The subtle shift in perception that came with his growing control over his dream training began to bleed into Min-jun's waking life. He noticed the minute tells of his classmates during sparring sessions – the slight tensing of a muscle before an attack, the almost imperceptible shift in weight that telegraphed their next move. It was as if his dream-honed awareness was granting him a fraction of foresight.
His progress, while noticeable to So-yeon and Chul-soo, remained a quiet affair. He deliberately kept his improvements subtle, wary of drawing too much attention, especially from the higher-ranked students who still looked down on him.
However, whispers had begun to circulate. Park Sung-hoon, the B-rank Wind Blade user whom Min-jun had almost dodged, couldn't quite reconcile the F-rank's seemingly unnatural reflexes.
"That flinch of yours, Kim Min-jun," he'd sneered one day, his voice carrying across the training hall. "It was too… knowing. Like you saw my attack before I even launched it."
Min-jun had simply shrugged, feigning ignorance. "Just lucky, I guess, Sunghoon-ssi."
But the seed of doubt had been planted. Others, who had witnessed his increasingly capable sparring sessions with Chul-soo, began to murmur amongst themselves. How could someone with such a low-ranked skill improve so rapidly, exhibiting a level of fundamental technique that seemed out of place?
The instructors, focused on the more promising Awakened students, largely ignored Min-jun. He was just another late bloomer, likely to plateau quickly. Their lack of attention suited him perfectly. It allowed him to continue his unconventional training in secret.
His nights in the dreamscape grew more intricate. He began to incorporate elements of the school's training curriculum, simulating advanced combat scenarios and practicing against increasingly skilled phantom opponents. He even attempted to mimic the skills of higher-ranked Awakeners he had observed, though the transfer to reality remained frustratingly limited. He could visualize the flow of Jae-hyun's flames or the precise movements of Sun-mi's telekinesis, but replicating them in his waking hours was still beyond his grasp.
One evening, while deeply immersed in a lucid dream, sparring against a phantom wielding a sword imbued with crackling electricity (a skill he had seen a visiting A-rank instructor demonstrate), a new sensation washed over him. It wasn't the familiar feeling of controlling his dream body or manipulating the environment. This was a subtle feedback, a faint echo of the electric current against his dream-skin.
It was fleeting, almost imperceptible, but it sparked a new line of inquiry in his mind. Could he not only learn techniques in his dreams but also gain a rudimentary understanding of different energy types and their effects? The implications were staggering.
He began to dedicate portions of his dream training to passively observing simulated elemental attacks, focusing on the subtle sensations, the way the energy felt against his dream-self. It was a slow and painstaking process, the transfer of this sensory information to his waking mind even more elusive than physical techniques.
Meanwhile, his bond with So-yeon and Chul-soo deepened. They had become his confidantes, his silent witnesses to his unusual progress. They didn't fully understand his methods, but they trusted his quiet determination and the tangible results they had seen.
"You're holding back, Min-jun-ssi," So-yeon observed one day, her gentle gaze perceptive. "During our group training exercises, I see glimpses of your true capability, but then you seem to…diminish it."
Min-jun sighed. "I don't want to draw too much attention. Not yet." He still harbored the fear of being labeled a fraud, of his unique skill being dismissed or misunderstood.
Chul-soo, ever the pragmatist, nodded in understanding. "Smart. Let them underestimate you. It can be a weapon in itself."
Their small circle provided a much-needed sense of belonging in the often-hostile environment of the school. So-yeon's gentle healing and unwavering support, Chul-soo's stoic dependability and insightful observations – they were the anchors in his otherwise solitary journey.
As the inter-school competition drew closer, the atmosphere in Jinhae Vocational School became charged with anticipation. The more talented students preened, showcasing their honed skills, while the lower-ranked ones resigned themselves to the inevitable dominance of the prestigious academies. Min-jun, however, felt a quiet stirring of excitement. It would be his first real opportunity to test the fruits of his dream training on a larger stage. The whispers of doubt surrounding his progress might soon be replaced by something else entirely. He just needed to choose the right moment to truly unveil the potential he had been secretly cultivating in the silent sanctuary of his mind.