. "The more beautiful something is, the more dangerous it can be."
Aiden laughed. "But sometimes, strength isn't proven by beauty."
"Then why did you choose it?" he asked again.
"It's different," Silas said. "Rare things are usually the most valuable."
Aiden nodded. "In one room, you might find two talented people. But you'll never find two truly unique ones. Be the only one."
Aiden drew a circle on the ground.
"One hour," he said. "Do whatever you can. I won't use my power, and I won't step outside this circle. If you force me out, I'll teach you the easy way. If you fail, the remaining three weeks will only be basic training."
Silas attacked immediately, aiming low to unbalance him—but Aiden read it easily. He lifted his leg, and Silas was knocked back.
"Don't show your intentions when you attack," Aiden said. "Be unreadable."
Silas tried again and again. Time passed—only twenty minutes remained.
Aiden thought, If he keeps improving like this… he'll become a monster.
While Aiden was lost in thought, Silas attacked again—this time completely different.
Silas's eyes became cold and distant.
Aiden couldn't read the attack. He deflected one sword—unaware Silas held another.
The second blade rested against Aiden's neck.
"I win," Silas said. "Teach me the easy way."
Aiden stepped back, laughing as he realized he had crossed the line.
"You didn't overpower me," Aiden said. "You outsmarted me."
"How did you get the second sword?" he asked.
"I noticed you were watching my right hand," Silas replied. "You assumed I couldn't use my left. That's when I took the other sword beside you."
Aiden laughed and said, "Well done. You didn't defeat me, but you managed to deceive me—and that alone is impressive for a beginner. As promised, I'll teach you how to use your power the easy way."
He then added, his tone turning calm, "But remember this—people like us don't feel pain the way normal humans do. Because of that, you might not notice injuries when training or fighting. So don't be careless. Just because you don't feel pain doesn't mean your body isn't being damaged."
Silas froze when he heard the word pain.
Aiden didn't know that Silas could feel pain.
Silas, however, knew one thing clearly:
Time was short. He had to master his power—if he wanted to enter Iron-Gate Academy.