Damon stared at it one evening.
"You’ve definitely grown."
The spark seed floated proudly in front of him.
Crackle.
A tiny arc of lightning jumped toward him before disappearing.
Damon raised an eyebrow.
"Showing off already?"
Another pulse.
This one felt almost smug.
Damon couldn’t help smiling.
The little thing had personality.
At least that was how it felt.
The changes weren’t limited to the spark seed either.
Damon noticed improvements in himself.
His Aether control had become smoother.
Much smoother.
Whenever he circulated energy through his body, there was less resistance than before.
His veins handled the flow better.
His reinforcement felt more natural.
More efficient.
It wasn’t enough to change his rank.
But it was progress.
And Damon valued progress more than most people.
One step today.
Another tomorrow.
Eventually those steps became a path.
That had always been his way of thinking.
The world could call him talentless.
A failure.
A disappointment.
None of that mattered.
As long as he kept improving.
As long as tomorrow’s Damon was stronger than today’s Damon. That was enough.
The days continued to pass.
Lightning ore disappeared pile after pile.
The spark seed’s appetite only increased.
At one point Damon seriously wondered whether Cedric had emptied an entire warehouse for him.
Yet despite all the consumption, there was still enough left to continue.
The old butler had been more generous than Damon initially realized.
Eventually, the day before the mission arrived.
Damon sat in his room once more.
Another piece of lightning ore crumbled into dust.
The spark seed absorbed the final traces of essence.
Then... Nothing.
Damon blinked.
The spark seed floated silently.
He brought another ore closer.
No reaction.
A second one.
Still nothing.
A third.
Nothing again.
The spark seed remained motionless.
Damon frowned.
"Full?"
A small pulse answered him.
Slow.
Satisfied.
Like someone after an oversized meal.
Damon laughed.
"So that’s it."
The little glutton had finally reached its limit.
He wasn’t disappointed.
Honestly, he had expected this eventually.
If evolving a spirit were easy, everyone would be doing it.
There were clearly other conditions involved.
Things he didn’t understand yet.
But compared to before, he had actual progress.
That alone was enough.
He carefully stored the remaining ores away.
Then he stood up.
Since cultivation was finished for now, he decided to train.
Aether flowed through his body.
His muscles tightened.
His movements became faster.
Sharper.
More controlled.
Damon immediately noticed the difference.
It wasn’t huge, or enough to shock anyone.
But just enough.
His reinforcement felt stronger than before.
Cleaner and more responsive.
The countless days of training had paid off.
Damon exhaled slowly.
"Good."
That single word carried his genuine satisfaction.
The mission was tomorrow.
His first real step into the dangerous world beyond the safety of the mansion.
Distorted zones.
Aether beasts.
Combat.
Opportunities.
Danger.
For most people, the thought would be terrifying.
Damon would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous.
But underneath that nervousness was something stronger.
Excitement.
Because danger also meant opportunity.
And opportunities were exactly what he needed.
The spark seed floated beside him and released a gentle pulse.
Damon glanced at it and smiled.
"Let’s survive tomorrow."
The spark seed answered with a tiny crackle.
A simple response.
Yet somehow it felt like agreement.
Soon after, Damon cleaned up, took a bath, and climbed into bed.
Sleep came surprisingly quickly.
.....
Damon woke up before sunrise.
The mansion was already awake.
Footsteps echoed through the corridors as servants hurried from one task to another. Voices drifted through the halls, carrying a sense of urgency that had been missing on ordinary days.
Today was different.
Today was the day of the mission.
A maid had already prepared a bath for him.
His clothes were neatly folded beside the bed, and a small travel bag sat on a nearby table.
Inside were food supplies, water, medical items, and a few necessities for surviving several days outside the city.
Damon looked through everything and nodded.
"At least someone still remembers I exist."
No one answered.
The room was empty.
He chuckled and got ready.
Truthfully, he appreciated the effort.
Whether it came from kindness or pity didn’t matter.
The preparations were useful.
That was enough.
After bathing and changing into the dark training clothes prepared for him, Damon secured the spark seed inside a padded pouch hidden beneath his coat.
The little thing gave a faint pulse.
Damon tapped the pouch lightly.
"Stay quiet."
The pulse stopped immediately.
"Good."
A few minutes later, he headed toward the front gate.
Most of the newly awakened had already gathered.
Groups stood together chatting nervously.
Others checked their equipment repeatedly.
Some tried to look confident.
Few succeeded.
Even Kane was unusually quiet.
The reality of entering a Distorted Zone was finally sinking in.
This wasn’t a ceremony.
This wasn’t training.
People died in Distorted Zones every year.
Damon found a spot near the back and waited.
Soon an elder stepped forward, and conversations stopped as soon as he did.
His sharp gaze swept across the gathered youths before he began speaking.
"Today marks your first official mission as awakened Elemental users."
His voice carried clearly across the courtyard.
"You have spent years preparing for this moment. Everything you have learned until now was meant to lead you here."
The atmosphere immediately became serious.
"The purpose of this operation is simple."
He raised a finger.
"Explore."
A second finger.
"Gather resources."
A third.
"Eliminate threats within your capabilities."
His expression hardened.
"And most importantly, survive."
Nobody laughed.
Nobody spoke.
The elder nodded slightly.
"Resources are valuable."
"Achievements are valuable."
"Reputation is valuable."
"But none of them matter if you fail to return."
His eyes briefly paused on Damon.
The meaning wasn’t hard to understand.
Several people noticed.
Some smirked.
Damon simply ignored them.
The elder continued.
"The Calloway Family expects every one of you to represent us with honor."
"Bring back resources."
"Gain experience."
"Build your foundation."
"And show the neighboring cities that our younger generation is not lacking."
That earned several determined nods.
Especially from Kane.
The elder looked satisfied.
"Good."