This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

With each step forward, the spiritual power grew heavier and wrapped around him like a heavy cloak, intensifying with every inch they drew nearer.

Kain clenched his fists hard enough to draw blood to prevent himself from showing any strain. He could see Ranya begin to walk unsteadily and start panting, but the upperclassmen didn't seem to feel anything. Similarly, Soren and Serena also seemed to be having no issues.

"If you didn't already learn to do so in lectures or at home, this may be challenging for you, but you can try having your spiritual power circulate throughout your entire body to provide an all-round increase to your constitution." Oliver instructed.

However, Kain was never the most talented at manipulating spiritual power and couldn't achieve the effect Oliver mentioned just based off of a brief description. He could only continue to endure. Thankfully, although the pressure was uncomfortable, it wasn't painful. And in fact, the sensation was pretty exhilarating raising his anticipation for the spring even higher.

Inside the cave, the walls sparkled with mineral deposits that shimmered like stars caught in stone, casting reflections that danced across the smooth, wet floor.

The deeper they travelled, the more vibrant the colors became—emerald greens and sapphire blues mixed with soft purples, creating an otherworldly picture.

As they entered the main chamber, the Enchanted Spring lay before them, a crystalline pool surrounded by luminescent stones that seemed to vibrate to a certain rhythm with the movements of the water in the spring. It was as though the entire chamber was alive and breathing.

Kain stepped forward, drawn to the edge of the pool. The weight he felt began to transform into something lighter, almost buoyant, as he approached the water. The very air felt electric, charged with possibilities, and for a moment, he allowed himself to dream of what might come next.

However, after the disappointment of his affinity ceremony, he no longer allowed his imagination to run wild with hopes and dreams of an ideal gift. He would take what he could get. Although a teeny tiny part of him couldn't help but think of some of his favourite superheroes back on Earth with some longing…

"No need to disrobe, the uniform provided to you will not only help you regulate your body temperature, but it will also efficiently allow the properties in the water of the to make contact with your body. Otherwise, to maximize the full effects of the spring you'd need to get naked." Oliver said.

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As the only third-year present, he had easily taken on a leadership role, unlike his usual playful self.

However, Kain could tell that Oliver was also unusually tense. Despite the great help his presence was for Kain and the other first-years, to Oliver being the only top 5 student in the third-year who hadn't yet strengthened his gift, if he'd even awakened a gift to begin with, was nothing to be proud about.

"How do you know if you've awakened your gift or successfully strengthened it?" Ranya asked out of curiosity. Was there a specific moment when they knew they had achieved their goal?

"It's much easier to tell if you've successfully strengthened your gift. Most people with a gift are already in tune with their gift, and can easily notice subtle changes to it even without using their gift." Oliver said.

"However, knowing when you've awakened a gift and figuring out what the gift is exactly is more challenging. It's like you suddenly have an additional limb or tail on your body that you can't see. You can feel that something is different…something is there that wasn't before. But if you suddenly had a small tail growing out of you, would you be able to move it freely?

In fact, it may even take you a while to figure out exactly what is different about you. That's why there are some rare cases of people awakening a gift, and feeling the presence of a gift, but not successfully being able to use it until years later. Although such cases are definitely rare."

'Please don't be me…' Kain really didn't think he had any luck with these sorts of things. It took him a long time to even figure out what his affinity was, much less the more confusing gift.

'Wait… System! If I awaken a gift, would you be able to help me identify and use it?'

*Identify, yes. Use, no.* Kain only received a cold reply in return. However, he wasn't disheartened. At least unlike some who'd be searching blindly, the System could help him figure out exactly what it is.

As Kain dipped his fingers into the pool, a shock of warmth surged through him, a huge contrast to the coolness of the surrounding cave.

He quickly sank the rest of his body into the water following the upperclassmen who'd already done so without hesitation. After all, they needed to suck up as much of the energy in the pool as they could before more people came.

The moment his body made contact, he felt a rush of energy pulse through him. The spring felt alive as it flowed into him. It coursed through his veins, igniting every nerve ending, a delightful tingling sensation that spread from his skin to his core.

The moment they fully immersed themselves, a collective gasp among the first-years echoed in the chamber, a sound filled with astonishment and exhilaration.

The world around him blurred as the spring enveloped him completely and he sank fully beneath the water. However, despite being submerged, he had no trouble breathing.

Kain felt weightless, as if he were floating in a void, the confines of the cave fading away. The colors swirled around him, vibrant and alive, each hue pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. He could feel the energy of the spring merging with his own spiritual power, amplifying it in a way he had never experienced before.

Visions danced before his eyes—scenes from both his past and current life. Moments with his parents, hanging out with friends, touching moments at the orphanage, snippets of his past battles, moments of growth, and flashes of potential futures.

Time lost meaning as he remained suspended in that moment, enveloped by the spring's energy. Kain understood that the awakening of a gift was more similar to that of spiritual creatures evolving. Each student was being reshaped, their destinies rewritten, and when they re-surfaced from the depths of the spring, they would have a new power within them.