The moment the second phase of training began, the atmosphere inside the hall shifted in a way that was subtle yet unmistakable. Earlier, the pressure had been about endurance—about whether one could withstand the environment of the academy. Now, however, the focus had changed. It was no longer about surviving the energy around them. It was about interacting with it, influencing it, and most importantly… controlling it.
That difference alone created a visible divide among the students.
Some immediately tensed the moment they closed their eyes again, as if bracing themselves for impact. Others tried to replicate whatever small success they had achieved in the previous phase, forcing their breathing into a pattern they didn't fully understand. A few remained still, calmer than the rest—but even then, their control was shallow, unstable beneath the surface.
Shivay didn't rush.
The moment he closed his eyes, he didn't immediately reach out to the energy again. Instead, he paused, allowing his awareness to settle first. The difference between reacting and observing had already become clear to him. Rushing now would only disrupt the foundation he had just begun to build.
"…Don't force it."
The thought wasn't uncertain.
It was deliberate.
The energy returned almost instantly, brushing against his perception like a current flowing through unseen channels. But this time, instead of treating it as something external, Shivay adjusted his perspective. He didn't think of it as "around him."
He thought of it as something he was already inside of.
That single shift changed everything.
The resistance that most students unconsciously created simply didn't exist for him. The energy didn't feel like an obstacle anymore. It felt like a system he was a part of.
"…Better."
Slowly, carefully, he extended his awareness again.
Not forcefully.
Not aggressively.
Just enough to make contact.
A thin strand of energy brushed against his perception, and this time, instead of letting it pass, he followed it. Traced its direction. Understood its movement.
Then—
He adjusted.
Just slightly.
A minor shift in focus.
A controlled breath.
A deliberate intent.
The strand… responded.
It didn't bend completely.
It didn't obey.
But it changed.
Just enough.
"…There."
A small success.
But not meaningless.
Because it proved something fundamental.
It could be influenced.
Across the hall, the difference in progress was becoming more obvious with each passing minute.
A student to Shivay's left suddenly let out a strained breath, his control breaking as the energy he had tried to force slipped out of alignment. His shoulders tensed, his posture collapsing slightly as frustration took over. Another student clenched his fists, his attempt far too aggressive, causing the surrounding flow to destabilize instead of respond.
"Too much force," the instructor said calmly, without raising his voice. "You're trying to control something you haven't understood yet."
His gaze moved across the room, sharp and analytical.
"Feel first. Then guide."
The words were simple.
But their meaning—
Wasn't.
Shivay absorbed them without opening his eyes.
"…Guide, not control."
That distinction mattered.
Because control implied dominance.
Guidance implied understanding.
And right now—
Understanding came first.
Time passed.
Not quickly.
Not slowly.
But steadily.
Each second adding another layer of awareness.
Each attempt refining his approach.
This time, Shivay didn't stop at a single interaction. He reached again—carefully, deliberately—connecting with another current. Then another.
Each time, the response improved.
Slightly.
But consistently.
And consistency—
Was more valuable than sudden success.
"Enough."
The instructor's voice broke through the focus.
"Open your eyes."
Shivay did.
The difference was immediate.
Several students looked exhausted, their faces strained, their breathing uneven. A few looked frustrated, clearly aware that their attempts had failed. Others remained uncertain, unsure whether they had made any progress at all.
And then—
There were the few who had adapted.
Kabir stood among them.
Their eyes met again.
This time, there was no smirk.
No casual tone.
Just recognition.
Kabir walked toward him, slower than before, his posture relaxed but his gaze sharp.
"You improved," he said.
Not a question.
A statement.
Shivay tilted his head slightly.
"So did you."
Kabir exhaled faintly, almost amused.
"…Not as fast as you."
Shivay didn't respond to that.
Because speed wasn't what he was focused on.
Kabir continued, his tone more serious now.
"You're not just adapting…"
A brief pause.
"…you're understanding it."
That was closer to the truth.
Shivay met his gaze.
"And you're not just observing…"
"…you're comparing."
Kabir's expression shifted slightly.
Then—
A faint smile appeared.
"…Fair."
The air between them wasn't hostile.
But it wasn't friendly either.
It was competitive.
Before either of them could say more, a subtle shift in the atmosphere occurred again.
Not pressure.
Not energy.
Presence.
Shivay noticed it instantly.
Meher.
She had entered the hall again.
But this time—
Something was different.
She wasn't just observing from a distance.
She walked further in.
Closer.
Her gaze moved across the students, slower than before, more deliberate.
And then—
It stopped.
On Shivay.
Not for a second.
Longer.
Just enough to make it intentional.
Kabir noticed it too.
"…You're getting attention," he muttered under his breath.
Shivay didn't react.
But internally—
"…Why?"
Not ego.
Not assumption.
Analysis.
Because people like her didn't waste attention.
There had to be a reason.
Meher took a few more steps forward, stopping just a short distance away from them.
For a moment—
She said nothing.
Then—
Calmly—
"You're doing it wrong."
The words weren't directed at everyone.
They were directed at Shivay.
Silence followed.
Kabir raised an eyebrow slightly.
Shivay looked at her.
"…Explain."
No hesitation.
No defensiveness.
Just direct.
Meher's gaze didn't change.
"You're guiding the surface."
A pause.
"But you're ignoring the source."
Shivay's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Source?"
Meher turned slightly, her gaze shifting toward the center of the hall.
"The flow you're trying to control…"
"…doesn't start where you're touching it."
Her voice remained calm.
"Follow it deeper."
That was all.
No extra explanation.
No elaboration.
She turned and walked away.
Just like that.
Leaving behind—
A statement.
Not a suggestion.
A correction.
Shivay didn't move immediately.
But internally—
Everything shifted.
"…Surface vs source."
He replayed his previous attempts.
Analyzed them again.
And saw it.
He had been interacting with what was visible.
But not where it originated.
"…So that's the missing piece."
Kabir let out a quiet breath.
"…She just corrected you."
Shivay glanced at him briefly.
"…She refined it."
Kabir smirked slightly.
"Whatever helps you sleep."
The instructor's voice cut in again.
"Final attempt."
"Apply what you've learned."
Shivay closed his eyes once more.
This time—
His approach changed completely.
He didn't reach for the nearest current.
He traced it.
Backwards.
Deeper.
Past the surface flow.
Into its origin.
The moment he did—
The sensation changed.
The energy wasn't just flowing anymore.
It was forming.
"…There."
He focused.
Not on control.
But on alignment.
And this time—
When he guided it—
It responded.
Not slightly.
But clearly.
A controlled shift.
Stable.
Intentional.
For the first time—
It wasn't influence.
It was control.
Shivay slowly opened his eyes.
No reaction.
No expression.
But internally—
"…This changes everything."
A new thought formed.
Sharper than before.
Deeper.
"If control exists at this level…"
"…then scale is just a matter of system."
His gaze steadied.
Calm.
Certain.
"…And I'll build mine."