The sun was already low when the last fight of the day ended.
Students trickled out of the Outer Arena, chatting animatedly about the most spectacular duels.
Indra walked in silence, Jian strapped to his back, every muscle in his body aching. It wasn't just Marcus's kick—it was the feeling of having slammed into a wall that refused to give way.
He reached a quiet corner of the field, where a cluster of trees blocked the view of the arena.
Leaning against one of them, he let out a slow breath, replaying the fight in his mind.
I was fast… but not fast enough. Landed a few hits… but none decisive.
He closed his eyes, recalling the impact of Marcus's strike—the metallic clang, the pressure of his Magic Power, the way the energy condensed along the blade. It was unlike anything Indra had faced before.
He wasn't just hitting hard… he knew exactly how to channel his energy. That's experience.
"You've got the face of someone who lost more than just a fight." a voice called from behind.
Indra turned to find Sophie leaning against a nearby tree, arms crossed, half-smiling at him.
"So, you saw my humiliation?" he asked.
"I did. But it wasn't humiliation." she replied, stepping closer. "For someone just starting out, you lasted longer than I expected."
"Longer than you expected, huh?" Indra chuckled. "Not sure if I should take that as a compliment."
"You should." Sophie nodded toward the Jian on his back. "But you should also start learning to wield that sword like it's part of your body. In that duel, it looked like you were fighting against it, not with it."
Indra raised a brow. "Fighting against it?"
"Yeah. The Jian is a precision weapon, not a brute-force one. You were trading blow-for-blow with someone who's basically a walking tank. That'll never work. The Jian's strength is speed, flexibility—thrusts and clean cuts. If you keep trying to meet power with power, you'll always lose."
Indra sighed. "So I need to change my style."
"Not just that." Sophie added. "You need to understand how Qi flows with this weapon. A Jian doesn't just cut flesh—it cuts energy… if you know how to use it. Today, you were just moving your arm. You need to move your whole body."
For a moment, silence settled between them. The wind rustled the leaves overhead. Then Sophie bent to pick up a small branch from the ground and tossed it to him.
"Come on. Just because the day's over doesn't mean you get to sit here sulking."
Indra smirked faintly, drew his Jian, and assumed his stance.
"All right… show me."
The training started slow. Sophie circled him, correcting his footwork, the angle of his torso, the height of his arm. When he made a mistake, she tapped his leg or shoulder with the branch.
"Faster on the transition. The Jian isn't meant to block—it's meant to redirect." she said, moving behind him to adjust his wrist. "And here… don't block the energy. Let it flow through your whole body. Feel it moving into the cut."
Indra inhaled deeply, trying to follow her instructions.
Gradually, the sword felt lighter, the movements smoother, more natural.
After half an hour, Sophie stopped, resting the branch on her shoulder.
"Better. Still a long way from ideal, but at least you're not wrestling with the weapon anymore."
Indra wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"So… if I'd fought Marcus like this…"
"You still would've lost." she said without hesitation. "But you'd have lost with style." A faint smile crossed her lips. "And next time, maybe you won't lose at all."
Indra sheathed his Jian and glanced at the fading light on the horizon.
Next time…
For the first time since the duel, the loss felt less like a weight and more like fuel.
---
The training was over, but sweat still dripped down Indra's face. Sophie dropped the improvised branch and stretched with a satisfied sigh.
"That's enough for today." She nodded toward the Jian in his hands. "Oh, and put that sword in your Dimensional Ring. Makes life easier."
Indra blinked, remembering the ring was a tool he barely used.
"Right…" He focused, and the Jian shimmered before vanishing, as if swallowed by an invisible vortex.
"That's how everyone here does it." Sophie said matter-of-factly as she started toward the Outer Arena's exit. "No point in lugging your weapon around all the time. Let's go—it's time to head back."
---
The path to the dorms was lit by floating magical lanterns a few meters above the ground. The cool night air carried a faint scent of the surrounding trees. Indra walked beside Sophie, idly testing his Dimensional Ring by storing and retrieving small objects.
After a few minutes of silence, he spoke.
"Hey… about that practical class Professor Aurelia mentioned—the one in the monster-filled forest… Do you really think that's going to help me?"
Sophie arched an eyebrow.
"It's going to be more than helpful. It'll be your golden opportunity."
Indra chuckled. "Golden opportunity? To what? Die in style?"
"To test everything you've learned—and maybe, just maybe, form your Inner Core." she replied without missing a beat.
Indra stopped walking for a moment, frowning.
"Okay, but… how the hell is fighting monsters in a forest supposed to help me form an Inner Core and become a Graduate? I thought that was just about training and meditation."
"It's not just that." Sophie said with a small, knowing smile. "The energy you cultivate—your Qi—is more than physical strength or technique. It's the manifestation of your soul. It responds directly to your emotions." Her gaze sharpened. "And when you're in real danger, that energy reacts."
"Reacts how?" Indra asked, intrigued.
"Like a survival instinct." Sophie gestured as though shaping something invisible in the air. "I've seen it happen dozens of times. In a life-or-death situation, body and energy enter a special state—it's like your entire potential gets unlocked all at once. And if you've built up enough energy…" She smiled faintly. "You break through to the next level. You form your Inner Core."
Indra blinked, trying to picture it.
"So you're saying… the secret is to almost die?"
"In very simple terms… yes," Sophie said with a light laugh. "That's how it happened for me."
"You formed your Inner Core in a life-or-death situation?"
"Exactly." She shrugged. "Not just that—I only truly awakened my energy because I was almost killed by a creature from the Other Side. Before that, I was like you—could fight, but had no core."
Indra fell silent for a few moments.
"And you think… if I face one of those creatures, I might do the same?"
"I think it's very possible." Sophie said, her eyes back on the lantern-lit path. "But…" She pointed a finger at him. "It's not guaranteed. That kind of breakthrough only happens if you're truly at your limit—body and soul. The rest is up to you."
Indra exhaled, feeling both nervous and excited.
"So… Professor Aurelia's class is basically a courage test."
"And a survival test." Sophie added with a playful smile. "If you make it back in one piece, you'll be stronger. If you make it back with an Inner Core—you'll be a monster."
The dorms were now in sight, their windows glowing gold. Indra glanced up at the dark sky, heart beating faster. The thought of facing dangerous creatures still made him uneasy, but there was something else now—anticipation.
If this is the path to getting stronger… I'll see it through.
---
The house was quiet, the sound of running water from the shower the only thing breaking the silence. Indra emerged from the bathroom toweling his hair, his body loose after the intense training. Sophie was already in the kitchen, stirring a pot while softly humming something barely audible.
"Rice or pasta?" she asked without looking at him.
"Doesn't matter… just go easy on the salt this time." Indra teased, remembering the over-seasoned dinner from two nights ago.
"Shut up and set the table." Sophie shot back with a mischievous half-smile.
Dinner was simple but comforting. Afterward, they washed the dishes together, as always, and collapsed onto the sofa. Outside, the night was calm. Stars hung over the Esoteric Society like tiny, unmoving beacons in the sky.
And then… everything changed.
At first, it was just a distant, sharp thunderclap. Then the entire sky began to shimmer silver, as if someone had spilled liquid light over the clouds. Indra frowned and stepped toward the window.
"What the hell…?"
He didn't get to finish the thought. In the blink of an eye, Sophie was beside him—so fast the air seemed to compress—and raised her hand. A dense, blue-tinged barrier expanded around them like a protective shell.
"Stay behind me, now!" she ordered, her voice sharp with urgency.
Before Indra could ask why, the first silver bolt struck.
It wasn't a normal lightning strike—it looked like a ghostly meteor with a tail of ethereal light, slamming into the ground with a muffled boom. Waves of energy rippled out, rattling the windows. Then came another. And another. Dozens. Hundreds. A rain of silver destruction poured down on the Esoteric Society.
Each time one struck, Indra felt as if an invisible hand was trying to crush him entirely—his very soul pulled and torn apart. His Magical Veins throbbed frantically, on the verge of bursting.
And yet… it didn't hurt. Not exactly. His body felt numb, almost weightless. The crushing pressure suffocated him, but there was also something else… a strange sense of welcome. Fascination.
He was caught in that trance until Sophie's voice sliced through it.
"Indra! Focus!" she barked, eyes never leaving the storm. "This is a Silver Storm—one of the most dangerous phenomena for low-level Paranormals, especially anyone who isn't a Graduate yet."
Indra swallowed hard, watching another strike carve a crater into the distant training yard.
"And… what exactly is it?"
"Residual energy." she said, still watching the chaos outside. "Everything that dies on the Other Side—every creature, every being—leaves behind a kind of mixed, chaotic energy that belongs to no one. When it can't find a host, it builds up… until it's dumped randomly into our world."
Another bolt hit so close that the air itself seemed to vibrate.
"If one of these hits you." Sophie continued, "you won't even have time to scream. The energy will implode you from the inside out. Pure overdose."
Indra glanced at the steady, unyielding barrier surrounding them.
"But with me here." Sophie said firmly. "nothing's going to touch you."
The storm lasted… maybe minutes. Maybe half an hour. Time felt warped beneath that ocean of silver light and crushing pressure.
Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended. The clouds returned to normal, and the heavy air lifted.
Indra drew a deep breath, trying to steady himself. But instead of pure relief, he felt something else—an unfamiliar energy spreading through him, like warm mist seeping into every fiber of his being. He couldn't tell if it was good or bad.
"You okay?" Sophie asked, lowering the barrier.
"I think so… just… feels weird." he admitted, pressing a hand to his chest. "Like something's stuck in there."
Sophie studied him for a moment but said nothing. Indra yawned, exhaustion finally catching up to him.
"I'm going to bed." he said, giving her a small nod. "Tomorrow's going to be rough… and the practical class and exam aren't far off, right?"
"Exactly." Sophie replied, turning her gaze to the now-clear sky. "Rest while you can."
Indra headed upstairs.
Outside, all seemed calm again.
But the strange sensation inside him… that wasn't going away anytime soon.