The morning after the grand feast was characterized by silence and the faint scrape of brooms. Guild employees and janitorial staff were hard at work cleaning up the joyous mess, carefully navigating around the upturned chairs and spilled ale.
As Kaelus entered the Guild Hall, still feeling slightly overwhelmed by the previous night's sudden fame, Aethon Ironheart waved him over. The Guild Master was already sitting with Gron Stonebeard at a small, clean table near the office entrance.
"Kaelus, come sit," Aethon said, gesturing toward an empty seat. "I want to talk to you about something important."
Gron, nursing a large mug of black coffee, nodded in welcome. The three of them retreated to Aethon's functional but cozy quarters, located on the second floor.
Aethon leaned forward, his expression shifting from a party host to a serious professional. "Kaelus, your combat performance is undeniably A-rank, perhaps even higher. But it brings up a curious question: why are you lingering at peak 4-star mage?"
Kaelus felt a momentary flash of panic. He knew that revealing his true nature would cause catastrophic problems with the human Magic Court. He was classified as a peak 4-star mage simply by looking at his Wind element, but he assumed that was the highest rank a human mage could attain before specializing.
"You've clearly mastered Wind magic to the point where you surpassed most 5-star mages," Aethon continued. "So, why haven't you broken through to the 5th star by enhancing your polished Wind magic?"
Kaelus, feigning ignorance, adopted a confused expression. "Enhancing my Wind magic? How?" He looked at Aethon innocently. "How will enhancing my Wind magic affect my Star Rank?"
Aethon smiled patiently. "It's not exactly 'enhancing' your Wind magic, Kaelus; it's more like upgrading your element to a higher form."
"Higher form?" Kaelus repeated, his mind racing. He realized this conversation was vital; it held the key to understanding the limitations of the human magic system.
Gron, who had been listening attentively, joined the conversation. "You know about the four basic elements, right?"
"Yes, I know that much," Kaelus replied.
"And did you know the higher forms of those four basic elements?" Gron asked.
"Yes," Kaelus said. "The higher forms are Ice, Lightning, Gravity, and Sound, correct?"
"That's exactly right," Aethon confirmed. "And here's the key: Wind is the basic element. Its higher form is the Sound element."
Aethon tapped the table for emphasis. "By successfully upgrading your Wind element to its higher form—the Sound element—you will be automatically considered a 5-star mage. That's the barrier."
Kaelus nodded thoughtfully. "So how can I upgrade my Wind magic?"
"I think we have a grimoire here available for Sound magic," Aethon said. "A grimoire is a high-level magic textbook that is typically bound to a specific element. Unlike normal books, a grimoire needs to be refined and supplemented with your own mana for you to even begin to read and understand its complex theory. I will let you borrow it for some time. I will also lend you the Dragon's Fury Guild's Trial Area—it's our private, reinforced training field."
"Thank you," Kaelus said. "Also, I have a favor. I need someone to practice my sword skill."
Gron immediately looked surprised. "Sword skill? You are already a master swordsman! Do you still need to practice your sword skill?" The dwarf was recalling the terrifying precision of Kaelus's katana during the Crimson Orc fight.
"That was my first time using a sword," Kaelus said simply.
Both Gron and Aethon stared at him in stunned silence.
Aethon quickly composed himself. "Alright, I have someone in mind that may help you in your sword skill practice. I will notify you when the time comes. In the meantime, you must break through to 5-star mage using that grimoire. I'm counting on you."
"Thank you, Guild Master."
Kaelus soon made his way to the private trial area. He took the loaned grimoire and, following Aethon's instructions, began the refinement. He pressed the old leather-bound book against his palm, slowly channeling his vast, powerful mana into the binding. The grimoire absorbed the energy, glowing faintly before the intricate script on the pages became visible.
Kaelus began to study the complex formulas and theories detailing the transition from Wind to Sound magic. He spent hours trying to influence his own internal mana flow, attempting to reshape the very nature of his Wind affinity. He channeled mana outward, attempting the simple exercises described in the grimoire, but his Wind magic did not seem to change form.
During the process of internalizing the contents of the grimoire, there seems to be something hindering it. His dragon core, the true source of his power, was pulsating deeply, not in a painful way, but in a way that suggested an obstacle. It is as if like there's an invisible barrier in his dragon core and he couldn't influence it using this method.
Just as frustration began to set in, his concentration snapped. He suddenly felt an uncontrollable, massive surge of mana erupting from his core.
Kaelus blinked, suddenly finding himself surrounded by a wind tornado of devastating power. The cyclone instantly ripped through the reinforced training field, twisting the steel supports and tearing the ground. The wind was a roaring, destructive force, and the resulting tremors were shaking the foundations of the nearby Guild Hall. He instantly recognized the raw, terrifying scale of his dragon magic overflowing, a power too immense and unstable for the city's confines.
He immediately severed the external flow of mana from his dragon core. He didn't just stop channeling; he forcefully suppressed the output, clamping down on the torrent of energy. The raging tornado, cut off from its power source, instantly sputtered and collapsed, dissolving into a rush of normal air.
The silence that followed was broken by the sound of splintered wood and groaning metal. The trial area was a ruin, looking as if a massive invisible beast had clawed its way through.
Before Kaelus could fully assess the damage, Aethon came sprinting into the demolished field, his eyes wide with a mixture of terror and amazement.
"Kaelus, what the hell happened here?" Aethon shouted, his Guild Master robe flapping as he skidded to a stop. "Are you okay? I thought a monster broke into the city!"
Kaelus quickly masked his true panic, feigning exhaustion and confusion. "Guild Master, I... I don't know what happened. I was following the grimoire's instructions, trying to merge the Wind energy into the Sound form, and suddenly everything just went wild. It felt like my mana core just hit an invisible barrier, and when I tried to pull the mana back, that tornado formed around me."
Aethon surveyed the destruction. "The invisible barrier, you said? That's... unheard of for a mage attempting a standard elemental upgrade." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, the Guild will handle the repairs. But Kaelus, I think even if that grimoire could help you, we can't solve your rank problem with conventional teaching methods. Your connection to the Wind element is simply too unique."
Aethon clapped him on the shoulder. "But I have some good news. I found your sword practice partner. His name is Zane Bladeheart, and he's exactly the kind of unorthodox mentor you need. The House of Bladeheart is a famous family of magic swordsmen, known for blending raw strength with elemental finesse. Zane himself is a master swordsman and a battle instructor for the Royal Guard. He's going to whip you into shape, mage or not. You report to him tomorrow morning."
Kaelus nodded, internally relieved to be moving on from the magic barrier dilemma. "Understood, Guild Master. I'll report to him tomorrow."
"Good," Aethon said, turning to call for the cleanup crew. "Now, get some rest, Kaelus. And please, try not to accidentally destroy the city on your way out."