Kyle woke up to a gentle warmth resting on his face.
Turning his head, he saw the sun rising.
There was nothing particularly special about today—except that he had class.
After washing up like usual, Kyle made his way to class.
Not long after he arrived, Professor Darl, the instructor who taught elemental control, entered the room.
"Alright, class," Professor Darl began.
"I know most of you have already awakened your elements and may even have some degree of control over them. So today, we're going to assess your power output."
Power output?
Kyle frowned, unsure of what that meant, but he chose to stay quiet and follow along for now.
"To do that," Professor Darl continued, "we'll be heading to the training field. Gather your things and meet me there in ten minutes."
Kyle and the rest of the S-Class students made their way to the training ground.
It was only a five-minute walk. Once there, they waited for the professor.
In the center of the field stood a massive, dark metal block.
Kyle recognized it immediately. It looked similar to the one he'd used in the Sanctuary, but this one was different—made from a material at least ten times sturdier.
Kyle pressed his lips into a line. This training wasn't going to be easy.
Five minutes later, Professor Darl arrived and called the students to gather around him.
"As you know," he said, "everyone here has awakened a different element—light, ice, fire, shadow, and more. Now, I want those who have awakened the fire element to step forward."
Hearing that, Kyle moved toward the metal block. Beside him stood six other students.
"Now," Professor Darl instructed, "I want all of you to use Fireburst on this block."
Kyle gathered his mana and unleashed Fireburst alongside the others.
When the flames cleared, the result was disappointing—only Kyle had left a faint dent on the metal block, barely noticeable.
Kyle looked toward Professor Darl, waiting for an explanation.
"I'm sure you're all wondering why I asked you to use such a basic spell," the professor said. "The reason is simple—Fireburst reveals the difference in power output."
"Among the seven of you, only Kyle's spell made any real impact. The rest were nearly identical—flat."
Then, to everyone's surprise, Professor Darl stepped forward and cast Fireburst himself.
A burst of flame erupted from his hand, striking the metal block—and leaving a clean hole through it.
Gasps echoed across the field.
The students' eyes lit up in anticipation of the lecture that would follow.
"While Kyle only managed a graze," Darl said with a smirk, "I made a hole. That's the difference I want you to understand."
The class chuckled softly, but it was clear—even Kyle's tiny dent was better than nothing.
"This is what I want to teach you—power output. You've learned to cast spells by targeting and channeling intent. That's how you perform techniques like Fireburst."
"But there's one thing your spells are missing—emotion."
Emotion? Kyle's eyes narrowed. He wondered—had he been casting spells like a robot this whole time? Just reciting them without feeling?
"Yes," the professor said. "To enhance your spell's strength, you need to fuel it with emotion. Anger, sadness, joy—it doesn't matter which, as long as it's real."
"Kyle," he called out, motioning him forward.
"Try again. This time, with emotion. Any kind will do."
Kyle nodded, stepping toward the block again.
The other students watched intently, curious to see if he could pull it off.
Emotion… Kyle thought.
What can I use? He reached into his memories, recalling the last time he was truly angry.
With that burning emotion in mind, he cast Fireburst once more.
This time, the spell was different—larger, heavier. The flames roared forward and struck the metal block. To Kyle's surprise, it left a small, but visible hole.
"Well done, Kyle," Professor Darl said with a nod. "Now, the rest of you—do what Kyle just did. The only way you'll get to lunch is if you make a hole the size of mine."
With that, he turned and walked off, leaving the students to their task.
Everyone moved into position, casting their spells one after another. Kyle watched, intrigued by the variety.
Parkson, who had awakened the light element, used a Light Spear spell—it looked like a thin laser, slicing through the air with precision.
Mark, on the other hand, had a small chicken-like creature floating beside him.
It was his summoned beast—a phoenix. Interestingly, the phoenix was the one casting Fireburst, not Mark himself.
So that's how summoners fight, Kyle thought. Their spirit beasts do the work.
Kyle turned back to his own challenge.
The hole he'd made earlier was still small—only about 20% the size of Professor Darl's. He clenched his fist.
Let's try something deeper than anger.
This time, Kyle channeled sadness.
He recalled moments of loss, loneliness, and pain. The flame responded, growing bigger, heavier.
He didn't stop there—he layered joy, rage, sorrow, and hope, one after the other. The emotions swirled, fluctuating rapidly.
The result was immediate. His fire grew fiercer, more intense. The hole in the metal block widened with each burst.
By the time recess was nine minutes away, no one had yet matched the professor's mark.
But none of them gave up. They'd all seen the potential—this wasn't just about training, it was about sharpening the lethality of their spells.
Kyle led the pack—his hole was now about 80% the size of the professor's.
Second was Anderson, whose light-based spell seemed to rival fire in power.
Third was Mark, whose phoenix steadily chipped away at the block.
Finally, just as the bell rang, the three of them succeeded. Each of their attacks left a hole similar in size to Professor Darl's.
The professor returned, smiling at the class.
"Since three of you have passed, I'll let everyone break for lunch. But those who didn't pass —be back here at 2 PM."
Kyle looked down at his hand.
Power output… This was exactly what he'd been searching for yesterday—how to increase his lethality.
His stomach growled, a silent reminder that he needed rest.
Clicking his tongue, Kyle walked over to Mark.
"It's time to eat."