011. A light training

Soon after leaving the cafeteria, he made his way toward the training grounds, drawn by the sound of clashing weapons and shouted commands.

He wasn't entirely sure what he was hoping to find or achieve, but watching the sparring students might help him figure out how to use the skills the system had given him. Maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to train himself—quietly, without drawing attention.

"I'm sure she'll be fine on her own. She's a noble, if I remember correctly, and most nobles I've seen are usually strong."

He slowly made his way to an empty chair positioned just at the edge of the training field, careful not to draw too much attention to himself.

The grounds were mostly deserted, with only six people scattered across the wide space, all of them older than him—senior students whose experience and cultivation levels far surpassed his own.

With Kael now included, they became seven in total, but he remained the only junior among them.

Two of the six were currently locked in a heated duel at the center of the field. Sparks of elemental energy lit up the air between them—one was clearly a fire cultivator, his aura pulsing with heat and raw aggression, while the other commanded the fluid, adaptable force of water, his movements graceful and strategic.

Both were powerful elements in their own right, and when wielded by capable hands, they could turn the tide of any battle.

Watching them, Kael felt a mixture of awe and urgency. This wasn't just any casual spar—this was a lesson in real-time, a rare chance to study the rhythm and clash of opposing elements. It made it all the more important for him to keep his focus sharp.

Every movement, every reaction, every opening they created or exploited could teach him something—how to defend against a sudden surge of flame, how to counter a sweeping tide of water.

If he paid close enough attention, he might gain valuable insights, not just in the techniques themselves, but in the mindset behind them. This was a chance to learn from the best, and he wasn't going to let it slip by.

'Time to watch and gain as much experience as I can.'

The water affinity cultivator was the first to make a move. With a calm breath, he extended his hand toward the open air, drawing moisture from the atmosphere around him. The water condensed and flowed seamlessly into existence, swirling around his form with fluid grace.

In a blink, he surged forward atop a rapidly forming stream, almost as if he were gliding or surfing on liquid itself. His speed was blinding—each movement sleek and controlled as he raced across the training field with practiced ease, aiming straight for his opponent.

The fire cultivator, already braced for the clash, didn't flinch. He stood rooted, his fists clenched at his sides, then slowly drew in a deep breath, his chest rising.

As he exhaled, a visible plume of steam hissed from between his lips, curling in the air like mist off a forge. In a swift, fluid motion, he threw a punch forward—not at his opponent but at the very air in front of him. Flames erupted from his fists, bright and volatile, scorching the space before him.

Then, twisting his body with momentum, he directed the flame downward, blasting the ground beneath his feet. The force of the blast propelled him forward like a missile, launching him straight toward the approaching water cultivator.

As they both converged in the center of the field, the tension in the air thickened as neither held back. With a sharp gesture, the water user raised his arms and summoned a wave, hurling it toward the oncoming fire cultivator with incredible force.

Almost simultaneously, the fire user responded by igniting the air before him with a wide burst of flames, sending a roaring wall of fire crashing forward.

The two elemental forces collided with a thunderous boom. Water and fire met in a chaotic burst, and the result was an intense explosion of steam and smoke that swallowed the center of the training field.

The sound reverberated across the empty grounds, and a thick curtain of smoke drifted up and spread outward, obscuring everything in its path.

With visibility completely lost, neither fighter could rely on sight anymore. The smoke hung like a shroud, and the air was dense with the lingering heat and moisture of their elemental clash.

Now, both cultivators had no choice but to fall back on their instincts, their training, and their sharpened senses to anticipate and counter the next move hidden within the haze.

"Wow, such destructive power. I'm amazed that they're just seniors."

Kael saw as the two cultivators pulled out of the smoke simultaneously, sliding back meters away.

The fire affinity user, sensing the tactical disadvantage the smoke presented, decided to rise above it. With a powerful blast of flame directed beneath his feet, he launched himself into the air, the fiery propulsion leaving a scorched trail behind.

Suspended mid-flight, he hovered with volatile grace, fire crackling around his limbs like living armor. From this vantage point, he had a clearer view of the field as the smoke began to thin below him, giving him the high ground and tactical visibility.

Meanwhile, the water user dropped into a low crouch, one knee grazing the ground as he extended both arms forward.

The air around him shimmered as moisture rapidly condensed, coalescing into a spear of water so sharp and refined it glistened with a dangerous clarity.

With practiced calm, he narrowed his eyes, locked onto the fire user high above, then hurled the spear with remarkable force and precision. The weapon sliced through the air, spinning as it traveled with deadly intent.

But the fire user was already anticipating it. Using bursts of flame from his palms and feet, he manipulated his trajectory midair, a technique few could master with such finesse.

At the last possible second, he twisted into a tight aerial flip, the spear missing him by no more than the width of a hair. It shot past with a sharp hiss, a testament to both the water user's speed and the fire user's reflexes.

By now, the smoke screen that had once clouded the field had mostly dissipated, revealing the scorched and damp terrain left behind by their clash. Without hesitation, the fire user formed his own spear—this one a roaring lance of concentrated flame.

It radiated heat so intense the very air shimmered around it. He hurled it with a sharp flick of his arm, the flaming projectile blazing through the sky like a meteor.

The water user's eyes tracked it instantly. His body tensed, then moved with smooth precision, shifting sideways in a fluid motion just in time to evade the spear's path.

It missed him cleanly, but when it struck the ground just behind him, it detonated on impact. The explosion rocked the field, sending a shockwave through the air and a blast of fire rolling outward.

Dirt and debris shot skyward, and a deafening boom echoed across the training grounds, leaving a smoking crater where the spear had landed.

"Wow."

Kael was amazed by how well they controlled their abilities, even while it being so destructive.