Lee So-yeon was the first to approach Min-jun directly about his unusual progress.
Her E-rank Healing skill was a supportive ability, often overlooked in the flashy world of offensive Awakeners. Perhaps that shared sense of being slightly on the periphery made her more observant.
"Min-jun-ssi,"
she said one afternoon, her voice soft as they both packed up after a particularly grueling physical conditioning session.
"Your movements… they've become much sharper lately. Especially your blocks. How are you training?"
Min-jun hesitated. How could he explain the countless hours spent in a self-created dreamscape without sounding delusional? He opted for a vague answer.
"Just… practicing a lot. Trying to make the most of what I have."
So-yeon's gentle eyes held a hint of skepticism, but she didn't press.
"Well, it's working. You almost dodged Park Sung-hoon's Wind Blade today. A month ago, that would have been impossible."
Park Sung-hoon, a B-rank Wind Attribute Awakener in their year, was known for his swift and unpredictable attacks. Min-jun had indeed managed a clumsy sidestep, a movement that had felt strangely intuitive, as if his body already knew the trajectory of the invisible blade.
A few days later, it was Park Chul-soo who approached him, his usual stoic expression slightly furrowed.
"Kim Min-jun. You've been improving… strangely. Your fundamentals are… solid. Almost too solid for someone who Awakened so late with an F-rank skill."
Min-jun braced himself for mockery, but Chul-soo's tone was more analytical than derisive.
"I'm a Shield user. My focus is on defense, on understanding angles and impact. Your block against the simulated beast the other day… that wasn't just luck. There was a technique there, a precision I haven't seen even from some C-ranks."
He paused, his gaze direct.
"I need a training partner. Someone who focuses on fundamentals, on reacting. Would you be willing to spar with me?"
Min-jun was surprised. Sparring with a Shield user? It wasn't exactly the kind of combat training he envisioned, but the opportunity to test his dream-honed skills in a real-world scenario was too tempting to pass up.
"I… I'd be willing,"
he replied, a flicker of excitement rising within him.
Their first sparring session took place in a quiet corner of the school training grounds after classes. Chul-soo stood firm, his E-rank Steel Shield held defensively.
He was a solid wall of metal, his movements deliberate and unwavering.
Min-jun, without any flashy offensive skills, relied on the footwork and defensive maneuvers he had drilled endlessly in his dreams. He circled Chul-soo, his movements light and agile, probing for openings that weren't there. Chul-soo remained impassive, his shield a constant barrier.
Then, Min-jun began to incorporate the techniques he had learned in his lucid training. A swift pivot to avoid a shield bash, a low sweep he'd practiced against phantom leg attacks, a series of rapid blocks against Chul-soo's surprisingly quick shield strikes. Each movement felt strangely familiar, a ghost of the perfect execution he achieved nightly in his mind.
He was still physically weaker. Chul-soo's shield carried significant force, and even glancing blows sent jolts of pain up his arms. But Min-jun's ability to anticipate and react was uncanny. He dodged and weaved, narrowly avoiding direct hits, his movements frustratingly elusive for the stolid Shield user.
Chul-soo grunted, a rare display of exertion.
"You're… slippery. Your reactions are too fast for your rank."
The spar continued, a dance of defense and evasion. Min-jun landed a few light strikes on Chul-soo's exposed limbs, utilizing the precise angles he had mastered in his dream-sparring sessions.
They weren't powerful enough to do any real damage, but they were enough to make Chul-soo adjust his stance, to acknowledge the unexpected threat.
The session ended with Min-jun winded and bruised, but a sense of exhilaration coursing through him. He hadn't won, not by a long shot, but he hadn't been completely overwhelmed either. His dream training was translating, however slowly, into tangible real-world ability.
So-yeon watched their spar with keen interest, her brow furrowed in thought.
"Min-jun-ssi,"
she said afterwards, tending to a small cut on his arm with a gentle application of her healing mana,
"your movements… they're not like anything I've seen. It's like you already know what your opponent is going to do."
Min-jun offered a small, enigmatic smile.
"Just… good reflexes, I guess."
He wasn't ready to reveal the secret of his nightly training yet.
The sparring sessions with Chul-soo became a regular occurrence. They were grueling but invaluable. Chul-soo's relentless defense forced Min-jun to constantly refine his footwork and evasion.
In return, Min-jun's unpredictable movements and surprisingly accurate strikes forced Chul-soo to become more adaptable. A strange form of respect began to grow between them, forged in the clash of steel and the sweat of effort.
So-yeon often joined them, offering healing after their spars and observing their techniques with a thoughtful gaze. She began to ask Min-jun more specific questions about his movements, his stance, the timing of his blocks. Min-jun, still hesitant to reveal his unique skill, offered vague explanations about focusing on the fundamentals and visualizing his opponents' attacks.
But the more they trained together, the more So-yeon and Chul-soo noticed the almost preternatural quality of Min-jun's movements, the way he seemed to instinctively react to attacks he shouldn't have been able to anticipate. The seeds of curiosity were sown, and the quiet enigma of Kim Min-jun, the F-rank Awakener with the strangely advanced fundamentals, began to pique the interest of the few who bothered to look closely.
The architect of dreams was slowly, painstakingly, building his foundation in the waking world, one spar, one near-dodge, one precise movement at a time.