Nikks couldn't stop smiling.
They sat on the edge of the training ground, backs against the cold metal railing, the morning drills long over. Sweat still clung to their clothes, but Nikks looked more alive than ever.
"I awakened, Sandy," he said again, as if saying it once wasn't enough. "And not just awakened—elemental."
Sandy glanced at him from the side. "Lightning," he said quietly.
Nikks nodded, excitement flashing in his eyes. "Do you know how rare that is? Most awakened only get stronger bodies. This… this is different."
They had both grown up hearing stories. Warriors who turned battlefields into seas of fire. Others who called storms from the sky, tearing apart monster hordes with wind and thunder. Elemental awakeners weren't just stronger—they were special.
Their conversation slowly drifted, as it always did, from the present to the peak.
"Feng," Nikks said, his voice lowering instinctively.
Sandy didn't respond right away.
Rank 8 Overlord. The undisputed strongest human. A living legend who had, held back endless waves of creatures alone. It was said a single word from Feng could decide the future of anyone in the Alliance.
"His presence alone changes the battlefield," Sandy finally said.
Nikks clenched his fist. "That's the kind of strength I want."
They both knew how far away that dream was. Too far to grasp. Too distant to touch. But it burned all the same.
Around them, the camp buzzed with quiet tension.
Groups of cadets whispered among themselves, their eyes frequently drifting toward Nikks—and sometimes toward Sandy.
"He awakened early…"
"Elemental, too…"
"Why's that orphan always beside him?"
Jealousy lingered in the air, sharp and bitter. Some envied Nikks' talent. Others resented Sandy simply for standing next to him.
Then the mood shifted.
Footsteps approached—measured, heavy.
Lieutenant Serge.
The head instructor rarely visited the camp himself, and his presence alone straightened backs and silenced voices. He paused briefly, nodding once toward Instructor Mark.
"You've trained an excellent student," he said.
Mark stiffened, pride flashing across his face.
Serge's gaze settled on Nikks. "Cadet Simmons."
Nikks froze for half a breath. "Yes, sir!"
"The Major has summoned you."
Excitement surged through him, quickly followed by nerves. The Major was one of the most well-known figures in the entire Safe Zone—a man whose name carried weight far beyond this camp.
Nikks stood, taking a deep breath.
Sandy looked up at him and smiled. "Go."
Nikks nodded once and followed the lieutenant, leaving the whispers—and the training ground—behind.
Ahead of him waited a door that could change everything.