The early morning sun trickled through the pine-shrouded mist that drifted over the training grounds behind Jin's new house. It was a quiet, sacred moment—the kind that carried the breath of fate. The lake behind the manor shimmered gently, its surface undisturbed like glass. Birds called from high branches, the scent of dew and earth clinging to the air.
Steve stood before Jin, legs trembling with the nervous excitement of the first step. He wore a simple training outfit Velka had prepared—nothing fancy, but suitable. His eyes, however, told a deeper story. The pain of being bullied, the ache of being alone, and now the fragile hope of belonging.
Jin stood across from him, long white hair falling down his shoulders like a divine veil, eyes red and soft like embers hiding a raging flame. Even here, in this foreign world, Jin's presence commanded respect. He wasn't trying to look powerful—he was power, wrapped in peace.
"All right," Jin said, his voice calm, almost gentle. "Let's begin."
Steve bowed, awkward and unsure. "Yes, Master Jin."
Jin smiled. "No need to call me master. Just Jin is fine."
They started with the basics—stances, balance, breathing. Jin corrected Steve gently when he faltered. He didn't mock or raise his voice; he simply adjusted his posture, moved his limbs into place, and nodded. The boy's body was clumsy, but not without promise.
Midway through a grappling demonstration, Jin suddenly paused.
His crimson eyes narrowed, focused—not on the technique, but on Steve himself.
There was something within the boy. Something that pulsed when he moved, like a flicker of unseen light. It wasn't just physical strength or spirit. It was... essence.
"...Mana?" Jin thought.
He stepped back, arms folded. His thoughts spiraled deeper.
"In my Cosmology, we call it different things.
Light or Darkness— Essence.
Bloodthirst or Pressure—Mana Pressure.
Divine or Demonic energy—Godhood Mana.
All the same root, flowing from the Wellspring.
But this... this world doesn't name it."
He watched as Steve held his stance, panting, small beads of sweat rolling down his cheek.
"I don't know what they call it here.
But whatever it is, it lives in him.
It's dormant… but ancient. And volatile.
Should I teach him magic?"
Jin exhaled, rubbing his jaw with thought. He'd promised himself peace. No wars, no gods, no destruction. Just mythologies and quiet. But the world… fate… always had other plans.
"Steve," Jin said suddenly, "do you ever feel like something inside you... pulses? Like there's more beneath your skin?"
Steve blinked, startled. "I… I don't know. Sometimes I get… really angry. Or scared. And I feel like… I could do something. But I don't know what."
Jin nodded slowly. "That's power. Untamed. Hidden. But it's real."
Steve looked down. "Is it bad?"
"No," Jin answered. "It just needs direction."
They spent the next hour working through breathing techniques. Jin introduced him to a meditative stance once used by monks in a different dimension. He didn't tell Steve it was from a celestial temple guarded by wind dragons. Not yet.
The wind shifted.
Jin raised his hand, fingers curling slightly. The wind calmed. Around Steve, the air shimmered faintly, reacting to his presence.
Yes. It was Mana.
Jin finally spoke. "Steve… would you like to learn magic?"
Steve looked up, eyes wide. "Magic? Like… real magic?"
"Yes," Jin replied. "But it's not what you think. It's not fireballs and lightning bolts at first. It's breathing. It's feeling the world around you. Knowing your place in it."
Steve nodded quickly, his excitement bubbling over. "I'll do anything. Please teach me!"
That night, after training, Jin returned home. Velka was sitting in the kitchen, her golden eyes reflecting the light of the candles. She had already prepared dinner—miso soup, fresh vegetables, and tea. She looked up and smiled.
"How did it go?" she asked.
"He's eager," Jin said, sitting down. "There's something inside him. Something rare."
Velka leaned on her elbow. "You're going to teach him magic?"
Jin nodded.
She smirked and picked up a spoon. "Then you need to eat. Here."
Jin chuckled. "You're going to feed me again?"
"You promised."
He leaned forward, and Velka gently fed him, her fingers brushing his lips. She blushed, but didn't stop. In this small moment, even gods could find heaven.
Between bites, she asked, "Do you ever wonder what's happening in our world?"
Jin's eyes darkened for a second. "I try not to. But sometimes... yes."
The next morning, Jin took Steve out to the training grounds he had set up in the backyard. Steve stood there, a mixture of excitement and nervousness written on his face. Jin stood across from him, his eyes focused, and a faint aura of energy surrounding him.
"Ready?" Jin asked.
Steve nodded eagerly. "Ready."
And so, the training began.
Jin taught Steve the fundamentals first: stances, footwork, and basic strikes. But as time passed, Jin pushed him harder. He could feel the boy's power slowly coming to the surface—hidden strength, just waiting for the right moment to explode.
Jin also taught Steve how to channel his Mana, controlling it with precision. It wasn't long before Steve began to summon small bursts of energy from within, sending ripples through the air. The power was there, hidden deep inside him.
Jin smiled, watching as Steve's form improved. "You're doing well," he said, his voice full of approval.
But there was something Jin knew that Steve didn't—something deeper inside him. The boy's power was far greater than he realized, and with the right guidance, he would become a force to be reckoned with.
"Now, let's work on controlling that power," Jin said, ready to push Steve to the next level. "This is just the beginning."
As the days passed, Jin's training grew more intense. But every evening, he returned home to Velka, to the quiet life they had begun to build together. In those moments, they would talk about the future, about the world they had left behind, and about the challenges that still lay ahead.
For now, Jin was content. He had a purpose again—helping Steve, guiding him, and finding the answers to the questions that lingered in his heart.
And as long as Velka was by his side, he felt he could face anything that came his way.