Serum

"...44...45...46...47..."

A boy who was doing situps while hanging from the branch of a tree was calling out his reps. Sweat dripped off his body and down to the grass and flora beneath him. 

"56...57...58...59..."

[Alert! Self replicating nano-robotic maintenance and repair systems have reached the requisite energy levels. Beginning construction.]

"Huh?"

Suprised, Dirk stopped and looked at the notification.

"So I've finally developed enough huh? Took long enough. Well, I guess I wasn't given that enhancement until I was 12 on Earth either. Hup!"

Flipping himself, Dirk agilely fell from the branch and landed on his feet. 

Despite only being a 10 year old, Dirk's body was already starting to take form. When he was a supersoldier, he had to get modified and undergo many surgical procedures to enhance him with a superior body, genetics, and cybernetics. However, he now had all that from birth, and his body was able to develop into everything naturally. Now, he didn't have to adapt to everything and just built himself from the ground up. 

So while he wasn't a big kid, and his muscles were only just beginning to show, he knew that he definitely had a lot of strength. Several years of his grueling training was able to get his body into tip-top shape, and finally, one of his cybernetic abilities was unlocked. 

Because he was young, his body wasn't outputting a lot of energy. This meant his cybernetics couldn't draw on the necessary energy to power a system like the nano repair bots. Now though, they were activated and he could already feel their construction inside his abdomen. The food and energy stockpiled in his body was quickly processed and drawn on, and he immediately felt hungry. 

"I should ask for some more food. The more fuel I have, the more those bots can continue their construction. I don't want it to stop and then have to wait a long time for it to stockpile more energy again."

Saying that, Dirk finished up his workout and headed back to the manor. When he arrived, a maid was waiting by the door. 

"Have a good workout, Dirk?"

"Yes, miss Sanala."

"Good. So how much are we eating today?"

"Hmm, it's a lot, but triple the amount I usually eat."

"My my. Having a growth spurt again?"

"Something like that."

Dirk nodded as he and the maid walked into the manor. Sanala was the head maid, and with Dirk being the only child around the house now, she really only focused on catering to him. Much of what she did involved preparing him lots of food. The amount he ate grew by the month, but since he was the only one frequently there beside his mother, they had more than enough for his growing body. 

After cleaning himself up in his bathroom and dressing, Dirk arrived at the kitchen where all the food he asked for was sitting, freshly cooked. Nearly 2 pounds of meat were sitting on a large plate, sliced into thin strips. There was also a plate filled with thick slices of bread that were covered in melted cheese. 

Sitting and grabbing a piece of bread, he gobbled it up in one go. As soon as the bread entered his stomach, he could feel the accelerated digestion and the draw on the chemical energy given by the bread. Despite not being active, his body heat up a bit as his cells produced energy for the cybernetic construction. 

Feeling all that, Dirk went on to grab more slices of bread and strips of meat, stuffing his face with nutrient-rich food. His body was warm the entire time as everything was quickly digested. 

Two hours later, Dirk ate the last strip of meat. Despite eating so much, his body actually seemed leaner than before, a consequence of so much energy being burned. Much of the fat he had on him and nutrients within were taken away. 

'Show me the nanite construction process.'

Dirk gave a command in his head to the AI interface as he gulped the last of the meat down.

[Nano-robotic maintenance and repair systems at 31% capacity. Unable to continue construction. Insufficient mineral reserves.]

'Mm. Makes sense.'

Dirk nodded seeing the insufficiency. To construct the nanites required minerals like iron and proteins, and he didn't have an infinite supply. But that was fine. As he ate more every day, more nanites would be constructed and gradually fill up his body alongside his blood. And since some had already been built, they would be able to store energy themselves and he wouldn't have to stockpile so much. They were a very versatile machine.

'Give it another week and I'll be set.'

"Dirk? Are you home?"

Suddenly, a voice came from the entrance of the manor. Dirk recognized the voice and shouted back.

"I'm here, mother."

"Oh, good. I'm going to go freshen up, and your father is on his way. Once he gets here, we're leaving for the Duke's."

"Understood."

Nodding, Dirk quickly got up from the table and headed to his room to change into more formal clothes. 

...........

"You ready?"

Dirk's father spoke as he walked down to the hall. It was just Dirk and his parents going today. 

"Yes sir."

"Alright, then let's head out."

The three walked out of the manor and boarded the flying carriage, quickly taking off into the sky. Dirk watched as they rose from the ground and got a large view of the daytime city. 

Soon though, they were descending toward another residence. After landing on the runway street, they got off and walked over to the Duke's manor. 

"Marquess Strider."

"Butler Gordon."

After landing, Ryker greeted the butler just like the last time they were here. That was 6 years ago though, and Dirk had grown a lot since then. The butler smiled seeing Dirk and motioned toward the house.

"The Duke awaits you. Please follow me."

The butler led the family into the Duke's manor and off toward a certain room. After traveling down a hallway, they came up to a pair of fancy doors that slightly radiated mana. 

*Knock* *Knock*

"Come in."

After tapping the doors, a voice was heard from within. The butler pushed open the doors and let the family in before closing it behind them. 

After walking inside, Dirk was immediately hit with a wave of dense mana. The place seemed almost stuffy with how dense it was. He didn't let it bother him though as he looked around. 

This room was a library. The first thing they saw through the doors was an open area with a table and chairs. Around that though were rows of tall bookshelves. The whole place felt old, like it was some kind of ancient repository. Even the stone below their feet seemed aged, as well as the roof of marble above them.

"You're here! Come! Let me see how much you've changed in 6 years."

A loud voice came from the table in the center of the library. It was the duke, and he was looking at Dirk with unbridled interest. 

The last time Dirk had seen the duke was 6 years ago, but even today he looked no different. He was a man who radiated strength, and Dirk could feel that more than ever. His clothes looked incredibly expensive but also modest. All that combined with his combed-back hair and scraggly beard made him seem like a rough but valiant man.

The family walked forward, and Dirk approached the duke while his parents took a seat at the table. Scanning him, the duke nodded. 

"I see you've been conditioning yourself. You have very good drive for a kid. It's not often you see someone so young who can force themselves to work out."

"Thank you, Duke Hillshire."

"Heh, still as formal as always. Anyway, today you're here to pick out a technique. Take a seat and I'll explain things."

"Understood."

Nodding, Dirk took a seat across from the Duke. He then went on to speak. 

"When it comes to both Mana and Anima, there are different ways to train yourself. Throughout the ages and generations, countless techniques to train Mana and Anima were created. However, only some can withstand the test of time and validity. Like people, not all techniques are created equal, and they are subject to the same law of the jungle as we are. Only the best and most versatile can be passed on. 

In general, training the mystical energies around us involves accumulation and cultivation. The techniques you see will merely be certain patterns in the way one accumulates and cultivates. Those patterns though can produce different outcomes and effects that can give one an edge in battle, especially if the technique is suited toward your element and combat style.

Tell me Dirk, what's your tier at now?"

The duke asked, and Dirk pulled up his profile. 

---

"I'm a tier I and rank I-."

Dirk responded and closed his profile. Neither rank nor tier had advanced much. The last time he moved up was after he learned the fire and earth chore magics. Nothing has happened since then. Even after he barely learned the water ball spell 2 and a half years after being taught the runes, he still didn't advance again. 

The duke simply nodded though as if he expected it. 

"I see. Looks like you've taken the first half step. Have you done anything special?"

"No. I only test my control over the Mana in the atmosphere throughout the days, alongside working out every day. Whenever I recover though, I do feel some of the Anima seep into my body."

"Mm. That's natural. Anima helps the body recover, and through recovery Anima is permanently added to the body. However, that will only take you so far, and intentional cultivation is necessary to progress to great heights. Anyway, it looks like you are decently talented to be able to attain tier I at a young age. Honestly, just based on what I'm told about your work ethic I would have high hopes for you."

"??"

Dirk tilted his head at that last part, and he faced his parents. His mother smiled at him. 

"The Duke requested that I keep tabs on you and your progress, and I've told him about your almost obsessive physical training. Also, I'm going to ask now that you take it easier on yourself when toughening your body. It's not a bad thing to toughen bones and skin, but it shouldn't be to the point where you have purple bruises on your body every day."

"...I understand."

Hearing her, Dirk's brow furrowed. His mom knew about that? He had never let her see any of his bruises. All he was doing was kicking trees, so it wasn't like he couldn't handle himself. Toughening your body like that was necessary for some martial arts. He knew when to stop, so having bruises all the time wasn't a big deal. Still, he didn't know when she could've discovered his injuries. Could it be...

'Wait, blood sometimes gets on my clothes. Could she have seen that? But the maids are the ones who wash clothes. Did they tell her? Looks like I have to be more careful around Miss Sanala. She reports to mom...'

Dirk made several notes in his head, and Cecilia chuckled at her son's conflicted face. The Duke continued.

"Anyway, you've proven yourself driven, and any more information about training methods will come from the manuals themselves. There are manuals for both Mana and Anima. Normally, I would only give you the mana cultivation technique, but since you've come this far, I'm thinking I'll open to you an Anima manual. If it's okay with your parents, of course."

The duke looked to Ryker, who was surprised. 

"You want him to start now?"

"It's not about what I want. He's your kid, Strider. I'm only here to give advice. While he shouldn't necessarily be brought to any school this instant, I'm thinking he can at least start comprehending the manual. He's disciplined and oddly mature, at least from what I've seen and heard. So with a little guidance, he should be able to start building his foundation."

"Hmm... I suppose you're right."

Ryker looked toward his wife, who was the expert on Anima and training it. She in turn looked at Dirk. She had seen his determination and knew that discipline wasn't a problem for her child. While he was a bit unnatural in that sense, he was who he was, and Cecilia knew that he wouldn't have any problem with consistent training or dealing with pain. If even he wasn't qualified to take up a manual and simply begin learning a technique, then nobody was.

Cecilia nodded to her husband.

"Very well. Let's do that then."

"Alright. We'll start with the Anima manual then."

Smiling, the Duke waved his hand. Moments later, several books flew over and landed themselves on the table. There were 6. 

"When training Anima, the main effects are increased strength, stamina, speed, and durability. Some manuals focus on a single effect, while some focus on two, and some focus on all of them. Technically, you don't actually need a manual to train Anima, but like I said, some have good effects down the line. Now, I know you're young, but I'll ask anyway. What effect would you wish to focus on more, if any?"

"...I would wish to cultivate all of them. There aren't any that you should go without."

Dirk said after pondering a second. There was no reason you should go without any aspect should you have the ability to train all of them. If you deliberately didn't train one, you would be an idiot.

"I see. Then let's eliminate these."

Saying that, the duke sent away all 6 manuals. Then, 4 more flew over. 

"These four focus on cultivating all of the benefits that Anima gives. However, you should be forewarned. Training Anima in general is not an easy process. It's painful and uncomfortable as you're changing your body on a fundamental level. However, using some of these manuals can make that process worse. It's not rare to see training methods that involve forcefully breaking down your body. So, if you're going to shy away from pain, then let me know."

"No, I won't."

"Really? Are you confident? I'm not sure a kid like you would have what it takes to cultivate some of these."

"...I only do my best. I don't care how painful the method is. I want the best one."

Dirk spoke to the duke with conviction. He wasn't afraid of pain, so there was no way he would let it get in the way of him gaining strength. Doing something like that was against his very nature. 

"Huhu, alright then. You want the best? You think you've got what it takes? Here. Screw these manuals. Let's bring out the best."

Chuckling evilly, the duke threw the four manuals away and snapped his finger. The next moment, another manual flew out. This manual was a bit bigger than the others, and when it landed on the table, it sounded like a thick slab of stone. 

*Thud!*

"...Don't tell me that's what I think it is."

Ryker spoke as he saw the book. Hearing him, the duke chuckled. 

"Indeed it is, Strider. This manual is called the Anima Resonance Destruction Technique. Compared to some other manual names, it's a bit straightforward and underwhelming, but I assure you that this is one of the best techniques you can acquire besides the one that the Emperor created himself. Here, tough guy. Take a look."

Smiling, the duke pushed the book to Dirk. Sitting up, Dirk looked at the metal cover which had the title engraved on it in giant caps letters. He opened it despite his mother's frowning face.

The duke spoke as Dirk flipped through the pages. 

"This manual focuses on gaining Anima through recovery. You know how you were able to gain Anima by recovering from workouts? Well this book takes that a thousand steps further. This manual is one of the most ancient training methods, and also the most infamous among the few people that actually know of its existence. It's made its reputation as the ancestor of all Anima training methods as it is essentially the foundation of nearly every other training manual. It's also notorious for being the most terrifying. Its brutality is unmatched, and there are plenty of people who have killed themselves training this technique. But its effects are among the best. There isn't anything else like this one. Here, look at this."

The duke used magic and flipped some pages, stopping on a specific one. Dirk took a look at the words and spoke them aloud. 

"Second section: Skin destruction technique. The skin is the membrane that surrounds your body and the first line of defense. It is also the gateway by which all Anima enters your body. Using the skill displayed in the first section, one will enhance and modify the skin and its properties so as to accommodate for all further destruction techniques. 

To enhance the skin, one must use Anima resonance specific to the skin in order to destroy sections of the skin starting from the hands and feet. The resonance must continue until red cracks appear on the section of enhancement, and only then can the resonance be halted. Once halted, allow the skin to fully recover before breaking it down once more. Continue this process until the skin no longer breaks down under resonance. Only then will it have been fully enhanced..."

Dirk trailed off as he looked at the diagram that was in the manual. It showed a picture of a hand, and it had all these cracks spread over it. Just the picture looked incredibly painful, and Dirk was suddenly starting to understand why this book was so infamous. 

'This is almost sadistic. It's literally torturing yourself. But... I'm actually starting to like it.'

Dirk's mind started to churn. For normal people, recovery alone would take days or weeks, and who knew how long it would take to complete the whole process of enhancement. During that time, they would be vulnerable, so nobody who had a life and things to do could use this method. But Dirk had his nanobots that were just starting to be built. When they were finished, he would have excellent recovery times, more than enough to expedite the recovery process.

Knowing that, he was quickly drawn to this technique. If it's as good as the duke said it was, then he was definitely going to choose it. And while it would be extremely painful, so what? That wasn't even a factor for Dirk.