Jadal rubbed his head, pacing slightly, as if the right words were just out of reach.
"If you can't explain it well, there's no need," I said. "I can always go to a library."
Even as I said it, he shook his head stubbornly. He was determined—almost painfully so—to explain it himself.
He scratched his head again. And again.
At least fifteen times.
At that point, I couldn't tell if the guy was dumb… or just thinking himself into a hole.
"Joseph, don't worry," he finally said, straightening up. "After thinking about it… I know the perfect place to start."
He gave me a thumbs-up and dropped a hand on my shoulder.
He probably thought he looked cool.
He didn't.
He looked ridiculous.
Still… I'd learned my lesson about my sharp tongue.
So instead of saying anything, I sat up properly and faced him. If nothing else, he deserved some respect for trying.
As a greenie, I didn't know much about flow. First-hand knowledge like this? It mattered.
Hadal mirrored me, sitting upright. He took a deep breath, steadying himself before speaking.
"How about we start with the Three Blessings."
The way he said it made the air feel heavier.
"The Three Blessings are the classification system for all flow users."
His voice steadied now, confidence creeping in.
"The First Blessing—the oldest. Users enhance people's physical abilities. Strength. Vitality. Speed. They act as amplifiers… buffers for the body."
I nodded slowly.
"The Second Blessing came after. These users channel flow into weapons—infusing them, creating devastating strikes."
My interest sharpened.
"The Third Blessing…" he paused slightly, "…the most favored. The strongest."
A faint tension crept into his voice.
"They coat their entire body in flow energy—turning themselves into weapons. Durable. Overwhelming."
I stared at him.
I had only ever heard of the Third Blessing.
Not the First.
Not the Second.
The Greenlands…
They hadn't just failed me.
They'd kept me in the dark.
"Get this, Joseph," Hadal said, leaning in slightly. "It gets crazier."
I let out a small laugh. "Oh really? Because two entire classes I've never heard of seems crazy enough."
He smiled—but it wasn't the same kind of smile.
It was the kind you give someone when they don't realize how little they know.
Then he clasped his hands together, fingers interlocking.
"Even if you get assigned a blessing… it doesn't mean you can't use abilities from the others."
For a moment, everything went quiet.
My mind stalled.
Three classes.
Shared abilities.
"That's… that's a joke, right?" I grabbed him, shaking him slightly. "That's too absurd to make sense!"
"Alright, relax—relax!" he laughed, prying my hands off. "You're killing me."
He was enjoying this.
Way too much.
"Don't worry. I'll explain."
He leaned back slightly, his tone shifting into something more serious.
"When a flow user awakens, they're tested for each blessing."
"Each one is measured… as a percentage."
The words sank in slowly.
"The higher your percentage in one blessing, the more likely you'll be assigned to that class."
"But…" I muttered.
He smirked. "But that doesn't erase your potential in the others."
I looked up at him.
"So even if you specialize… you're not limited."
"Ding ding ding," he said mockingly. "10 out of 10. Want a lollipop?"
I ignored him.
"What happens… if someone has equal aptitude in two blessings?"
That wiped the grin off his face.
Completely.
"Joseph…" His voice dropped.
"If someone had equal aptitude in two blessings…"
He held my gaze.
"They'd be monsters."
The word lingered.
"Unparalleled strength."
A chill crept up my spine.
I hesitated—but I had to ask.
"Do they exist?"
For a second, he didn't answer.
Then—
"Yes."
My chest tightened.
"They do," he continued. "And… there are some in this school."
Before I could react, he grabbed my arm—tight.
"You know this school runs on hierarchy, right?"
I nodded slowly.
"If you ever meet one…" His grip tightened.
"Don't look them in the eye."
The air felt suffocating now.
"Just lower your head."
His voice dropped to almost a whisper.
"As a sign of respect."