The Weight of Power

Back in his small shack, Kin panted heavily as he threw Adam onto the bed.

"This kid is heavy," he muttered, collapsing into a nearby chair and staring at Adam, or more specifically, at the scars on his face.

Kin pulled down his collar to reveal his neck. The wound Adam had inflicted was already gone, leaving only a faint red mark, beneath which a larger V-shaped scar was clearly visible.

Adjusting his collar, Kin continued to watch over Adam, replaying the night's battle in his mind, focusing on Adam's performance after his awakening.

"He alternates between projecting his aura and using his physical power," Kin noted quickly.

Each time Adam attacked with his aura, he would retract it before launching a physical strike. When he attacked, the solidified aura would vanish.

"Switching between mental energy and life force, perhaps?" Kin guessed, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest of his chair.

"Maybe this kid really has potential," he thought, rubbing his neck before pouring himself a drink. After taking a few gulps, he addressed the bed. "I know you're awake. Get up and let's talk."

Adam groggily sat up, his energy clearly depleted.

"We're both werewolves, yet you seem to overthink everything," Kin remarked, exasperated. "Want a drink, Nesser?"

"I don't want to die, or at least not die without understanding why. That means I need to analyze and plan everything around me," Adam replied. "And my name is Nesser Riggs, or Nesser Riggs Trindell."

Kin raised an eyebrow. "So you're from the Trindell family? Makes sense, they do have a lot of white fur."

He took another sip of his drink, his eyes remaining on Adam. After a long pause, he spoke again. "Nesser, how about becoming my student?"

"You lack knowledge about the supernatural, and your combat skills are honestly a mess. I'm not even specialized in combat techniques, yet I can easily outmatch you."

"In many ways, you're still very inexperienced. You need a teacher, someone to teach you about the world of the supernatural."

"So, will you be my student?" Kin repeated.

"And what's your reason for teaching me?" Adam asked, meeting Kin's earnest gaze.

"To train capable individuals for the werewolf race, of course," Kin replied with a grin. "The situation for all supernaturals has been getting worse. I'll help anyone who's one of us, even disgusting blood slaves like Adair. And especially talented young werewolves like you."

"Really?" Adam was skeptical. If that were the only reason, why would Kin need to fight him so fiercely?

"If you don't believe that, think of it as me investing in you for that so-called God's Tear ritual," Kin said, seeing through Adam's doubts.

"Then I accept," Adam agreed without much hesitation. He had already decided to accept Kin's offer when it was first made; his questions were merely for clarification.

"I'll teach you everything you need to know. I hope you can surpass me someday," Kin said, his eyes full of hope.

Adam remained noncommittal. He had his own plans for the future and wasn't swayed by others' expectations.

Kin didn't rush into teaching. They talked about their respective situations before Kin let Adam rest.

As Kin suspected, Adam's awakened ability, which he named "Soul Weight," was not merely about switching between mental energy and life force. It involved more complex elements.

It was as if a balance had formed between his body and soul, allowing Adam to adjust the scales.

When the balance tipped towards the body, Adam's strength, speed, and recovery were greatly enhanced. When it tipped towards the soul, his perception and charisma surged, creating a nearly tangible aura.

But this was only the surface. The true depth of his ability involved even more intricate changes.

Adam also recalled the moment during his awakening when he seemed to break through time and space, observing his past life and perhaps even more worlds.

"If I gain more weight on my balance, could I traverse worlds again?" Adam pondered, unsure of the answer.

The awakening ability stemmed from his bloodline, impacting both body and soul. If he abandoned his body entirely, whether the ability would still function remained uncertain.

"This is my accumulated experience and talent, condensed into one ability," Adam thought as he drifted off to sleep. He set the balance towards his body, not bothering to guard against Kin. In his current state, it made no difference.

Early the next morning, Kin returned, smelling of perfume and alcohol, and unceremoniously kicked Adam out. He told him to come back for lessons when he had time before shutting the door.

Adam, still groggy from the previous day's battles, stood at the door, trying to process what had happened. Adjusting his balance again, he felt the pain of his injuries but started heading towards the river to retrieve his painting.

As he walked, he reflected on the events of the previous night. Despite everything, he felt a sense of accomplishment. Things hadn't turned out as badly as they could have.

When he returned to the Bok family's house, Maggie was just leaving. Seeing Adam's pale face, she hurried over to check on him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, maybe just caught a bit of a chill by the river. I just need to rest," Adam said with a smile, though he felt the pain from his numerous injuries. Kin had fought to kill at the start, believing that only life-and-death battles could fully awaken a werewolf's bloodline.

Adam had planned to resume his studies at the church today, but that would have to wait.

"With the balance adjusted, I should be mostly healed by tomorrow," Adam thought, marveling at the werewolf bloodline's remarkable healing ability. Even with the Soul Weight enhancement, an ordinary person with such injuries would be bedridden, waiting for death.

"Alright, just make sure to rest," Maggie said, still worried but willing to let Adam make his own decisions.

Back in his attic room, Adam felt as if he had been away for a long time. Despite establishing a supernatural organization centered around the God's Tear ritual and becoming Kin's student, he couldn't abandon his plans involving the church.

"Leaving the church abruptly would only draw attention, and I still need to gather information," he reasoned.

"My goal remains the same: escape the Holy Ahn Empire and reach the safer Lokken Kingdom."

"The border is heavily guarded. I can't cross it alone. I must rely on the smuggling network that connects both nations."

"I need to learn more about Kin's partnership with Mansura and see if I can secure a spot in the smuggling operation."

"Though I doubt they'll trust me," Adam admitted, aware of the deep-seated mistrust between humans and supernaturals. Cooperation was possible, but true trust was rare.

"And there's my ability to consider. There's still so much I don't understand about it," Adam thought. He lacked too much relevant knowledge.

"Kin might be a good teacher, but I still need to leave as soon as possible," Adam reminded himself, touching the scar on his face. The visions from his bloodline awakening were more than mere illusions. He was sure that his recollections had somehow alerted that person to his location.

"My position might already be compromised. They'll come for me soon," Adam sighed, calming his nerves and adjusting the Soul Weight to speed up his recovery.