"What?!" Elena shouted, spinning toward Icariel with fury in her silver eyes. "Do you even understand what you're saying? You're bringing shame to your teacher's name—Aelar, the one who took you in, trained you! How could you accuse Adviser Valandor of such a thing?! He's been with us for centuries!"
Elif's eyes widened, unsure and shaken. "Icariel…?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"I'm sorry, Elena," he said flatly. "But I'd rather trust my own instincts—and my own abilities—than rely on that elven trait."
"What…?" Elena whispered, disbelief on her face.
"I've deceived it before," Icariel said simply. "And if I can fool it… imagine what someone who's lived for centuries could do."
"Answer me then!" Elena shouted, her hands shaking. "Why do you say there are monsters with him? Where?!"
Icariel's gaze sharpened like a blade. "Because I can feel them. Four disgusting creatures—small, twisted things with mutated faces—standing right beside him. Tell me, Adviser... why are they there?"
Silence.
Then—
"Khe... khe... khe…"
A low, guttural laugh echoed from the other side of the door.
A laugh that came from Valandor.
"How… how did you notice?" the voice growled, now darker, guttural, and cruel. "Tell me, boy! HOW DID YOU KNOW? Even Elena, who is an adult elf, couldn't sense beyond these walls."
"Adviser…?" Elena whispered, her voice breaking.
"You don't deserve to know," Icariel replied coldly.
Flashback – Moments Ago
While unconscious, Icariel had heard it.
The voice—calling him, piercing the void of darkness.
"Wake up, Icariel. Wake up."
And when his eyes snapped open, his White Sense immediately activated. Five distinct signatures registered in his mind—one of them familiar. The others… not human. Not elven. Their aura reeked of chaos and blood.
He saw them. Not with his eyes—but with perfect clarity.
Four monsters, crouched and snarling beside the elf Valandor.
Present
"I see now," Elena whispered, horrified. "He… he's a traitor."
"That's right," Icariel said. He took a step forward, positioning himself between the door and the two elves. "Now, both of you—stay back."
Elena and Elif nodded, moving behind him.
Thud… Thud… Thud…
A sound like claws striking iron rang out. The creatures outside began hammering at the white iron door, their claws screeching against the surface, denting the metal with every blow.
"Crogs, break the damn door!" the adviser shouted.
Icariel turned inward. "Voice," he thought. "What should I do?"
The answer came at once, calm and powerful.
"No time to explain. Don't be afraid—move. You can destroy them all. For the first time, you don't need to run, Icariel. Trust yourself. Trust the progress."
KRRAAAKK!
The door bent inward. It was barely holding.
Icariel's eyes widened at the words of the Voice echoing in his mind.
"Trust yourself. No more advice is needed."
BOOM.
The heavy door was ripped from its hinges and slammed to the floor—landing just beside Icariel's foot.
Elif and Elena stood at the far end of the room, hands tightly clasped, their faces pale with dread.
At the entrance stood Adviser Valandor… and behind him, the Crogs.
Four of them. Twisted beasts with disfigured faces, drooling and snarling as they crept into the room, growing larger with each step.
Icariel glanced down at himself.
"I haven't even checked what changed… what I gained… what I can do, but..."
He almost didn't recognize himself.
No one was coming to save him. Not Aelar. Not the elves. Not even the Voice. And yet, despite the threat—
He was calm.
Strangely calm.
"I used to panic in moments like this. Used to freeze..."
"Is this… part of the awakening? Or maybe it's because they aren't a threat to the current me."
A strange smile formed on his face.
Because for the first time since he was dragged into this world of blades, monsters, and betrayal—
He wasn't surviving by chance.
He was surviving by choice.
Valandor the adviser stepped forward slightly, sneering. "I wouldn't have come for your heads, to be honest. But Aelar… your precious mentor—the one I despise the most—told me something interesting when I asked him about you."
"He said his disciple was weak. Powerless. I was shocked by how pure your mana is… but Aelar insisted you weren't near the word 'strong' yet. So if you die here, blame him."
The Adviser raised his hand.
"Crogs. Feast."
The Crogs snarled louder.
Two of the monsters lunged, flying straight at Icariel.
"Icariel!" Elif cried out in panic.
But Icariel's world… slowed.
He saw the Crogs in the air, their movements dragging like sluggish shadows. "Why are they so slow?"
"They're like… turtles."
With a flick of his wrist, Icariel summoned a Flame Spear—but this time, the heat didn't burn his skin. He caught it with ease and thrust it forward, piercing the first Crog's chest mid-air. The creature howled in agony, igniting into flames.
Fsshh—!
In the same instant, another Flame Spear formed in his hand. He turned and impaled the second Crog clean through the gut. Both fell, ablaze, before they even touched the ground.
The room was silent—except for the crackling fire and the dying wails of beasts.
Even Valandor froze, disbelieving.
"This is the first time I've fought… with power that's truly mine."
"Not borrowed. Not guessed. Not prayed for."
"Mine."
Smoke drifted in the air.
Then—Fsshh!
A third Crog darted past Icariel, bypassing him completely—headed straight for Elif and Elena.
"NO!" Elif screamed.
But before the beast could touch them—
THUMP!
A Flame Spear exploded through the Crog's chest. Fire erupted as the monster was lifted off the ground and pinned to the wall—charred beyond recognition.
Icariel turned. "It almost got you," he said calmly.
"Icariel, behind you!" Elif cried again.
The final Crog had leapt high, claws outstretched, aiming to tear Icariel apart from behind.
But Icariel didn't flinch.
"You are in my White Sense detection range. I know exactly where you are."
He began turning his body—"No time to cast. I'll just move."
He pivoted—calm, precise—and swung his fist like swatting a fly.
But what happened next…
Shocked them all.
CRACK—BOOM!
His fist collided with the Crog's side. The beast's ribs snapped like twigs, and its body was hurled across the room, smashing into the reinforced wall behind them.
The wall shattered. Stone and dust flew. The Crog was already dead—from one punch.
"What…?!" Elif gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
Elena stared at him—not just in awe, but in fear. This wasn't the boy she knew. This was something else. Something far, far more dangerous. And for the first time… she didn't know if she was relieved or afraid.
Icariel looked at his own hand.
"This is… the power of a superhuman body?"
His heart didn't race. His breath didn't falter.
This was the boy who used to hide in the dark. Who buried his face when monsters came. Who used to beg to god to survive.
Now?
"I don't need to run."
"I don't need to ask for help."
"I have myself."
Adviser Valandor stumbled back, shock on his face.
"What… What ARE you?! That body… that strength! And you're casting magic without a core?! No chant, no circle?!"
He staggered back, eyes wide with horror.
"This isn't normal... That bastard Aelar lied to me, didn't he? He never told me what kind of monster he brought here."
Icariel's gaze locked onto him, his voice cold as steel.
"You came here to take my life… because you thought I was weak. Didn't you?"
"Then you should accept the consequences of that choice… Adviser."
He narrowed his gaze, the flame behind him burning like a halo.
"In the mountains, I learned something."
"The loudest beasts fall the fastest."
"And right now…?"
"You're being very loud."
Valandor stepped back again, panic rising.
"Stay back… STAY BACK!"
Meanwhile – At the Edge of the Elven Village
Tessara lay buried beneath fallen trees and the broken remains of an elven house. Her body trembled, bloodied and bruised. Her once-vibrant green hair was matted with dirt, her breathing shallow.
Before her stood the invader with glowing orange eyes. He looked down at her with a grin.
"You lasted a few seconds longer than I expected. Impressive."
He turned his back on her.
"I'll go now. Time to end things at the Tree of Life."
He leapt into the air—disappearing toward the heart of the forest.
Tessara barely remained conscious. Her vision blurred. Her thoughts scattered.
"I must warn the others... they need to escape... No one can beat that monster..."
Her silver eyes fluttered shut.
Darkness took her.