Heir to Nothing

I stood at the edge of the training ground, watching.

Every time one of the knights struck the dummy, the ground trembled. Dust kicked up around their feet. Their blades, coated in shimmering aura, cracked against the reinforced dummies with explosive force.

It looked—and sounded—incredible.

But then… it happened.

A man I hadn't seen before stepped forward. A wooden practice sword in his hand. I didn't know his name, but I didn't need to. The way every other knight immediately stepped back—giving him space without a word—told me everything.

He was different.

He walked up slowly, then stopped ten meters away from the dummy.

Ten meters.

He raised the wooden sword above his head, and a sudden glow traced along its edge.

White light.

Clean. Refined. Cold.

Aura.

The air thickened. It pressed against my chest.

And then—he moved.

His sword came down in a single, sharp motion.

And the aura followed.

A bladed wave of light carved through the air, howling like a wild beast. It slammed into the dummy with a thunderous boom, echoing across the entire training field.

The ground shook. Wind exploded outward.

The dummy—reinforced to survive A-rank attacks—was nearly split in half.

He'd done it without even touching it.

My eyes widened, my throat dry. This wasn't just a technique. This was power—true power.

That… was what I wanted.

I remembered watching my father back at the estate.

He didn't need to lift his weapon.

His aura alone could manifest into a sword, cutting down enemies with nothing but will.

That was mastery.

That was the goal.

That… was the path I'd chosen.

No matter how long it takes, no matter how much it hurts—

I will learn this.

I clenched my fists, eyes locked on the fading glow of aura on the ground.

One day... I'll make the earth shake too.

As I stood there, still caught in the lingering echo of that devastating aura slash, a voice called out behind me.

"Kael."

I turned to see Instructor Gareth walking toward me. His presence, calm yet commanding, immediately straightened my posture.

"Do you know how to use aura?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, sir. But I want to learn."

He raised an eyebrow. "You've been training with mana for two months straight. Are you not a magician?"

"I use mana, yes," I said, my voice firm. "But I want to master aura too."

He studied me for a moment, then crossed his arms. "Not many try to walk both paths. Mana and aura aren't just tools—they're foundations. Different philosophies. Different systems. Trying to master both is… unwise."

I remained silent.

"I've seen thousands like you. Chasing both. Most end up broken—physically or mentally. None make it far. And those who do?" He let out a small breath. "Three. In the entire history of the continent, only three people have truly mastered both and reached the peak."

His words hung in the air like chains.

And I stepped forward anyway.

"I still want to try, sir. My family—Thorne—they're known for their aura. Warriors. I may have trained with mana… but that legacy still runs in my blood."

For a long moment, Gareth didn't speak. Then finally, he nodded once.

"Alright. I'll teach you. But don't get your hopes up too high. If it were easy, more would've done it. And if I decide you're not suited for this path—" his eyes narrowed, sharp as a blade, "—you'll stop immediately. No arguments. You'll return to the path of magic and train as a proper mage."

"I understand," I said, standing straighter.

"Any questions?"

"No, sir."

Three people in history had mastered both mana and aura

And I knew one more person who could walk both paths.

The damn protagonist.

With that overpowered system of his, he could easily unlock both mana and aura—no sweat, no pain. While I trained like hell just to move a flame, he probably gets a quest notification: "New skill unlocked: Supreme Dual-Wielder!"

Disgusting.

If I had a system like that, I wouldn't be here grinding for hours every day.

But... what's the point of crying about it now?

I clenched my fists and shoved the thought away as Instructor Gareth spoke again.

"Alright. Sit down here."

I followed his instruction and sat cross-legged on the ground. He stepped behind me and placed a firm hand on my back.

"Relax your body," he said calmly. "I'm going to run aura through you. Don't resist it. Just observe and feel. If you try to stop it—or force it—it'll hurt. A lot."

I nodded. "Understood."

A moment later, I felt it.

A pulse—sharp, controlled, and cold—coursed into my spine, spreading out into every inch of my body.

It wasn't like mana. No, mana was like water—liquid, flowing freely through veins like an eager child exploring a new world. But this… this was different.

Aura was precise. Heavy. Commanding.

It didn't flow—it moved, with purpose, like disciplined soldiers marching in formation through my muscles and blood vessels.

Cold, cunning, dangerous.

Even with Gareth carefully controlling it, it felt like my body was being dissected and remade at the same time. Each pathway it touched felt scorched with raw pressure. Not heat—pressure. Like a predator was crawling beneath my skin, checking if I was worthy prey.

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stay still. My heart pounded, sweat forming on my forehead despite the cool breeze.

This was aura.

Not a power to be played with.

And yet, somewhere inside, a thrill sparked.

This was it. This was the second path. And now that I'd touched it… there was no turning back.

Then it hit.

The pain.

A groan tore from my throat as a sharp, burning ache exploded through my chest and arms. My body trembled. Every muscle screamed in protest. Instinctively, I tried to clamp down—halt the flow of aura ripping through me.

"Don't stop it!" Gareth's voice snapped like a whip behind me.

"You're feeling pain because your body isn't used to aura. Your vessels are too soft—like wet paper. Aura needs hardened steel to run through, and yours are nowhere near that yet. That's why it hurts."

I clenched my jaw, sweat dripping down my face. It felt like tiny blades were slicing through every inch of my body.

"I'm stopping my control now," Gareth said. "You'll guide it on your own. I showed you how. Let's see if you can even manage to move it an inch."

I took a sharp breath and nodded. "Okay, Instructor. You can stop now."

The moment he withdrew his hand, the pressure in my body lessened—but not completely.

A small amount of residual aura remained, swirling inside me like a cornered beast.

Now it was up to me.

I focused, forcing myself to recall how it moved—calm, disciplined, purposeful.

Flow like a blade. Not water. Not chaos.

I willed the aura to move again, tracing the path Gareth had shown me.

But it was like trying to drag a mountain through my veins. My body shook violently. Pain roared louder than before—like the aura was resisting, pushing back, trying to tear me apart from the inside.

Still, I endured.

One minute.

Two.

My vision blurred. I grit my teeth so hard I thought they might crack. My whole body convulsed like it was rejecting me. Fighting me.

And then—

Nothing.

I slumped forward, panting.

My limbs were numb. My head felt like it had been split open. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. The aura had scattered, slipping away like smoke between my fingers.

I couldn't do it.

Not yet.

"Dammit…" I muttered, pressing my palms to the dirt.

But deep inside, there wasn't defeat.

Only a flicker of determination.

I'll get it.

Even if it tears me apart—I'll learn it.

I have to.

Gareth crossed his arms, his expression unreadable as he looked down at me.

"You still have a very long way to go," he said coldly.

"Your vessels are too weak, your pathways too soft. They've been used to guiding mana—gentle, flowing, obedient."

He stepped closer, voice growing firmer.

"But aura isn't like mana. It's raw. Heavy. Violent. It doesn't flow—it charges. And for that, your pathways need to be forged like iron, your vessels like tempered steel. Until then, trying to control it will only tear you apart."

Gareth narrowed his eyes at me, voice sharp and unwavering.

"If you really want to wield aura, then you've got a long road ahead of you—pain, discipline, and relentless practice."

He stepped back, his presence still heavy.

"I'll be watching you. The moment I see it interfering with your other training—or if it starts breaking you—I'll stop you myself. No hesitation."

He turned, his cloak shifting slightly as he walked away to check on the other knights.

"Now get to it. Start circulating again."

His voice faded into the distance, but the weight of his words lingered.

I sat back down and clenched my fists, the dull ache already pulsing in my arms. The moment I willed the aura to flow again, pain tore through me like barbed wire under the skin.

But I gritted my teeth and endured.

Because this was the path I chose.

And I wasn't going to back down now.