'I can't do it...'
His grey gaze remained fixed on me, heavy with a dissatisfaction that felt like a physical weight. One of his eyebrows arched in a silent, judgmental curve.
"Three days... and not a single response?"
The silence born from his prolonged contemplation made my hands tremble. Even I didn't know why there wasn't a trace of power left in me.
"This is strange."
He tapped the bag beside him lightly with his right hand. Now, it moved naturally, as if it hadn't been violently dislocated less than a week ago. A normal human body wasn't supposed to mend this rapidly.
"Tell me the truth. Have you been practicing the breathing technique as I instructed?"
The sharpness in his voice made me doubt whether I had actually trained at all over the past few days. Of course, I had. But the coldness of his stare made me fidget, my response stumbling over itself.
"Y-yes, I swear! I haven't missed a single moment. I've trained harder than anything in my life!"
Is he some kind of human lie detector?
"Haaah. What is the cause then? Don't you remember the sensation of using your power back at the Tower? Anything could be the catalyst!"
He almost raked his fingers through his meticulously styled hair in frustration, but as his hand neared, he flinched. He stopped mid-motion, his hand retreating quickly to his side. He tried to summon the memories of that day, but no matter how deep he dug, he found nothing.
"Maybe... just maybe... I remember that day was overcast. Could the catalyst have been rainwater rather than seawater?" Lina suggested after a few moments of hesitant reasoning.
"...That hadn't crossed my mind," the Leader muttered, his voice like a shard of ice. "Since the power looked so similar, I assumed it was identical... but you might be right. Even if two people in the world possess the same ability, the trigger isn't necessarily the same."
He looked back at me, his eyes narrowing.
"If that's true, the situation is dire."
"W-why?"
"If rain is the requirement to activate your ability, then winter is practically over." He pulled out his mobile phone and arched his other eyebrow. "Spring arrives in a few days. By then, your ability will be... entirely useless."
His words struck me with a profound internal gloom. I climbed out of the training pool and sat on its edge, dripping. It was true I hadn't succeeded in wielding my power, but I tried to look on the bright side: hadn't I at least learned to swim over the last few days?
Aside from eating and sleeping, I had done nothing but swim, dive, and drown repeatedly. Even at night, my time was spent breathing until my lungs burned or falling into a fragmented sleep while sitting upright.
But... it was all for nothing.
Both Lina and the 'Ice Cube' noticed my dejection.
"Until we find an effective way to control it... let's try a different kind of training."
'What?'
The blood drained from my face. No, please, not that.
His deep voice sent a shiver through my entire body. I turned my head toward him with agonizing slowness.
'This madman!'
I remembered the ordeal of the past few days—the chlorine that had become a staple of my daily diet. That experience had placed a massive burden on my body; I had even begun to pity my own stomach, which felt nearly ulcerated from the constant intake of acidic water.
"It's time for you to meet the other member of the squad."
Lina's expression tensed the moment he uttered that sentence.
Knock. Knock.
Before he could even finish his breath, there was a rap at the door. Lina hesitated, but eventually, she moved to open it, allowing a young man to enter.
"This is Ryan... he will be your partner for the upcoming training," he introduced briefly.
"Good morning! I'm glad to see you all!"
His welcoming smile was bright, almost charming. But... why was Lina backing away from him as if he were a plague? And what was that look on her face? Pity? Perhaps... but for whom?
"Ryan, this is Mariam. You're both beginners now, so cooperate."
His eyes widened in genuine shock. "Mariam? You are her?"
Am I famous or something? I stood up from the edge of the pool, water dripping from my hair and clothes. "Hello. Am I really that well-known?"
His smile widened until it nearly reached his ears. "Of course! Aren't you the rookie who faced a Yellow-rank specter on her first try?"
"Yellow what?" I tilted my head at the strange term. Did he mean the Burning Specter? I remembered the Vault Manager saying something similar. Did they classify specters by color or number? Because I remembered him saying '28'.
"Let's begin without delay," the Ice Cube interrupted my thoughts as he unzipped a bag that looked like a golf club case. "Catch!"
He pulled out a smooth, cylindrical rod and tossed it toward me. I caught the staff with a questioning look. What is this supposed to be? What kind of hellish training is this?
"This is the reward from our previous mission. Since you were the greatest contributor, it's yours. Until you master control, you won't realize its true utility. For now... use it simply as a staff."
I weighed the rod in my hands; it was roughly the length of my torso. It had a decent weight, but otherwise, there was nothing special about it.
Clatter... Clatter...
After tossing the staff, the Leader emptied the rest of the bag's contents onto the floor. Dozens of thin, dangerously sharp metal shards spilled out. What were we supposed to do with these and a stick?
I had a terrifying inkling of what was coming, but I waited to be sure. He wouldn't tell us to fight, right? On our first meeting?
"Hang in there!" Lina encouraged me with clenched fists before retreating to the far end of the room.
"Huh? What is that supposed to mean?" I muttered, anxiety beginning to crawl through my veins.
"Actual combat is the most efficient training for control. Give it your all. ...Begin!"
"Please, go easy on me, Miss Mariam!" the young man said in a humble tone.
"Y-you too!" I braced myself, crouching slightly as I gripped the staff with both hands. What is his ability, I wonder?
I barely had time to consider the possibilities before I saw his right hand rise, extending straight toward me.
'Here it comes... A laser beam? A fireball? I'm ready for anything!'
Clatter... Clatter...
D-did I hear wrong? My eyes darted to the metal shards on the floor. My body froze at the sight. No, I hadn't heard wrong. And I wasn't seeing wrong either.
Clatter! Clatter!
The sound of clashing metal grew louder as four or five shards rose from the floor behind the young man, hovering in the air.
"No... you're joking! This is cheating!"
"Haha, please, be gentle with me."
He hadn't been smiling out of humility. This bastard... was mocking me!
"Telekinesis! Seriously?!"
An ability anyone would die for, while I was left gasping, running from flying blades. The shards were so fast they blurred into metallic streaks, homing in on me like guided arrows.
I batted the first shard away with the staff, but as I did, another sliced through my wetsuit at the stomach. If I hadn't stepped back in that split second, it wouldn't have been just the suit that got cut.
He's not joking!
"Sorry... I can't control them very well yet, as you can see..."
"Why, you—!"
Before another curse could leave my mouth, two more pieces were on my heels.
A beginner! How is this a beginner? How is someone like this supposed to be on the same level as me? I'm just running around like a maniac clutching a metal stick!
I bit the inside of my cheek until it bled. While he stood there, yawning with boredom, I was struggling to escape his ability like prey. He was treating me like a rat.
"Good, keep it up," Soliman said, leaving the room as I sprinted from wall to wall. He didn't even think of stopping us.
This isn't a leader. Not even a gang boss. He's the King of Hell! How could he leave two rookies to play out a duel like this? No, forget him... what about me?
Gasp.
"Is this the ability you used to face the Yellow Specter? Running?" he asked mockingly, watching me dodge and weave around the flying projectiles.
"I can do this all day!" I snapped. If I can just get a little closer... I'll shove this staff down his talkative throat! I need to find his weakness!
I glanced around quickly, looking for an object or a vantage point, but found nothing. At some point, Lina had slipped out too, leaving me alone with this chattering monster.
"Ah, I'm starting to get bored..."
One hit. Just one hit to quench my rage!
As I dodged the precision-guided projectiles, I noticed that only three of them were moving. One of the three was shaky and slightly slower than the others, while two remained floating behind him, motionless.
'So he can only move two efficiently!' If I could just dodge those two... I'd create an opening!
My feet moved, and my hands tightened on the staff. Between the lunges and the retreats, I drew closer. Slowly, but steadily.
'Closer!'
When I was within what I thought was striking distance, I dropped into a low crouch. I dodged the shards that followed me down.
'Just a bit more... NOW!'
I slammed my first foot down onto the nearest shard, pinning it to the floor with my body weight. Keeping my foot there, I pinned the second shard with my other foot, while swatting the third away with the staff.
I had a fraction of a second before he regained control or moved another piece.
"Opening!"
I was right in front of him now. A look of genuine shock crossed his face, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
'Yeah, you talkative brat... taste some humiliation!'
I felt a surge of pride as I swung the staff with all my might toward him. And I should be proud—I hadn't even used my power!
I stopped the staff right in front of his eye. With a triumphant smile, I panted out:
"I... won!"
My breath was ragged from the running, but it was worth it. It was actually... a little fun. I truly enjoyed the stunned look on his face as he stared at the rod inches from his nose.
"Really?"
But his expression flipped to one of complete mockery in an instant. He looked down at a spot on my chest. When I followed his gaze—
"!"
"W-when?"
There was a shard pointed exactly where my heart was. One more step, and it would have sunk deep. How did I not notice it?!
I took a step back, trying to gain distance, but a hand snatched the staff and halted my retreat.
"Oh! I just saved you again!"
What? I looked behind me.
"!!"
Behind my back, another piece was aimed directly at my neck.
"If I wasn't so kind, you'd have died twice over."
'This... this can't be a beginner! This is a monster!'
The strength left my legs, and I slumped to the floor. He had exploited everything. When did he do that? I didn't notice! No... he deliberately made sure I wouldn't notice!
My field of vision! He had created fake weaknesses for himself! His facial expressions! He was a complete monster!
"Let's stop here, I'm getting a bit tired," he said, rotating his right shoulder. He extended a hand to help me up.
"Thanks fo—"
"Yeah, stay like that... just a useless doorstep for me to step on," he whispered in my ear, his tone dripping with venomous mockery.
"!..."
W-what? What did this scoundrel just say?
I stood there in the room, paralyzed with shock.
Clatter.
The monster left the place.
Sniff.
I fought back the tears, refusing to let them fall.