The World Beyond the Rift

Barolt stood in the middle of the training grounds, rubbing the sore spot on his forehead where Adam had flicked him.

"Alright, what the hell was that?!" he snapped, glaring at his father.

Adam smirked, arms crossed. "That? That was life teaching you a lesson."

Barolt gritted his teeth. This guy… I swear, one day…

Hans and Bam watched from the sidelines, struggling to keep straight faces.

"Honestly," Hans whispered, "if I didn't know who his dad was, I'd almost feel bad for him."

Bam chuckled. "Yeah, but knowing Adam, this is probably part of his 'training regimen.'"

Adam ignored them. His mind was focused on something else.

His power is already starting to fuse… but it's incomplete.

He had expected this, but seeing it firsthand confirmed his suspicions.

Barolt might have officially "awakened," but he wasn't just dealing with mana. There was something else—something entirely different running through his veins.

Something Adam had given him.

Did it happen too early? Adam wondered. No, this is fine. He just doesn't realize what he's using yet.

Barolt cracked his knuckles, his frustration evident. "I'm not done yet!"

Adam smiled. "Good. Then come at me again."

---

The Clash of Two Energies

Barolt exhaled slowly, focusing.

Alright… think. I may not be strong yet, but I'm not helpless.

He let the energy inside him flow.

His mana stirred first—like a familiar warmth inside his body.

But alongside it was something else. Something more primal, more refined.

It merged with the mana.

Barolt's hands began to glow. His energy surged, but it felt... strange.

It's like two forces trying to become one… but not quite fitting together.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So you noticed."

Barolt blinked. "Noticed what?"

Adam sighed. "You think you're just using mana right now?"

"Obviously. That's how Awakening works, right?"

Adam shook his head. "Kid, you're not just using mana. You're using something else too."

Barolt frowned. "What do you mean?"

Adam stepped forward, tapping his own chest. "Remember all those years of training? The things I taught you?"

Barolt nodded slowly. "Yeah…?"

Adam smirked. "I never taught you mana control."

Barolt froze.

Wait… what?

His father continued, his voice calm but firm. "Everything I've drilled into you… wasn't mana."

Barolt's heart pounded. "Then… what was it?"

Adam chuckled. "Something beyond mana."

Hans and Bam exchanged glances.

"Wait, wait—hold on," Hans interrupted. "Are you saying the kid's been using some other energy this whole time?"

Adam nodded. "Exactly. And now that he's awakened, his mana is trying to merge with it."

Barolt's mind raced.

All this time…

All those brutal training sessions, the impossible exercises, the unbearable exhaustion—it wasn't just physical training.

Adam had been tempering something else.

"But…" Barolt swallowed. "Then why am I still so weak?"

Adam smiled. "Because it's incomplete."

Barolt clenched his fists. "So how do I fix it?"

Adam shrugged. "Figure it out."

"...I hate you."

Adam grinned. "I know."

---

A Test of Strength

Barolt took a fighting stance. Fine. If this is a test, I'll pass it.

The air around him shifted as his fused energy stirred.

Then—he launched forward.

Faster than before.

Adam's eyes gleamed. Good. He's adapting.

Barolt swung. This time, his fist collided with Adam's palm.

BOOM!

A shockwave burst outward.

For a split second, Adam actually pushed back slightly.

Barolt's eyes widened. I actually made him move?!

But before he could feel victorious—

Adam twisted his wrist—grabbing Barolt's arm—

And slammed him into the ground.

CRASH!

Barolt groaned.

"Ow…"

Hans winced. "Yeah, saw that coming."

Bam nodded. "Rip."

Adam loomed over Barolt, his expression unreadable.

"Your power isn't bad," he admitted. "But it's still just an incomplete version of mine."

Barolt groaned, peeling himself off the dirt. "And how do I fix that?"

Adam smirked. "Train harder."

Barolt shot him a glare. "You enjoy this, don't you?"

Adam grinned. "Absolutely."

---

A Strange Realization

As the dust settled, Barolt looked down at his hands.

His energy had faded. The fusion he had tapped into was already gone.

It's temporary… like a burst. But why?

Adam spoke, as if reading his mind. "Your body isn't ready to handle the full power yet. It's like trying to force a key into a lock that doesn't fit."

Barolt exhaled. "So I need to train my body more?"

Adam nodded. "Exactly. And more importantly…"

He ruffled Barolt's hair.

"Stop thinking of yourself as just another Awakened. You're not."

Barolt frowned.

Adam's gaze sharpened. "You've already broken the timeline. The moment you awakened, the future changed. Nothing is set in stone anymore."

Barolt's breath hitched.

The future is uncertain…?

Adam smirked. "Which means you have the freedom to make it your own."

Barolt clenched his fists.

For the first time, a real fire burned in his eyes.

---

Meanwhile…

The chicken watched.

And for a split second—its eyes gleamed.