RUMBLE

Nova stared at the sky where bolts of lightning danced endlessly.

Lowering his arms he focused on the Mana particles drifting around him. Where once he needed to wield his spear and enter the state of One with the World to easily manipulate Mana, he could now reach a similar state—less potent but free from conditions.

This advancement was thanks to the Mana Gathering array. By concentrating Mana in a focused area, it had accelerated his familiarity with its flow and feel, sharpening his sensitivity and control.

Closing his eyes, Nova sank deeper into his senses slowly looking for Lightning Mana particles. In an instant, two distinct particles entered his senses—in quantities he had never seen before.

One shimmered in a cool light blue; the other pulsed in a brilliant yellow, so bright it edged toward white.

'Water and Lightning, I can finally sense them', he thought, a grin tugging at his lips as his wind-swept hair whipped around him. To an outsider, he would've looked mad—standing beneath a raging sky, smiling like he was possessed.

"Come," he whispered.

He willed the Water and Lightning Mana particles to settle onto his palm, his gaze fixed on them with quiet fascination.

The two particles behaved in stark contrast to one another. The Water Mana remained perfectly still—calm and unmoving, as if frozen in place. It only responded when Nova deliberately reached out with his Will or attempted to touch it, then it would stir subtly, like the surface of a tranquil lake disturbed by a fingertip.

The Lightning Mana, however, was restless. It refused to stay still, darting across his palm in erratic loops and sharp curves. Even when he tried to trap it with his fingers, it still tried to escape with defiant energy. And yet, it didn't feel like Wind Mana.

Minutes passed as Nova observed them in silence, the storm above crackling and roaring without pause. Finally, he muttered to himself, "Water seems calm—until touched. Then it stirs. But Lightning... it behaves like Wind at first glance, yet something's different. I just can't put my finger on it…"

He pondered for several minutes, the flickering stormlight reflecting in his eyes. Eventually, he shook his head with a quiet sigh. "I don't know when this storm will end… and I can't waste time chasing a vague feeling. Priorities first."

Eyes sharpening he willed the Water and Wind particles away and, instead, focused solely on the Lightning particles. Moments later, five bright yellow Lightning Mana particles danced restlessly across his right palm.

'Five should be a good starting point', he thought, and with practiced control, he began to absorb them.

The first slipped into his hand smoothly, causing only a faint twinge—much like when he absorbed Wind Mana. But the moment the second joined it, everything changed.

A sudden surge of energy coursed through his arm. The rate of cell destruction increased sharply, as if the two particles weren't just adding their strength, but multiplying it. Their interaction elevated them, transforming into something more refined.

Yet still, it wasn't enough to trigger his regeneration at a consistent pace.

Nova arched an eyebrow, eyes flicking toward the third Lightning particle hovering above his palm. As it began to descend, he murmured, "If two particles are this strong… how powerful will I become once I can truly master Lightning?"

Anticipation glimmered in Nova's eyes as the third Lightning particle merged with the other two. Instantly, the trio resonated, amplifying one another and accelerating the rate of cellular destruction within his hand.

Still, he felt almost nothing—just a faint tingle. Encouraged, he guided the fourth particle inward. Again, no pain followed, but a subtle numbness began to spread, tingling faintly across a small portion of his palm.

'Already?' he wondered, surprised. 'But my body should be able to withstand an actual lightning strike.'

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Then the fifth particle entered.

It didn't bring searing pain, but the numbness deepened. What had begun as a tiny patch now spread across half his hand, dulling sensation and control.

A flicker of astonishment crossed his face. 'Five dust-sized particles… and this is the result? Something's not right. How many particles make up a full lightning bolt?'

The thought struck harder than the numbness.

'Would I be reduced to ash if I took one head-on? No… Impossible.'

Eager to test his limits, Nova summoned a sixth and seventh Lightning Mana particle onto his palm. Without hesitation, he absorbed them, closing his eyes to fully focus on the changes within his body.

The sixth particle pushed the numbness further, spreading it from half his hand to cover it completely. The seventh didn't expand it—it intensified it, like pouring oil on fire. A dull buzz deepened into a low current, crawling up his arm.

'How long until it actually hurts?' Nova wondered, determined. 'I need to know.'

He willed more Lightning Mana inward, forcing his body to endure.

The numbness grew sharper, mutating into a prickling sensation—first mild, then violent. Muscle fibers began to tighten involuntarily. Each new particle sent tremors through his nerves. By the time the seventy-seventh particle surged into his hand, Nova's jaw clenched so tightly his teeth audibly creaked.

A sudden spasm wracked his body. Agony bloomed across his side as half of him succumbed to painful convulsions. His knees buckled. He crashed to the ground, muscles jerking out of rhythm.

"Shit," he gasped, voice strained, as his limbs refused to obey. His body twitched uncontrollably, and in the midst of the chaos, system notifications rang in his mind one after another.

[Regeneration proficiency increased]

[Regeneration proficiency increased]

[Regeneration proficiency increased]

'Only seventy-seven particles… and already half my body won't respond.' The thought struck Nova like a hammer of truth. 'Would Wind do the same—tear me apart from within?'

He thought as realization dawned upon him.

'So this is what the booklet meant—pain that comes from within, the kind you can't run from. I just hope it's worth it in the end.'

His head dipped forward, a silence falling over him like a shroud. No scream escaped his lips, but his clenched white-knuckled fist betrayed the torment coursing through him. Every muscle trembled with strain, but he refused to cry out.

Outside, the storm continued its fury for hours, lightning tearing across the night sky like a god's wrath. Yet Nova remained where he was, unmoving, while his right side of his body spasmed uncontrollably.

By the time dawn broke and the last rumble faded into silence, he was still seated, motionless while the Lightning particles wrecked his insides.

His jaw was no longer clenched. His right fist had finally relaxed. For a moment, it seemed as if he'd regained control—until one looked closer.

Half of his body sat still, serene, almost untouched by the chaos.

But the other half… still twitched in erratic spasms, beyond his command.

Lifting his head to gaze at the now-clear sky, Nova couldn't help but murmur, a faint smile tugging at the left corner of his lips. "Seventy-seven... doesn't feel so bad anymore."

Lost in his thoughts, he slowly rose to his feet, inhaling deeply, savoring the calm after the storm. But just as he began to find some peace, a voice shattered his moment of solitude.

"Boss, I'm here."

The sound snapped him out of his reverie. He turned, a faint shift in his posture as he spotted the figure standing by the rooftop entrance. As his body still struggled to fully respond, his once-confident smile now appeared uneven, warped by the lingering numbness on his right side.

"Alaric," he said, his voice tinged with dry humor. "You came at just the right time."

Alaric raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled by both Nova's words and the strange, lopsided smile. "The right time for what?" he asked, his gaze darting to Nova's unusual expression.

A low, knowing laugh escaped Nova, his eyes glinting with an unreadable glimmer. "The right time to suffer with me."

//////////////

"There's something I've been meaning to ask since we left the hotel," Elric said, glancing at Neve as they made their way toward the stadium for the second segment of the tournament.

"Hm?" Neve replied, her gaze fixed ahead.

"Why do you look more tired today than you did yesterday? Don't tell me you haven't slept at all."

"I'm fine," she answered, her tone clipped.

Elric wasn't convinced. "Seriously, Neve. We're in the middle of a tournament, and we need to secure a good position—"

"I said I'm fine!" Neve snapped, cutting him off. She turned her head sharply, locking eyes with him. The intensity in her gaze was enough to silence him.

Startled, Elric came to an abrupt stop, his thoughts racing as he watched Neve continue walking ahead after giving him a glare.

What's going on here? he wondered, his mind struggling to process the sudden shift. I've never heard her raise her voice, especially over something so trivial.

Shaking off his confusion, Elric quickly caught up with her, but this time, he chose to remain silent, opting instead to observe.

Before long, they found themselves seated in the participant stands alongside the other 53 students who had made it through the first segment. The stadium buzzed with energy as cheers erupted from all corners, some spectators, caught up in the moment, screamed the names of the participants they were rooting for.

As the excitement filled the air, Isaac made his way to the grandstand railing. The crowd, this time knowing who to pay attention to, quieted almost immediately, their anticipation palpable.

The next segment was about to begin.

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