"Hey, you! Don't interfere, I'll crush him myself," Arthur barked, signaling Leon to back off.
"You idiot, you just recklessly compressed the air around him. If you had let him release his [Sound] element, we both would've taken a massive hit," Leon retorted, heading toward the frozen Jill.
"And another piece of advice: next time Michael tries to use his power, deploy your element directly in front of him, not above him."
"Tsk, whatever. Just go. Now, Michael... what should I do with you? Hehehe." Arthur shooed Leon away, turning his predatory gaze toward Michael, who was already struggling to his feet.
Meanwhile, Leon reached the frozen Jill and began melting the ice encasing her.
I know you're just feigning defeat, waiting for the perfect opening, Leon thought, watching the ice thaw.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a heavy thud echoed. Leon drove a flame-coated punch directly into Jill just as the ice was about to vanish.
"Agh... cough... damn it... how did you know?" Jill spat blood, glaring at Leon as he stood over her.
Thwack!
Thwack!
Without a word, Leon delivered two more clinical strikes to Jill's face, knocking her out instantly.
Leon's Perspective
Looking down at the unconscious Jill, blood smeared across her body, I knelt and retrieved the flags wrapped around her arm.
"She has a powerful element, but instead of mastering it, she resorts to these cheap tricks. I certainly wasn't going to give her a chance."
Between the written exam—where my new memories helped me perform well—and the field test, where being in Arthur's group and using my flames tactically paid off, I was confident in my score. At this stage, none of the main characters truly knew how to utilize their elements to their full potential.
I walked back toward Arthur and Michael and saw exactly what I expected. Michael lay on the ground, bloodied and unconscious, with blood trickling from his ears. Arthur stood before him, looking disappointed.
"Are you finished?" I asked.
Arthur looked at me, his brow furrowed in curiosity. "He was weaker than I thought. By the way, your advice actually worked. The moment I used it, the bastard passed out as if he'd been hit by his own attack."
"Sound needs a medium to travel, and that medium is air," I explained calmly. "When I told you to use your power in the area in front of him, I meant for you to compress the air there. This created a high-density zone compared to the surrounding atmosphere. When the sound wave hit that dense 'wall,' it reflected back, striking Michael himself."
"I see... I didn't realize I could use my power that way!"
"Attention all applicants! Time is up. Please proceed to the waiting area immediately," a voice announced, seemingly echoing from the very air.
"Heh, well, that was entertaining. We'll definitely meet again at the Academy, Leon Arcas," Arthur said, turning toward the exit.
After the exam, we were told to return home; the results would be sent to us later. I left the academy and began walking aimlessly. I didn't wait for Marcus, knowing he would likely fail and that we probably wouldn't cross paths again.
I found a decent-looking restaurant and sat by the window, watching the pedestrians pass by as my mind drifted.
What is it that I actually want from this life?
Freedom? Power? Control?
What is freedom, really? Is it simply doing whatever I want, whenever I want, without obstacles? But absolute freedom is impossible. And freedom requires power... so they are linked?
"Damn it... I feel even more lost."
I left the restaurant, took a taxi back to the hotel, and took the elevator to my room. I collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
What do I truly want?