I sit by the hazel-brown table as I put down my plate.

My thoughts follow and quickly settle.

All but one.

Why was I not scared of death?

I was pretty calm about it. I'd even say I was unbothered.

It was only now that these thoughts arose.

Oh. It had been about a week since I had begone unlocking this hidden power by my shoulder.

My control was abysmal albeit improving.

The biggest problem was the sheer amount of world-energy required to maintain it.

The fact that I would be a sitting duck during its use.

And the realization that although invisible it was by no means a silent killer. Its movements formed soft wavers in the wind as it slowly pushed forward.

Its slow movement also lowers its piercing potential.

Even trees take time to be even grazed.

As I think of such things, a certain girl walks by.

She goes to the porch.

The atmosphere is unmoved. Yet I felt for a split-second that something had changed.

And I then go to the office of a certain man.

"Hey."

My neck crept up to see this man.

His long and crisp black hair matched his defined yet aged face. His golden eyes were not warm but rather roaring.

His robes had never aged despite the years and he barely even lifted his glasses upon my arrival.

What a heartless man.

My voice came out somewhat concerned yet mostly annoyed.

"When do I start learning again? When do I actually get stronger? When can I learn the kind of techniques that you do. The strength you have, why don't you at least give me a chance? Just one. I just want..."

My voice curled off at the end.

What did I want?

As I thought, he spoke unbothered and mostly negligent of my thoughts and opinions.

"You shall learn when the time comes."

"When is that time then?"

I let him finish his sentence, a form of thanks for his efforts. But I by no means give him a break in this short interaction. My voice throttling forward before his eyes can sink back into his book.

He let a small atmosphere of silence begin to descend before his mouth opened slowly.

"It... shall come."

3 Years passed.

The time has still not come.

I look at my reflection in a small pool of water.

Winter returned once more this year.

Changes occurred. Slowly.

Chlora and I can maintain basic lines of communication now. But we don't build anything of it. I don't know how to explain but, despite the numerous chances to develop our relationship we stay back.

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It feels forced if we use the unavoidable intervals to tighten the gaps. We shouldn't tighten any gaps before we can both accept that we were wrong. Otherwise, the one-sidedness of such a relationship would be unhealthy.

I have-.

I hate to say, stagnated.

I don't hate to say however that I hate this place.

It's isolated. There's nothing to do. All I can do is train.

And so I did. I developed techniques. I mastered and refined my red thunder within the restraints of the advanced rank.

Whilst my mana capacity continued to soar, my actual magic rank did not.

Well. Even the idea that I have an actual magic rank is a bit of a stretch. After all, I don't use magic. Just this constitution of mine. I progress through luck, instincts, and a bit of problem-solving from time to time.

I've grown taller. My boyish body has become harder and tenser.

My hair has grown vastly. It reaches the bottom of my neck now. The front is a mess.

One warm and forgetful summer evening, Chlora did mutter that it suited me. Though I wouldn't trust an 11-year-olds attire sense.

This face is developing well. I'd say it's definitely above average, where on the scale of this world.

I do not know.

My vermillion red eyes incorporate the roseness of my hair and give off a nice feeling when paired.

My sword skills have improved from just the basic, parry, block, swing, and dodge.

I've been experimenting with world energy. By theoretically placing it on an item and then keeping it there I assumed the benefits would be huge.

I was not wrong. Just ignorant.

It required a huge amount of concentration to actively keep a source of world energy right on the dot of my sword for example.

Such concentration was needed dreadfully in a real-time battle.

Using this awkward technique, I have however developed some skills.

1. Unexpected pierce

By surrounding the tip of my sword in world energy, I increase its range slightly. Though world energy is hardly a fine blade it can send opponents back with a shock-wave-like blast and create a fine opening. This technique also works on fists although, this skill is most likely useful in duels against people of the same weapon.

2. Disarming

Coating the entire blade in world-energy, I can create a major force in a specific direction. If my opponent is using a one-handed style, has a weak grip, or is unexpecting then this technique has a high chance of working. Needs a good amount of timing and uses a lot of concentration. So much to the point that I've sometimes blanked out from the stress of managing so many movements at once.

3. Lotus Step-Eternal.

A) Lotus Step

By gathering world-energy within my feet I can instantly ricochet off the ground multiple times until it runs out.

A+) Lotus Step-Eternal

The skill of the lotus step however in the back, World-Energy is controlled at a continuous rate after its use. Technique still uses a dangerous amount of world-energy and requires extremely heavy mental tolerance. This allows a continuous lotus step. In the case, I have infinite stamina of course.

4. Materialization-Extreme.

A) Materialization

By pushing two forces of world-energy on either side of a single source, a barrier-like solid can be produced.

A+) Materialization-Extreme

By pushing up to 16 forces of world-energy on sides of multiple sources, a cuboid-barrier-like solid can be produced. This technique has only been successfully manifested by me once. I soon fainted too.

5. Thundercrash Lance

An improvement of my Thundercrash Arrow. It is essentially 8 stores of my intermediate-ranked lightning shock compacted into one. Then folded 4 times over, it looks like a lance. Hence the name. Despite its shocking power, I was informed it still lacked the prowess fit for the Lord-Rank.

6. Thundercrash Eclipse-Theoretical

I have never performed this skill.

Not in 3 years.

However, theoretically.

And I stress that THEORETICALLY, it shall be my strongest spell.

Maybe even emerging through the Lord Rank.

The theory is supposed to be as follows:

1) Connect hands so lightning strands connect and grow

2) Use world-energy to speed up the process

3)Let more cores form until there's around 8

4) Use world-energy to speed up the process

5) Form cores just outside of the main body

6) Connect everything and do not fold to ensure a mass AOE and loosen the mental strain

In my mind, each step replays like it is right before me.

My memory enacts the sound of lightning crackling and howling.

God that felt like nostalgia. Thinking about the battles that I had been through with these steps I kept a soft hand to my heart.

The issue was, however, that I was incapable of step 5. It just wasn't possible as of now. Maybe if I went outside and learned stuff from the outer world I could come up with a viable solution.

Outside.

Right now, I was outside.

In front of me is my Guardian. Vorgio and Chlora are nowhere to be seen in this moment. In this isolated moment. Where it is just the two of us.

By us is a white layer of snow. In fact, all around us is nothing but an eternal white.

An eternal white that I will never be able to escape.

If I don't beat this man here.

My emotions are at an all-time high.

I want to go outside.

I want to learn.

I want to travel.

I want to learn real magic.

But you don't want any of that for me.

I looked this cold man in the eyes.

His defined robes, features, and crispy hair are similar albeit aged as too 3 years before.

It felt like these 3 years were as normal as could be.

Yet, normality is never the perfect option.

I took in 3 long huffs of the winter air.

I just wanted to ask one thing first.

"What you said before."

My head was turned upwards, he shifted his neck to match my eyes. His attention was grasped.

"Do you stand by it?"

My words became shouts over the brazing wind.

Our figures stood before each other as I waited for my response.

He didn't respond, rather.

We met eyes.

And from but a look at those roaring golds that etched primordial killing intent directly into my spinal cords.

I now knew he had made his choice.

Now I just had to make mine.

"I see."

My words had become insufferable whispers.

No more words were, however, spoken after that.

As the snowfall ensued and the blanket of white became but a net to me.

And this man had cast such a net.

I looked at his eyes calmly for the last time.

"Then don't regret what I may do next."