The next day arrived with the scent of dew and the distant chirps of morning birds. The Black Bulls' squad awoke groggy but satisfied—the rogue beast had been defeated, and the forest had returned to peace.
Yet Kael couldn't rest.
Something had changed inside him during that battle. A resonance, a pull—a spark that didn't belong to any element he knew.
And it wasn't just his body. The system had been silent since syncing with Noelle's unstable burst of power. But now, lines of glowing text hovered before his eyes, visible only to him.
> [System Notification: Unique Magic Path Unlocked]
[Congratulations! Due to intense emotional synchronization and critical battle engagement, Kael has awakened a dormant affinity.]
[New Magic Type: Weapon Creation Magic – Tier I Unsealed]
His heart skipped.
Weapon Creation Magic.
It wasn't elemental. It wasn't anti-magic. It was something... personal. And entirely his own.
---
Testing the Spark
With the others occupied gathering supplies or goofing off, Kael slipped into the woods. He concentrated. The sensation felt like pressing his soul into a mold, crafting something from will alone.
"Focus…" he whispered, recalling the surge he felt in the fight—the desperation to protect, the rage at almost losing Noelle.
His crimson eyes glowed faintly.
In his hand, light swirled into shape.
Not a blade. Not his standard anti-magic weapon.
This was something new.
A glaive—a long polearm, sleek and sharp, glowing with swirling violet runes. It shimmered faintly, reacting to his mana like it knew him.
Kael spun it experimentally.
It was light, fluid, an extension of his own body.
He struck a tree with it—and the trunk cleaved clean through. No windup. No heavy swing. Just precise destruction.
> [Weapon Created: "Void Crescent" – A hybrid polearm designed for mid-range sweeping control. Temporary enchantment: Mana Severance Tier I.]
He stood still, awestruck.
"I can create anything I imagine…"
His mind buzzed with possibility. Shields, spears, whips, bows—any form, bound by thought and battle intent. And each could have magical properties assigned.
This wasn't just power.
It was potential without limit.
---
Interrupted Solitude
"Well, well," said a familiar, lazy voice from behind him. "That was kinda hot."
Kael turned, startled, to find Vanessa leaning against a tree, arms crossed, lips curled in amusement.
"I thought you were helping Magna?"
"I was. Until I saw a tree explode and thought, 'Yup, that's definitely Kael's doing.'" She sauntered closer, watching the glaive fade into mist. "New magic?"
He hesitated. "...Yeah."
Vanessa whistled. "Weapon creation. Rare stuff. Dangerous, too. You okay?"
"I am. It felt… natural," he said.
Vanessa studied him. "You ever wonder how much more you're hiding in there?"
"All the time."
Her eyes softened. "Good. Just make sure you don't hide too much from us."
---
Back to the Bulls
Later that day, the squad returned to the Black Bulls' base. Yami wasn't around—probably off gambling or smoking himself into another dimension—but the rest of the team welcomed them with loud cheers when they reported the mission's success.
Kael barely had time to sit down before Gordon appeared beside him. "I… saw you... with the new magic…"
Kael blinked. "You… did?"
Gordon nodded, whispering something incomprehensible with a friendly smile.
Kael chuckled. "Thanks... I think."
Even Grey tried to say something encouraging, though she transformed into a rock out of nervousness halfway through.
Vanessa raised a toast.
"To Kael's crazy polearm and Noelle's hurricane explosion!"
"Cheers!" everyone roared.
Noelle, sitting nearby, turned red but didn't look away from Kael.
---
Internal Echoes
Later that night, Kael sat alone in the training chamber, spinning another weapon into existence—this time, a chakram with silver-blue edges that shimmered like moonlight.
Each one came easier. Faster. Sharper.
> [Weapon Created: Lunar Fang – Enchanted throwing disk, auto-returns, silences minor spellcasting for 2 seconds on contact.]
The system chimed again.
> [New Passive Unlocked: Instinct Crafter – All weapons created by Kael now carry slight adaptive enhancements based on his emotional state.]
It hit him then.
This wasn't just a cheat system anymore.
It was evolving with him.
Every emotion, every bond, every pain—it was fuel. And from it, his magic grew.
Not random.
Personal. Powerful. Purposeful.
---
Foreshadowed Storms
As he exited the chamber, Kael paused near the door.
He could sense it in the distance—magic fluctuations he didn't recognize. Violent. Chaotic.
Something was brewing.
Not just inside him.
But in the kingdom.
Whatever was coming, he'd be ready.
And now, with his own magic taking shape, he wouldn't have to rely solely on others' paths.
He was forging his own weapons, his own way.