A few days had passed since Haru had absorbed the awakening stone provided by Dimitri. He had been rigorously testing various theories about it. He found that summoning even small amounts of the different connections required tremendous amounts of mana and that it seemed more efficient to manipulate what was already present. The initial shock of awakening faded, and curiosity took over. 'If this was magic… then I needed to understand it before I start.'
He started simple. At first, water felt natural. When he reached out, it wasn't like he was controlling the water directly. Instead, he felt faint threads, subtle connections that responded when he focused. When he pulled, the water followed, not because he forced it, but because he linked himself to it.
"…So it's not control," he muttered under his breath. "It's connection…"
When he tried wind, the response was faster and sharper. The space around him lit up with faint, flickering lines, like invisible pathways stretching outward. When he overreached, the arc scattered and the air burst outward unpredictably. When he tried to create fire outright, his body became drained immediately, like something was being pulled directly from him. His breathing grew heavier after only a few attempts.
"…Too much, maybe I need to change my approach," he muttered. Maybe if i linked the conditions together to create fire, it'll ignite easier.
That thought lingered. He didn't fully understand it yet, but it felt important. He made a mental note to look into it later.
Earth was the worst to understand for him by far. The connections didn't flow; they resisted and when he reached out, the connections felt heavy, almost sluggish. He realized he had to account for everything. Density, mass, quantity, and moisture. He had to account for all of it. As he was attempting, the ground beneath him softened unexpectedly, the structure collapsing into unstable sludge. Before he could react, his leg sank in, then his waist. Quicksand.
"—shit!"
He barely managed to break the connection in time, scrambling backward as the ground slowly solidified again.
Haru sat there for a moment, breathing hard, staring at the spot where he'd almost buried himself alive.
As the hours passed, a pattern began to form. Haru leaned back slightly, staring at his hands as thought about the stone. Arc Wielding. "It's not necessarily elements, it's a singular system. Everything… connects."
Faint arcs flickered between his fingers, thin, almost invisible lines forming and fading just as quickly. Not elemental magic. Something deeper. More fundamental.
Haru closed his hand slowly.
"I'm not controlling energy…i'm controlling how it connects." He muttered. While Haru had learned a lot, he realized he had some limitations. It was hard to be precise with his current level of understanding. Furthermore, depending on the application, it drained him quite fast. And it was unpredictable. When his focus wavered, the connections snapped, damaging the surrounding area.
In a nearby cave, Haru had decided to try his hand at mining. "I have only used the pickaxe in battle, yet I don't know its mining capabilities or exactly how it works."
He didn't have a clue where to start, so he decided to venture along the cavern wall until he found what he thought was a suitable spot. He summoned the ax and got into a swinging stance. As he went to swing, he felt the ax suddenly get extremely cold.
'huh'
There wasn't anything on the pickaxe, but as he went to swing again, the ax handle grew extremely cold.
'No way.' Haru had a theory but decided to test it out before jumping to conclusions.
As he slowly walked along the wall, he kept going until the Ax handle felt warm. Once he felt it, he walked until the handle grew extremely hot. He stared at the cavern wall and didn't see anything different. So the only thing left to do was swing. He readied himself, then swung the AX, and immediately two large chunks of rock fell at his feet. After inspecting them, he realized the rocks had metal type alloy embedded in them. His theory was correct. The Pickaxe must've had a hidden ability where it could detect the best spots for mining. Not only that, it seemed to know exactly what I was looking for as if it could feel my intention. Any blacksmith would kill to have something of this nature! Satisfied with the results, he decided to head into the village to find the local blacksmith. He had an idea, but needed to see if it was even viable.
The late afternoon sun hung low over the quiet village as Haru pushed open the heavy wooden door of the blacksmith's shop. The scent of coal and iron filled his lungs as sparks leapt from the forge in rhythmic bursts. Inside, an older man worked with calm precision, hammer striking metal in a steady cadence. Haru approached, brushing road dust from his sleeves before setting a wrapped bundle onto the workbench.
The blacksmith, Rory, paused and turned, wiping his hands as he unwrapped the bundle. The moment the metal caught the forge light, his expression shifted, curiosity giving way to admiration. He turned the piece slowly, studying the veins of shimmering ore within it. "Well now…" Rory muttered, letting out a low whistle. "That's fine material, real fine. Didn't know there were any caves around here holding metal of this quality." His eyes flicked up to Haru, a knowing look settling in. "You've either got a sharp eye… or you've been somewhere most folk around here haven't."
Haru allowed himself a faint smile before speaking, his tone calm but purposeful. "I need something made from it," he said, resting his hands lightly on the table. "Arm sleeves… fitted from wrist to forearm. Metal finger sleeves, too, something I can wear without losing movement." He paused briefly, eyes reflecting the forge's glow. "And I want them to create sparks. Something that reacts when I channel energy through it." Rory raised a brow at that, glancing back down at the ore with renewed interest. A slow grin crept across the old smith's face."Sparks, eh?" Rory chuckled, tapping the metal with a thoughtful knock. "Now that's not your everyday request… but with material like this?" He looked back at Haru, eyes gleaming with the thrill of a challenge. "Might just be possible."
As Haru waited patiently, he practiced manipulating the connection with the fire in the spare forge. The forge roared hotter than usual as Rory worked, the rare metal bending to his will under a relentless rhythm of hammer strikes and precise shaping. In just under two hours, Rory set the final pieces down: sleek arm sleeves with finely crafted metal finger extensions, faintly glowing with heat and latent energy. He wiped his brow, a satisfied grin forming. "Well, lad," he said, nudging them forward, "these might just spark more than you bargained for."
Haru marveled at the craftsmanship.
The sleeves fit snugly over his fingers, allowing him to snap and create a spark. His goal was to use basic science. Create a spark that he'd be able to connect the air, creating fire. Rory, accepting the approval, nodded and smiled, then turned back to his forge, "Just leave payment on the counter."
Haru turned to leave and realized he didn't know what the payment was. "I hope this is enough." Rory raised his hand as if he agreed. He placed the money on the counter and left the shop. As Rory came over to grab the money, he almost fainted. His hand shook as it got near it, as if it were an illusion magic that would disappear at any moment. "T..Thats 100 Gold coins!" He ran outside, but Haru was already gone. "THIS IS WAY TOO MUCH!!"
Having gained a confident understanding of his powers, Haru headed home to share his plans with his mother. Once he got there, he settled in and prepared for dinner. To Haru's surprise, she had suspected something was going on, noting his daily excursions and the tiredness that dogged his steps.
She was not surprised when he expressed his intention to participate in the Warlord Initiation, which, as it turned out, was set to begin the very next day.
On the morning of the Initiation, his mother handed him a box. "Mom, what's this?" Haru asked. She opened it to reveal a slightly worn, green jacket with a stiff upper collar. "Your father wore this during his Initiation. He saved up for many years to buy it. It's not only stylish but provides some added protection; it's made from the skin of a beast known for its hardened hide." Haru viewed the jacket and surprisingly, a system notification popped up.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Item Equiped: Ashweave Jacket
(Uncommon)
Defense: +4 Physical Resistance
Defense: +3 Magic Resistance
Effect: Ember Lining : Slightly reduces incoming magic damage
[Durability: 60/60]
The text shimmered briefly before fading, leaving the jacket feeling light on his shoulders. Haru approached the mirror. The fit was perfect, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. "Your father would be proud," his mother said, her eyes welling up with tears. "Thank you, I'll be sure to protect it!" Haru affirmed, stepping out the door with resolve.
"Wait! Take this. Sir Gorin dropped it off yesterday. It's your official invitation to the Initiation. Don't lose it."
Haru took it and smiled. "Don't worry, next time you see me, I'll be a Warlord!" he called out, sprinting into the forest toward the Capitol.