The sun had barely crested the horizon when I found myself standing in the middle of the clearing, the cool morning air wrapping around me like a second skin. My mind was still replaying yesterday’s intense training session. Alric’s words—“You’re starting to understand. The Flow is not just about power.”—had been ringing in my ears all night. Understanding. Strategy. Those were the keys, not just raw ability.

I had known that intellectually, but yesterday’s fight had drilled it into my bones. My abilities weren’t enough on their own. They were tools—powerful tools—but nothing more. I needed to be the one in control, not just relying on Auto-Dodge or Slip to keep me safe.

Alric approached quietly, his steps light as always. His face was calm, but there was an intensity behind his gaze that made me stand a little straighter. Something felt different today—like the tension in the air before a storm.

“You’re ready,” he said, his voice cutting through the silence.

I blinked, frowning slightly. “Ready for what?”

“For the next step.” Alric’s gaze never wavered. “You’ve been training hard for nearly a year now, and you’ve mastered more than I expected in this time. But there’s one final thing you need to face.”

I felt a chill run down my spine, even though the sun was beginning to warm the clearing. “What do you mean? Another demon?”

Alric shook his head. “No, not a demon. But something equally dangerous.”

I opened my mouth to ask, but Alric turned and started walking toward the edge of the forest, motioning for me to follow. I hesitated only a moment before trailing after him, my curiosity outweighing the unease building in my gut.

We walked for what felt like hours, deeper into the forest than I had ever been. The trees grew taller here, their branches twisting high above, casting long shadows over the ground. The air was cooler, too, and a strange stillness had settled over the woods. It was as if the forest was holding its breath.

Finally, we reached a narrow path that led into a rocky ravine. I paused at the edge, staring down into the darkness below. The ravine seemed to stretch on forever, its steep walls lined with jagged rocks and dense vegetation. The sound of rushing water echoed faintly from somewhere below.

“What’s down there?” I asked, my voice quiet.

Alric didn’t answer right away. He stood at the edge of the ravine, his gaze distant, as if he were remembering something from long ago.

“It’s an old place,” he said finally, his tone heavy. “A place where the Aetheric Flow runs deeper than anywhere else in these woods. It’s dangerous, unpredictable. And it’s where your final test begins.”

I swallowed hard, glancing down at the ravine again. The thought of descending into that dark abyss filled me with a sense of unease, but I knew Alric wouldn’t have brought me here if it wasn’t necessary.

“What’s the test?” I asked, forcing my voice to stay steady.

Alric turned to face me, his eyes sharp. “The Flow in that ravine is wild—untamed. It doesn’t follow the same rules as the mana you’ve been manipulating in our training. It’s pure, raw energy, and it will test every ounce of control you’ve gained over the past year. If you can survive it, you’ll be ready.”

Stolen novel; please report.

My stomach tightened, but I nodded. “And if I can’t?”

Alric’s expression didn’t change. “Then you’ll die.”

The bluntness of his words hung in the air between us, but I didn’t flinch. I had faced death before. This was no different. If anything, it only made me more determined.

“I’m ready,” I said, my voice steady despite the cold knot forming in my chest.

Alric nodded once, his approval subtle but unmistakable. “Good. Remember everything you’ve learned. Control the Flow. Don’t let it control you.”

With that, he stepped aside, giving me a clear path to the ravine. I took a deep breath, gathering my courage, and began the descent.

The ravine was steep, the rocky walls slick with moisture and moss. I moved carefully, using Slip in subtle ways to keep my footing steady, making sure not to expend too much mana too quickly. The deeper I went, the darker it became, until the only light came from the faint glow of the Aetheric Flow beneath the surface of the earth.

I could feel it now—pulsing beneath the ground, swirling through the rocks like a living thing. The energy here was different from what I had encountered before. It was wild, untamed, and it seemed to push back against me, resisting my attempts to control it.

When I reached the bottom of the ravine, I found myself standing at the edge of a small, underground river. The water flowed quickly, crashing against the rocks in an endless rush. But it wasn’t the water that caught my attention—it was the energy radiating from it.

The Aetheric Flow was strong here, more intense than anything I had felt before. It hummed in the air, vibrating through the ground, filling the space with a pressure that made it hard to breathe.

I closed my eyes, reaching out with my senses, trying to get a feel for the Flow. But the moment I touched it, I realized how different this was. The energy lashed back at me, like a wild animal fighting against a leash. It wasn’t like the mana I had grown used to controlling. This was chaos, pure and unrefined.

Control the Flow. Don’t let it control you.

Alric’s words echoed in my mind as I tried again, reaching out more carefully this time. I needed to guide the energy, not force it. But the power here was overwhelming, and it pushed back harder with every attempt I made.

My pulse quickened as the pressure mounted, the Flow swirling around me like a storm. I could feel the strain in my body, the energy pushing against my mind, testing my resolve. I had trained for this. I knew how to manipulate the Flow. But this… this was unlike anything I had prepared for.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my head, and I stumbled, the world spinning around me as the Flow surged, threatening to tear me apart from the inside.

No. Focus.

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stay calm. The pain intensified, but I refused to give in. I couldn’t let the Flow win. I had to control it.

I took a deep breath, centering myself, and slowly reached out again, this time with more caution. Instead of trying to bend the Flow to my will, I allowed it to move freely, guiding it with gentle nudges, like a sailor steering a ship through a storm.

It resisted at first, the energy lashing out, but I stayed calm, holding my ground. Little by little, I began to feel it shift, the wild energy slowly bending to my control. It was still chaotic, still dangerous, but I was starting to understand it. This wasn’t about overpowering the Flow—it was about finding harmony with it.

As the minutes passed, the pain in my head began to fade, replaced by a sense of clarity. The energy around me was still intense, but it no longer felt like it was trying to consume me. I was part of it now, moving with the Flow instead of against it.

I opened my eyes, the world around me glowing with the soft light of the Aetheric Flow. The river was still rushing, but the energy felt different now. Calmer. Controlled.

I had done it.

----------------------------------------

When I emerged from the ravine, Alric was waiting for me at the top, his arms crossed. His expression was neutral, but there was a glimmer of approval in his eyes.

“You survived,” he said simply.

I nodded, too exhausted to say much. My body ached, my mind was foggy from the strain of controlling the wild Flow, but I had made it.

Alric stepped forward, his gaze meeting mine. “You’ve proven yourself today, Niv. But remember—what you faced down there was only a fraction of the power you’ll encounter when you face the demon.”

I exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of his words. The test had been brutal, but it had shown me just how far I had come—and how far I still had to go.

“I understand,” I said quietly.

Alric gave a slight nod, his tone softening. “Good. Rest now. You’ll need your strength for what’s to come.”