Early morning.
1 week pass.
I am pretty fine now.
Soft sunlight filtered through the open windows, the air still cool and quiet.
Priya and Diya sat cross-legged in front of me, backs straight, eyes sharp—clearly not here to relax.
Amitesh: "Hah… so, would you like to eat something?"
Priya didn't even hesitate.
Priya: "No. We're here for training. And Sis Zoey said not to take anything from strangers."
Strangers? Seriously?
That cracked-head woman said that? You're literally living in a stranger's house right now.
I held back a sigh.
Amitesh: "Alright then. So… what do you want to learn?"
Priya's eyes lit up instantly.
Priya: "Mana."
That caught my interest.
Amitesh: "What's your first element?"
Priya: "Fire. For both of us."
Diya nodded silently beside her, a faint heat rippling in the air around them—as if the element itself was answering before I could.
I leaned back slightly, studying the two of them.
Fire users… first thing in the morning.
Zoey really doesn't believe in easing people into things.
A small smile formed on my face.
Amitesh: "Alright then. Fire it is. Just remember—mana isn't about power first. It's about control."
The morning suddenly felt a lot warmer.
I raised both my hands in front of them, palms open.
Amitesh: "Swaha."
The word echoed softly.
Flames burst to life, crawling up my palms and wrapping around my arms like living serpents. The fire wasn't wild—it was calm, controlled, burning without smoke or sound. The air grew warm, shimmering.
Priya's eyes widened. Diya leaned forward slightly, unable to look away.
Amitesh: "Mana isn't just about throwing power around. It has levels. Each one decides what you can feel, what you can control, and what you can become."
A faint blue light flickered before my eyes.
System:Mana levels are
1)Element Awakener
2)Mana Sensor
3)Mana Gathering.
4)Mana Controller.
5)Element Shape Giver.
6)Mana Attacker.
7)Mana Sea Maker.
8)First Element Master.
9)Element Gathering Level.
10)Elements Combined Master.
The flames around my arms shifted smoothly, obeying every thought.
System:
After these…
Mana Sage.
I closed my fingers slightly, and the fire tightened instead of exploding—proof of control.
Amitesh: "Most people get stuck at the early stages. They have fire, but the fire owns them."
The flames slowly faded, leaving only warmth behind.
Amitesh: "If you want to learn mana… the first lesson is simple."
I looked straight at Priya and Diya.
Amitesh: "You don't command mana with force. You listen to it."
The morning silence returned—but the tension stayed.
Amitesh: "To reach the next level, you have to clear ten stars. Only then can you advance."
I glanced at both of them to make sure they were listening.
Amitesh: "So let me explain everything properly. From the beginning."
I raised one finger.
Amitesh: "First stage — Element Awakener."
I let a small flame flicker above my palm.
Amitesh: "In this state, a person awakens their first element. Different people can awaken different elements—fire, water, wind, earth… it varies."
Priya frowned slightly.
Priya: "But I've seen many people awaken their elements when they're twenty… even forty."
I nodded.
Amitesh: "Hmm. Then the basic requirement is probably just that you're older than fifteen. Age doesn't decide talent—awareness does."
I raised a second finger.
Amitesh: "Next stage — Mana Sensor."
A faint glow appeared around us as I spoke.
Amitesh: "This stage has ten stars, divided into three sets of three… and one final star."
I explained calmly.
Amitesh: "First three stars: you learn to sense mana in nature."
Amitesh: "Next three stars: you learn how to absorb mana."
Amitesh: "The next three: you learn to store and gather mana inside your body."
Priya and Diya listened without blinking.
Amitesh: "And the final tenth star—"
I tapped my chest lightly.
Amitesh: "You do all of it continuously, without stopping. Only then do you move to the next stage."
I raised a third finger.
Amitesh: "Mana Gathering."
A thin stream of fire leaked from my palm, hovering in the air.
Amitesh: "It sounds similar, but it's different. In this stage, you gather mana outside your body from your body , giving your element a physical form."
The flame grew clearer, denser.
Amitesh: "This stage also has ten stars. The stars depend on how long you can maintain the element—and how much mana you can release."
I raised another finger.
Amitesh: "Mana Controller."
The fire shrank instantly, then expanded again.
Amitesh: "Here, you learn precise control—how much power you use, how stable it is, and how quickly you can adjust it."
I stepped forward slightly.
Amitesh: "Next — Element Shape Giver."
I brought both my hands closer together.
Amitesh: "At this stage, you can give shape to your element. The rank depends on how complex the shape is—and how long you can maintain it."
I clenched my hands.
Amitesh: "Fireball."
A perfect sphere of flame formed between my palms, spinning slowly.
Priya gasped softly.
Then I relaxed my fingers and shifted my focus.
Amitesh: "But I can also do this."
Amitesh: "Hexagon."
The fire twisted, stretching and locking into place. A three-dimensional hexagonal structure formed—sharp, stable, and glowing with heat.
The twins' eyes lit up in pure surprise, reflections of dancing flames flashing across their faces.
The lesson had finally become real.
Amitesh: "Next is Mana Attacker."
I raised my hand and pointed two fingers toward the left wall.
Amitesh: "At this stage, you can throw your element and use it as a weapon."
A pulse of heat gathered at my fingertips.
Boom.
A fireball shot forward and slammed into the wall, bursting apart in a controlled explosion. The scorch marks faded slowly as the mana dispersed.
Amitesh: "In this stage, the stars depend on how powerful your attacks are—and how long you can keep launching them."
I lowered my hand.
Amitesh: "When you reach the tenth star, you can accurately hit a target one kilometer away."
Priya and Diya exchanged quick glances.
Amitesh: "You two are already at this level—third star."
Their expressions stiffened, half proud, half shocked.
I continued.
Amitesh: "Next comes Mana Sea Creator."
My tone grew more serious.
Amitesh: "At this stage, you create a vast pool of mana inside yourself. When it's complete, you awaken in a different place—a space that exists only for you."
I tapped my chest lightly.
Amitesh: "You can call it your mana sea. You can visit it as many times as you want."
The air felt heavier as I spoke.
Amitesh: "The stars here depend on how much mana you can store."
I paused, then raised another finger.
Amitesh: "After that—First Element Master."
A steady flame appeared in my palm, calm and absolute.
Amitesh: "At this stage, you fully understand your first element. Its nature, its limits, and how to use it with maximum efficiency."
The fire vanished instantly, leaving no heat behind.
Amitesh: "Next is the Element Gathering Stage."
I spread my fingers slightly.
Amitesh: "In this stage, you can form elements other than the one you awakened."
I brought my hands closer together.
Tiny droplets appeared in the air, slowly merging until a large, clear sphere of water floated between my palms.
Priya's mouth fell open.
Amitesh: "You know I awakened fire… but I can also do this."
I smiled faintly.
Amitesh: "At this stage, you can create other elements instead of just your awakened one."
I lifted the floating drop and drank it in one motion. The water dissolved into pure mana before it even touched my throat.
Amitesh: "I'm currently at this level—first star."
Silence followed.
Then I spoke again, quieter—but heavier.
Amitesh: "Last—but not least—Elements Combined Master."
A faint swirl of heat and moisture twisted around my hand.
Amitesh: "At this stage, you can combine two elements and create an entirely new one."
I looked straight at the twins.
Amitesh: "And after achieving all of that…"
The room felt still.
Amitesh: "You become a Mana Sage—someone with complete understanding and absolute control over the mana inside their body."
The lesson ended—but the fire in their eyes had just begun.
The room stayed silent for a few seconds after my explanation.
Too silent.
Then—slow clapping echoed from the doorway.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Zoey: "Wow. Look at you."
She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, that familiar sharp smile on her face.
Zoey: "Explaining advanced mana theory before breakfast. Very responsible of you."
I sighed.
Amitesh: "You were listening the whole time, weren't you?"
Zoey: "Of course."
She tilted her head slightly, eyes moving to the twins.
"Can't let my little sisters blow themselves up without supervision."
Priya straightened immediately. Diya lifted her hands and began moving her fingers rapidly, her expressions sharp and focused.
Priya watched closely, then turned to me.
Priya: "Diya says… you're crazy."
I raised an eyebrow.
Amitesh: "That's not new."
Diya continued signing, faster now.
Priya: "She says explaining Mana Sage-level theory to people stuck at Mana Attacker is like teaching a child how to swim by throwing them into the ocean."
Zoey smirked.
Zoey: "See? She gets it."
I rubbed the back of my neck.
Amitesh: "I wasn't telling them to do it. Just to understand the path."
Diya's hands moved again—this time slower, more deliberate.
Priya swallowed before translating.
Priya: "She wants to try."
Zoey's smile vanished instantly.
Zoey: "No."
Diya snapped her fingers sharply and signed again, eyes burning.
Priya: "She says… she doesn't want to stay weak."
I exhaled slowly, the last traces of heat fading from my body.
Amitesh: "Throwing a child into the sea and expecting them to learn how to swim on their own…"
Zoey's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't interrupt.
Amitesh: "…it sounds cruel. And if done blindly, it is."
I looked at my hands—still faintly warm.
Amitesh: "But controlled struggle forces instinct to wake up. It teaches them how to survive when there's no hand left to hold."
I glanced toward where the twins stood, quiet and shaken.
Amitesh: "If someone always saves you before you start sinking… you never learn how to float."
Zoey was silent for a moment.
Then she sighed.
Zoey: "You're not talking about drowning them."
I shook my head.
Amitesh: "No."
My voice was steady.
Amitesh: "I'm talking about standing close enough to pull them out—
but far enough that they have to move first."
Zoey studied me carefully.
Zoey: "That line…"
She smirked faintly.
Zoey: "…is thinner than you think."
I met her gaze.
Amitesh: "That's why someone has to know exactly how deep the water is."
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Zoey turned away, hands in her pockets.
Zoey: "Just make sure…"
She paused.
Zoey: "…they don't forget how to ask for help too."
Behind us, the twins listened quietly—no longer dreaming of power, but understanding its weight.
The lesson had finally sunk in.
The air shifted.
I looked at Zoey. Zoey looked at me.
Then she sighed.
Zoey: "Fine. One attempt. Controlled. If anything goes wrong—"
Amitesh: "—I stop it."
Zoey gave me a warning look.
Zoey: "You better."
We moved outside to the open training ground. The morning sun was fully up now, heat already pressing down.
Diya stepped forward, feet planted firmly. Priya stood slightly behind her, ready to translate.
Diya closed her eyes.
Her hands moved.
Slow. Precise.
Mana began to gather—fire mana.
The temperature rose instantly.
Amitesh: "Good. Keep it stable. Don't rush."
Diya nodded and continued signing with one hand while focusing with the other.
Priya: "She says she's trying to shape it… like the fireball you showed."
A small flame appeared in front of Diya's palm.
Then another.
Then—something went wrong.
The flames didn't stabilize.
They pulled at each other.
Zoey: "Stop. Stop now."
Diya shook her head.
Her mana surged.
The fire twisted violently, collapsing inward instead of forming a clean shape. The air screamed as heat spiked uncontrollably.
Amitesh: "Diya—release it!"
Too late.
The fireball detonated sideways, not exploding—but tearing through the ground in a wild arc. The shockwave sent Priya stumbling backward.
I moved instantly.
Mana surged from my core as I slammed my hand down.
Amitesh: "Disperse."
The flames shattered into harmless sparks mid-air, but the backlash had already hit.
Diya dropped to her knees, gasping. Her hands trembled violently, mana leaking out of her like steam from cracks.
Priya rushed to her side.
Diya tried to sign—but her fingers wouldn't stop shaking.
Priya's voice broke slightly.
Priya: "She says… it hurts. Like her mana is burning her from the inside."
Zoey was already there, one hand glowing faintly as she pressed it against Diya's back.
Zoey: "Idiot kid…"
Her voice was tight.
"You tried to jump stars."
She looked up at me, eyes sharp.
Zoey: "This is why I hate theory-heavy lessons."
I clenched my fist.
Amitesh: "It wasn't her fault."
Zoey snorted.
Zoey: "It absolutely was."
Then, softer—
Zoey: "But that doesn't mean she's weak."
Diya finally managed to sign again, slower this time.
Priya wiped her eyes before translating.
Priya: "She says… next time… she'll listen."
I knelt in front of Diya.
Amitesh: "Good. Because mana doesn't forgive impatience."
I looked at both of them.
Amitesh: "Power isn't about how fast you climb. It's about surviving each step."
The scorched ground behind us smoked quietly—a reminder.
The twins were taken inside to rest.
The training ground was empty now—except for the scorched earth and the faint smell of burned mana still hanging in the air.
I stood there, staring at the damage.
Zoey: "You didn't tell them."
Her voice came from behind me—low, controlled.
I didn't turn.
Amitesh: "Tell them what?"
She walked past me and stopped a few steps ahead, her back to me, eyes fixed on the cracked ground.
Zoey: "The hidden risk."
Silence stretched.
Then she continued.
Zoey: "Diya didn't just fail because she rushed."
I frowned.
Zoey finally turned around.
Her expression wasn't teasing.
It wasn't angry.
It was serious.
Zoey: "Fire responds to intent. Especially at the Mana Attacker stage."
She tapped her temple.
Zoey: "And Diya's intent is unstable."
I stiffened.
Amitesh: "Unstable how?"
Zoey exhaled slowly.
Zoey: "She doesn't just use mana. She lets it mirror her emotions."
I thought back to the surge. The way the fire collapsed inward instead of expanding.
Zoey: "If she keeps forcing progress like that, she won't burn the enemy."
Zoey's eyes hardened.
Zoey: "She'll burn herself from the inside. Permanently."
My jaw tightened.
Amitesh: "You should've told me earlier."
Zoey: "And you should've stopped the lesson earlier."
That landed harder than I expected.
She stepped closer.
Zoey: "You're at Element Gathering,
Amitesh. Your control makes dangerous things look simple."
She pointed at my chest.
Zoey: "But for them? Every shortcut scars the mana pathways."
I clenched my fist.
Amitesh: "I'll slow them down."
Zoey studied me for a moment, then shook her head.
Zoey: "No."
She smiled faintly—but there was no humor in it.
Zoey: "You'll prove it."
Before I could ask, she stepped back and rolled her shoulders, mana flaring around her like a silent storm.
Zoey: "If you really understand control—if you really deserve to guide them—"
Her eyes locked onto mine.
Zoey: "Then fight me."
The pressure in the air doubled instantly.
Amitesh: "Now?"
Zoey: "Now."
A ring of scorched ground lit up faintly as her mana spread.
Zoey: "No holding back."
She raised her hand, air and something darker twisting together.
Zoey: "Show me you won't break
them… the way others broke you."
I felt my mana respond on its own.
A slow smile crossed my face.
Amitesh: "Alright, Zoey."
I stepped forward.
Amitesh: "But don't complain if you regret challenging me."
The air trembled.
Two mana signatures collided—
And the real fight was about to begin.
The ground beneath Zoey's feet trembled.
Not violently—confidently.
Brown-gold mana flowed out from her body and sank into the earth like roots finding soil. The training ground responded instantly. Cracks spread in perfect lines, not chaotic, but deliberate.
I narrowed my eyes.
Earth element… so that's her choice.
Heat rolled off my body as my mana rose to the surface. Flames crawled along my arms, steady and disciplined, bending with my breathing.
We stood facing each other—fire and earth.
Two opposing wills.
Amitesh: "So… which stage are you at?"
Zoey tilted her head slightly, lips curling into a smug smile.
Zoey: "Guess."
The ground suddenly lifted.
Stone pillars erupted around her, floating slightly above the surface as if gravity itself had loosened its grip. The earth didn't resist her—it obeyed.
My eyes widened just a little.
She noticed.
Zoey: "First Element Master."
The pressure hit me a second later.
Not raw power—authority.
Every grain of soil, every fragment of stone within range vibrated with her presence. She wasn't forcing the earth to move.
She understood it.
I exhaled slowly, fire tightening around my core.
Amitesh: "Figures, out soon."
Zoey stepped forward.
The ground moved with her—smoothing where she walked, sharpening where she didn't. A wall of rock rose behind her like a throne.
Zoey: "Now you understand why I'm careful with the twins."
She raised her hand.
The earth responded.
A massive stone spear formed mid-air, its surface layered and dense, rotating slowly.
Zoey: "Control beats ambition."
I brought my hands together.
Fire condensed—not exploding, not flaring—compressing into a bright, focused core. The heat distorted the air, turning the world hazy.
Amitesh: "And understanding beats fear."
I stepped forward.
Flames spiraled outward, forming a rotating fire ring around me—hot enough to melt stone, calm enough not to waste mana.
Zoey's eyes sharpened.
Zoey: "Element Gathering… at least first star."
I didn't deny it.
The stone spear shot forward.
I twisted my wrist.
Amitesh: "swaha."
A lance of compressed fire collided with the spear—not exploding, but drilling through it. Stone melted, cracked, and vaporized as molten fragments scattered across the ground.
Zoey laughed.
Actually laughed.
Zoey: "Good."
She slammed her foot down.
The ground beneath me surged upward, trying to bind my legs in hardened earth.
I reacted instantly—fire bursting downward, melting a path free before the stone could lock.
We moved at the same time.
Earth rose.
Fire surged.
Neither dominating. Neither yielding.
Zoey's smile widened.
Zoey: "Now this…"
She gathered mana again, the entire training ground humming in response.
Zoey: "…this is a proper lesson."
Flames flared brighter around my fists.
I met her gaze.
Amitesh: "Then stop holding back."
The earth roared.
The fire answered.
And the clash truly began.
The ground betrayed me.
Without warning, the earth beneath my feet softened—then hardened instantly, climbing up my legs like chains. Stone wrapped around my ankles, then my knees, sealing fast.
Too fast.
Zoey: "You rely on movement."
Her voice echoed from all directions as the earth rose higher, locking my lower body in place.
The flames around my arms flickered.
Not from lack of mana—
—but from suppression.
The ground around me turned dark, dense, layered with compressed earth mana. It wasn't just blocking my fire.
It was cutting it off.
My brows furrowed.
She's trying to seal my fire at the source.
Zoey stepped forward slowly, calmly, as if the fight was already decided.
Zoey: "Earth doesn't need to be faster than fire."
She raised her hand.
Massive slabs of rock rose from the ground and curved inward, forming a half-dome around me. Runes of compressed mana glowed faintly across their surfaces.
Zoey: "It just needs to bury it."
The heat around me dropped sharply.
For the first time, my fire hesitated.
Zoey's smirk returned.
Zoey: "Yield. Before your mana pathways crack."
I exhaled.
Slowly.
Then I smiled.
Amitesh: "You're right."
Zoey blinked.
Amitesh: "Fire alone loses here."
The flames around my arms died down completely.
For half a second—
Zoey thought she'd won.
Then the air changed.
Not heat.
Pressure.
A sudden pull surrounded me, invisible but violent. Dust, loose stones, even Zoey's own earth mana shuddered as something unseen began to move.
Zoey's eyes widened.
Zoey: "…Air?"
I closed my eyes.
Mana surged—not outward, but sideways.
Element Gathering.
The air around my chest condensed violently, spiraling inward, spinning faster and faster until it screamed. My sealed fire reacted instantly—drawn to the pressure difference.
Amitesh: "Fire doesn't need space."
My eyes snapped open.
Amitesh: "It needs oxygen."
I snapped my hands together.
🔥🌪️ "Ignite."
The compressed air detonated.
Fire exploded outward, not as a wave—but as a pressure bomb. The flames rode the air like blades, drilling straight through the rock dome from the inside.
Stone didn't just crack.
It shattered.
The earth seal around my legs burst apart, chunks of molten rock flying outward before cooling mid-air.
Zoey was forced to jump back, slamming her foot down to stabilize herself as the ground buckled beneath her.
Her eyes were wide now.
Not fear—
Shock.
Zoey: "You combined them… mid-seal?"
The flames around me reignited—hotter, sharper—but now threaded with distorted airflow. Fire twisted unnaturally, cutting instead of spreading.
Amitesh: "Element Gathering isn't about new elements."
I stepped forward through the smoke.
Amitesh: "It's about stealing conditions."
Zoey wiped dust from her cheek, then laughed—short and breathless.
Zoey: "You're insane."
She straightened, earth mana roaring back to life beneath her feet.
Zoey: "That could've blown your core."
Amitesh: "But it didn't."
Our mana clashed again—harder this time.
Zoey's smirk returned, but it was different now.
Sharper.
Respectful.
Zoey: "Fine."
The ground surged violently around her.
Zoey: "Let's see how long you can keep that up."
Fire and air spiraled tighter around my body.
I met her gaze.
Amitesh: "Long enough."
The battlefield trembled.
This fight had officially crossed the line—from lesson to test.