Before heading to dinner, Ryo decided to turn off Paradox Physique for now. He needed to get used to it before using it in a real battle.

After finishing his meal, he thought about testing his abilities in a safe place. He walked toward a secluded training area near the academy's outer walls.

He took a deep breath and activated Paradox Physique. His body felt incredibly light, like he could do anything. To test it, he jumped toward the top of the wall.

The moment he leaped, he realized he had underestimated his strength. He soared through the air, his heart pounding. 'I'm going to die from this fall!' he panicked. But when he landed, he barely felt a thing. It was as if the impact had been absorbed completely.

Next, he turned toward a large tree in front of him. Clenching his fist, he threw a casual punch.

BOOM!

The tree shattered into splinters.

Ryo's eyes widened in shock. 'This power… it's too much!'

Panicked, he rushed back to his dorm before anyone noticed. As soon as he was inside, he immediately turned off Paradox Physique.

'It'll take time to control this,' he thought. 'I should only use it when absolutely necessary.'

With that, he laid down on his bed, exhausted, and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, during breakfast, Selena mentioned something about the lake.

Ryo tightened his grip on his spoon. The lake again…?