Facing Ray's resolute blockade, Kaine, Roddy, and Tario exchanged no further words. The determination in their eyes had already made their decision clear.
"If you're going to stand in our way, then we have no choice but to—defeat you!" Tario said in a low voice, his tone filled with resolve. Lightning crackled in his palm, releasing a sharp, ear-piercing sound.
Ray stood before the only passage leading to the underground facility, arms crossed and gaze calm as still water. "With your current strength, you're not ready to step into that place. It's not the time for you to uncover that truth, nor is it something you're prepared to bear."
"We've already seen the damage those machines can do to people. We've seen what happened to Milena and Lorne," Kaine shouted angrily. "This isn't something we shouldn't know. This is the battlefield we must face!"
With those words, he charged forward, fists clenched tightly. Though there was no elemental power in his strikes, his sheer momentum was overwhelming. Following closely behind were Roddy and Tario—Roddy wielded earth magic, turning rocks into towering shields and spear-like stone spikes that shot forward, while Tario moved like a storm, his figure flickering with flashes of lightning as he darted in swiftly.
Ray finally moved.
He didn't use any elemental powers. With a simple sidestep, he dodged Kaine's straightforward punch, countering with a precise palm strike to his shoulder. The force was controlled, pushing Kaine back three steps without causing any harm. From the side, Roddy's earth spear lunged toward him, but Ray, as if foreseeing the attack, spun gracefully and deflected the spear, disrupting Roddy's balance in the process. Tario descended from above with a thunderous strike, but Ray raised his right hand, and with a burst of energy, redirected the lightning away.
No matter how they attacked, Ray effortlessly neutralized each blow with an elegance that made it seem less like a battle and more like a lesson in combat.
Yet, there was no killing intent in his actions. Every counterattack was measured, designed only to incapacitate without causing lasting harm.
On the sidelines, Lorne and Milena watched anxiously. Still recovering from their injuries, they were unable to intervene and could only clench their fists in frustration.
"We can't beat him at all…" Tario panted, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"His strength is absurd, like we're facing a veteran who's fought through a hundred battles…" Roddy gritted his teeth.
Ray straightened his posture, stretching slightly as if he had only just warmed up. "Now… I'm finally done warming up."
The three felt their hearts jolt. His composed confidence made them unconsciously take half a step back.
This subtle retreat did not escape Ray's notice.
In an instant, his aura erupted like a ferocious beast, overwhelming and unstoppable. Roddy and Tario couldn't react in time before a palm strike and an elbow sent them crashing into the wall with muffled groans. Though they struggled to get back up, their breathing was ragged, and they were clearly unable to continue fighting.
Kaine's eyes widened as he stood alone against Ray.
"Why won't you let us through!? What are you trying to hide!?" he shouted.
Ray didn't answer. His palms, sharp as blades, struck toward Kaine. Kaine gritted his teeth and met the attack head-on. Though he lacked elemental power, he relied on sheer willpower and physical instinct to endure.
With a fierce collision, Kaine was finally sent flying, landing heavily on his knees as he gasped for breath. But in his mind, he saw the backs of his parents as they left Akas, the destruction wrought by the beastmen on his village, and the faces of his comrades, now unable to fight, standing behind him.
"I can't fall here… I won't!"
Ray's fist came down hard, but this time, Kaine didn't retreat. A mysterious glow radiated from his body, so brilliant that it seemed to dispel the shadows in the entire space.
Kaine felt the warmth of the light—it was both familiar and unfamiliar, like the sunlight he had seen in his dreams. But this time, it wasn't an illusion; it was a tangible force surging from within him. Ray's brows furrowed as he withdrew his casual demeanor for the first time.
"This is… Light Affinity?" he murmured, his voice carrying rare surprise and gravity.
Kaine opened his eyes, and his pupils glowed faintly with a golden hue. The aura around him underwent a dramatic transformation. Though he had been on the verge of collapse, he now stood firmly, exuding a pressure that even Ray could feel.
"You… truly shouldn't be part of this war," Ray muttered. But this time, he no longer held back. His figure blurred as he charged toward Kaine like lightning.
The two clashed again. Ray's attacks were sharper and more relentless than before, but Kaine met each strike with astonishing reflexes and explosive power. He was no longer merely enduring; in some exchanges, he even forced Ray to take half a step back.
Roddy and Tario, though severely injured, watched in shock from the sidelines. This wasn't something Kaine was capable of before. They could sense it—this wasn't just a simple boost in physical strength. It was a resonance with the very essence of elemental power.
Milena gasped, "That's… light element manifestation? But his affinity has always been unresponsive!"
Lorne's voice trembled weakly. "It wasn't unresponsive… it was dormant… until now."
Kaine's eyes shone with unyielding determination. He threw another punch, this time imbued with radiant energy, its impact rushing straight toward Ray.
Ray didn't counter. Instead, he caught Kaine's fist, pressing down gently. The light receded back into Kaine's body.
"You… are not ready yet," he said, his tone somber but devoid of hostility.
Ray withdrew his battle stance, his gaze sweeping over the group. "I am not your enemy. I only wanted to confirm one thing—whether you are worthy. Now, I have my answer."
Kaine panted heavily, his body trembling with exhaustion. He stared at Ray with unwavering eyes. "Then why… won't you let us through?"
Ray fell silent for a moment, his gaze shifting to Roddy and Tario, who were slumped against the wall, and then to Lorne and Milena, who stood not far away. Finally, he spoke:
"Because the truth beyond that door is not something you can bear—not yet. Your light is still too faint to illuminate that darkness."
Ray stood quietly, his earlier overwhelming presence fading into calm indifference. He looked at Kaine and the others, his tone steady. "If you insist on stepping into this war, you must first learn to truly master your power. I will teach you, until you are ready."
The glow around Kaine gradually faded, and his body gave out, forcing him to collapse to his knees. He didn't yet fully understand the power that had surged within him, but the warmth and weight of it were deeply etched into his memory.
The group exchanged glances. Though Ray's identity and intentions remained unclear, this battle had made them keenly aware of the gap between themselves and a true master. No one voiced any objections.
"We're willing to accept your guidance," Kaine said first, his voice resolute.
Roddy gritted his teeth, his shoulder still throbbing with pain, but he forced a grin. "Can't let you keep tossing us around like ragdolls, can we?"
Tario's hands still trembled, but he stood tall, faint traces of lightning flickering at his fingertips. "I want to learn how to use my power the right way."
From a distance, Lorne and Milena approached, their expressions complicated. Milena murmured, "We couldn't do anything… we just stood there and watched…"
Lorne lowered his head, whispering, "I'm sorry… I couldn't even stand up to protect you."
Roddy sighed, patting Lorne's shoulder. "Don't worry. Once you're back on your feet, we'll all show Ray what young people's growth looks like."
"I'm not that old," Ray said flatly, though his words eased the tension in the air slightly.
That night, they sat around the campfire, taking turns reflecting on the day's battle. Tario analyzed how Ray had countered his lightning attacks, Roddy summarized the flaws in his terrain control, while Kaine remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. "It felt like… he already knew every move we were going to make."
"Was it prediction or experience?" Tario frowned.
"It wasn't just experience…" Kaine said softly. "I feel like… I've seen him before."
The group froze, turning to look at him.
"Not somewhere specific, but… the feeling. He feels like… someone important from deep in my memories." Kaine furrowed his brow, trying to grasp the elusive familiarity but couldn't pinpoint its source.
Milena glanced at Ray, who sat alone at the edge of the camp. "He doesn't seem like a bad person, but… why is he here? And why does he know so much about this place and those machines?"
No one had an answer.
The night was quiet, the flickering campfire casting a warm, orange glow.
Ray sat on a rock at the edge of the camp, his back to the group as he gazed at the dark mountains in the distance. He opened his palm, staring at the empty lines etched into his skin.
Once, that hand had wielded the power of wind and fire, summoned storms and flames, and melted everything in its path.
Now, all of it had been taken away.
The empire's insignia still gleamed on those machines—though they had been defaced with beastmen markings, Ray recognized them instantly as human creations. He was no longer the soldier who once dominated the battlefield, but the shame and fury of it all remained etched into his very bones.
"Under the guise of protection… committing acts no different from the enemy."
He murmured softly, his voice barely audible.
He remembered Ivan's cold indifference when he decided to unleash those machines—for power, morality could be discarded; for efficiency, lives could be sacrificed. Those who had once fought alongside him had chosen a different path in pursuit of power and authority.
He couldn't stop them. Resistance had cost him everything—his freedom, his reputation, and his strength.
Ray closed his eyes, the echoes of screams and cries still lingering in his ears. He had lost hope once, questioning the meaning of his resistance.
But tonight, the light of that boy had shattered his despair.
It wasn't sunlight; it was something purer—light elemental energy.
True light belongs to no one. It cannot be controlled.
He opened his eyes, gazing at the young people gathered around the campfire, his expression complicated.
"Perhaps… they can carve out a different path."