The word lingered in Emma’s mind.

Transmutation.

It felt foreign, unfamiliar... like something she should have known but had never once heard before. A concept that carried weight, yet one that eluded her understanding.

Her brows furrowed slightly as she turned her gaze toward Luna.

"Transmutation..." she murmured under her breath, tasting the word as if trying to grasp its meaning through sound alone.

Curiosity sparked in her chest, and she raised her head slightly, meeting Luna’s steady gaze.

"Please… could you tell me more about what Transmutation Magic is?" Emma asked, her voice careful, though laced with an eagerness she couldn’t suppress.

Luna smiled, her expression holding something between amusement and anticipation.

"I was going to tell you anyway," she said smoothly, her tone calm, yet carrying the weight of someone about to speak of something profound.

Emma straightened, exhaling softly as she prepared herself for whatever knowledge Luna was about to impart.

The cave was quiet, save for the occasional crackle of lingering moonflies still moving in the air from Luna's presence. The dim, glow of the full moon cast faint glowing light on the cave walls...

And then,

Luna spoke.

"Transmutation Magic can be described in many ways, but one way I describe it is.... An art of destroying, molding, reshaping, and recreating," she began, her voice steady, carrying an almost rhythmic cadence, as if the words themselves were a formula.

Emma listened intently, absorbing every word.

"When I say ‘destroying,’ I don’t mean physical destruction," Luna clarified, her hands moving subtly as she spoke, fingers tracing invisible patterns in the air. "It is not about breaking things apart in the way fire burns or metal shatters. No… Transmutation begins at the very essence of a thing. It is the unraveling of what defines something... stripping away its concept, the laws that bind it to what it is."

She lifted a single finger, as if gesturing toward something unseen.

"Imagine a stone," Luna continued, her white glowing eyes gleamed. "A simple, unremarkable stone. Through Transmutation, you do not merely break it apart. You reach into its very foundation, into the principles that dictate that it must be a stone. You unmake those principles, reduce them to something formless… and then you rebuild them into something else."

Emma’s lips parted slightly, her breath caught between fascination and uncertainty.

"So…" she murmured, the gears of her mind turning. "It’s like rewriting foundational principles?"

Luna smiled knowingly.

"That is one way to put it. But Transmutation is not just about destruction," she said. "The second step is molding."

She gestured toward Emma’s hands, where the remnants of flame magic had once flickered.

"Molding is where the true skill of a Transmuter comes into play," Luna explained. "It is the act of taking the raw essence of something and shaping it into something else. But this isn’t as simple as willing change into existence... no, it requires understanding. You must know why something is as it is before you can shape it into something new."

Her voice lowered slightly, a thoughtful note creeping into her tone.

"This is where most fail. Because molding requires patience, precision, and above all… vision. Without a clear image of what you are trying to create, you will simply return the formless into chaos."

Emma swallowed, her mind racing.

"And then… reshaping and recreation," Luna continued. "The final stage. This is where Transmutation truly becomes a force beyond mere alteration. It is the point of new beginnings.. the forging of a new concept, a new form, a new life."

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Her eyes seemed distant for a moment, lost in thought.

"It isn’t just about reshaping or creating," she murmured. "It is about making something old… anew."

She paused, then smiled faintly.

"Transmutation stands at the midpoint of all things. It is the line between Formless and Form, between Darkness and Light, Death and Life, Destruction and Creation. It is ever-changing, never bound, always shifting."

Emma felt her breath hitch slightly, her fingers unconsciously curling into her palms.

Something like that… exists?

She had studied about elemental magic, had seen its raw force firsthand. She had even begun to understand the nature of channeling Ki Core and redistributing it. But this... this wasn’t just magic.

This was fundamental change.

A force that defied the natural laws of existence.

For a long moment, she simply sat there, mesmerized by the sheer vastness of it all.

Luna tilted her head slightly.

"Is it too complicated?" she asked, her voice carrying a note of amusement.

Emma blinked, snapping out of her daze.

A small, breathy chuckle escaped her lips.

"No, no… it’s not complicated," she said, shaking her head slightly. "Not too much."

The corners of her lips curled into a small smile.

"It’s just… a lot."

Luna chuckled softly.

"That it is."

Emma steadied herself, exhaling as she gathered her thoughts. Then, after a moment...

She asked the one question that had begun to burn within her.

"Can I… manifest it?"

Her voice was careful, yet hopeful.

Luna’s expression didn’t change as her gaze remained steady, her expression unreadable as she slowly nodded.

"Yes, you can," she said, her voice carrying the weight of truth. "But… not yet. Not with the level you're at now."

Emma inhaled sharply, feeling a dull pang in her chest at those words.

She had expected it, of course. Deep down, she knew she was still far from mastering her abilities. Power Manifestation itself was already overwhelming, and she had barely scratched the surface of what she could do. Yet still, hearing it confirmed... hearing that she wasn’t ready... it stung.

Emma exhaled slowly, forcing herself to nod.

"Alright…" she murmured, though there was a slight tightness in her voice.

Luna observed her closely. There was something in Emma’s expression... a flicker of disappointment, barely concealed beneath her composed demeanor.

A brief moment of silence stretched between them.

Then Luna spoke again.

"There… might be a way around it."

Emma's head snapped up immediately, eyes wide with renewed hope.

"Really?" she asked, the eagerness in her voice undeniable.

Luna nodded, but her expression hardened almost instantly.

"Yes," she admitted. "But it’s dangerous. I wouldn’t recommend it."

The firmness in her tone made her stance clear.. she was rejecting the idea outright.

But Emma wasn’t one to back down so easily.

"Would it be faster?" she pressed, leaning forward slightly.

Luna sighed, already regretting that she had even mentioned an alternative.

"That’s not the point, Emma."

But Emma wasn’t letting go.

"I need to learn this," she said, her voice more determined now. "If there’s a way, no matter how dangerous, I want to know."

Luna remained silent for a long moment, her lips pressing into a thin line.

Emma could feel the resistance in the air between them. But she wasn’t going to give in.. not this time.

She met Luna’s gaze head-on, unmoving.

The girl Luna studied her carefully, as if searching for any hesitation, any doubt.

She found none.

With a reluctant sigh, Luna finally caved.

"Alright, alright," she muttered, shaking her head slightly. "But you need to understand.. this isn’t just dangerous, Emma. It’s reckless."

Emma smiled faintly, an unshaken confidence in her unique white eyes.

"Don’t worry," she said, "I’ll be alright."

Luna exhaled through her nose, looking away briefly. I shouldn't have mentioned the second option… she thought grimly.

But there was no turning back now.

So, after another moment of silence, Luna spoke again.

"There is another way to achieve Transmutation Magic," she admitted. "But it requires retrieving something... The Transmutation Testament."

Emma’s brows furrowed slightly.

"A book?" she asked, tilting her head.

Luna nodded.

"Not just any book. The Transmutation Testament holds the path of Transmutation.. Every word inscribed within its pages carries a weight.. one that must be borne by those who seek its knowledge."

She paused briefly, giving Emma time to absorb the gravity of her words.

Then, as expected... Emma asked the next question.

"Where is it?"

Luna hesitated for only a second before answering.

"It is sealed at the highest point of the Tower of Mutation," she said, her tone dropping slightly.

"A tower guarded by a Keeper at its main gate."

Emma straightened slightly.

"A Keeper?"

Luna nodded again.

"A beast," she clarified. "One that does not let intruders pass so easily. To enter the tower, you must first face the Keeper’s riddles and answer them correctly. If you fail…"

Her voice trailed off slightly.

She didn’t need to finish the sentence. The warning was clear.

Emma, however, did not mind.

Instead, she closed her eyes briefly, allowing the weight of the task to settle within her.

Then... she nodded.

"I’ll do it."

Luna's lips parted slightly, as if taken aback by the immediacy of Emma’s response.

"Are you sure?" she asked, watching her carefully.

Emma thought for a moment, then nodded again... this time more firmly.

"Yes. I want to go."

A brief pause.

Then, with quiet resolved tone, she added... "And if possible, I’d like to start the journey tomorrow."

Luna blinked.

"Tomorrow?" she repeated, a note of disbelief slipping into her voice.....