The training ground was nothing but stone, dust, and silence. Shubh stood in the center, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead. His trainer — a tall, sharp-eyed man sent by the Sun of West — circled him like a predator.
"Gravity again," the trainer ordered coldly.
Shubh raised his hand, and the air bent. Dust and loose stones floated upward as if the world itself had lost its anchor. With a grunt, he clenched his fist.
CRACK!
The ground within a five-meter circle collapsed into itself, forming a crater. The crushing pressure radiated out like invisible waves.
The trainer's lips curled into a smirk. "Not bad. But just gravity? That won't carry you past Floor 50. You're strong… but limited."
Shubh's eyes narrowed. He hated those words. Limited. Weak. Replaceable.
"Again," the trainer snapped.
Shubh obeyed, but this time something slipped. Along with the crushing dome of gravity, a flicker of red heat burst from his palm. A stream of fire shot forward, scorching the cracked ground.
The trainer froze. His eyes widened.
"That… wasn't gravity."
Shubh said nothing. He clenched his burning fist until the flames vanished.
The trainer grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close. "Boy… do you realize what you've just done? A second Affinity? Do you know how impossible that is?"
Shubh glared back. "I don't care about impossible. I use whatever is inside me. That's all."
The trainer's hand trembled as he released him. "This shouldn't be. Even masters struggle to command a single affinity properly. And yet…"
Shubh raised his hand again. Water flowed out this time, spiraling into a sharp, glistening blade. He spun it once before letting it splash onto the ground.
The trainer staggered back. "Gravity… Fire… Water…"
Before he could finish, a sudden gust of wind exploded around Shubh. Dust whirled violently, scattering across the arena like a storm. Shubh's eyes gleamed beneath the shadows of his hair.
"Wind too…" the trainer whispered, horrified. "You… you're not human. You're a monster."
Shubh's voice was calm, steady, unshaken.
"If this world wants to call me a monster, then fine. I'll be a monster strong enough to protect it. I'll carry every burden… until peace itself bends to me."
The trainer stared at him in silence, and for the first time, there was no coldness in his eyes — only fear, and respect.
"…Your training is complete," he said finally. "But mark my words, boy. Many affinities are not a gift. They are a curse. The world will hunt you when they learn what you are."
Shubh turned away, tightening the straps on his gloves. "Then let them try."
Far away, in the western halls of power, the Sun of West stood by a tall window, watching the sunset burn across the horizon. His informant knelt behind him.
"So, the boy carries many affinities," the Sun murmured, a sly smile curling his lips. "That girl's gamble wasn't wasted after all. But too many affinities… they always bring destruction."
He raised a glass of wine, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Let's see, Shubh… Will you shine brighter than anyone else, or will you break under your own weight?"
The wind outside howled, carrying his laughter across the fading light