The sun cast a warm glow over the training field, but the students barely noticed as Nathaniel stood before them, his sharp gaze scanning the eager faces. "Today's training is different," he announced. "I won't be able to help you directly, since all of you have different magical attributes. Instead, you're going to focus on techniques that align with your individual abilities."
The students murmured in excitement, and Felix suddenly turned to Arthur with a grin. "Arthur, you've already learned two techniques, haven't you?"
Arthur scratched his head. "No, just one—Clear Crystal."
Felix smirked. "What about that move you used against Damon in your second fight? What was it called again? Oh yeah, Frost Touch!"
Arthur blinked in surprise. "Frost Touch?"
Felix nodded. "You don't remember? Back at the Preliminary Academy, when you first manifested your blade, you used a technique to freeze that gang leader."
Arthur's eyes widened as the memory resurfaced. "That was a technique?"
Felix laughed. "You really forgot? You might've used it instinctively, but it was definitely a proper technique!"
Arthur turned to Hyorinmaru, now more determined than ever. "Is that true?"
Hyorinmaru looked away nonchalantly. "Hmph. I wouldn't know."
Arthur groaned. "You're really going to play dumb now?"
Hyorinmaru smirked. "Maybe I do know, maybe I don't."
Arthur sighed dramatically. "Come on! You shouldn't be stingy with knowledge!"
The dragon scoffed. "Watch your tongue, or I might change my mind about teaching you."
Arthur quickly straightened up. "I was just kidding! Teach me, oh great and wise Hyorinmaru!"
Satisfied, Hyorinmaru floated in front of Arthur. "Fine. Frost Touch requires precise mana control. Luckily, you've improved in that area. But that's just the beginning."
Arthur grinned. "Great! So what's next?"
Hyorinmaru's eyes gleamed. "The real challenge comes from molding mana inside your body and converting it into ice. This means lowering your body temperature drastically—too drastically, if you're careless."
Arthur's grin faltered. "Lowering my body temperature?"
Hyorinmaru nodded. "If you don't regulate it properly, you could suffer from mana backlash… or worse, freeze yourself from the inside out."
Arthur gulped. "Okay, maybe I should take this seriously."
Hyorinmaru smirked. "You think?"
Taking a deep breath, Arthur got into position. "Alright, let's do this. Absorb mana, circulate it through my body, then channel it into my palms…"
As Arthur followed the steps, his breath turned visible in the warm air, and frost crackled along his fingertips. A sharp, biting cold ran through his veins, and he shuddered violently.
His teeth chattered as he yelled, "A-Are you trying to k-kill me?! This is w-way too c-cold!"
Hyorinmaru huffed. "I told you this wasn't easy! And what's with that accusation? You think I planned this just to get revenge for the popsicle comment?!"
Arthur shot him a suspicious glare. "D-Did you?"
"Who would be that petty?! Now stop whining and focus!"
Arthur groaned. "Easy for you to say! You don't have to worry about freezing to death!"
"What was that?" Hyorinmaru growled.
"Uh—nothing!" Arthur quickly corrected himself. "I was just thinking about how to improve it!"
Hyorinmaru narrowed his eyes. "Good. Then get back to work".
Across the field, other students were deep into their own training.
Felix - Mastering the Wind's Blade
Felix sat cross-legged in a quiet corner, eyes closed as he concentrated on the flow of mana around him. "My wind slash at the trials was too weak," he muttered. "I need to refine it."
Lifting his sword, he exhaled, feeling the air currents shift around him. Instead of recklessly slicing, he visualized condensing the wind along his blade, making it sharper and faster. He slashed forward, sending out a compressed arc of wind that cut clean through a nearby training dummy.
"Better," he murmured, but he knew he wasn't done yet.
Ronan - The Birth of a Firestorm
Ronan stood before a row of targets, flames swirling around his hands. "Should I enhance my fireball? Or create something new?" He clenched his fists, his mana surging. "No… I'll do both."
Gathering power, he formed a fireball—but instead of throwing it, he compressed it further, making it smaller yet denser. When he finally released it, the ball erupted into a flaming storm mid-air, scorching everything in its path.
"Now that's more like it!" he grinned.
Riven - Embracing the Storm
Riven remained seated, completely still. Wind swirled around him, violent yet controlled, as he absorbed mana from the air. His goal wasn't just to use wind—it was to become the wind.
The storm around him intensified, spiraling upward as he sharpened his connection with the air currents. His technique wasn't about power alone—it was about control, precision, and overwhelming speed.
"Almost there..." he whispered.
Leo - The Blade of Flames
Leo, sword in hand, moved with calculated precision. Unlike Ronan, who focused on explosive power, Leo refined his fire into something deadlier—a burning edge.
Each swing of his blade left a fiery arc in the air. With every slash, the flames grew thinner yet hotter, until his blade itself seemed to burn with a controlled intensity.
He smirked. "I will master this."
Seraphina - The Light's Judgment
Seraphina knelt before her sword, her hands glowing with a golden aura. She wasn't just absorbing mana—she was communing with it.
Light was more than just illumination; it was insight, perception, clarity. As she deepened her connection, she could see the very flow of energy around her—the mana circulating in the world, in her peers, even in the air itself.
"This is the key," she whispered. "To mastering both my blade and my sight."
Arthur's Mishap
As everyone continued training, a sudden chill spread across the field. Within seconds, the entire ground was covered in ice.
"Arthur!" Nathaniel's voice rang out, filled with exasperation. "I told you to control yourself!"
Arthur winced. "Oops?"
The students shivered, glaring at him. "Clear this up, now!"
Arthur sighed. "Ronan, a little help?"
Ronan smirked and summoned his flames, melting the ice.
Before Arthur could thank him, whack!
Hyorinmaru smacked Arthur on the head.
"OW! What are you doing?!"
"Are you trying to turn this academy into a frozen wasteland?!" Hyorinmaru scolded.
Arthur rubbed his head. "Well, maybe if you were a better teacher—"
"A bad teacher?! Maybe if you had actual talent, this wouldn't have happened!"
Their eyes met. Tension crackled.
Then, in a flash, they tackled each other, rolling across the ice-covered ground like two unruly children in a snowball fight.
Nathaniel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Tomorrow, we move on to the next lesson."
The students cheered—except Arthur, who was still wrestling his dragon.