Morning in the Tower carried a strange kind of stillness. The halls were quiet, the stone floor beneath their feet cool as Baam and his teammates followed Instructor Yuto down a long corridor bathed in pale light. The air here shimmered faintly—heavier than usual—saturated with the presence of Shinsu.
They emerged into a large open training chamber. Transparent orbs floated high above them—balloons filled with compressed Shinsu, hovering gently in the air. Their task for the day was simple in design, but difficult in practice.
Strike the balloon with Shinsu. Make it pop.
Instructor Yuto stood at the center of the group, arms crossed. His sharp eyes scanned the Regulars.
"Today's lesson will be your first step in applying Shinsu offensively," he said. "Before you even think of striking, you must learn to mold Shinsu. Visualize it. Shape it. Control it."
He lifted a hand, and with a simple gesture, a perfect orb of Shinsu formed above his palm. It gleamed softly, pulsing like a second heartbeat.
"Control is everything. Wild power is meaningless without it. Now, begin."
Baam stepped aside to an open area and sat on his knees, hands spread apart before him. He could feel the Shinsu in the air—it brushed against his skin, flowed through his breath. But touching it, grasping it, shaping it—that was another matter entirely.
Focus, he told himself.
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The first step was to gather the Shinsu between his palms, collect it like drawing water from a stream. Slowly, he felt it respond—tugging, swirling, almost playful.
A faint blue glow flickered into existence. Between his hands, a sphere began to form—irregular and rippling like trembling water. It held for a moment, swaying, unstable.
Then—
Snap.
It burst, dissolving into the air like mist.
Baam let out a quiet sigh, lowering his hands.
This is really difficult...
Just then, a soft ding echoed in his mind. A screen flashed into view before him.
> System Notification:
> Basic Shinsu Control Acquired
> Skill Level: Entry
> Efficiency: 2%
> Tip: Concentrating and visualizing the attack may improve performance.
Baam's eyes narrowed slightly in thought.
So the system can also track Shinsu techniques…
He glanced down at his palm, feeling a subtle tingling sensation where the energy had gathered. It wasn't just physical—something deeper, more instinctual was awakening.
Nearby, other students took their turns.
Two Regulars—Hoh and a thin, quiet girl named Lozeal—stepped forward.
Hoh exhaled slowly and raised his hand, summoning a concentrated sphere of Shinsu. He launched it toward one of the balloons. The orb struck the target with a faint pop—but instead of bursting, the balloon merely wobbled in the air and floated back into place.
The effort left Hoh breathing harder than before, sweat collecting at his brow.
"You've made considerable progress," Yuto said with a nod.
"Thank you," Hoh replied, trying not to show his disappointment.
"Lozeal, good work as well."
"Thank you," Lozeal echoed, bowing her head.
Then Yuto's voice rang out again, loud enough to silence the murmurs.
"Next—Baam and Grey. Step forward."
Baam stood, his nerves tingling—not just from the Shinsu in the air, but from something heavier: the weight of expectation.
He moved toward the center, beside a short girl with silver eyes—Grey, a quiet presence with little expression. As they stood beneath the floating targets, Baam closed his eyes again.
Focus. Control. Visualize.
He took a deep breath, steadying his stance.
This time, he wouldn't let it fall apart.
---
Baam stepped forward once more, inhaling deeply as he took his position. The morning light poured through the high chamber windows, casting long, golden streaks across the polished floor. Around him, Shinsu drifted like invisible mist, dense and heavy with potential.
This time, it felt different.
The motions were the same—palms facing one another, breath steady, focus sharpened—but something subtle had changed since the System acknowledged his progress. It was as if an invisible thread connected his thoughts and his body, aligning his intent with action.
He gathered the Shinsu carefully, guiding it between his hands. The energy coalesced into a wavering sphere—more stable than before, more defined. No longer trembling like water, but holding together like something alive.
Baam raised the blue orb to shoulder height, eyes narrowing. His fingers twitched.
Now.
With a sharp exhale, he unleashed the Shinsu, sending it streaking toward a balloon high in the air. The blast grazed the side of the target but dispersed harmlessly into the atmosphere. A failure.
He didn't flinch.
Again.
Second attempt—missed.
Third—closer, but still not enough force.
Fourth—
The balloon shuddered violently as the Shinsu struck it, pushed backward by the impact. It didn't pop, but it moved—and that was enough to stir something within Baam.
Progress.
He continued. Again and again, Baam formed the orb, adjusted his stance, corrected his breathing, and launched the strikes. His arms grew heavier, his shoulders aching, but his movements grew cleaner, his aim sharper. The energy he shaped began to hold longer, strike truer.
The strain, however, was undeniable.
His thin frame trembled under the weight of each attempt. Sweat gathered at his brow and dripped down his temple. After ten minutes of relentless practice, Baam staggered back, chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.
Too much…
He retreated from the training area and quietly summoned the System interface. A faint chime sounded as the screen blinked into existence.
> System Notification:
> Basic Shinsu Control – Efficiency Increased
> New Efficiency: 5%
> Tip: Repetition stabilizes form. Stability increases output.
Baam smiled faintly. It was a small gain—but a gain nonetheless.
He knelt at the edge of the chamber, continuing to mold Shinsu between his palms. No attacks. Just repetition. Re-centering. Refining.
Lauroe, who had been watching from a nearby bench while half-asleep, cracked one eye open.
"You're holding too much tension in your fingertips," Lauroe mumbled lazily, "and your draw from the ambient Shinsu is too narrow. Loosen your focus, then tighten it once the flow stabilizes."
Baam looked up in surprise, then gave a quick nod of thanks.
His next turn came faster than expected. The other group rotated out, and Baam returned to the center.
He steadied himself.
This time, his hands moved more naturally. He extended his senses further, pulling from the environment instead of just the space in front of him. The Shinsu responded—fuller, heavier. Between his hands, the orb formed, larger and more stable.
Baam raised his arms, took aim, and fired.
The balloon jerked violently, pushed back several meters before floating still again.
The force had clearly increased.
Encouraged, he kept going. Each strike chipped away at the gap between intention and execution. His body protested, screaming with fatigue, but he didn't stop—not until the round concluded and Yuto raised a hand to signal the end.
Baam stumbled off the platform, legs trembling. He wiped the sweat from his eyes, breathing hard.
Yet despite his exhaustion, he felt… lighter.
The skill was no longer just a concept. It was becoming a part of him.
Instructor Yuto, who had been silently observing, gave a nod.
"Baam," he said, "your strength is still lacking… but your control isn't bad."
Baam, flushed and panting, bowed his head respectfully.
"Thank you."
---
Training had ended for the day, and the Regulars made their way to the cafeteria to rest.
Near a corner, Lauroe reclined as usual, half-asleep. Beside him, Hoh sat cross-legged, concentrating intently. Shinsu swirled faintly in his palm—only to scatter the next second. Another failed attempt.
Baam approached with a bright smile. "Lauroe!"
Lauroe lazily opened one eye.
"I finally managed to hit the balloon," Baam said, beaming. "It's all thanks to you."
Hoh looked over, surprised. "Thanks to Lauroe?"
Baam nodded. "Yeah. He gave me a tip on how to do it. It really helped."
Lauroe muttered, eyes already half-closing again, "I owed him a favor from yesterday."
"I see..." Hoh said quietly.
Just then, Khun appeared in the hallway and called out, "Hey, Baam!"
Baam turned. "Khun!" He waved and walked off to meet him.
Hoh remained where he stood, his gaze fixed on the floor. His hand dropped to his side, the Shinsu now gone.
He stared ahead in silence, his expression blank and distant.