Erwin shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips as he looked at Amyra. "Don't beat yourself up too much; it wasn't a fair matchup to begin with. Her ability is perfectly suited to dismantling summoners like you. That hailstorm of hers disrupts, confuses, and keeps your summons off-balance. It's a hard fight for anyone caught off guard."

Amyra absently rubbed her arms where tiny bruises were beginning to form from the pelting ice. "I've never seen anything like it. The way she summoned the storm... it was a display of pure power." She glanced at Kristine, who stood at the edge of the training grounds, casually chatting with her peers as if she hadn't just dominated her in the battle.

Kael, leaning back with a smile, interjected, "Oh, I don't think it would've made much of a difference even if Amyra wasn't caught off guard. Few can match Kristine, even if they knew what was coming." His tone carried pride, and it was clear that he held Kristine's skills in the highest regard. "She's been training since she could walk. The ice responds to her as naturally as breathing."

Erwin's smile widened slightly, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Then how about this? What if we have my son fight her instead? It should be a fair match, considering you ranked him lower than her anyway—what was it? Low C-rank?"

The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees as nearby conversations quieted, attention turning to their exchange. Kael's grin widened, clearly intrigued by the suggestion. "Hoho, fine by me, but they both look rather exhausted right now. Why not save it for later—say, before the celebration?"

Erwin nodded knowingly, recognizing Kael's intent to put on a show for the gathered clan members. "Fair enough," he said. Turning to Avince, he added, "You should prepare. Get some rest and focus your mind."

As the group dispersed, Avince pulled his father aside, skepticism etched on his face. "Is this really necessary? What's the point of dragging me into this?"

Erwin's expression softened, though his voice carried a weight of seriousness. "Avince, we walked right into their little game. This was a setup. They've been waiting for us, picking counters specifically designed to show us up. Kristine's abilities are a perfect foil for Amyra's summons. And as for Mark, he was counting on overwhelming you in close combat, thinking your magic wouldn't be strong enough to break through his shield and armor. But you surprised them." Erwin's voice took on a note of pride. "Your magic was too powerful for them to handle."

"So this whole thing is just...a power play?" Avince asked, frowning.

"Politics rarely take a direct path," Erwin said, his eyes scanning the training grounds. "The Everlasting Ice Clan has always prided itself on tradition and hierarchy. They don't like our family gaining too much attention, especially with your sister's dragon... it disrupts their carefully maintained order." He placed a hand on Avince's shoulder. "They need to know where we stand."

The evening brought with it a transformation of the clan's main building. The grand hall buzzed with activity as influential members gathered for the celebration, their formal attire glinting under the ethereal light of suspended mana crystals. Ice sculptures lined the walls, each one a masterpiece that seemed to capture motion in frozen time. Avince, dressed in formal robes that felt stiff and foreign, followed his mother through the crowd toward the private chamber of the clan matriarch, Lyra Winters.

The temperature dropped noticeably as they approached her chambers, frost patterns spreading across the walls like delicate lace. Two guards stood at attention, their ceremonial armor gleaming with runes of ice magic. They parted on both sides without a word, revealing the entrance to the sanctuary.

Lyra was a vision of timeless elegance, her youthful appearance belying the immense power Avince could feel radiating from her. Her white hair shimmered like frost under moonlight, and her sharp blue eyes seemed to pierce right through him. She couldn't have looked older than thirty, yet Avince knew she was old enough to be his grandmother. The air around her seemed to crystallize with each breath, tiny ice particles dancing in the light.

"Leave us," Lyra said, her tone firm yet composed. Ashna hesitated for a moment, glancing at her son before nodding and stepping out of the room, leaving Avince alone with the matriarch.

"Do you have any idea why you're here?" Lyra began, her voice calm but with an undercurrent of authority that made the hair on the back of Avince's neck stand up.

"Not really," Avince admitted, fighting the urge to shift under her penetrating gaze. "I was told you wanted to see me, but no one explained why."

Lyra stared at him for brief moment before rising from her seat, she moved to a crystalline shelf where books sat preserved in sheets of perpetual ice. Her fingers traced the spine of one particularly worn volume. "Even before your awakening, I knew you would not develop an ice-based ability. Technology and research have advanced over the years, granting us a greater understanding of mana and abilities. This tome, a copy of a book we recovered from one of the dungeons we cleared. It contains profound knowledge about the nature of mana types and their affinities." She turned back to face him. "Based on what I sensed in you as a child, it was clear that you lacked the compatibility to awaken an ice-based ability. Your failure to awaken at thirteen was inevitable."

Avince's eyes widened as he absorbed her words. The pieces began to click into place. His failure to awaken an ability at the expected age, the years of feeling inadequate—it all made sense now. But one question still lingered. "If you knew that, why am I here now?"

Lyra's movements were graceful as she approached him, each step leaving a faint trail of frost that quickly faded. "Because your newly awakened ability changes everything. You have a rare gift, and with the right guidance, you could surpass even the S-tier ranks. You could reach heights few have ever dreamed of." Her tone grew more serious as a sudden wave of pressure filled the room, the air becoming dense with concentrated mana. "I, myself, have powers that have surpassed human limits and gone beyond S-tier. What I'm offering you is the chance to join me on that path."

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She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Your current approach however... it's holding you back. This obsession with being a generalist, spreading yourself thin across multiple elements—it's a fundamental misunderstanding of how power truly works in this world."

"What do you mean?" Avince asked, his curiosity piqued despite his reservations.

Lyra gestured, and an intricate ice model materialized in the air between them, showing various elemental symbols arranged in tiers. "The public believes that the tier system merely indicates difficulty of use—that Tier 1 elements like fire are simply easier to control than Tier 2 elements like ice, or Tier 3 elements like life and death. But that's a comfortable lie we let them believe." Her lips curved into a knowing smile. "Every experienced mage knows the truth: higher tiers mean greater power potential. Period."

The ice model shifted, showing various magical effects. "Take your fire magic, for instance. Yes, it's easier to learn, easier to control. But it will never reach the heights that ice can achieve. It's like..." she considered for a moment, "comparing a rusty knife to a steel sword. Both can cut, but one has inherently greater reach and power."

"Does that mean I should learn tier 3 magic instead?" Avince asked, thinking of people like Erica and her father.

Lyra's expression darkened slightly. "Ah, yes, focusing on tier 3 magic thinking it will lead to greatness. That reminds me of someone. You should know him—he was the principal of your school, Maverick. He was brilliant and dedicated his entire life to mastering life magic without a natural ability for it." Her voice took on a contemplative tone. "I remember us venturing into a dungeon together. He could enhance his team's abilities with his awakened ability and was a decent mage as well. Later on, he decided that his path should focus more on supporting others, even though he could also enhance himself with his ability. But alas, he chose to dedicate himself to life magic to provide even greater support."

The ice model shifted again, revealing a battlefield scene. "But when he compared himself to an actual person awakened with a life focused ability, the difference was stark. It wasn't even a fair comparison. What he could accomplish with half his mana, the other person, with less practice, could achieve using a fraction of theirs. You see, without an ability, you're fighting against nature itself. You're trying to force the elements to bend to your will, rather than working in harmony with them."

She turned back to Avince, her gaze intense. "Your use of lightning is strong—I won't deny that. As a tier 2, it wasn’t a bad choice to specialize in. But ice... ice is in your blood, even if you don't have a natural ability for it. You're part of this clan, and that means something."

Avince remained skeptical as he thought about Althiel—the raw power he had witnessed in her fire magic and the creation of that miniature sun lingered in his mind. However, he kept his thoughts to himself, not wanting to offend the matriarch before him. Instead, he asked, "What about combining elements? Wouldn't that give me more options in battle?"

Lyra shook her head, a hint of frustration crossing her features. "That's exactly the kind of thinking that will hold you back. Power isn’t about having more options—it’s about pushing your strongest option to its absolute limit." She raised her hand, and the air itself seemed to freeze, the temperature plummeting as intricate ice crystals began to form around her. They spun and danced in the air, each one a marvel of complexity and beauty.

"Look at what ice alone can do," she continued, her voice sharp but edged with passion. "It can shield you against the fiercest attacks, strike with precision and devastation, shape the battlefield to your advantage, and, in the right hands, even heal. Why dilute that potential by scattering your efforts across weaker paths? Every element has depth, but mastery requires focus. Ice is not just a tool—it’s an extension of your will, a reflection of your discipline. Dividing your focus diminishes your power and your identity."

Her gaze bore into Avince, the chill in her tone matching the frost-laden air. "I’ve seen too many prodigies fail because they chased versatility instead of perfection. Don’t be one of them."

Avince remained silent, her words sinking in like shards of ice. He shifted on his feet, resisting the urge to look away. "But what if focusing on one thing means I limit myself in ways I can’t predict?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost hesitant. "What if the world demands something different?"

Lyra’s expression softened, just slightly. She gestured toward the intricate web of ice in front of her, now forming a delicate yet unyielding spiral. "The world will always demand something, Avince. That’s its nature. But what it respects—what it fears—is power. Unshakable, undeniable power. It’s better to be a mountain than a dozen scattered pebbles. Think about that."

"I-I’ll think about it," Avince said carefully, though his mind was already racing with doubts. He turned the words over in his head, wrestling with the weight of Lyra’s argument. Was she right? Could true strength only come from dedicating himself to one path? Or was there still merit in the versatility he’d been striving to cultivate?

Lyra's smile returned, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Don't take too long. The sooner we correct your course, the easier your journey will be." She gestured toward the door, the ice patterns receding at her command. "You may go."

Reuniting with his family in the main hall, Avince felt a strange mix of relief and unease. His mother gave him a questioning look, but he shook his head, silently signaling that they would discuss it later. Around them, clan members mingled and conversed, their breath visible in the chilly air. Ice-based abilities were on casual display everywhere he looked—drinks kept perpetually cold, elaborate ice sculptures being modified on the fly, even simple party tricks that drew appreciative laughs from onlookers.

The conversation turned to lighter topics, and for a while, Avince felt a sense of normalcy. He observed the clan members, noting how their abilities seemed to complement each other, creating an environment where ice magic was as natural as breathing. It made his own powers feel somehow alien, out of place in this frozen world.

That sense of otherness only intensified when Kael approached, Kristine trailing behind him with a self-assured smile. "Well, well," Kael said, his voice carrying an edge of confidence. "I hope you're ready for a fight, Avince."

Kristine's icy blue eyes locked onto him, her expression unreadable. Tiny snowflakes began to materialize around her, swirling in a chaotic dance that seemed more threatening than beautiful. "It'll be interesting to see how you measure up," she said coolly.

Avince straightened, meeting her gaze with quiet determination. The warmth of his inner fire stirred in response to her cold aura, though he kept it carefully contained. As he stood there, Lyra's words echoed in his mind, making him question everything he thought he knew about his path forward. "I guess we'll find out."