That morning, the atmosphere in the Outer Court was no longer the same. No one said it out loud, yet every disciple could feel it. The way they looked at Ken Tarys had changed. It was not respect, but it was no longer pure ridicule either. It had become caution.
Ken arrived earlier than usual. The training grounds were still empty, covered by a thin layer of mist, and the air felt heavier than before. He stood at the center of the arena and closed his eyes without waiting for the instructor.
The four elements began to move within his body, but this time it was different. Wood appeared first, followed slowly by water. The two rotated in the same rhythm, without colliding or turning unstable. Ken controlled his breathing, slow and steady.
A few steps behind him, Lynea arrived and stopped without interrupting. She simply watched, her eyes widening slightly as she sensed the change.
"That's more stable than yesterday…" she whispered softly.
Ken did not open his eyes, but he was aware of her presence. "I'm trying to slow everything down," he said quietly. "Not forcing it."
Lynea smiled faintly and stepped closer. "Good. Try adding me."
Ken opened his eyes slightly but did not refuse. Lynea raised her hand, releasing a soft green energy that flowed gently, warm and calming like life itself. The moment her energy touched his, a resonance formed. The wood element grew stronger, and the water became even more stable. For a brief moment, the flow of energy inside Ken felt as if it had found a center.
Encouraged, Ken pushed further. Wind began to move, causing the air around them to tremble and small particles of dust to rise. Lynea held her breath. "Ken… slowly…"
But Ken continued. Fire emerged, and instantly the pressure surged. The four elements met. At first, everything seemed stable. Then it began to tremble. A second later, a powerful explosion erupted.
The blast was far stronger than before. The ground cracked, and dust and wind spiraled violently. Lynea was pushed backward, while Ken remained standing, though his breathing turned heavy.
As the dust slowly settled, the disciples who had just arrived froze in place, staring at the cracks spreading across the arena floor.
Rendo fell silent. Even Varik could not say a word.
"That wasn't a normal explosion…"
The instructor appeared behind them, his gaze immediately locking onto the center of the arena. He walked forward, observing the damage before shifting his eyes to Ken.
"This is what you call control?" he said coldly, though his tone carried a subtle difference this time.
Ken did not answer. Lynea stepped forward instead. "He almost succeeded."
The instructor glanced at her. "And almost died."
Silence followed before the instructor spoke again, his voice low but clear. "Starting today, Ken Tarys will no longer train in the standard zone."
The disciples were stunned. Rendo reacted immediately. "What do you mean by that?!"
The instructor did not turn. "He will use the special training area."
Varik swallowed hard. That was not a normal place. It was reserved for those considered dangerous to others.
Ken finally raised his head, a hint of surprise appearing in his eyes for the first time. The instructor looked directly at him. "If you fail to control your power, at least don't destroy other disciples."
A few chuckles could be heard, but they were far quieter than before. Most remained silent.
Lynea looked at Ken. "This is an opportunity."
Ken nodded slowly. Inside him, however, something had changed. The four elements were no longer completely rejecting one another. Something new was beginning to form between them, something that had never existed before.
From a distant high pavilion, the silver-blue-haired girl watched once more. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"He's starting to touch the limit," she murmured.
Cold wind swirled around her as she turned away.
"If he doesn't die first… he'll become a serious problem."