"The way I'm creating my Ego Weapon is safe because, besides the fact that I haven't reached the Sixth Circle yet, which is necessary to use the soul, my bow hasn't become physical yet. So, we'll have to use it many times so that our magic can create a physical weapon."
Sílvia was impressed, but raised an eyebrow, her eyes shining with slight skepticism.
"Repeatedly using something that doesn't even have a physical form yet... That doesn't sound safe at all, Enrico. You could end up forcing your connection with your magic too much, considering you're still in the First Circle. What if it breaks before you even reach the Sixth Circle?"
Kai, sitting in a chair, held his sword firmly.
"It's not that absurd, Sílvia. Many knights who didn't have mastery over the soul started exactly this way, forcing their own magic to manifest in a weapon through repetition, even if it ended up falling apart. Let's say it's like sculpting a statue: the more blows you give it, the clearer the final shape becomes."
Sílvia sighed.
"And the greater the chances of breaking the marble in the process."
Elian leaned against the wall, showing great interest ever since this explanation began.
"So your plan is to force your magic to get used to the idea of a bow until it... simply comes into existence?"
"Not exactly 'simply.' I want my magic to understand what its purpose is. I don't want just any bow. I want a bow that grows with me."
Valença smiled slightly as she watched from a distance and tightened her grip on the staff. Serenya still seemed to have some doubts, but she didn't want to let her subordinate get ahead of her. Elian was also interested in trying, but decided to follow the first route and use his daggers.
"That's... kind of insane. But genius, if it works."
Serenya crossed her arms and looked at Enrico seriously.
"Just don't push yourself too hard, subordinate. I'm afraid you'll end up hurting yourself."
Enrico laughed, making Serenya pout.
"Don't worry. I'll be careful."
"I hope so."
Liam looked at the time and widened his eyes.
"It's already nighttime? Time passed quickly."
Everyone began getting up and walking toward the dormitories. Enrico, before leaving, carefully put the vases in their proper places and only then went after them. After a few steps, however, he seemed to remember something and turned his attention to the others.
"And one last thing: you can also choose another object besides a weapon. It could be a staff, for example. Valença... in a way, that staff is a weapon, and you can use it to channel your magic better."
Enrico looked directly at Valença. She lowered her eyes to the staff in her hands and ran her fingers along the worn surface of the wood. That wasn't just any weapon. The people from her village had worked hard to gather money and pay a craftsman known throughout the continent to make it. It was one of the few things she owned that represented the efforts of all those people.
She pressed the staff against her chest for a moment and then looked back at Enrico.
"Thank you."
Enrico simply nodded.
"You're welcome."
Valença continued looking at him for a few seconds. There was something different in her expression. Before, talking to Enrico always reminded her of his teasing and the constant feeling of being behind him. Now, however, it was different. He was still someone she wanted to surpass, but he had also become someone who genuinely wanted to help her grow.
She looked away and continued walking alongside the others.
Enrico followed her for a few steps before realizing that there was something strange about their relationship.
"This relationship is pretty weird, don't you think?"
Valença stopped for a moment and looked at him. Then she quickly nodded, as if she had also thought about that several times. A small smile appeared on her face.
"I haven't completely forgiven you yet, but let's say everything is much better now."
Enrico remained silent for a few seconds. He hadn't expected to hear that, much less see that sincere smile from her. Valença then began walking away, but, after a few steps, turned her face toward Enrico one last time before continuing to run to catch up with the others.
He remained standing there, watching her walk away, and scratched the back of his neck.
'It seems we really managed to resolve this.'
Then he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.
Enrico slowly turned around.
Serenya was behind him, staring at him with dark eyes.
"Why did she walk away smiling like that, subordinate?"
A shiver ran down Enrico's spine.
'...I have a feeling that if I answer incorrectly, I'm going to die.'
The next day, Damian was walking through the academy's corridors after talking with Director Hao about Enrico. He wanted to speak directly with the boy, but, since yesterday he had been using an illusion disguise that only Virelle knew about, he would not be recognized. Therefore, he was still thinking of a way to approach him without raising suspicion.
Suddenly, the dry sound of a punch echoed through the corridor. Damian looked down and saw a small commotion happening near one of the windows.
"USELESS!"
Lan shouted, his eyes filled with fury as blood ran from a cut on his lip, caused by the force he was applying to his lips with his broken teeth. He was extremely frustrated about having received that blow from Enrico.
"You lose to those worms and still have the audacity to show your faces in front of me?"
Diana was kneeling, holding her face with her hands while blood ran from the corner of her mouth.
"L-Lord Lan... we tried..."
She stammered, her voice choked with pain, but another impact echoed through the corridor. This time, Jorge received a kick to the stomach and was thrown against the wall like a rag doll. He spat blood, fell onto his side, and groaned.
"You tried?! The two of you were humiliated! Diana, you were crushed by a girl from a family smaller than yours. And you, Jorge... lost to a bastard who doesn't even seem to have his own magic and still looks like a peasant!"
Lan huffed, keeping his fists clenched. His eyes were red with rage and wounded pride.
Diana, still lying on the ground, ended up saying more than she should have.
"But, if even you lost to this E-Enrico... then he was stronger than you, so that..."
"SHUT UP!"
Lan kicked Diana in the stomach, sending her crashing into the wall. She hit it hard and spat blood.
"The problem was never that they were strong. The problem is that you are too weak."
A tense silence filled the corridor. Diana and Jorge trembled on the ground, not only because of the pain, but mainly because of fear.
Lan turned around and stared at his own reflection in the cracked window. Even injured, his face still carried hatred and an almost obsessive need for revenge.
"If even his 'friends' have the courage to stand against us... then perhaps the solution is simple."
He slowly turned around, and his gaze became cold.
"I want you to break every bone in those worms' bodies. Caelan, Elian, and Valença. It doesn't matter if it's during training, in class, or in the dormitories. Make it look like an accident, if you want. Just destroy them. One by one."
Diana and Jorge looked at each other, shocked.
"B-But... that will attract the council's attention..."
Lan approached Diana, grabbed her chin brutally, and forced her to look at him.
"If you're afraid of them, then you're already dead. Do you think any of us will rise in Rank if we keep being defeated? We have to recover our ranks before the princess gets angry."
He released Diana with contempt and turned to look out the window again. This time, however, a smile appeared on his face.
"And as for Enrico... I'll still break him with my own hands. I'll tear that stupid pride of his apart in front of everyone."
Lan couldn't accept that someone he had always considered inferior had managed to defeat him like that. It had wounded his pride more than any blow Enrico could have delivered. The worst part was knowing that his defeat had probably already reached his father's ears. And if his father knew, Enrico's father would probably know soon as well.
"I'm going to kill hi—"
Before he could finish, a hand grabbed his head and threw it against the window.
CRASH!
The glass shattered from the impact.
Lan barely had time to regain his balance before his head was grabbed again and slammed against the wall beside the window.
Diana and Jorge widened their eyes when they recognized the person.
Enrico was behind him.
He held Lan's head with one hand, keeping a cold expression as he watched him. Then he clenched his fist, surrounded it with flames, and struck Lan's face with enough force to make him crash through part of the floor. Then he lifted him into the air.
"You know, Lan... I know you very well. So I knew you wouldn't stop."
Enrico released his head. Lan fell to the ground, dazed, but immediately tried to get up. His eyes were filled with rage, but before he could do anything, Enrico stepped forward.
Diana and Jorge remained motionless, looking at him with fear.
Enrico then turned his empty eyes toward the three of them.
"From now on, I'm going to teach you how to behave."
From the end of the corridor, Damian watched everything with an increasingly interested smile.
"That boy is really interesting."