chapter 5: The Winds of Destiny

After Arthur awoke, everything seemed to return to normal. As he entered his classroom, there was a noticeable change in him. His physique had become more toned, a testament to the true power of wind he had harnessed. His long, black hair was styled impeccably, drawing attention as he walked in with newfound confidence.

Whispers and gossip filled the room as all eyes turned to Arthur.

"Hey, that's Arthur, right? He looks so handsome," a girl remarked.

"Yeah, and I heard he defeated Mirion," added a boy.

"Word is he's favored by the king himself," another voice chimed in.

Amidst the chatter, Arthur's gaze briefly fell upon a girl with blonde hair and a captivating smile—Casia Wildheart. Time seemed to pause for a fleeting moment as their eyes met. Arthur quickly looked away, feeling a rush of embarrassment.

Arthur then sat down at his bench, his thoughts drifting back to Casia. He recalled how she had looked worried when Mirion first picked a fight with him. Her anxious face flashed in his memory, especially during the duel when Mirion's attack almost struck him.

As Arthur was lost in these thoughts, a voice interrupted, "Hi, Arthur, are you fine now?"

Arthur turned to see Prince August standing beside him. "Yes, thank you for your hospitality. I was able to heal quickly," Arthur replied, shaking the prince's hand.

The entire class watched them, their curiosity piqued by the interaction.

After a while, the teacher entered the classroom and announced an upcoming competition in two months. "This competition is designed to assess your abilities," the teacher explained. "And this year, we have a special guest—King Frederick himself will be watching."

The class buzzed with excitement and anticipation at the news, the prospect of performing before the king adding an extra layer of pressure and motivation. Arthur felt a surge of determination, knowing this was his chance to prove himself once more.

From the next day, Arthur and his class began training in earnest, as the competition was only two months away.

The scene shifts to a training ground where a few children are practicing spell chants to improve their chanting speed. Nearby, another group is working on increasing their aura capacity.

*{Aura capacity, generally referred to as the energy needed to use magic, depletes with use. Once it runs out, you can't use magic until it's replenished. However, you can increase this capacity through training.}*

Similarly, all the students were training in groups of four. Arthur, August, Casia, and George were in one team, sparring with each other to become more powerful by experiencing real-life battles.

The first round was August vs. George. George used earth magic while August wielded hydro magic, both formidable elements.

August began by enchanting a spell to create several floating, sharp knives made of water, an attack known as "Hydro Spear." He hurled these knives at George with incredible speed. George immediately responded by summoning an earthen wall, which shielded him from the spears.

George then dashed out from behind the wall to the right and threw sharp needles made of stone. The attack was swift, but August quickly countered with a wave of water that not only stopped the needles but also formed into large fists as he clenched his own hand. He directed these water fists to strike at George.

George was taken aback by the massive hands made of water. They shattered the wall he had previously summoned. Blinded momentarily by the flying debris, George regained his sight only to find a sharp water blade at his neck, held by Prince August.

George was surprised by his defeat. August extended his hand to help him up and said, "You did well. Your attacks were impressive—they were good enough to surprise me."

George took his hand and stood up, replying, "Don't tease me, Prince August. You know I was weak."

"No, you were not. Your speed was great, and your defense was excellent too. To break through that wall, I had to use my best attack, which cost me a lot of aura."

"Well, if you say so, I believe you, Prince August," George said with a smile.

The next round of sparring was between Arthur and Casia: Arthur wielded wind magic, while Casia used hydro magic.

Before the round began, Gimir whispered something to Arthur in his mind.

"My master left a message with me when he created me. I hope this message will help you understand the wind power more. The message goes like this:

'While I lived my life as the strongest human in history, I was not satisfied. No matter how much I tried, it was impossible for me to become more powerful than I was. After some research, I discovered that my element, fire, had a growth limit—I couldn't grow any stronger than that. When I asked God about how one can break through that limit, God answered me by saying that every element has its growth limit, except for the wind element. The wind element has no limit to its growth. A person with the wind attribute can grow infinitely. Thus, I created Gimir, who contains every piece of information about the wind element and knows how to use the wind attribute. Remember, no matter what, the wind is a shapeless weapon. You can make anything out of the wind and use it however you want.'"

Casia started the match by hurling several water balls at Arthur with maximum speed. Arthur dodged a few, but some hit him, only managing to wet his clothes. Arthur used wind magic to dry himself off. Feeling confident after seeing the low impact of her attack, he attempted a wind spear technique that Gimir had used against Mirion. He managed to form it, but it was small because he didn't yet know how to shape the wind as Gimir did. While Arthur was preparing his attack, Casia did nothing.

Seeing this situation, Prince August stopped the fight. Arthur, losing his concentration, let the wind gathered in his palm dissipate. Shocked, he asked, "Why did you stop the fight?"

Ignoring Arthur, August looked at Casia and said, "Look, I know how you feel about him, but this is not the time to be selfish. If you let him prepare his spell, he would obviously win. Casia, what Arthur needs now is not concern, but training. Stop acting like a lovestruck girl."

Embarrassed, Casia's face turned red. "What are you talking about, Prince August? I'm not in love with him or anything! Though he does look good, has nice hair, is strong, and is great...," she continued, flustered.

Prince August interrupted, "You didn't hear a word I just said, except for 'lovestruck girl,' did you?"

Arthur grew more confused and asked, "What are you two talking about?" Casia was still flustered, and seeing the situation, George understood what was happening, but he was not happy. He felt a strange sadness because he had a crush on Casia.

Prince August sighed. "Are you kidding me? What is my team even doing? We have a clueless guy with no common sense, a beautiful girl with a huge crush, and a heartbroken guy. Are you kidding me?"

Seeing that everyone was distracted, Prince August called for their attention. "Hey, guys, how about a dungeon exploration for training purposes?"

Everyone was shocked and exclaimed, "A dungeon?!?!"

Arthur said, "But as far as I know, we are too young to go to the dungeon. They won't allow it."

"Well, if I ask my father, he would allow me with a few guards and some restrictions," Prince August replied.

"Hmm, well if that's the case, I guess we can go," George said.

"What about you, Casia?" August asked.

"Well, if all of you, including Arthur, are going, then I don't have any problem," Casia said, blushing.

Prince August looked at Arthur. "Yes, I don't mind," Arthur said.

"Well then, it's confirmed that we are going. How about tomorrow?" August suggested.

Everybody nodded in agreement.When Arthur arrived home, he found the house empty and quiet. His parents had already left, and the door was locked. A note lay on the ground, its message piercing through his heart: "Arthur, I know we haven't told you yet, but you are having a younger sibling. Your mother and I are at the hospital for delivery. Come to the hospital as soon as you get home."

When Arthur reached the hospital, his heart pounded with a mix of nervousness and excitement. The hallways buzzed with activity, filled with the beeping of machines and quiet conversations. Each step felt heavy with the news he was about to receive.

Finding the maternity ward, Arthur cautiously peeked into his parents' room. His mother lay there, tired but smiling warmly, holding a tiny bundle wrapped in pink. His father stood beside her, beaming with joy as he turned to greet Arthur.

Approaching them, Arthur felt a rush of emotions—relief, wonder, and overwhelming happiness. He focused on the small face peeking out from the blankets, calm and innocent. In that moment, everything seemed to freeze as he grasped the significance of this new life in their family.

Tears welled in Arthur's eyes, a mix of joy and deep affection for his new sister Celina Cifer. He gently touched her tiny fingers, feeling an instant connection. This precious arrival filled a part of his heart he hadn't known was empty, bringing a sense of unity and love to their family that he cherished deeply.

"To be continued..."