The Stone of Will had done its job.
Yu Tian's spiritual strength had grown enough to finally stabilize all seven Lightning stars—though barely. The violet arcs in his inner universe still crackled with barely restrained energy, threatening to slip from his control at any moment.
But today, he would test it.
Alone in the abandoned training grounds at the edge of campus, Yu Tian raised his hand—
"Lightning Strike."
A purple sigil blazed to life before him, and a whip of electricity lashed out, splintering a wooden dummy into charred fragments. The backlash sent a jolt up his arm, leaving his fingers tingling.
[ Lightning Spell Output: 200% Efficiency ]
[ Mana Cost: 25% Higher Than Fire (Due to Instability) ]
[ Control Rating: 6.5/10 (Needs Refinement) ]
Yu Tian exhaled sharply. "Still rough… but it works."
If he could master this before the semester's end, no one at Tianlan Magic High would stand a chance.
The next afternoon, Yu Tian boarded the city bus back to campus—his face concealed behind a sleek black mask, his silver-white hair tucked under a hood. He had learned long ago that anonymity was power.
As the bus rattled along the road, he focused on stabilizing his Lightning stars, pushing his control further. But then—
A sudden jolt.
A surge of Lightning mana flared in his veins, reacting to his agitation. Before he could suppress it—
CRACK!
A violent arc of electricity coiled around his forearm, illuminating the entire bus in a flash of violet light.
Passengers screamed.
An old woman dropped her groceries.
A middle-aged man who'd been leering at a schoolgirl fell to his knees, his face white with terror.
"P-Please! Spare me! I-I'll never do it again!"
Yu Tian's eyes narrowed behind the mask. "…Interesting."
He hadn't meant to reveal anything—but now that he had, he might as well make use of it.
"Disgusting filth," he said, his voice deliberately altered to sound deeper, more menacing. "If I see you again, the next bolt won't miss."
The man scrambled off at the next stop, nearly tripping over himself in his panic.
The entire bus erupted into murmurs.
"A Lightning Mage!"
"Did you see that?"
"Who is he?!"
Yu Tian remained still, his mask ensuring no one could identify him.
"Good. Let them wonder."
By evening, rumors had spread across the city—a masked Lightning Mage had appeared on a public bus, threatening a pervert with a single spell.
Students whispered theories, some claiming it was a rogue mage, others a vigilante.
Teachers exchanged wary glances—Lightning was rare, and this mage's control seemed unnaturally advanced.
Yu Tian, sitting calmly in class, said nothing.
The mask had done its job.
No one suspected him.
With Lightning tested but still hidden, Yu Tian adjusted his plans:
Publicly Master Fire – Let them think it's his only strength.
Refine Lightning Control – Eliminate the instability.
Keep Space Hidden – No one could know about his third element.
The System's warning flashed before him:
[ Host's Anonymity Preserved ]
[ Recommended Action: Maintain Disguise During Future Tests ]
[ Space Element Must Remain Undetected ]
Yu Tian smirked.
"Time to push further."