Earth. Wind. Shadow.
Three types of abilities, contradictory in nature, emanating from a single person… a person I usually avoid because I cannot understand him.
"Are you looking for me?"
His voice came from elsewhere, emerging from a different shadow, filled with that same irritating confidence. He was playing with me, using my confusion as a weapon.
Don't think. I ordered myself harshly. Analysis is useless against someone like him.
"Tch!" I clicked my tongue.
A wave of cold anger surged through my veins, driving away the confusion. There was no more time to hesitate. I had to return to what I did best… tactical combat.
I never liked winning through brute force, but I knew that sometimes it was necessary.
I ignored his voice and provocations. Instead of trying to locate him, I began preparing my next attack—but with a different strategy.
If he can move through shadows, I'll make every shadow a dangerous place. If he relies on rocky defense, I'll attack faster than he can activate it.
For now, I decided to rely on only two elements.
Ice for controlling space, and wind for speed and offense.
I had to conserve my energy. I didn't know how long this battle would last.
"Let's see how you deal with this," I whispered to myself.
I raised my hand and began forming a barrage of small, sharp projectiles.
They weren't large ice spears, but fast, razor-like shards—like a storm of shattered glass.
"Shhhh!.. Whooosh!! Whaaash!!!"
I fired dozens of ice shards in a wide arc—not to hit him directly, but to force him out of the shadow he was hiding in.
Just as I expected, Toro emerged from another shadow several meters away, avoiding the barrage.
But I was ready.
The moment he appeared, five [Wind Blades] I had prepared in advance shot toward him from different angles.
My reaction speed was flawless. I had predicted where he would appear based on the available shadows.
But once again, he surprised me.
He didn't try to evade by slipping back into the shadows. He realized I expected that.
Instead, he raised both arms and activated his rocky skin on them simultaneously.
"Boom—Clang!!"
Two wind blades shattered against his stone arms, but the other three were still on their way.
With astonishing speed, he used his armored arms to deflect the remaining blades, taking the hits with the precision of a seasoned soldier.
"Boom!!"
"Bam—Clack!!!"
He stepped back from the impact, but he wasn't hurt.
He activated two shields at once… and blocked a five-angle attack with minimal effort. He's reading my moves too well.
"Is that all?" he asked, his confident smile unwavering.
"I've only just begun," I replied coldly, shifting my tactics again.
Instead of multiple attacks, I decided to use a single, concentrated strike.
I began forming a massive ice spear—larger and denser than any I had created before. It glowed with a faint blue light.
"Whoooosh!!"
The cold radiating from it was enough to freeze the air around it.
This attack required focus—and energy.
Toro, seeing it, didn't interrupt me. He simply stood there watching, curiosity gleaming behind his glasses.
He's curious enough to observe my attack… even though it puts him at risk?
That thought sent a chill down my spine.
"Observation time is over."
I launched the massive ice spear.
"Shhhhhh!!"
It tore through the air like a frozen meteor.
Toro didn't move until the last moment.
Then—just before impact—he sank into the ground and vanished.
I knew it!
I had anticipated that move. The moment he disappeared—
"Clack!" I snapped my fingers, manifesting multiple [Wind Blades].
"Whoosh!!"
"Fwoooosh!!!"
"Fwoooosh!!"
I launched them toward every large shadow surrounding his previous position.
It was a trap. If he emerged from any of them, he'd be shredded.
But he didn't.
He appeared from a very small shadow—the shadow of a piece of debris I hadn't even considered viable. It was tight, unexpected.
He can do that…?
"Your attacks are powerful, Leader Valerian," his voice came, unchanged. "But they lack imagination."
My blood boiled at the insult.
"I'll show you imagination, then!"
I raised my hand and began mixing attacks—ice projectiles to force movement, wind blades to punish him when he appeared.
"Whoosh!!"
"Boom!!"
"Bam!!"
"Whoosh—BOOOOM!!!"
The battle turned into a cursed game of chess.
Every move I made, he countered.
Ice projectile—he dives into the ground.
I target a shadow—he appears in another.
I try to trap him—he uses [Rock Skin] to break through and escape.
I controlled the pace. I was the one attacking.
And yet… it felt like I was losing.
"Hah… h-hah…"
He's tough, I thought, my breathing growing heavier.
His rocky defense and shadow movement are a frustrating combination. My attacks drain my energy faster than they affect him. He's barely attacking… just wearing me down.
He was playing the long game.
And I wasn't sure I could win it with my limited energy.
I need to change something. I need another element.
"Whoosh!!"
As I thought that, I dodged a weak wind blade he sent at me.
Then he stopped and looked at me, a mocking smile on his face.
"Is that all you've got, Leader Valerian? Ice and wind? …That's a bit boring."
His words struck my pride like a slap.
I froze.
He understood. He realized I was conserving energy—hesitating to reveal everything.
He wasn't just fighting me.
He was reading me.
Damn him.
He's treating this battle like a lab… and I'm his test subject.
I looked at him, a cold smile forming on my face.
"Very well, Toro Kaneki," I whispered. "You asked for it."
I didn't like using my full abilities unless my opponent deserved it… but no one gets to provoke me like this.
You want a crushing defeat? Fine. I'll drown you in white noise.
A gentle warmth gathered in my palm—not violent heat, but refreshing warmth.
[Elemental Projectile: Fireball]
Description: Launches a ball of fire that causes a small explosion and burns. Ideal for illumination and creating chaos.
A small fireball formed in my hand, about the size of a fist, dancing with orange and red flames.
His eyes gleamed with anticipation. He expected me to launch it at him.
But I didn't.
Instead, I lowered my hand… and aimed it at the icy ground I had created.
"Fwoooosh!!!"
The fireball struck the thin layer of ice.
There was no explosion.
Instead—
"SSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!"
A violent hiss erupted.
The sudden clash between extreme heat and extreme cold triggered an immediate reaction.
The ice began to evaporate—not gradually, but explosively.
Within seconds, a dense cloud of hot white steam spread rapidly across the battlefield.
"Oh!" I heard Toro's surprised voice.
I didn't stop at one.
I formed two more fireballs and launched them in different areas.
"SSSSSS!! … SSSSSSS!!"
In less than ten seconds, a large portion of the battlefield was filled with thick white fog.
You wanted a new element, didn't you?
Then take this.
Now neither of us can see clearly. I've neutralized your "shadow" advantage… and your vision.
I had turned the battle into a fight in a dark room.
Now we would see who the real hunter was.
I closed my eyes, discarding my now-useless sense of sight.
And activated my passive ability.
[Enhanced Aura Perception]
Description: An innate ability to sense mana and energy flows, making it difficult to ambush the user.
I began to "see" the world through energy.
Ethan's radiant aura. William's brown. Chloe's bright blue clashing with Luna's reddish green.
And him.
A calm, colorless yet unstable aura… moving cautiously through the fog, about fifteen meters away.
He's relying on hearing now…
I see you perfectly.
I didn't move.
Come to me.
Moments passed in tense silence.
Then—his aura surged forward.
He's attacking!
"Whoosh!!"
I launched a sharp ice blade toward him.
"BAM!!!"
"Ugh!"
Got him.
But not enough. He moved at the last moment—only a glancing hit.
Then his aura vanished and reappeared elsewhere.
He's still using shadows… even in this fog.
"This won't protect you forever, Valerian!" his voice echoed.
I said nothing.
Instead, I moved silently, tracking him through his aura.
A new cat-and-mouse game began.
"Whoosh!!"
I fired small ice projectiles whenever he got close. He barely dodged them, relying on pure reflex.
It was exhausting for both of us.
I need to end this.
I stopped attacking and pretended to gather energy—like I was charging a large attack.
It was a bluff.
I watched his aura.
And as expected—
He took the bait.
He rushed toward me through the fog.
I waited until he was only steps away.
Then—
I released my real attack.
But—
A white, sticky thread shot out.
Wait… that's not mine.
"Shuak!"
Another thread stuck to my leg—I stumbled.
Through the thinning fog, I saw him charging toward me, a victorious smile on his face.
He had revealed his fourth card.
…
He tricked me.
That realization hit harder than any attack.
He pretended to fall into my trap—only to trap me instead.
Earth. Wind. Shadow… and now adhesive threads.
What kind of absurd ability was this?
He attacked at close range.
No time to think.
Only instinct.
As I struggled with the thread, Toro raised his other hand.
"Fwoooosh!!!"
A wind blade shot straight at me.
No room to dodge.
So this is the end?
No.
Unacceptable.
In that fraction of a second, I let everything go.
Tactics. Precision. Control.
Understanding my opponent.
Instead, I reached for the most primitive… most chaotic… fastest element I had.
The one I always saved as a last resort.
[Spiritual Storm Blade (Lightning)]
Description: Envelops the body in raw electrical energy, providing both offense and defense.
Unlike Chloe's blue lightning, mine was golden-yellow.
I didn't coat just my limbs.
I unleashed it.
"ZZZZZZZZZZ!!"
A thin aura of lightning exploded from my entire body. My silver hair whipped wildly.
It wasn't warm or radiant.
It was sharp. Violent. Crackling.
My fourth element.
The moment it appeared—
Two things happened.
The wind blade dissolved instantly upon contact with my electric aura.
And the thread burned away, freeing me.
I stood there, lightning dancing around me, breathing heavily.
It consumed a huge portion of my remaining energy.
But I was free.
And I was furious.
I looked at Toro, ready to counterattack.
Then I stopped.
Because his expression… wasn't one of failure.
He was smiling.
Calm. Satisfied.
Like a scientist observing a successful experiment.
He… wasn't trying to defeat me.
In that moment, I understood.
He was trying to expose everything I had.
A chill ran down my spine.
"Earth, wind, fire, ice… and finally, lightning," Toro said calmly. "Five types of mana manipulation. Truly remarkable. You really are the storm, Leader Valerian."
"What…?" I couldn't say anything else.
"Thank you for this."
Then, without warning, he slowly raised both hands.
"I surrender."
The words fell like stones.
"What?" My voice came out hoarse. "After all this… now?"
"Why continue?" he said simply. "Winning was never my goal."
He turned and walked away.
"Thank you for the lesson, Leader Valerian. This was a very educational battle."
I stood there alone, surrounded by burning and frozen ruins.
I had won.
Technically.
But it didn't feel like victory.
I felt used.
I won the battle—
But lost the game I didn't even know I was playing.
Toro Kaneki…
He failed.
Yet as he walked away—
He looked more victorious than I did.
I walked calmly away from the battlefield, leaving behind the stunned leader of Team Gamma.
The sound of my footsteps was the only thing I heard.
The air still carried the scent of ozone and frost.
An interesting smell… cold and refreshing, mixed with burned plastic.
Winning or losing didn't matter.
Those were childish concepts.
This was data collection.
And the battle… an experiment.
Leader Valerian was an excellent subject.
Strong. Intelligent. Adaptable.
But readable.
The more pressure she felt, the more direct and forceful her attacks became.
Predictable.
Her lightning… was golden.
Not blue like Chloe's.
Does mana purity affect element color? Or is it tied to personality? Ethan Riddle… star-like gold. Serena Valerian… golden lightning. Is there a link between gold and high potential?
I stopped and looked at my hand.
A faint numbness lingered.
Rock Skin is useful… but too heavy for my current body. Inefficient for long battles.
I should replace it with something more flexible. Maybe speed… or regeneration.
Regeneration… rare.
How long would it take to analyze such a skill?
Weeks, perhaps.
I reached a quiet corridor.
Made sure no one was watching.
Then summoned it.
A small black notebook appeared in my hand—semi-transparent, like condensed shadow.
I opened it.
Four pages were filled.
[Rock Skin] – Rank C+[Cutting Wind Blade] – Rank C[Shadow Step] – Rank D[Adhesive Thread] – Rank D+
I looked at the fourth.
It served its purpose.
A shadowy pen appeared.
Without hesitation—
I crossed it out.
The words vanished.
A slot is now available.
I closed my eyes and recalled the battle.
Her power.
Her flow.
Her lightning.
Analysis complete.
The pen began writing on its own.
[Spiritual Storm Blade] – Rank A-
Description: The ability to sense, extract, and manipulate spiritual energy…
"Ugh—!"
A sharp headache struck.
Then—
The text shifted.
Simplified.
Stabilized.
[Elemental Storm: Lightning] – Rank B
Description: Generates basic lightning essence. An unstable and costly version of a higher elemental ability.
I looked at the new entry.
A fragment of her power.
Weaker.
Incomplete.
But enough.
A beginning.
I closed the notebook.
It vanished.
And for the first time today—
I smiled.