Kayn still didn't know what his magical affinity was. Everyone had a natural connection to a certain element—fire, water, earth, and so on.
Most people figured out their affinity through tests run by mages, or by seeing what kind of summon they could call forth.
But in Kayn's case, that was part of the problem. His summon had come from a lootbox. He had no idea what his element was, since his system could've given him anything at random.
So when he started practicing that new meditation technique, he honestly didn't know if it would work.
The first thing he felt was energy entering his body—energy that came from the moon. It nurtured him and brought a deep sense of calm.
That was just one of the benefits of meditation. The real purpose was absorbing mana from the environment, pulling it into his body and growing stronger.
Each meditation technique worked differently. Some pulled in more energy, others less—it all depended on the technique's level.
But taking in more mana didn't necessarily mean the technique was better. One of the most important parts of meditation was refining that raw mana into energy the body could handle—just like Kayn had to.
He had to take that wild, ambient mana and turn it into something his mana core could safely store. That was the key.
Every technique came with its own perks. The one Kayn had found was tied to the element of shadow.
It was subtle. Sneaky. Perfect for an assassin.
Would Kayn be able to learn that kind of ability? Only time would tell.
But right now, under the beauty of the night sky, he was able to practice the technique—and for him, that was enough.
About an hour had passed since Kayn started practicing his meditation technique. He was completely immersed, so when he heard a voice coming from behind him, it startled him a bit.
"Enjoying the beach at this hour?"
When he turned around, he saw that it was the same blonde woman who had gone fishing with him earlier that day. She sat down beside him.
Kayn glanced over and was a bit surprised to see that she was wearing a rather revealing outfit. It was light, with a lot of skin showing—definitely the kind of thing someone would wear to sleep.
"And you? Here to enjoy the night too?" Kayn asked.
She started playing with the sand using her feet. "Honestly, I just couldn't sleep. You know... with everything that's been going on."
Kayn hadn't been in the tribe for long, so he couldn't fully grasp how they felt, but it was already clear the situation wasn't easy.
Several nearby tribes had been showing up around the area. They had even stolen some of the animals the tribe was raising. Bit by bit, those other tribes were getting closer, clearly aiming to take over.
And that terrified everyone. If those tribes decided to attack with full force, the battle would be brutal. Many would die, and the chances of her tribe losing were high.
Kayn tried to reassure her. "You can relax now. The tribe has a ridiculously powerful warrior in the making. I'm gonna take care of every last enemy."
The girl saw how serious Kayn was when he said that, and couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Thanks for making me laugh," she said.
She lay down, staring up at the stars, listening to the sound of the waves.
Kayn decided to get back to his meditation since she didn't seem in the mood to keep talking. They sat there in silence—each doing their own thing.
Eventually, the girl—whose name was Yui—left early. Kayn stayed a bit longer, wanting to soak in all the benefits of nighttime meditation.
He would've loved to stay there all night, but he had to wake up early the next morning, so staying too long wasn't a great idea. Rahka would definitely be pissed if he showed up totally worn out.
So, he returned to his room quietly and went to sleep.
*
It didn't help at all.
The next morning, he still woke up exhausted. Rahka had said he'd wake Kayn up early to start training—but Kayn had no idea that his version of "early" basically meant four in the morning.
Kayn didn't have a watch, but judging by the darkness outside, he was sure it was WAY too early.
"Let's go, let's go," Rahka said. "Get your butt out of bed. We've got training to do. Or do you think you'll become a great warrior by doing nothing?"
Rahka yanked the blanket off Kayn and made him get up. The most surprising thing was that breakfast was already waiting for him! Which could only mean Rahka had woken up even earlier—and that was seriously impressive.
He had prepared boiled eggs. The two of them ate quickly and headed to a specific spot in the tribe. It was the same place where soldier training took place—the same place Kayn had shown off his skills the day before.
Rahka handed him the daggers again and commented, "You look stronger than you did yesterday—like your mana level went up. Very good, very good."
He had no idea Kayn had already started practicing a new meditation technique.
Kayn was happy. Rahka was strong, and even he had noticed a change, however subtle, after just one day of meditation. That was a good sign. It motivated Kayn to keep pushing forward with his training.
"First, let's refine your combat technique a bit," Rahka said. "Even though I'm not a master with daggers, I can still help you improve your stance for fighting."
That type of training wasn't meant to increase Kayn's mana. That could only be achieved through meditation and the study of new magical skills.
This was purely about improving Kayn's technique with his weapons—and of course, strengthening his body, both in terms of raw power and endurance.
They trained throughout the entire morning. Kayn was completely worn out. Rahka helped him correct his dagger stance, and then they went into an intense physical training session together.
By lunchtime, Kayn was exhausted. He assumed he'd get the afternoon off to rest—but no.
"You, me, and my son Len are going hunting," Rahka said. "You need to work on your tracking skills—and on how to stay hidden in the forest."
Kayn was tired, but at the same time, excited for this next part of his training. This was only the beginning, the early steps before he could finally become an assassin and spy for the tribe.