Human Puppetry

No matter how much Ariase thought it through, he simply couldn't come up with an explanation.

Everything about that guy's awakened elements was wrong.

His first element was forbidden—a fact that already made him an anomaly.

His second element, on the other hand, belonged to the fire elemental branch, meaning his affinity should have nothing to do with leaves.

'So... how did my talent work on him…?' he thought curiously.

Even stranger—the guy hadn't woken up since Ariase severed the connection.

He remained unconscious, completely unresponsive.

Ariase frowned, feeling uneasy about the whole situation.

What he did earlier was something that should have been impossible.

His talents only allowed him to manipulate leaves or imbue them with the power of four seasonal changes.

But what he had just done had nothing to do with that.

It was pure puppetry.

And what creeped him most was how effortless it had been compared to controlling multiple Earth Grade leaves.

For a moment, his mind wandered toward the potential of his discovery. 

But he immediately shook off the thought.

'If I could control living beings like that… the possibilities were endless... No, I better stop thinking about it! That's beyond unethical.'

Ariase sighed, trying to push the matter aside.

Right now, he just wanted to enjoy exploring this world—not get caught up in something so morally twisted.

...

Just then, Kevin returned, grinning ear to ear.

"Ria, you won't believe what I just heard!" he blurted out, practically vibrating with excitement.

Before Ariase could even react, Kevin launched into full-on gossip mode, complete with exaggerated sound effects and over-the-top gestures.

"Bro, I swear it was like one of those crazy dramas...'" Kevin mimicked the panicked tone of the recorders, dramatically clutching his chest before switching to a serious face.

Ariase chuckled, shaking his head at his friend's ridiculous antics.

He had already known all of this minutes ago.

The association and the government would be taking the guy into custody.

His awakening was far too unstable—especially with him having both a forbidden element and a second element.

...

A few minutes later, many students had already been transported outside.

Most had experienced a normal awakening, their talents aligning with only one elemental affinity.

But this time, a sudden surge of energy rippled through the area, sending a premonition of another crisis down Ariase's spine.

A girl wearing glasses was transported to the gate.

Ariase opened his eyes, tilting his head slightly as he felt the strange sensation gnawing at him.

And there it was again.

Her essence… it felt almost identical to his own.

Ariase's brows furrowed, "Not again…"

Meanwhile, the girl, completely unaware of his turmoil, was jumping with joy, thrilled at her newfound talents.

The recorders quickly approached her, scanning her status.

Soon, excitement spread among them as one of the officials announced, "Irregular! There's another one at this school!"

The girl had awakened both the Snow Element and the Gale Element.

Her homeroom teacher from Section Anthurium was ecstatic.

A genius had just been discovered in her class, and the pride in her eyes was undeniable.

But Ariase? He was troubled.

A storm of conflicting thoughts raged inside his mind as he once again activated [Foliage of Four Seasons].

And sure enough, he saw it again.

A thread of connection between himself and the girl.

Just like before, he tested it to see if it was the same as before as he willed a command into the connection, "Do a push-up."

And—

The girl dropped down in an unconscious state, planting her hands on the ground before lifting herself up.

The recorders and students gasped in confusion as the girl performed a single push-up, her face blank and unfocused.

Ariase felt a chill run through his spine and tried it again.

"J-jump?"

And—

The girl leapt into the air, her movements eerily mechanical.

Ariase immediately severed the connection, a deep frustration settling in his chest.

"This is beyond absurd… I controlled someone again. And, it's also an Irregular."

It made no sense.

'If only the Spirit of the Divine Tree was here… that old man could probably give me the answer I'm looking for... I'm really completely lost right now.'

Meanwhile, chaos erupted among the officials.

The recorders panicked, whispering urgently among themselves.

Even the girl's homeroom teacher, who had just been beaming with joy, was now frantically trying to assess the situation as her prized student suddenly collapsed.

A quarter of an hour passed, most of the students had returned from their awakening.

Ariase and the others observed the results with curiosity.

As expected, most students awakened natural elements, such as fire, water, and earth.

However, there were also those who awakened unnatural elements, like Kevin.

But what really caught Ariase's attention and stirred a bit of envy within him were the three students among the two hundred-plus awakenees who had awakened the Technology Element.

"Lucky bastards..." Ariase muttered under his breath.

Those who possessed it were granted their own personal system.

For someone like Ariase, who had spent his past life in a world without powers, the thought of having an integrated system was nothing short of a dream.

As he gradually accepted the fact that he wouldn't be able to achieve this dream, something happened again—another Irregular appeared.

But this time, this Irregular was different.

Unlike the previous two, who awakened separate elements, this girl had awakened a fused element—a perfectly combined affinity rather than two distinct ones.

The appearance of her element sent a shockwave of excitement through the university.

She awakened the Aquatic Flora Element.

A seamless fusion of water and nature element, blending the fluidity of clear water with the vitality of a hundred flowers.

It was a miraculous occurrence.

Unlike those who had to switch between two elements, a fused-type Irregular could harness both elements simultaneously, wielding dominion over two forces at once.

It was an overwhelming advantage in battle.

—

Ariase exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing as he once again felt the undeniable connection between himself and the girl.

Clenching his jaw, his mind raced as an unsettling thought took root. 'Something is seriously going wrong at the Grand Altar.'

This was no mere coincidence.

"What are the odds of does one school get three Irregulars in a single awakening year?"

Even during the Golden Age, Irregular awakenings were extremely rare—his uncle had told him as much.

But now, in the span of a single event, three had appeared?

Ariase's thoughts darkened.

"No... this isn't normal."

—

Meanwhile, the university was in an uproar.

Even upper-year students—third and fourth years—tried to approach the venue, only to be blocked by the teachers.

It wasn't just because of her power.

It was her presence.

—

She was... stunning.

Her red-pink hair cascaded like silk, an elegant fusion of warm colors that complemented her abilities. Her eyes, deep and mesmerizing, held the tranquility of a vast ocean.

Every movement, every flicker of her expression, seemed effortless—yet enchanting.

The younger boys—barely twelve—were visibly blushing, their faces flushed at the sight of her.

Even some of the older students stole glances, mesmerized by the mix of water's grace and nature's beauty embodied in a single person.