3

**Day 11, 9 am:** I was currently waiting for the class to start, seated in my bench with hands on the table and a straight posture. I tried mimicking what the others were doing since I didn't want to stand out. I was not sure about each individual's magic capability or talent. Until I could figure out the general level, I will not say anything about my current ability. A bell rang, and shortly the sound of the door opening could be heard. A middle-aged man with a white beard and glasses walked slowly towards the front of the class.

"Hmm, looking at you bunch, I can immediately tell that you've never encountered hardship before." Those words struck me by surprise since I did not expect criticism to be the first thing the teacher would say. Looking around the class, it seemed that my classmates felt the same; some even had a noticeable change on their face after those words.

"Now, now, since I will be teaching you how to train your magic powers, a proper introduction is required. My name is James, a military officer assigned to your class by the government." The man continued speaking while scrutinizing each one of us. His speech was clear and loud, enough for everyone to hear him clearly, while his voice was slightly rugged and worn. These made him appear fearsome and not easily provoked.

After he finished, schemes and descriptions were then written on the chalkboard. Upon reading them, I understood that the training technique on the board was a more basic version of what I was using. Though for me, training magic was more like a second nature, and I didn't really struggle to understand these concepts. The lesson took about four hours, and each one of us was asked different questions by the teacher about the subject we just learned. Some were able to answer clearly, while others needed to be asked the same question four times before answering correctly.

I adjusted my response and speech according to the rest of the class and was able to blend in perfectly with the others. The bell rang, and the teacher announced that this was for this day, telling us that we were free to go home. Everyone began talking and conversing while packing their stuff. After some basic introductions and info exchanges, I took my leave and immediately went home.

I lived alone; the house was old, and I didn't have certain conveniences such as hot water or gas for the stove, so I had to do cold showers. As for the stove, I used a gas tank. I hurried with taking care of my needs and then proceeded to continue my training.

**Day 19:** Time passed, and the days started to look the same. I went to school and then came back to train. My progress began slowing down, and the strength I was acquiring was steadily rising. We were taught that the color of our energy changed based on our stages of strength. The first tier was cyan, the second was orange, and the third was green. After those three, we weren't told anything, probably because no one achieved those levels yet.