With steady steps, Arin walked out from the crowd of students in the room, advancing toward the orb, a blank expression on his face. His movements were calm, almost mechanical, as if he were simply going through the motions without any particular excitement or anticipation.
When some of the students went to confirm their Rank, their faces were lit with excitement, their steps quick and eager. But Arin's demeanor was different—detached, indifferent. In some way, a person could say he was similar to Riya, whose cold and distant attitude had become a defining feature in the Academy.
Finally, he reached the orb under the gazes of the students present in the room. Whispers fluttered around him, but Arin paid them no mind. His focus was solely on the task at hand.
Riya yawned, stretching her arms and closing her eyes in a display of fatigue that was hard to ignore. Her nonchalance contrasted sharply with the tension in the room, and her actions seemed almost deliberate as if she wanted to communicate just how uninterested she was in this routine exercise.
'Moving my Mana won't be an issue. It's something everyone can do,' Arin thought as he stared at the orb, his mind as clear as a still pond. The blue, crystalline surface of the orb shimmered slightly, reflecting the light in the room.
Without wasting time, he raised his right hand and closed his eyes. Instantly, he felt the energy called Mana inside his body. It pulsed through him, a subtle yet undeniable force that he had grown accustomed to over the past few days. Mana didn't feel strange to him. He had already adapted to the sensations of this body, so feeling Mana now wasn't weird. It was as if he had been doing this for years.
Immediately after sensing his Mana, Arin began channeling it toward his right hand. There was no need to use a significant amount—just a small, controlled stream would suffice to interact with the orb and reveal his Elemental Affinity. The flow of Mana was smooth, almost effortless, as it surged toward his palm.
In the blink of an eye, he had already moved the necessary amount of Mana to his hand. The energy crackled faintly under his skin, a sensation both familiar and powerful.
'Now, for the next part,' Arin thought, his mind sharp and focused.
He lowered his hand and placed it on the orb. The moment his palm touched the cool, smooth surface, the orb began to react. As long as his hand was surrounded by Mana, the orb would sense it and change color in accordance with his Elemental Affinity.
And that was exactly what happened.
As soon as the orb sensed Arin's Mana, its color began to shift. A ripple of energy passed through it, and the crystalline structure flickered with different hues before finally settling on a deep, vibrant blue. The color spread throughout the orb, illuminating the room with a soft, azure glow.
A slight smile appeared on Arin's face as he stared at the orb. "As expected," he murmured to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.
He already knew his Elemental Affinity—Water. It was a fact he had accepted long before this moment, and seeing it confirmed before his eyes brought no surprise, only satisfaction. The knowledge of his Spells and abilities further solidified his confidence.
Riya, who had been observing with her usual disinterest, folded her arms before speaking. "Arin Vale, Water Element," she announced in a monotone, her voice lacking any real enthusiasm.
She yawned again, the action making her eyes watery. The students didn't need anyone to tell them—she was clearly exhausted and not trying to hide it.
Meanwhile, Arin's indifferent expression remained as his hand rested on the orb. "I already know the numerous opportunities I have with this Water Element, and one is even close by." A smirk threatened to form on Arin's face, but he controlled it, his demeanor remaining calm and collected.
Just as he was about to remove his hand from the orb, the system screen suddenly materialized in front of him, the familiar mechanical voice echoing in his mind. The screen appeared out of thin air, transparent and blue, only visible to him.
[Element: Water Element.]
[Alert! Alert! Alert!]
Suddenly, the system screen started flashing with a red light, and well, red meant danger, so Arin was immediately on alert. What could possibly be wrong? His thoughts raced as he tried to decipher the cause of the warning.
Thankfully, nobody else could see the system screen, so he didn't have to worry about attracting unwanted attention.
[Alert! Alert! Alert!]
The flashing continued, with only [Alert!] displayed on the system screen, the red light pulsating ominously.
'System, what's going on?' Arin asked in his mind, his tone calm but tinged with curiosity. There was no response from the system, which only added to the growing tension.
Despite the situation, Arin maintained his composure. Panicking wouldn't solve anything, so there was no point in letting his emotions get the better of him.
After what felt like an eternity, the flashing stopped, and the system screen returned to its original blue, transparent form.
[Scanning..... 100%....]
[Scanning has been completed.]
[Due to the fact that certain conditions have been met, you have awakened it.]
'Huh? Awakened what?' Arin pondered, his brow furrowing slightly as he tried to make sense of the message.
[You have awakened the Hidden Element.]
'Wait... Hidden Element? As in an Element apart from the 9 Elements?' Arin's thoughts were already spiraling as he tried to grasp the implications of what the system was saying. A Hidden Element—something beyond the common knowledge of this world. The very concept was enough to shake the foundations of everything he knew.
[The Hidden Element is....]
Before Arin could read further, a lady's voice suddenly tore into his thoughts.
"Arin Vale, is there a problem?" Riya asked, her voice soft and almost enchanting, breaking the silence in the room.
Arin turned to look at her, his face composed, with a slight smile playing on his lips. "No, Miss Riya. I'm fine," he replied, his tone even and reassuring.
"Okay, now, time to confirm your Rank," Riya said, her eyes drifting to the ball object that stood nearby.
Arin nodded his head and walked toward the ball, standing a few steps away from it.
'Hmm, I have four Spells. Which should I use?' Arin thought, considering his options. 'The Water Shield is a defensive Spell, and the Water Wall is also a defensive Spell.'
Among the four Spells that he currently knew, two were defensive Spells while the other two were offensive. The choice was clear, given the circumstances.
'For offensive Spells, I have Water Ball and Water Spike,' he continued, his mind calculating. 'Water Spike is the strongest, so I'll use it.'
Arin had already decided to keep his "Extra" skills and other system-related abilities a secret. He had no intention of revealing anything that might draw unnecessary attention, though he saw no harm in demonstrating his Water Element skills, as they were expected. Still, he planned to remain low-key, to keep things as ordinary as possible.
In a swift motion, Arin raised his right hand, and Mana began to surround it.
*WHOOSH*
The wind suddenly picked up pace, swirling around him as the Mana concentrated in his hand. In that same instant, a long spike made of water began to form above his head. The sound of rushing water filled the air, a low, steady hum that grew louder as the spike took shape.
The water was clear and pristine, shimmering with an almost ethereal light as it gathered into a sharp, pointed form. Droplets splashed around him, some catching the light and creating tiny rainbows as they fell. The spike grew longer and more defined, the surface smooth and polished.
The sound of water was rhythmic, almost hypnotic, as it continued to flow and solidify into the deadly form. The spike hovered above Arin, its tip sharp and menacing, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Suddenly, Arin's eyes widened slightly as an idea crossed his mind.
"I see.... But should I really do that?" he whispered, contemplating his next move, the spike of water above him glinting in the light, waiting for his command.
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[A/N]
Hey guys, Arin's Element is Water! We'll soon see the reason why.
But what do you think is the Hidden Element? And what do you think he's about to do?
Let me hear your thoughts in the comment section just like last, it'll be helpful. Thanks!!