Chapter 3: Whispers in the Wind
The orphanage lay still under the soft glow of the moonlight. The only sounds were the distant hoots of owls and the gentle rustling of trees in the cool night breeze. Inside, the children slept soundly, unaware that one among them harbored secrets far beyond their understanding.
Raven sat up in his bed, his eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through the cracked window. He glanced around, making sure the other orphans remained deep in sleep. "It's time," he thought, slipping out from under the thin blanket. His movements were practiced, almost instinctual by now. He had done this enough times to know exactly how to move without waking anyone.daily he sneaked out for 2-3 hours in the night.
He moved silently through the darkened halls of the orphanage, his footsteps barely making a sound on the cold wooden floor. His breath remained steady, though his mind was buzzing with thoughts. "I have to get stronger…quickly. If anyone finds out what I'm capable of, it could all be over before it begins."
The Ancient Celestial Evolution System was powerful—far more than anything this world seemed ready for. But Raven understood the stakes. In this world, strength drew attention, and attention led to danger. "I'm not ready to face what's out there," he reminded himself, stepping out into the cool night air. "Not yet."
He crossed the courtyard, heading toward the far corner behind the garden shed where he wouldn't be seen. The cool breeze brushed against his face, a reminder of the element he was trying to master. "Wind manipulation... I need more control. It's still too unstable. D-rank is only the beginning." He had been practicing for weeks, using small gusts to fine-tune his mana manipulation, but it was far from perfected. His ability was still raw, like an unsharpened blade.
Crouching behind the shed, Raven focused, drawing mana from the air around him. The night felt alive with energy, the mana swirling unseen through the cold breeze. He closed his eyes and reached for it, letting the system guide him.
[System Panel:
Wind Manipulation (D-rank) – Evolving.
Current Progress: 47%
Condition for Next Evolution: Continued Use and Control Refinement.]
"Almost halfway there," he noted, a small smirk playing on his lips. He could feel it—the slight pull, the way the system responded as his abilities evolved. It was like a game of patience and precision. The more he pushed, the faster the system adapted, and the closer he came to leveling up.
He raised his hand, palm open to the sky, and began to concentrate. At first, the air around him remained still, as though waiting for his command. He could sense it now—the flow of mana in the wind, like invisible threads woven through the night. "Control it, don't force it," he reminded himself, his mind sharpening its focus. "Let it respond to you."
A faint breeze stirred at his fingertips. The sensation was delicate, almost imperceptible, but Raven could feel the change. He gritted his teeth slightly, guiding the breeze into a small, swirling current around his hand. It was slow, controlled—a soft spiral of air twisting lazily in his grasp.
"More," he urged himself, his concentration deepening. The breeze obeyed, picking up speed, shifting into a tighter coil. He could hear the faint whistle of wind as it danced around his fingers, moving faster now, like a tamed creature at his command. "Better… but still not enough." he pushed a little more and finally created a transparent -greenish sharp rotating wind bullet and released it towards a nearby tree and hit it in a branch the branch was around 10 CM thick as the bullet collided with the branch it dug a 7-8 CM hole in the branch and the branch just barely remained attacreak
The system pulsed again, feeding him information.
[System Panel:
Wind Manipulation (D-rank) – Evolving.
Current Progress: 53%
Efficiency has increased by 7%.
Control has improved. Continue use for further growth.]
"It's working," Raven thought, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his face. But he couldn't let up yet. He had learned the hard way that complacency was dangerous.
He raised both hands now, channeling more mana into the air. The wind responded immediately, swirling faster around him, forming a small vortex at his feet. The leaves on the ground began to lift, spinning gently in the air. Raven felt the strain of controlling multiple streams of mana at once, his breath coming harder now.
"Don't lose focus," he reminded himself. "It's all about precision." His mind honed in on the swirling wind, controlling its speed, its direction, its intensity. Every movement had to be deliberate. The smallest slip could make the wind spiral out of control, drawing attention he couldn't afford.
The breeze picked up, gusting around him in small, sharp currents. He could feel the mana flowing through him, responding to his will. For a moment, he allowed himself to enjoy the sensation—the sheer power of bending nature to his command. "This world doesn't know what's coming," he mused. "When I'm ready, I'll be unstoppable."
But then he heard a sound. A soft creak.