"How dare you!"

Evelyn’s eyes locked onto Keith coldly. Her hands brushed her lips, and then she looked at Keith with pure disgust.

"A slap for a scratch?"

The host stepped forward quickly, his expression hardening as he moved to intervene. "Keith, step away from her—"

But he stopped, snapping his neck and quickly moving towards him. The temperature in the room rose by a degree, and he recognised where it came from.

"Grim Warden, I’d ask you to stay calm—"

BAM!

The host turned behind him, looking stressed. He softened when he saw Keith’s face turned to the side. "Did you just kick him—"

"We are even now." Evelyn lowered her leg, glaring at Keith. She turned to the host. "I yield." Her voice was clear as she walked out of the arena.

Killian lowered his head as he remembered Evelyn’s words from last time.

’Do not get involved in my fights, you three. But if I can’t beat them, you guys better save me.’

The groaning of metal armrests melting under Killian’s hands concluded the match.

His red eyes were relatively empty as they remained on Keith who just stared at his hand. The host hovered over him. "Grim Warden, you shouldn’t—"

Killian brushed past him.

Those by the door cleared out quickly when Evelyn stepped out, and stayed even farther away when Killian exited.

Killian walked past them and his hands still curled as if the metal hadn’t finished melting under them.

"Evelyn—"

"I’d head home first. Later, Killian." She swerved to the exit, forcing her hands into the pockets of her jacket.

Killian stood there in silence, before slowly resting on the wall. Keith’s expression still came to his mind.

He couldn’t tell if regret dawned on him after getting hit back.

An older memory came to Killian’s mind. A raised hand, and their mother’s lowered head.

Their father stood over her and threatened to slap her again if she didn’t stop doing as she pleased.

"He’s become our father." Killian said with a tone of finality. "Being a coward wasn’t enough for him."

My own twin brother. Killian clicked his tongue and a new emotion filled the empty space in his heart that he left for his younger twin brother.

There’s no coming back from being like our father.

He arrived at Jenovan’s workroom, for their agreed training, but the lights were off. His hand slammed on the door before he could control himself.

He frowned at the dent on the metal.

"What happened?" Jenovan’s hologram appeared beside him. "Did you lose your match?"

"I understand Piercing Scorch better now. Come."

"Haa... someone must’ve pissed you off." Jenovan chuckled just before his hologram vanished.

A little robot rolled from the dark room. On pressing a button, the lights came on. Killian watched with a little interest as the robot slid back to its position.

Jenovan strolled in from another door in his lab. "So you are here to vent out, aren’t you? What happened?"

Killian walked straight in without a word. He grabbed the mana-restricting chains and wrapped them around his arms.

"I am here because we agreed to meet. That is all."

"Fine," Jenovan tapped the boxing bag swinging beside him. "This is fire resistant but will react to flames fueled by oxygen."

Killian nodded once. Flames flared around his arms, using his mana to burn. Jenovan frowned slightly, but kept watching silently.

Killian moved, punching the bag roughly with his fire flaring weak and unstable around his fists.

They are still misbehaving. He increased his mana output to hide the inconsistency with his flames.

He punched again, each time forcing his mana to focus on a particular point. He didn’t stop moving.

Each strike burned stronger, more precise and used less mana. The anger burning in his chest forced his body to keep up with the flames staggering between control and consumption.

Until they narrowed around his balled fists, and made visible damage to the punching bag.

Killian kept going, sweat dripping down his neck and soaking into his inner shirt as the heat rose around him.

Jenovan said nothing, watching every mistake and correction, and noticing the pattern Killian formed for himself.

He moved to the side with his arms folded and his eyes fixed on the punching bag. He waited.

Killian’s breathing grew louder as his punches became faster, the restriction of the chain becoming useless as he no longer needed his mana to burn.

Then—

Killian stopped punching, feeling the flames burn close to his fingers. He breathed in and brought his hands together, clasping them tight as the fire between his palms began to compress.

The air around his palms heated up, narrowing the flames into one thin, focused spot.

"Do it." Jenovan said, his voice tense but proud.

Killian glanced at him quickly before returning his attention to his palm, then exhaled.

The air around his hands trembled as it fed on more oxygen until it was heavier than it should be. Killian’s eyes locked forward.

He thrust his clasped hands, and fire shot forward in a straight line, piercing through the punching bag ahead with a hiss, and leaving a burning path where it passed.

Killian held the stance for a second, his fingers still locked together as the heat faded slowly, his chest rising as he stared ahead.

"Piercing Scorch."

[New Skill Unlocked!]↓

[Piercing Scorch (EARNED)]↓ [Congratulations On Earning A Skill!]

[Additional Benefits Available!]

[Permission To Integrate With Ablaze?] [Permission To Integrate With ....?]

[Reminder: NEW ELEMENT UNNAMED!] [Reminder: NEW SKILL UNNAMED!]

Killian exhaled again after all the notifications stopped. Despite just unlocking a new skill, he felt too exhausted to celebrate.

Mostly because he already earned the skill despite the unlocks.

Well, that’s why there’s a benefit program for skills gotten after training and not while practicing with the element.

He turned when Jenovan started clapping.

"I sincerely believed it would take you a few more days to get the hang of it, and that would still be impressive." Jenovan patted his shoulders heavily.

Killian wiped off sweat from his forehead, and a satisfied smile rose to his lips. "Thanks."

"Although," Jenovan’s eyes flicked towards Killian’s fists. "It seemed you were just venting... at someone."

Killian released his fist, and forced them into his pockets. Jenovan smiled. "It seems I am correct."

"So, who is it?" He picked up a crystal and danced it around his fingers. "Who is the rival you want to clobber so badly?"