"You don't want to do this Kai."

Nico and Kai were circling each other on a grassy field, with the crowd around them a mix of humans and fairies. The harsh sun showered through the canopy, glistening against Nico's sweating face.

"Trust me, I don't." Kai said as he chanted inaudible words, conjuring three fireballs from the red mote floating above his raised hand. "But training is training."

"Fine." Nico said, conjuring his green mote in turn.

"Bless me with living armor."

Streaks of viridescent light seeped out from the floating mote on Nico's hand, with the light flowing like wind around him. His skin started crumbling away piece by piece as the green light then rushed into his body, revealing greenwood armor- replacing what once was his skin.

Living Armor (F) [Skill]

Reassembles the structure of your skin and body into that of magic wood, gaining increased defenses and the ability to shapeshift parts of your body with the exception of the head. While in this form, natural regeneration increases and severed body parts will heal over a period of time. When enough damage has been taken, the living armor will wear off and will lay dormant for a time, not being able to be used again until fully recharged. Consumes a medium amount of mana to cast.

"In case no one noticed, I'm fuel to his fire." Nico said, complaining to the audience as he raised his tense arms over his face- readying himself to fight. "How am I winning this?"

"Don't worry." The fairy queen tapped on Hena's shoulder who was by her side. "We have a very talented healer."

A couple of days had gone by since Nico's last encounter with Hena in the city. Every day after was hell, with the training now underway at full force. The humans were subjected to rigorous exercises in the morning and friendly sparring in the afternoon, with only a small window of rest given for lunch.

Nico got his first skill, Living Armor, on the second day while he was subjected to an excruciatingly long plank lasting five minutes under the scorching heat of the sun.

"Here I go." Kai said as he pointed his finger towards Jason, with the fireballs around him following suit like seeking missiles. Nico tumbled to the left, dodging the first fireball. He then started towards Kai as he dodged another fireball, the fire grazing his hair as he turned to his side, then made a short jump to dodge the third fireball.

He shapeshifted his arm midair into a claw made of three long spikes, eyeing Kai as he landed with a thud and tumble on the grass then sprinted into melee.

Kai was more of a backline damage dealer, with short-range combat the last thing he wanted. He conjured another set of fireballs as he backed away, keeping his distance before letting out another barrage of fireballs towards the sprinting Nico.

Nico was faster and more agile, making good use of his scrawny body. He dodged the next set of fireballs with a spin and roll, maintaining his momentum as he closed the gap between him and Kai. He was now every inch closer, knowing he has full advantage once he gets into range. However his field of vision didn't catch the third fireball high above him, with it colliding straight to his chest like a blazing comet- sending him tumbling.

. . .

"That must've hurt." Saira said from the crowd, glancing at Nico sprawled on the ground. "Really hurt."

"No kidding, look at his chest." Kristine pointed to Nico, his chest open with a huge gaping cavity in the center. It seemed like death was inevitable, and yet instead of blood and guts pooling out from him, roots and glowing vines were starting to repair the hole.

Hena headed for Nico, conjuring a white mote to rest afloat on her palm. She then chanted an inaudible spell that caused white streaks of light to seep out from her mote, the light then condensing on top of Nico to materialize a bright white orb that descended and dissolved into his body.

Nico groaned in pain as he opened his eyes, his chest still damaged but largely healed by both his regeneration and Hena's healing.

"You okay?"

"I could use a kiss, but other than that," he touched the mending hole in his chest with a wince. "I'm fine."

"Really?" Kai came up to him and offered his hand. "I'm sure I packed a lot of power into that one."

"Not fine fine, but fine enough." Nico again stared at the hole in his chest. "Nevermind, it really fucking hurts."

Kai gave him a dry punch as he then helped him up on his feet.

The wooden skin Nico had on was now starting to shed and dissipate into green mist, leaving him back again with pale white skin and a small wound on his chest.

. . .

"That was awesome." Nico said as he munched on the food in his mouth. "Kai spewing fireballs everywhere with my body turning into a Groot-Venom hybrid running around. Except for the 'fireball hitting me in the chest' part, that hurts so much."

"How did you do that?" Saira asked, taking a spoonful of food to her lips. "Those moves were like that of an acrobat's."

"I don't know." Nico stared at his hand. "I've been playing sports back on Earth but I've never been able to move like I did during that fight; it seemed like my senses and reflexes were improved somehow."

It was early evening, with them eating together on the long table brimming with food in the dining hall along with the rest of the crowd. The music from the flutes and chimes was pleasant, following the rhythm of the night as the magic orbs washed the hall with warm lights.

"Same." Kai added. "I've always sucked at archery back in Japan, but now I'm hitting most of my fireballs just like that."

"You guys don't know?" Kristine said, taking a sip from her mug.

"What is it?"

"Jason, tell them."

"Why don't you?" Jason said.

"Cause I don't know either." Kristine shook her head. "Gosh Jason, you know I didn't read the book."

Jason sighed as he downed a drink of beer.

"In the book, it explained that magic has profound effects on your mind and body." Jason conjured his mote, greyish white in color, then set it afloat above his palm. He tapped it to show a pixie screen of his stats in front of him, gesturing for the others to do the same.

Name: Nicholas Atkins

Race: Human

Rank: Normal

Affinity: Green (Nature)

Strength: F-

Mind: F+

Spirit: F

Skills: Living Armor (F)

"My mind stat went up." Nico said with mild curiosity.

"That's right." Jason said. "What we were doing the past few days was training our body, mind, and soul."

"Then why didn't my strength stat increase?"

"You really think you could get stronger in just a few days?" Jason said. "It takes bodybuilders years to even reach the normal standard."

"What part does magic have in all this?" Saira said, taking a mug full of milk to her lips. "It's just your everyday training."

"Everything. Meditation doesn't normally have any profound effects on your reflexes and senses, but it did on us because we are now affected by magic. Did any of you notice that you could now see better and hear from further away after all those training? I did."

"Does this mean that magic could help us break the limits of human ability?" Kristine asked.

"Eventually yes, but it's not a miracle pill. You just can't inject a dose of magic then expect to become-"

"Wait, so, in 'theory,' magic can increase the size of my dongers?" Kai said, a creepy smile growing on his face. "That's it. Nico, we're getting up early in the morning for training."