After what had happened at school, Wael made his way back to the hill he often visited whenever he wanted to be alone.
The place was vast, covered in green grass, with a single tree standing at its center beneath the fading glow of the sunset.
Wael sat beneath it, staring at the horizon as he tried to clear his mind.
His thoughts kept returning to the events of the day.
Bahaa.
The mysterious man.
And those final words...
They might kill you.
A voice suddenly came from behind him.
"What a beautiful view... It seems you really like this place."
Wael turned sharply and stood up, his body tensing.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The man gave him a faint smile.
"Don't be afraid, Wael. I'm not your enemy."
He paused.
"My name is Yassin, and I want to talk to you about something important."
Wael relaxed slightly after hearing that.
He sat down again, while Yassin sat across from him.
"Sorry... I may have interrupted your peaceful moment, but there are more important things we need to discuss."
"It's fine. What do you want?"
Yassin looked directly at him.
"I know there's a power inside you, Wael... and I also know that you have no idea how to use it."
Wael's eyes widened.
"What do you know about me?"
"I know that you're a good person. You don't look for trouble."
Yassin's expression became more serious.
"But as long as that power remains inside you, you'll be a target wherever you go."
"A target? What are you talking about?"
"You need to become stronger."
Yassin paused before continuing.
"Will you train with me? I'll teach you how to protect yourself, because whether you want it or not, you're heading toward a great danger in your life."
Wael hesitated.
"I... I don't know."
"I know it's not easy to believe."
Yassin's gaze remained fixed on him.
"But you're extremely weak right now. If I were your enemy, I could end your life before you even realized I was here."
Silence fell between them.
"And that could happen at any time. That's why you need to be prepared."
Yassin stood up.
"Sorry, but we don't have time to waste. Come here at midnight. I'll be waiting for you."
Wael looked up at him.
"What makes you so sure that... I'll come?"
Yassin smiled.
"Because I know you want to protect those who can't protect themselves."
He turned away.
"And the only way to do that... is to use your strength."
Yassin walked away.
After taking a few steps, he vanished in a flash of yellow light.
Wael froze.
He stared at the spot where Yassin had disappeared.
"So... what he said really was true."
He looked toward the horizon.
The sun had already disappeared, leaving the clouds glowing with a soft pink hue.
For a moment, Wael relaxed.
The strange encounter faded from his thoughts, and he returned to quietly watching the sunset.
Yassin arrived shortly before midnight.
He found Wael still sitting in the same place.
Yassin smiled.
"I knew you'd come... but it seems you arrived early."
Wael stood up.
"I haven't left since you went away."
He looked at Yassin with determination.
"I'll train with you, Yassin. I want to become stronger, and I want you to help me."
Yassin smiled.
"Good. That's the spirit I was looking for."
He paused.
"We'll start tonight. But before that, it seems you know nothing about the power inside you."
Wael scratched his head.
"Well... you're right. I don't know anything."
Yassin sighed.
"Looks like we have a long road ahead of us..."
He looked at Wael.
"All right. Let me explain everything from the beginning."
Wael sat down and listened carefully.
"In this universe, there are many different types of energy, and each one has its own properties and methods of use."
Yassin raised one finger.
"First... Raw Energy."
A faint aura appeared around his hand.
"It's the simplest form of energy. It exists within the body, but isn't connected to any element."
Wael watched the aura with interest.
"The user can shape it in different ways, such as firing beams, creating explosive spheres, or even turning it into heat or wind."
Yassin clenched his hand.
"But not everyone can shape their energy outside their body."
"When a user can't do that, they can instead circulate their Raw Energy throughout their body."
He tightened his fist.
"The energy then becomes a source of physical enhancement... greater strength, increased endurance, and physical abilities that can surpass the limits of ordinary fighters."
Wael's eyes widened.
"So there are people who fight using only their bodies?"
Yassin smiled.
"Exactly."
He raised his hand again.
"The second type... is Elemental Energy."
"Lightning, fire, water, wind... and many others."
Yassin looked at Wael.
"Elemental Energy can be hereditary, meaning it manifests in a person's body from birth. Or it can be acquired later."
"Acquired?"
"Yes."
Yassin pointed toward Wael's chest.
"When you absorb an Elemental Energy Sphere, the energy forms within your heart, turning it into the source of that element. From there, the energy travels through your body's vessels."
Wael placed a hand over his chest.
"Like the Lightning Energy inside me?"
"Exactly."
Yassin nodded.
"You absorbed a Lightning Energy Sphere, and the energy became stable within your heart. From that moment on, your body began using it as your own unique energy."
Yassin paused.
"But don't think that possessing an element means you've mastered it."
Wael looked at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Yassin smiled.
"Having an energy... and mastering it... are two completely different things."
He continued.
"There is also Spirit Energy."
His expression changed slightly.
"It's different from both Raw Energy and Elemental Energy."
"How?"
Yassin hesitated for a moment.
"Because it's connected to spirits themselves. It can be used by the descendants of spirits, and by certain beings whose bodies become vessels for legendary spirits."
"Legendary spirits?"
"You'll learn more about them later."
Yassin looked at Wael seriously.
"There are some things you shouldn't learn all at once."
Wael frowned.
He continued.
"And finally... there's Magic Energy."
Wael's eyes widened.
"Magic?"
"Yes."
Yassin raised his hand, and a strange phenomenon began to take shape before him.
"Magic isn't simply about releasing energy. It's a form of knowledge that allows its user to manipulate natural phenomena and interfere with certain laws of nature."
Wael stared at the phenomenon in amazement.
"Some people can use it to control fire, water, or lightning... while others can use it to nullify energy, manipulate time, or even shape blood."
Yassin smiled faintly.
"The world of magic is vast."
Wael remained silent for a few moments.
"That's... a lot."
Yassin laughed.
"That's why I told you we have a long road ahead of us."
Then he added,
"But there's one thing you need to understand."
He looked directly at Wael.
"Having a certain type of energy doesn't mean you're limited to it forever."
"The way energy is used can differ from one person to another. A user may even develop techniques that go beyond what initially seems possible."
Yassin smiled.
"But before you start thinking about all of that..."
"You first need to learn how to use the Lightning Energy you already possess."
Wael looked at his hand, then smiled.
"All right!"
A moment later, however, he raised his head again.
"Wait... if there are all these different types of energy, can I use all of them?"
Yassin's eyes widened slightly.
Then he smiled.
"I like the way you think..."
He stood up.
"Looks like you're ready to hear the rest of the story."
"In the distant past, all the races lived together, and each lineage possessed an ability that distinguished it from the others."
"The most powerful of these lineages were the spirits. They possessed abilities beyond imagination, and each spirit had a unique power connected to an element, a force, or even something else that existed within the universe."
"But among the spirits were five legendary spirits who stood above all the others."
Yassin's expression grew darker.
"And, as always, not all of them sought the path of good."
"Some sought peace, while others desired control..."
His voice lowered.
"And some had no goal at all. They simply enjoyed spreading chaos and choosing victims for their own amusement."
Anger appeared on Yassin's face as he continued.
"The Great War erupted between the races and lasted for centuries."
"In the end, the first user of Raw Energy defeated the strongest members of every lineage."
"Then he realized that the root of the conflict lay within the spirits themselves."
"So he separated their world from ours."
"From that day onward, peace spread across the world..."
Yassin paused.
"But it was only a temporary peace."
He looked directly at Wael.
"Remember this, Wael. Even if you choose not to fight, the moment you become an energy user, you take on the responsibility of making yourself and those around you stronger."
"We must preserve the legacy of the First Raw Energy User until the day peace finally ends..."
His expression hardened.
"Because it won't last forever."
Silence filled the area.
Then Wael spoke with excitement.
"That's it? Then I'll become stronger... and put an end to this whole mess."
Yassin frowned.
"This isn't a joke. If you want to protect the legacy of the First Raw Energy User and everything he sacrificed, you need to take this seriously."
Wael gave him a faint smile.
"I am serious. I told you, I'll become stronger, and I'll do everything I can."
He looked at Yassin.
"All I need is your help."
Yassin lowered his voice to a whisper.
"Looks like you were the right choice..."
Wael leaned toward him.
"Huh? What did you say?"
Yassin shook his head.
"I didn't say anything. Come on. Follow me."
After a long journey, they finally reached a completely secluded place.
Wael felt something strange the moment he entered.
The area was small and surrounded by mountains. A waterfall flowed into a small river, and beside it stood a modest cabin.
"We've arrived."
Yassin looked around.
"No one can reach this place except me... or someone I bring with me."
He then turned toward Wael with a serious expression.
"So focus on your training. And most importantly..."
"Don't disobey my orders."
"Don't do anything without consulting me first. If you do, I'll stop training you and find someone else."
Wael nodded confidently.
"Understood."
Yassin pointed toward the waterfall.
"Go sit beneath it and try to endure the water for as long as possible without losing consciousness."
Wael stared at him in disbelief.
Yassin gave him a faint smile.
"That's your first training exercise. Try it first..."
He paused.
"Then I'll tell you what it's actually for."
Yassin entered the cabin for a moment and stopped in front of a strange engraving carved into one of the walls.
He stared at it.
"It seems the time has finally come..."
He turned toward the door to look at Wael.
Then he froze.
Wael was floating on the surface of the water, lying on his stomach.
Yassin exhaled.
I left him alone for less than a minute.