The troops who had beeed he bonfire scattered in a panic, bag away as Milo tumbled backward. Their faces turned pale, and it seemed as though their peaceful evening had been abruptly shattered.

  Milo, however, remained on the ground, sprawled out with cards scattered around him. He showed no immediate rea, lying there in silence.

  Without hesitation, Ats leaned frabbed Milo’s hand, and helped him sit up.

  HEAH!!!

  The surrounding troops grew even more armed. The music abruptly stopped, and sooire camp had turheir attention to the se.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Ats asked.

  Milo, still in a daze, stared bnkly at his own hand—the os had just used to pull him up.

  Ats patted Milo’s shoulder a few times to dust him off.

  HEAH!!!

  The crowd collectively gasped, their hearts practically leaping out of their chests. Even Milo seemed too stuo process what was happening.

  “Sorry,” Ats said casually.

  “Ah, y-yes, My L-Lord… I’m f-fine…” Milo stammered.

  Ats smiled and sat back down on the wooden log. Slowly, Milo joined him, resuming his seat as the initial shock began to subside.

  After a tense moment, the others who had scattered earlier started ing their way back toward the fire. They sat down again, though it was clear from their nervous ghat the uill lingered in the air.

  The music resumed.

  Zara, who had been sitting a short distance away, approached Ats with a piece of roasted meat on a small pte. The aroma wafting from it was enough to make his mouth water.

  “My Lord, this is for you,” she said, her voice soft, apanied by a faint smile.

  Ats paused for a moment, surprised. Was this the first time he’d seen Zara smile, even if only faintly?

  He couldn’t help but pare her tanna. Like Zara, Manna rarely smiled, but when she did, it was often the precursor to someone’s demise—literally.

  Zara’s smile, however, was entirely different. It was the smile of a teenage girl, ohat seemed to carry a sense of relief rather than menace.

  “Thanks, Zara,” Ats said, taking the with a small nod.

  As he bit into the roasted meat, its tender and fvorful taste melted in his mouth. Joining the others, he settled bato the group’s rexed mood. The atmosphere around the bonfire slowly returo its earlier joy.

  “My Lord, Zara has unlocked her elemental affinities,” someone said.

  “Really?” Ats responded. He turo Zara. “Tell me, Zara.”

  Zara looked a bit startled by the sudden attention but nodded. “It’s Light and Air, My Lord.”

  “Light and Air?!” Ats repeated.

  Unlog two basic elements was already signifit, but having one of them be Light made it even more remarkable.

  “Have you unlocked their bination as well?”

  Zara nodded again. “Yes, My Lord. It’s called Radiant Gale.”

  “Radiant Gale?” his i grew. “Show me the Radiant Gale!”

  Ats stood, motioning for Zara to demonstrate, and the rest of the group followed suit, getting to their feet. Zara hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to ply with his request.

  The crowd quickly created an open spa the middle of the area as Zara prepared to demonstrate her new elemental abilities. The music stopped, and people began gathering around.

  Edrik stepped up beside Ats. “Zara el the synergy between Light and Air to create a fast-moving, dazzling attack,” he expined. “It’s a unique form of offense.”

  Zara summoned her bow, the Rank-A Whisperwind Arc, a on Ats had gifted her. She drew the string back, and a glowing arrow materialized. With precision, she aimed the training mannequins.

  Everyoched in anticipation. Zara released the arrow, and—

  g! The training mannequin moved as if defleg an invisible barrage. It staggered backward, battered by an unseen force.

  “What was that?” Ats asked.

  Edrik smiled slightly. “The ability fires high-speed wind bdes infused with radiant light. They deal sshing damage, but the brilliance of the light makes the projectiles difficult for the eye to track.”

  “Damn,” Ats muttered. “That’s powerful!”

  Zara then applied her elemental power to herself, creating an area of glowing wind around her feet. The swirling air enhanced her movements as she sprinted forward, leaping into the air with a graceful somersault.

  While airborne, she fired another volley of glowing arrows at the training mannequin, several of which struck their target with precision.

  “The synergy of Light and Air temporarily boosts her evasion and movement speed for a few seds.”

  “That’s perfect for her as an archer. Speed and mobility are crucial for her role.”

  Edrik smiled slightly. “This is just the beginning. With training and experience, she develop these two elements into something far greater.”

  Every time Zara ran or leaped, a swirling gale formed arouhe turbulent wind creating a visible ripple effect.

  Edrik tinued his expnation. “The gale disrupts enemy formations, pushing lighter enemies bad redug their mobility. It creates openings for her to strike while keeping her distance.”

  “That’s cool. It’s both defensive and offensive—a perfect fit for her style.”

  Zara nded gracefully, l her bow with a satisfied smile as she looked at the crouse erupted around her.

  “Zara, that’s so cool!”

  “gratutions!”

  Edrik cpped as well. He then turo another in the group. “Garen, your turn now.”

  Garen, with his t frame and massive build, gave a humble nod. He stepped into the open space.

  “Garen has unlocked Earth and Fire elements, as well as their bination: Volic Shield.”

  Garen ched both his fists, and a surge of energy erupted around him. His body and armor became encased in a yer of hardeh, interwoven with streaks of molten fire that pulsed across his frame.

  Members of the team stepped forward to test him, striking at him with their ons. Garen stood firm, blog attacks with his hands and abs blows directly with his body. Orike nded on his armored chest, triggering a fiery explosion that sent his attackers flying backward.

  Edrik tinued his expnation. “Volic Shield summons a protective yer of molten rock around Garen, blendih’s resilieh Fire’s searing iy. The shield absorbs ining damage as intense heat, burning and repelling nearby enemies.”

  “Cool,” Ats said. “That’s perfect for him as a frontlianker.”

  “Agree,” Edrik nodded. “It enhances his natural role while making him even more formidable in close bat.”

  , it was Kaida’s turn, the fident leader of the Bze Team. With a smirk, she stepped forward and addressed Ats.

  “My Lord… I’ve bee eveer with fire,” she said proudly.

  Edrik smiled and turo Ats. “Kaida only has the basic element of Fire, but she’s grown signifitly more potent in her damage output.”

  Kaida raised her staff and began demonstrating her abilities:

  Fme Burst: She unched a trated fireball at a training target, which exploded on impact. The attack dealt medium fire damage with a minor AoE effect that sihe surrounding area.

  Bzing Barrier: She summoned a wall of fire that rose in front of her. The barrier blocked the imaginary enemy’s advance, inflig minor burn damage on anything that came into tact with it.

  Inferne: Kaida swept a stream of fire from her staff in a wide argulfing the area ihe sustained e of fire was ideal for clearing groups of enemies or keeping pressure on advang foes.

  One of the bystanders who nearly got caught in the fmes yelled out, “Kaida, yoing to roast me alive!”

  Kaida just ughed. “It’s only fire. Stop being so weak!”

  Finally, she demonstrated Pyrocsm Strike: Fire eled through her staff erupted around her in a devastating AoE attack. Fmes burst outward, leaving a burning effect.

  When she finished, appuse erupted from the crowd, though it was mixed with a few grumbles from those she’d deliberately singed during her demonstration.

  Kaida ughed at their reas. “e on, it’s just fire! You all act like it’s magma!”

  Finally, it was Ronan’s turn—the leader of the Dusk Team. Dressed in sleek bck leather, his cold expression remained unged as he stepped forward. He drew his bow and gave a respectful nod toward Ats before beginning his demonstration.

  Edrik provided text as Ronan prepared. “Ronan has unlocked the Air and Dark.”

  “Iing,” Ats said.

  “The bination of Air and Dark emphasizes his agility, stealth, ahal precision,” Edrik expined.

  Ronan began his showcase by summoning his elements. The area around him dimmed as a veil of darkness enveloped him.

  Ronan fired an arrow from his bow. The projectile, cloaked in darkness and propelled by air currents, was nearly invisible in flight.

  “Ronan fires an arrow shrouded in darkness,” Edrik expined. “The near-invisibility of the arrow makes it extremely difficult to predict or block.”

  “Simir to Zara’s attacks?”

  “Yes, but Ronan’s emphasizes stealth and precision,” Edrik replied.

  Ronan then unleashed a rapid barrage of dark arrows, each gliding through the air with incredible speed. He followed up by using air currents to reposition silently, striking from an ued angle.

  As he pleted his demonstration, the audience broke into appuse.

  Ronan bowed once more to Ats before returning to the group.

  Ats smiled, surveying the group. Good, he thought.

  “Everyone has grown signifitly. With this progress, we just o spread these advas across the eeam, and our overall potential will soar.”

  Turning to Edrik, he said, “Let’s go, Edrik. I want to discuss my quest with you.”

  Edrik bowed slightly. “Of course, My Lord.”

  He followed Ats as they left the gathering.