Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

Kyle rang the bell and waited with Void shifting slightly on his shoulder. They didn't wait too long as the door opened some moments later.

Instructor Dan stood there, his imposing figure as solid and grounded as always. His sharp eyes flicked to Kyle before immediately landing on Void, who stared back at him with pride.

"So," Dan began as he nodded toward Void. "Is this the creature the Dean told me about?"

Kyle wad surprised at Dan's comment. That went to show how close the Dean was with Dan. "Yeah, this is Void," Kyle replied, a bit wary of how much the Dean might have shared.

Dan leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing as he studied the small dragon with an intense curiosity. Void straightened on Kyle's shoulder, puffing out his chest proudly as if to say, Yes, I'm as amazing as I look.

Dan chuckled softly and muttered under his breath, "It truly is a dragon…" His voice was low in a way that only him heard. Then, louder, he added with a reassuring smile,

"Don't worry. I'm not going to pry into where or how you got him. You've got enough on your plate without me adding to it."

Kyle's shoulders sagged in relief. He was happy that he wouldn't need to lie to Dan too. "Thanks, Instructor."

Dan gave him a small nod, then motioned for him to step inside. "Come on. You're early, but that's better than being late."

Kyle followed him into the house, and to his surprise, it was spotless. The last time he'd visited, Dan's house had been in its usual state of disarray and he was thrown the responsibility of keeping it clean. But now, the floor gleamed, the furniture was dust-free, and everything was in its proper place.

"You've been busy cleaning," Kyle said, glancing around.

Dan smirked. "Not me. The academy sent some people over to tidy up yesterday. Apparently, I've been giving the staff too many headaches with my 'chaotic living environment.' Their words, not mine."

Kyle couldn't help but laugh at the image of academy staff grumbling while trying to clean up after the notoriously messy instructor.

"Anyway," Dan said, motioning for Kyle to follow him, "let's get to it. We've got work to do."

They made their way to the dojo, where Kyle immediately felt nostalgia to be back in that familiar sanctuary. The polished wooden floors reflected the soft light filtering through the high windows. A rack of well maintained training weapons lined one wall. Everything was set like it always was.

"Go change," Dan instructed, pointing to the small changing room off to the side. "You know the drill."

Kyle nodded and slipped inside, quickly changing into the martial robes he always wore for training. They were lightweight and flexible, designed to allow for full range of motion. When he emerged, Dan was already holding two katanas, their polished steel gleaming faintly.

"So," Dan began, tossing one of the swords to Kyle, who caught it with practiced ease, "how was your mission?"

Kyle twirled the katana once before resting it on his shoulder. "Not bad. I managed to discover an Origin Source."

The words had barely left his mouth when Dan froze. His grip on his katana tightened, and he turned to face Kyle fully, peering into him to sense his progress and doing so left him in utter shock.

"Holy mother of—" Dan screamed with surprise. "How the hell are you in the Eighth Stage?!"

Kyle's grin widened. "The Origin Source," he replied simply, though he could already feel the weight of Dan's disbelief.

Dan barked out a laugh, though it was tinged with disbelief. "There's no way. Origin Sources are powerful, but it would have reached its burst stage before you can go from the fourth to the eight stage."

Kyle shifted nervously under Dan's scrutiny. "Uh… I guess I got lucky?"

Dan's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before he let out a chuckle and shook his head. "Fine. Keep your secrets. Everyone's entitled to a few, I suppose."

Before Kyle could respond, Dan tossed him the katana again, this time with a bit more force. Kyle caught it without missing a beat, the weapon feeling like an extension of his arm.

Dan adjusted his grip on his own katana and took a step back, falling into a ready stance. "Alright then, enough chit-chat. Let's see where you're at. Have you learned the First Position of the Air Steps Technique yet?"

Kyle's grin returned, this time with a hint of mischief.

"I've learned them all."

Dan nearly dropped his sword. "What the—You've learned all the positions?! Already?"

"Yup. I've learned the technique."

Dan knew how impossible Kyle's statement was and he still struggled to believe if he was actually being honest but he always knew that Kyle wasn't normal and there was something special about him. He stared at him for a long moment before letting out a laugh.

"Kid, you never fail to surprise me." He raised his katana, the steel catching the light. "Alright then, let's see it. Show me what you've got."

Kyle nodded and shifted into a ready stance. The air around him seemed to hum with energy as he began the Air Steps Technique. His feet moved with a fluid grace, barely touching the ground as he began to circle Dan. His movements were so quick and precise that it seemed as though he was gliding on air.

Dan's eyes widened as he watched, his katana lowered slightly in amazement. "By the gods… You've truly mastered it," he muttered.

Kyle didn't stop. He transitioned seamlessly continued pulling of all positions, his speed increasing as he wove around Dan like a phantom. The dojo seemed to blur as he moved with his steps light but purposeful, each one perfectly calculated.

Finally, he came to a halt, standing a few feet away from Dan. The older man shook his head, clearly at a loss for words.

"Alright," Dan said after a moment, his tone somewhere between awe and frustration. "You're officially a freak of nature. But don't let it get to your head. Mastering a technique isn't the same as mastering combat."

Kyle smirked. "I wouldn't dream of underestimating you, Instructor."

Dan grinned and raised his katana. "Good. Because now that I know what you can do, I'll tone down how much I hold back."

Kyle returned with a grin of his. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you don't hold back at all."