Reincarnated with an SSS-rank Tamer System: My Harem of Villainesses-Chapter 56 - Advanced Reinforcement

Adam woke up earlier than usual the next day, even before the sun began to rise over the horizon, feeling a renewed energy that probably had to do with the fact that the system was finally working again and had shown him tangible improvements in his abilities.

Nox was still asleep, curled up on the pillow beside him, letting out small snores that sounded more like soft squeaks considering he was a dragon and not a normal cat.

Adam got up carefully so as not to wake him while he changed into comfortable training clothes, deciding that today he was going to seriously test that new ability the system had unlocked for him.

Advanced Physical Reinforcement.

He left his room and walked through the still-empty halls of the academy toward the outdoor training field, noticing how the dim light of dawn was just beginning to illuminate the sky as his footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor.

When he reached the field, he found it completely empty, which was perfect for what he had planned to do without having to deal with curious stares or uncomfortable questions.

He stopped in the center of the field as he closed his eyes and focused on feeling the flow of mana within his body, something Professor Haldren had been constantly emphasizing during his core control classes.

The mana moved like a steady current from his core located somewhere near his chest, flowing through invisible channels that ran throughout his body in patterns he still did not fully understand but could feel when he paid attention. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

’System,’ he called mentally. ’How exactly does Advanced Physical Reinforcement work?’

[Advanced Physical Reinforcement is a technique that allows you to channel mana directly into specific muscle groups to temporarily increase their performance beyond your natural limits.]

[Unlike basic reinforcement, which simply distributes mana evenly throughout your entire body, the advanced version allows you to focus on specific areas for more dramatic results.]

[For example: you can reinforce only your legs for greater running speed, or only your arms for more powerful strikes, or your torso for greater resistance against attacks.]

Adam nodded mentally as he opened his eyes and looked toward one of the training dummies positioned around the field.

’And how do I activate it?’

[Visualize the mana flowing specifically toward the area you want to reinforce. Focus on feeling it accumulate in those muscles and then maintain that flow steadily while you perform the action.]

[Warning: Because it is more concentrated than basic reinforcement, it also consumes mana more quickly. Do not use it indiscriminately or you will exhaust your core sooner than you expect.]

Adam took a deep breath before focusing on his legs, visualizing the mana flowing from his core directly into the muscles of his calves, thighs, and hips.

At first he felt nothing different, but then gradually he began to notice a warm sensation spreading through his lower limbs, immediately followed by a surge of power that made him feel as if he could run through a wall if he wanted to.

Without overthinking it, he launched forward into a sprint.

The speed was... impressive.

He crossed the entire field in what were probably less than three seconds, his feet barely touching the ground before pushing off again, feeling the wind lash against his face as everything around him blurred from the velocity.

When he finally stopped on the other side of the field, he had to brace himself against one of the fence posts to keep his balance while he panted lightly, feeling the mana he had been channeling into his legs gradually dissipate and leave his muscles slightly trembling.

’That was... incredible,’ he thought as he caught his breath. ’And exhausting too.’

[You consumed approximately 15% of your total mana in those three seconds. As I warned, it is powerful but inefficient for prolonged use.]

[However, with practice you will improve efficiency. Your current mana control of 65% means you are still wasting a considerable amount of energy during the process.]

Adam nodded as he straightened up and walked back toward the center of the field, deciding to try the technique on his arms this time.

He stood in front of one of the training dummies while concentrating the mana specifically into his arms, feeling that same warm sensation spread through his biceps, triceps, forearms, and shoulders.

When he felt the concentration was sufficient, he threw a straight punch at the dummy’s torso.

The impact echoed across the entire field with a dull thud that was immediately followed by the crack of splintering wood as the dummy literally went flying backward several meters before crashing into the ground with a heavy thump.

Adam looked at his fist for a moment, then at the shattered dummy lying on the ground, and finally felt a small smile form on his face.

’Definitely more powerful than my normal punches,’ he thought with satisfaction.

He spent the next hour practicing different variations of the technique, trying reinforcing only one hand while keeping the other normal, then reinforcing his torso to see if it increased his endurance, then attempting to reinforce multiple areas simultaneously, though that proved to be significantly more difficult to maintain.

By the time the sun had fully risen and began illuminating the field with golden light, Adam was sitting on the ground breathing heavily, his torso covered in sweat and his mana core feeling considerably emptier than when he had started.

But he also felt a much better understanding of how this new ability worked and what its current limitations were.

’System,’ he called mentally as he caught his breath. ’Give me an analysis of my performance.’

[Analysis complete.]

[Current Advanced Physical Reinforcement efficiency: 52%]

[This means you are wasting nearly half of the mana you channel due to imperfect control. However, this is normal for someone who is just learning the technique.]

[With consistent practice you should be able to increase efficiency to at least 75–80%, which would allow you to maintain reinforcement for longer periods without exhausting your core.]

[Recommendation: Practice the technique daily for at least 30 minutes. Focus on maintaining a steady flow of mana rather than intense bursts.]

Adam nodded as he slowly got to his feet, feeling his muscles protest from the accumulated strain of the past hour.

It was then that he heard footsteps approaching and turned his head to see his brother Dorian walking toward him with that characteristic neutral expression, clearly having arrived for his own morning training routine.

"Adam," he greeted with a nod as he stopped a few meters away. "You’re up early."

"I wanted to practice something new," Adam replied simply as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

Dorian looked around the field, immediately noticing the multiple destroyed or damaged training dummies scattered everywhere.

"Practicing what exactly?" he asked in a tone that sounded genuinely curious.

"Advanced physical reinforcement," Adam explained. "The system unlocked the ability after the update."

Dorian raised an eyebrow at that. "You’ve already mastered basic reinforcement?"

"Well enough."

His brother observed him for a moment before speaking in a more serious tone. "Advanced reinforcement is significantly more difficult to control than the basic version. It requires a level of concentration and mana control that most first-year students do not have."

"I know," Adam replied. "That’s why I’m practicing."

Dorian nodded slowly as if evaluating something internally before continuing. "Our father mastered that technique when he was eighteen. He used it during the northern territorial wars to lead the Shadowend forces in direct combat."

Adam felt something settle in his chest at that information. He did not know much about his father in this world beyond the fact that he was the leader of the Shadowend family and apparently quite powerful.

"How effective was he with it?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

"Effective enough to win battles that should have been impossible," Dorian replied as he crossed his arms. "He could move faster than most mages could cast their spells. He could strike with enough force to destroy entire enemy formations on his own."

He paused before adding with something that might have been respect in his voice. "He also burned through his mana core regularly because he didn’t know when to stop. He ended several battles completely exhausted and vulnerable."

Adam nodded, understanding the implicit lesson in those words. Power without control was dangerous not only to enemies but to oneself as well.

"I’ll keep that in mind," he finally said.

Dorian watched him for a moment longer before nodding. "Good. Now get off the field. I need to train and you’ve already destroyed enough dummies for today."

Adam let out a short laugh at that as he began walking toward the exit of the field. "They’re all yours."

As he walked back toward the dorms to shower and prepare for the day’s classes, his mind kept turning over what Dorian had told him.

His father had mastered this same technique and had used it in real wars to defend the territory of the Shadowend family. He had been powerful enough to change the outcome of entire battles but also reckless enough to exhaust himself regularly.

’I won’t make that mistake,’ Adam thought with determination as he entered the dormitory building. ’I’m going to learn to control this properly before I use it in real combat.’

He climbed the stairs to his room while feeling the fatigue finally begin to settle into his muscles, knowing that he was probably going to need a long shower and some food before he was ready to face the rest of the day.

When he opened the door to his room, he found Nox finally awake, sitting on the bed and staring at him with those bright eyes that seemed to be judging him for leaving him alone.

"Good morning to you too," Adam muttered as he closed the door behind him.

Nox let out a squeak that sounded vaguely accusatory.

Adam simply shook his head as he began removing his sweaty clothes to shower. "I was training. You could have woken up and come with me if you wanted."

Another squeak, this one more indignant.

"Yeah, yeah, I know you like sleeping in," Adam replied with some amusement as he stepped into the bathroom. "But eventually you’re going to have to start training too. You can’t stay small forever."

The sound Nox made in response to that was definitely a complaint.

Adam showered quickly, letting the hot water relax his tense muscles, feeling the fatigue mix with satisfaction over what he had accomplished that morning.

He had practiced a powerful new ability, learned something about his father that he had not known before, and still had the rest of the day to keep improving.

’And I still have five more days with Alice,’ he remembered with a hint of resignation as he stepped out of the shower and began putting on his academy uniform.

But honestly, after a productive morning like this, dealing with Alice did not seem so bad.

Probably.