The morning light hits the courtyard as Claudia and I train like usual.
Clang. Clang.
Our swords keep meeting in a steady motion. Claudia is sharper today, cleaner, more focused than before. Unlike yesterday, she's smiling today.
"You're better than this, so prove it," she says as she steps in.
Clang.
I block her strike and push it aside. "No I'm not," I say.
She doesn't hesitate and follows up right away with another attack. "You are," she says, "you've got unlimited potential, so show me what you're made of."
Where is all this coming from?
I step back a bit to avoid her blade, and she narrows her eyes at me.
"Your movements are too steady," she continues. "You're not using everything you have."
Clang.
I block again. "What is with you today?"
She lets out a small breath. "It's nothing."
We keep going for a while until she finally lowers her sword. "That's enough for now."
I relax a little and exhale. "Yeah," I say, falling down to the ground.
She looks at me for a second before turning and walking back toward the mansion.
I watch her go for a moment, then glance down at my hand. She's been different since yesterday.
This isn't good.
That night the mansion is quiet. Everyone's asleep, and I'm sitting on my bed, just thinking. My body still aches a bit from using White Tiger Slash, and my mana isn't fully back yet. That move pushed me more than I expected.
I close my eyes briefly. I need better control, not just more power. Control matters more right now.
I open my eyes and stand up. "Malik," I call out quietly.
"Yeah."
His voice echoes in my head.
"I'm going to do something."
"That would be?"
"Something useful."
I leave my room, check that no one's around, then go back inside and close the door.
I take a breath and activate my domain. The room fades away, replaced by the empty space I'm used to. No walls, no floor, just a quiet void.
[ Skill: Infinity's Domain Activated ]
I stand there and focus. "Stay ready."
I raise my hand slightly and start gathering energy. This time, I'm not just making a body. I'm using the skill the system gave me after the fight with Malik.
[ Skill: Soul Transmutation Activated ]
At first, I didn't really get how it worked. The system just unlocked it, no explanation. I only figured it out by testing things inside my domain over and over.
It's basically about binding a soul to a form using Qi as the link. The soul isn't broken or copied, it's just guided into place and anchored so it follows the structure I build. And once it's bound, it responds to me.
I raise my hand again. "Focus."
I build the body first, using Qi to hold everything together. Then I stabilize it so it doesn't fall apart when the soul enters.
After that, I summon Malik's soul as a bright purple orb hovering above my creation.
I take the whole thing and place it into the body in one go, binding it completely to the structure and to my will.
"...Wait."
Malik's voice sounds different now, younger and much more human than before.
I watch as the body stabilizes, white hair falling to the elbows, purple eyes opening fully as he adjusts. There's no split presence anymore. It's all unified.
I let out a small breath. "…Yeah. That's better."
I look at him and say, "This is your body now."
"So I'm fully inside this?"
"Yeah."
He moves his fingers, then rolls his shoulders a bit, testing everything. His movements look smoother now, more natural.
"I wish I had done the same for the rest of the shadow creatures. If I knew I'd gain an ability like this, I would have extracted as many souls as I could."
But there's nothing I can do about that now, so I leave it.
[ Notice ]
[ You may bestow a name: ____ ]
"A new name huh?"
"Name?"
"Yeah."
"Guess I'm supposed to name your human form."
I think... Got it.
"Shiro."
[ You may bestow a name: Shiro ]
Malik repeats it. "Shiro."
I nod.
"I like it," he says.
"You better," I respond.
I turn slightly and create a sword in my hand. "I want to see how this form handles fighting."
Malik—no, Shiro—looks at the sword, then back at me. "Right now?"
"Yes."
He takes the sword. The moment he does, his posture shifts a bit.
I haven't actually seen him fight with a sword.
I raise my own sword, and he does the same.
"Wait," I tell him.
I pull a potion from my inventory and gulp it all down.
[ Notice ]
[ Mana has been restored ]
[ Mp: 2300/2300 ]
This might be the first time I'm seeing an exact numerical value for my mana.
I turn to face Shiro.
"Vireon."
My body starts to grow in height and stature, eventually matching his. I might still be a little shorter, but it's close enough.
"This will make up for the height difference."
We face each other for a second.
Then we dash.
The void stretches endlessly around us, silent and still.
Clang.
Our blades meet instantly. No resistance. My strike slides off-line like it never had a chance.
…What?
I step in again.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
Angles shift. Speed changes. I break rhythm, change timing, adjust pressure.
It doesn't matter.
He's already there every time.
Not reacting.
Not predicting.
Just placing his blade where mine will be.
"…What is this?" I mutter.
No answer.
He steps forward.
Clang.
A light tap—and my stance breaks. My footing slips for half a second. I pull back immediately.
I tighten my grip and attack again.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
For a moment, it feels like I'm breaking through—
Clang—
My blade stops.
His sword rests lightly against my wrist.
A single inch closer—
"Not enough power," he says.
I pull back. "Power isn't everything."
He moves.
Clang.
A clean strike. I block, but the impact runs through my arms and forces me back. Another strike follows immediately.
Clang. Clang.
Not faster. Not stronger.
Just exact.
Every angle is optimal. Every motion minimal. Nothing wasted.
I exhale sharply. "…This is ridiculous."
Our blades lock briefly. Up close, his expression doesn't change.
"You aren't using enough power."
My gaze sharpens. "I don't need to."
"Oh really?"
A slight twist.
My guard opens.
Tap.
The blade stops at my neck.
Silence.
…That's it.
He lowers his sword. "You've got control down, but you hesitate to use the power you have."
I breathe out slowly.
Then my grip tightens again.
"…fine. You want power? Have it all."
The air shifts.
Wind begins to gather around my blade—tight, controlled, compressing into something sharp and heavy. The pressure builds, distorting even the stillness of the void.
His eyes flicker slightly.
"…This is different from last time."
Behind me, the shape forms. A presence. Heavy. Predatory. The outline of a tiger emerges within the wind.
I raise my sword.
"Tempest Art."
The wind tightens.
"White Tiger Slash."
I move.
The space between us disappears.
A single cut.
Absolute.
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
He steps.
The strike passes cleanly through where he stood.
He's already beside me.
"…Too linear."
But this time—
I'm already turning.
Clang.
Our blades collide again. The wind still coils around my sword, unstable now, but still there.
His eyes narrow slightly.
"…I see."
For the first time, he gathers mana.
It flows from him in a faint violet current, wrapping around his blade in thin, controlled layers.
The air tightens.
I feel it immediately.
"…well, you've got power. I'll give you that."
He steps forward.
Clang.
The clash changes instantly.
My attack gets overwhelmed like it meant nothing. The impact runs straight through me. Another strike follows.
Clang. Clang.
I'm forced back again, footing slipping.
He presses.
Each strike lands closer. Tighter. Cleaner.
My guard starts to break.
"…It's over," he says quietly.
He steps in for the final strike, mana condensing along his blade.
My breathing steadies.
…Now.
The wind surges.
Not outward.
Inward.
Condensed.
Forced.
Refined.
At the last moment, I shift my stance.
Not resisting.
Not blocking.
Aligning.
Clang—!!
The impact cracks through the void.
For a split second—
Everything stops.
Then—
His blade shifts.
Just enough.
I step in.
One motion.
Clean.
My blade stops at his neck.
Silence.
The mana fades.
The wind disappears.
Neither of us moves.
"…Looks like control beats power," he says.
I exhale slowly, lowering my sword slightly. "…yeah. Guess it does."
He looks at his blade, then back at me. "You have power. You've got control. But you don't know when to use it."
I let out a quiet breath, tension leaving my shoulders.
"…No," I say. "…But close."
For a moment, we just stand there.
"If memory serves, I beat you easily last time. What made this any different?"
He swings his sword over his shoulder and looks at me with a grin.
"…Guess I just felt like trying."