I hunched over with my hands on my knees, panting. Despite the light training uniform I wore, I felt hot. Light from the noon sun bore down upon me, harsh and merciless, which didn't help. Sweat dripped down my face and coated my back. A cool breeze blew through, rustling the leaves of the nearby trees and bringing with it sweet relief. My heart beat against my chest like a drum. A bitter, metallic taste coated my tongue. My body ached all over in protest. I felt a little light-headed.

"You have rather poor stamina, Lord Gabriel." Leroy said.

I glanced over at him. He stood next me, holding out an enchanted steel canteen. To my annoyance, despite going through the same training regime as me, he looked fine. He hadn't even broken a sweat. To him, it barely counted as a warm up. Envy filled me.

"Shut up." I said, snatching the canteen out of his hand. "It's not my fault that the previous owner of this body was in such poor shape."

I opened the canteen and took a drink. It was enchanted to keep its contents cool and clean, something I desperately needed after the training I went through. The water inside tasted divine, instead of metallic. After I finished drinking, I let out a satisfied sigh.

"Weren't you the previous owner of this body, Lord Gabriel?" Leroy asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

I gave him a sideways glance.

"That was twenty five years ago," I said. "It doesn't count."

"Hmm." Leroy regarded me with a deadpan expression on his face.

I shook my head, before taking a look around. The two of us were at the newly constructed training ground for the Northern Annex. It was a few days after the rather enlightening conversation with my parents. A lot had happened during that time.

After some discussion, my parents and I decided that it would be best if I moved into the Northern Annex, so I could focus on my training in private. While certain members of House Sturm knew about murim, the rest remained ignorant. We decided it was best if we kept it that way, at least for now.

At first, my father was against the idea. The Northern Annex was reserved for troublemakers, as well as scions who had fallen out of favor. Thanks to the debacle with Timothy Jeffers, he argued that it would seem as if he were punishing me in order to appease the vassals, which would send the wrong message. My reputation was already low enough as it was. This would just make it worse.

However, my mother and I convinced him in the end. The benefits of moving to the Northern Annex outweighed the downsides. Besides, I no longer cared about what the rest of House Sturm thought of me. It wasn't as if I planned on becoming the next patriarch. My parents loved me and supported me. That was all I needed.

To maintain my privacy, we decided against sending any servants to live with me. They showed up twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, for cleaning. Otherwise, they steered clear of the place. After spending twenty five years on Earth, I knew how to take care of myself, so I didn't need any servants to look after me.

However, my parents didn't want me to live in the Northern Annex by myself, so they assigned Leroy as my personal bodyguard. This was for my protection, and to keep up appearances. I was still a scion of House Sturm, which meant I needed to maintain certain standards.

Like his mother, Leroy was a martial artist. This made him the perfect bodyguard for me. It was also something of a family tradition. Leroy's mother protected mine, while he protected me.

Rather than keep Leroy in the dark, which could result in misunderstandings, I decided to tell him the truth about my transmigration. At first he was skeptical. However, his mother convinced him that I wasn't lying or delusional. It helped that I displayed knowledge of mana cores and martial arts.

After Leroy and I relocated the Northern Annex, my father hired a team of builders to clear a training space for us. Not every wizard focused on combat. In fact, most of them didn't. There were all sorts of professions out there.

In less than a day, the builders cleared out a part of the forest that surrounded the Northern Annex and set up a training ground for Leroy and I. This included all sorts of equipment, including training weapons enchanted to feel like real ones.

Ah, the power of money and magic. With enough of both, anything was possible.

Over the next few days, I developed a routine. In the mornings and afternoons, I trained and pushed my body to its limits. However, to my annoyance, I had to take frequent breaks due to my abysmal stamina. It was improving, but I still found it frustrating.

In the evenings, I either brushed up on my knowledge of Lumina, or talked with Leroy to learn more about murim. While I knew a bit about how it worked on First Murim, thanks to Teacher, this was Lumina. Things worked a little differently here.

Thanks to the Accords, anything related to murim and the Clans had to remain secret. While some of it was out in the open, such as the Adventurers Guild, the rest remained hidden.

The Martial Arts Alliance, made up of the most powerful martial arts Clans, governed murim. They enforced its laws, including the Accords, and kept the other martial artists in check. The Martial Arts Alliance also kept the Houses from interfering with murim too much. This required a delicate balance, since many of the Clans were intertwined with the Houses. In some cases, a Clan was also a House, and vice versa.

Unlike First Murim, there weren't any martial arts sects. There were only the martial arts Clans. However, murim consisted of more than just martial artists. Like with wizards, not everyone specialized in combat. There were a number of merchants, artisans, and other folk who made a living by providing services to martial artists.

Some of them were related to the Clans, but the majority were regular Luminians who were aware of murim's existence one way or another. As Grand Priest Darius said, things weren't so clear cut between mainstream Luminian society and murim.

Joanne was one such person. In fact, as a healer, her services were in high demand. Martial artists lived dangerous lives, and a good healer could mean the difference between survival and death. According to Leroy, several Clans offered Joanne a ridiculous amount of money to get her to work for them. However, she rejected all of them to follow my mother.

Leroy also told me about a number of places where members of murim congregated and interacted with one another. Taverns, underground markets, entertainment venues, and so on. There were even special events, such as tournaments and festivals.

I was surprised when I learned just how developed and expansive murim was. It was as if there was another world, hidden just beneath the surface of mainstream Luminian society. However, after giving it some thought, it made sense. Murim had existed for millennia. It would be stranger if it hadn't grown to this extent.

I wondered what Lumina would have been like if the Accords hadn't forced the Clans and martial artists to hide their existence. Would it have resembled First Murim, or would it have developed in a different direction? I didn't know, and speculating about "What ifs…?" was a useless endeavor.

As I drank from the enchanted canteen, I glanced at Leroy. He stood off to the side with a neutral expression on his face.

"You can continue training." I said. "You don't have to stand there and do nothing while I'm taking a break. Go at your own pace instead of matching mine."

Leroy shook his head.

"Lady Sturm ordered me to look after you, Lord Gabriel." He said.

I snorted.

"I can look after myself. I don't need you to babysit me." I shrugged. "Besides, honing your skills and growing your strength counts as fulfilling your duties. The more powerful you become, the better you can protect me."

Leroy looked tempted by this, but still hesitated.

"Remember that you are my personal bodyguard now." I said. "As long as they don't harm House Sturm, my orders take precedence over my mother's."

That convinced him.

"Very well," Leroy said, "I shall continue my training. If you need anything, let me know, Lord Gabriel."

With that, he walked over to the weapons rack that held all the training weapons and picked up a wooden two-handed greatsword, which looked like the Scottish claymore's bigger, beefier cousin. Afterwards, he walked over to an empty area nearby and started practicing.

Despite the greatsword's size, Leroy wielded it with ease. While there were some flaws, his movements were quick and smooth overall. His swings were powerful. In a real fight, he would be a terror to face. I looked forward to sparring with him, after I formed my mana core.

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I scowled. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be happening any time soon. Based on my current progress, it would take about a year before my body was fit enough, and that was rather fast. Back on Earth, it had taken me three years, even with Teacher's help.

Still, I couldn't complain too much. A year was fine. It could've taken me much longer. Part of the reason why I was progressing much faster this time around was that I was drawing on my own knowledge and experience rather than relying on someone else's. As Brandon Norwood, I reached a high level of mastery, which was paying off now.

Another reason was my current body. I was the descendant of a storm dragon. They were mighty beings who wielded strong magic. However, they also had strong bodies. There was a reason why everyone regarded them as the rulers of the sky.

I inherited some of that strength. Not only would it take me less time to form a mana core, but I would be stronger than the average martial artist. I even had the potential to surpass the heights I reached as Brandon Norwood. Now that was something I looked forward to.

Tsk. This made me want to slap my past self even more. Why was I such an idiot during my first life? So much wasted potential. Oh well, nothing to do about it now.

Once I regained my breath, I put the enchanted canteen aside and went over to resume my training. However, I heard faint footsteps approaching. I looked over and watched as my mother and Caitlyn rounded a corner and came into sight.

Departing from her usual attire, my mother wore a white blouse and a pair of black trousers. Both were still stylish, but also practical. My mother also had her hair tied up in a simple ponytail. Caitlyn, on the other hand, wore her red and black outfit.

The two of them approached the training ground and stopped a few feet away from me. Leroy noticed their arrival, but remained focused on his training.

"Mother," I said, "This is a surprise. What are you doing here?"

My mother pouted.

"What? Is there something wrong with coming over to visit my own son? We haven't seen each other in days. You haven't left the Northern Annex since you moved in, so I decided to visit you myself." She sniffed. "However, if you're unhappy to see me, I'll just turn around and head back to the main building."

I gave my mother a sardonic look.

"Very well, Mother." I said. "If that is your wish, I won't stop you."

My mother scowled at me.

"How cold of you. Is that all you have to say?"

I grinned at her.

"Apologies, Mother. I was just joking. You and Father are always welcome to visit."

My mother pointed a finger at me.

"Just make sure you come and visit us from time to time. Don't hole yourself up in the Northern Annex and spend all of your time training. There is more to life than martial arts. Make sure you get out and live a little."

I nodded.

"I know." I sighed. "However, if I want to form my mana core as soon as possible, I can't slack off in my training." I scowled. "I hate feeling this weak."

My mother grinned.

"Well then," she said, "It's a good thing I came over. I have a gift for you."

She pulled an ornate wooden box out of her storage ring and held it out to me. I walked over and took the box. When I opened it, I found a dozen glass vials inside. Each vial contained a golden liquid, which faintly glowed. My eyes widened when I realized what they were.

"Are these Training Elixirs?" I asked, looking up at my mother.

She wore a smug smile on her face.

"Indeed they are!"

I looked back down at the Training Elixirs. As their name implied, they amplified the benefits a martial artist gained from training. In other words, getting twice (or more) the result with the same amount of effort. This made them invaluable for martial artists.

However, they required rare ingredients and were difficult to create, making them scarce and expensive. Most martial artists couldn't afford even the lowest quality Training Elixir. On Earth, decent quality Training Elixirs cost the same as a house.

I pulled out one of the Training Elixirs and examined it.

"These are even better than the ones I received from my teacher on Earth."

A displeased expression flashed across my mother's face. I noticed it from the corner of my eye. However, when I looked at her, no traces of it remained. Maybe I was just seeing things. For some reason, Caitlyn looked amused.

"Well," my mother said, "As my son, you won't have to worry about resources. I may be an outcast in murim, but I still have connections. Acquiring a few piddling Training Elixirs is no trouble for me."

I didn't believe that for a second. Acquiring this many Training Elixirs, even if they were low quality ones, would have been difficult. There was also the cost to consider. This box of Training Elixirs must have cost a small-No, it must have cost a fortune. However, I refrained from calling my mother out. Instead, I gave her a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Mother. I appreciate it. Truly."

My mother wore a proud expression on her face. I looked back down at the Training Elixirs and made some quick calculations.

"With these," I said, "It should only take me a month to form my mana core instead of a year."

Both my mother and Caitlyn stared at me with wide eyes.

"A month?!" My mother cried out. "Even with those Training Elixirs, it should take you at least three or four months to form your mana core." She put a hand on my shoulder and regarded me with a serious look on her face. "Gabriel, you don't have to rush. There's no hurry to form your mana core. Take your time."

I gave her a reassuring smile.

"Trust me," I said, "A month is plenty of time. If I rushed things, it would only take me three-No, two weeks. However, I don't want to make any mistakes, so a month it is." I snorted. "Remember, I'm not a novice. I've been through all this before."

My mother looked worried, while Caitlyn raised an eyebrow at me.

"Out of curiosity," the latter said, "How many stars did your mana core have in your previous life, Lord Gabriel? And what level of mastery did you achieve?"

"I had a Sixth Star Core and reached S-rank level of mastery." I said. "In murim terms, it's equivalent to Supreme."

The rank of a martial artist's mana core determined their general power level. However, this had no bearing on their mastery of martial arts. Someone with a high rank mana core but low mastery was like a paper tiger. While they seemed powerful on the surface, an opponent with a lower ranked mana core but higher mastery in martial arts could easily defeat them.

Hunters used letters to measure the levels of mastery. Starting from the lowest and going to the highest, they were: E-rank, D-Rank, C-rank, B-rank, A-rank, S-rank, and EX-rank. Marital artists from First Murim, like Teacher, used different terms. They were: Third-rate, Second-rate, First-rate, Master, Grandmaster, Supreme, and Transcendent.

"Supreme?" My mother asked. "That's amazing!" She chuckled. "And at such a young age too! My son is a genius. I'm a little envious, actually. I'm only at Grandmaster."

Caitlyn gave me a skeptical look.

"Forgive me for saying this, Lord Gabriel, but I find it difficult to believe that you reached Supreme. I don't know what it was like on your previous world, but standards here on Lumina are much stricter."

My mother gave Caitlyn a warning look, which the latter ignored.

"Would you like me to prove it?" I asked, grinning at her. "I can't use any techniques without a mana core, but I can still demonstrate the fighting styles I know. Rather, I can go through the motions."

"You don't have to, Gabriel," my mother said, "Caitlyn is just being a sourpuss."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes.

"And you're being indulgent. One of us needs to be skeptical."

I nodded.

"I understand. In your shoes, I would feel the same way."

With that, I set aside the box of Training Elixirs, before walking over to the weapons rack and picking up a wooden single-handed sword. While I was okay with other weapons, I was best with the sword. Afterwards, I walked over to an empty area and took a stance. My mother and Caitlyn followed me. Leroy stopped his own training and joined them.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to center myself. My body still ached from my training earlier, but I had enough energy for this. As long as I didn't push myself too hard, I would be fine.

After I centered myself, I started moving. Teacher taught me the Mist Sword style. Its practitioners sought to become as elusive and illusory as mist. They were difficult to perceive, let alone attack. Their movements were bizarre and unpredictable. Despite this, the style didn't lack offensive power. In particular, it excelled at sneak attacks.

In addition, its practitioners could create blades and even clones out of mist. At the lower levels, these were best used for distraction and evasion. However, at the higher levels, both could be used to attack.

I went through the forms of the Mist Sword style. Thanks to my mastery of it, my movements were perfect, even though I lacked a mana core. Slow, graceful, and ethereal. However, going through the forms strained my body. Despite the training I put myself through over the past few days, I was still in poor shape.

When I finished with the last form, I kept going instead of stopping. However, I switched to a different style. The Mist Sword style was powerful, but it didn't make use of my affinity for Lightning. To make up for this, I created my own variation, which I called the Storm Cloud style. I mean, when it came down to it, there wasn't much difference between clouds and mist.

The Storm Cloud style was fiercer than the Mist Sword style. Its attacks were quick and aggressive, like lightning. I even created a series of techniques inspired by my heritage as a storm dragon's descendant.

Going through the forms of the Storm Cloud style strained my body even further, and there were a few times where I almost faltered. However, I gritted my teeth and pushed through. By the time I finished, I ached all over. Sweat coated my entire body, and a wave of exhaustion washed over me. I took a moment to catch my breath.

Afterwards, I opened my eyes and looked over at the others. They stared at me with shocked expressions on their faces.

"How was that?" I asked, grinning. "Do you believe me now?"

Caitlyn nodded, as if in a daze.

"I need… I need to go and meditate, before I lose this insight."

"I need to go as well." My mother said.

Together, the two of them turned and left the Northern Annex. Leroy watched them go, disbelief written all over his face. I wore an amused smile.

"Did… Did they gain enlightenment from your demonstration?" Leroy asked.

"It appears so." I said.

Leroy sighed.

"How fortuitous for them." He said, the envy in his voice clear.

I chuckled.

"Don't worry," I said, "I'm not going anywhere. You'll have plenty of chances to see me in action later on."

Leroy nodded, his eyes filled with determination, before he resumed his training. I took another break, before I followed his example. My nerves thrummed with excitement the entire time.

One month. That's how long I needed to wait. In one month's time, I would be able to form my mana core and put the next stage of my plan into action. As my mother said, I couldn't hole up in the Northern Annex and spend all of my time training. I needed to go out and live a little. In that case, why not go on a little adventure?

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