Elijah stared at the massive rock in front of him, its imposing surface mocking his every attempt to break it. After hours of relentless swinging and strategic strikes, all he had to show for his efforts was a small dent. His arms ached, his grip on the sword trembled, and his mana reserves were dangerously low.
"Is this even possible?" he muttered, leaning on his sword to catch his breath.
Across the training ground, his eyes caught sight of the other student who also possessed a shard. The man's rock had visible cracks and small chunks of stone scattered around it. Elijah felt his competitive spirit stir.
By the time the training ended at 6 PM, Elijah was utterly spent. He dragged his aching body back to their dorm building, every step heavier than the last. When he entered, the sight of Visconti lounging comfortably on the couch was a stark contrast to his and Kieran's disheveled states.
Kieran sat down heavily beside Visconti, his expression hollow. When he glanced at Elijah, pity filled his eyes. "Elijah, you've suffered," he said in a monotone voice, as though reciting from a tragic script.
Visconti looked between the two of them with mild concern. "You both look terrible. What did your instructor make you do?"
Elijah collapsed into a chair, rubbing his sore shoulders. "Break a rock into pieces to retrieve a magic stone inside," he replied. "It's like trying to break steel with a wooden stick."
"Brutal," Visconti remarked, sipping his tea.
"The instructor made us hit bull's-eyes from 150 meters. Kieran said. "We could use any weapon."
"Impressive," Visconti said with an approving nod.
Kieran's eyes narrowed. "What about you?"
Visconti's lips twitched into a smug smile. "We just went over the basics of cybersecurity. Nothing too strenuous."
"Lucky bastard," Kieran muttered under his breath.
An hour later, the three of them lounged in the living room, watching a camp broadcast on a nearby monitor. The silence was broken when Kieran suddenly asked, "What's your gift?"
Elijah blinked at the abrupt question but said nothing. Kieran, however, had no such reservations. "Mine's fire manipulation," he declared proudly.
The question hung in the air for a moment before Visconti's sharp voice cut through. "Are you out of your mind? Revealing your gift is like handing over your weaknesses on a silver platter. It could cost you your life!"
"Relax." Kieran waved a hand dismissively. "The three of us are stuck together until we die. What's the harm in sharing? Better to know what we're working with."
Despite his gruff demeanor, Kieran's forthrightness was oddly reassuring. Elijah picked up a cookie from the table and took a bite before saying, "Gravity manipulation."
Visconti's jaw clenched. "You two are impossible. If I end up leaking your secrets, it'll be your fault, not mine."
"C'mon, Visconti," Kieran pressed. "What's yours?"
"Ohh. Maybe he's gift is as crappy as he is." Kieran said whispering to Elijah."
"You-"
Visconti muttered something under his breath.
"What was that?" Kieran asked.
"I said hydrofreezing," Visconti snapped.
Kieran's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Hydrofreezing, huh?"
"Oh, perhaps Visconti's a tsundere." He whispered to Elijah.
Elijah chuckled and nodded in agreement.
"Stop agreeing with him!" Visconti growled, crossing his arms.
That night, as Elijah lay in bed, the day's training replayed in his mind. The magic stone inside the rock...
He thought about what he knew of magic stones—they were incredibly sturdy, often used to craft weapons for Espers. The stones in Corps uniforms were processed versions, making them slightly more vulnerable than the raw ones.
A thought struck him. Even sturdy materials have weak points. If I can read the flow of mana, I might find where the stone is most vulnerable.
The following morning, Elijah arrived at the training ground, determination etched on his face. He gripped his sword tightly and closed his eyes, focusing his mana into his eyes. Slowly, his irises shifted from red to a deep, glowing purple.
When he opened his eyes, the world looked different. The rock in front of him shimmered faintly with the mana radiating from the magic stone inside. Carefully, he studied the flow, tracing it with his gaze.
The mana surged and swirled chaotically, but after careful observation, Elijah found it—a weak link on the left side of the rock
Elijah took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Reduce gravity," he whispered, and the weight of his body lightened. With a leap, he soared into the air.
As his body became lighter, his movements grew more agile. He leaped higher and swung his sword with precision, striking the weak point.
A faint crack appeared.
He landed lightly, staring at the rock in disbelief. It worked.
Encouraged, he repeated the process, carefully targeting the same spot. Each strike took a toll on his mana reserves, but the cracks grew larger, spreading across the surface like a spiderweb.
Elijah repeated the process, each strike carefully aimed at the same spot.
After four hours of continuous effort, Elijah felt like he was dying. His body ached, his mana was nearly depleted, and his mind screamed for rest. But when he looked at his progress, he felt a small surge of pride.
The left side of the rock was visibly damaged now, with cracks running deeper and wider than the previous day. Though it wasn't enough to destroy the rock completely, it was a significant improvement.
Elijah leaned against his sword, breathing heavily. I'll take a break," he muttered, his legs trembling beneath him. He needed to replenish his mana before continuing, but for the first time, he felt like the task was achievable.