The word "Do it" echoed, not from Kenzo's lips, but in the corridors of his mind. Instantly, a searing headache struck him, piercing from his forehead to the nape of his neck. Intense disorientation overwhelmed him, as if his brain was being pulled in every direction. A sensation of countless "data" bombarded his conscious mind, like fragments of information forced through the smallest crack. His body stiffened, his muscles twitching uncontrollably.
Yet, Kenzo did not give in. He clutched his head, whimpering softly, but amidst the sensory storm, there was a glimmer of hope. He knew this was the price to pay. The data storm gradually subsided, leaving an odd wave of comprehension. It was as if a barrier in his mind had collapsed, and a clear river of language suddenly flowed.
He lay sprawled on the hut floor, his breath ragged. His body felt heavy, every joint aching, but a faint smile was etched on his face. He had succeeded.
Morning dawned, bringing the scent of woodsmoke and damp earth after yesterday's battle. Kenzo woke with a strange sensation in his head—no more piercing pain, just a new "space" that felt full. He heard voices outside the hut, Elara speaking with Borin. This time, he understood every word!
"The wall needs major repairs, Borin. Our mana is limited after last night's attack," Elara said. "We'll have to start felling trees again," Borin replied, his voice heavy. "Thank the spirits Kael and Kenzo were there. Otherwise…"
Kenzo got up, fatigue still weighing on his body, but there was an undeniable joy. He stepped outside, Elara's and Borin's worried faces instantly turning to surprise when they saw him.
"Good morning," Kenzo said, a little stiffly, but the Tragam words flowed from his lips. Elara and Borin fell silent, their eyes wide. "You… you speak? Our language?" Borin almost dropped his axe. Kenzo gave a small smile. "Yes. After last night, there was… a change. I can understand it." Awe filled their faces. "A blessing!" Elara exclaimed. "You truly are no ordinary man, Kenzo Naradhipa."
With his new language skills, Kenzo could now fully participate in the post-battle discussions. He suggested smarter wall repairs, accounting for the weaknesses the Alpha Stone Boar had exploited, and new defensive plans that integrated Haelan's mana usage with physical traps. His presence was no longer just helping hands, but a designing mind.
Days later, life in the village returned to normal, though vigilance remained high. Kenzo and Haelan continued their magic training in an open field behind the village. Haelan taught Kenzo basic earth elemental manipulation moving small pebbles, forming clumps of mud. Kenzo absorbed it easily, optimizing every movement and mana flow.
"How are you so fast?" Haelan asked, shaking his head. "It took me years to feel the mana in a pebble this small." Kenzo tried to explain the concept of "Magic Formulas" directly. "Your incantations are a roundabout way. I see it as a structure, code. Once I know the code, I can execute it." Haelan still looked bewildered, but his respect for Kenzo grew. He had seen Kenzo's impossible magic. He knew there was something fundamentally different about this young man.
Just then, Lina appeared. The little girl, fascinated by magic, often came to watch. Her eyes sparkled seeing Kenzo move pebbles. With a child's enthusiasm, she tried to mimic Kenzo's gestures. She raised her tiny hands, closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate.
Suddenly, Kenzo and Haelan felt a very strange and pure wave of mana gathering around Lina. It wasn't an ordinary mana flow; it was an overflowing, yet incredibly clear and uncontrolled vortex of energy. The air around Lina shimmered, emitting an intense humming sound, and the dust particles around her began to glitter with a faint light.
[Warning: Uncontrolled mana manifestation. Subject (Lina) shows a Light element affinity of 120%. The amount of mana absorbed exceeds body storage capacity. Risk of uncontrolled energy release.]
Haelan, sensing the same danger, cried out in horror. "Lina, release it! Release the mana!"
Frightened, Lina instinctively released the mana gathered within her. Instantly, a burst of pure white light erupted from her tiny body. The light was dazzling, like thousands of fireflies exploding at once, far brighter than the setting sun, throwing Kenzo and Haelan several feet back in surprise and temporary blindness. The blast caused no physical damage, but it was intensely blinding temporarily and had a very wide visual range, illuminating the entire sky for miles around like a silent lightning flash.
---Parallel Scene: Church Spy---
Far on the border of the territory, a Church Inquisitor, Lyra, was patrolling. She was a formidable Light mage, sent to monitor remote, often overlooked areas. Suddenly, the sky on the horizon was lit by an impossible flash of light. It was not natural light, nor any known magic. The light was too pure, too powerful, and too vast in its reach. Lyra immediately made a mental note; her report would cause an uproar.
---Parallel Scene: The Elder Saint---
In the magnificent cathedral of the Central Church, Saint Aurelia, the elderly and dying leader of the holy mages, lay on her bed. She had been awaiting a sign, a promised revelation. Suddenly, her eyes widened. A beam of light pierced the darkness of her chamber, not a physical light, but a spiritual illumination that only she could perceive. The revelation whispered in her mind: "A new Saint has risen in the Forgotten Lands; Her Light shall guide or burn the world." Saint Aurelia smiled weakly. Her search was over. A new holy mission had begun.
---Back in the Village---
Kenzo and Haelan coughed, their vision slowly recovering from temporary blindness. Lina cried in fear.
"What… what was that?" Kenzo asked, still stunned.
[Energy Release Analysis: Source - Subject 'Lina'. Energy output equivalent to Tier 3-4 magic (area effect). Affinity: Pure Light, 120%. Probability of natural occurrence: 0.001%. This is an extreme anomaly.]
As Kenzo tried to process the technical data from Prometheus, Haelan gazed at the sky with a pale face, filled with a horror far greater than mere shock.
"That light…" Haelan murmured, his voice trembling. "Such pure light. Rarely have I ever felt such a high Light affinity. Almost everyone with this element… they are destined to become a Saint."
Haelan turned to Kenzo, his old eyes reflecting deep fear. "It was like a beacon in the dark night. Everyone who can feel the mana flow within hundreds of miles will have seen it. Mages, noble knights… and the Church. They will come," he said. "And they won't come to ask questions."
Kenzo fell silent. He combined Prometheus's data—energy output equivalent to Tier 3-4 magic with 120% pure Light affinity—with Haelan's experienced warning. The conclusion was terrifying. Lina's extraordinary power, especially the purity of her Light, was no longer a secret. It had become a summons, an invitation to the great powers of this world.
He looked at the innocent, frightened Lina. He knew Prometheus was right when it said the coming threat would be far greater than Stone Boars. The threat was civilization itself.