Zaraf and Makima returned home and told Auntie everything about the missing party and the rescue.
When they finished the story, Auntie let out a long breath of relief.
"Thank God everyone is safe," she said, placing a hand on her chest.
Then she looked at Makima carefully.
"But are you okay, Makima?"
Makima gave a gentle smile.
"I'm okay."
Seeing that smile, Auntie's tense expression softened as well.
Zaraf stood quietly nearby, watching the two of them.
After a moment, Auntie turned to him.
"Sorry, Zaraf. Looks like your rest day was ruined."
Zaraf shrugged lightly.
"It's not a big deal."
Then he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Anyway… is there something to eat? I'm starving."
Auntie laughed.
"Of course! I made several dishes."
Soon, the three of them sat together and ate dinner.
The atmosphere felt peaceful again.
After the long day, Zaraf and Makima returned to their rooms and quickly fell asleep.
The Next Morning
Zaraf slowly opened his eyes.
His vision was still blurry from sleep.
But then—
A face was extremely close to his own.
Gray.
Zaraf jumped back in shock.
"Wha—?!"
He scrambled out of bed.
"When did you get here?! And where did you come from?!"
Gray answered calmly, as if nothing strange had happened.
"Two minutes ago. From the door."
He crossed his arms.
"So… how is your training going?"
Zaraf rubbed his face.
"It's going well. But why are you here?"
Gray smirked.
"I was free. Thought I'd come see my friend struggling."
Zaraf forced an awkward laugh.
"Ha… ha…"
Gray stretched his arms lazily.
"Get up and eat. We need to go to the training grounds."
Suddenly—
A voice came from outside the room.
Tale shouted,
"He finished all his work early just to come see you!"
Gray turned toward the door instantly.
"Hey! Don't lie!"
Tale replied without hesitation.
"Who's lying?"
Zaraf pressed his fingers to his forehead.
"It's too early for this…"
Knock. Knock.
The door opened quietly.
Makima stepped inside.
She placed a tray on the table.
"Zaraf, here's your breakfast… and your clothes for training."
She paused briefly.
"And… good luck."
Then she left the room.
Gray raised an eyebrow.
He looked at Zaraf suspiciously.
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"…Did something happen?"
Zaraf answered instantly.
"What? No. Nothing happened."
Gray smirked.
"Hm… I'll find out soon enough."
Zaraf ignored him.
He quickly finished eating, changed clothes, and left for the training grounds with Gray.
Training Grounds
Ben was already there.
Standing calmly in the center.
Zaraf frowned slightly.
"It's still early."
He stretched his shoulders.
"My training at this time is usually physical exercise, so—"
Ben interrupted him.
"It's time to level up."
Zaraf blinked.
"…What?"
Gray stepped forward immediately.
"Hey! Don't ignore me. I'm here too."
Ben turned toward him.
"I was waiting for you."
Gray paused.
"You… were waiting for me?"
Ben nodded.
"For today's training, you two will fight each other."
Both boys froze.
"No Creator State," Ben continued.
"Only first level."
Then he looked directly at Gray.
"And you are not allowed to use your second level."
Zaraf turned sharply toward Gray.
"Wait… you can use a second level too?"
Gray shrugged casually.
"It's an easy one."
He grinned.
"You activated yours on the first try."
Then he looked back at Ben.
"But are you sure about this? He might get hurt."
Ben smiled slightly.
"You'll know soon enough."
Gray's expression slowly became serious.
"If Ben says so…"
He looked at Zaraf.
"…Then I hope you're not weak anymore."
Zaraf took a slow breath.
"I don't know about that."
"But this is my training."
"I won't refuse."
Gray grinned.
"Then let's begin."
They stepped away from each other, creating distance.
Bell watched from the side.
"He may look silly," she said, pointing at Gray,
"but he's still a Creator."
"In this fight, you'll both use your elements."
"Give it your all."
She glanced at Ben.
"Even he is watching."
Zaraf tightened his grip on his sword.
(I'll do everything I can.)
Ben spoke calmly.
"You may also use your weapons."
The air between them grew tense.
Wind began moving gently around Zaraf.
Moisture gathered slowly around Gray.
The battlefield was ready.
Ben raised his hand.
"Start."
Zaraf moved instantly.
Wind exploded beneath his feet.
He shot forward at incredible speed, gathering sharp wind around his sword.
The moment he reached Gray—
He drew his blade.
Gray smiled.
Suddenly—
A powerful wave of water surged toward Zaraf.
Zaraf stepped onto compressed wind, launching himself upward to dodge.
But the moment he looked up—
Gray was already above him.
Water twisted around Gray's arm.
It formed into a weapon.
A scythe.
Gray descended.
The two collided.
Wind blade against water scythe.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Several exchanges flashed by in seconds.
Then Zaraf suddenly stepped back, gathering wind again—
But Gray moved first.
Hundreds of water bullets formed instantly.
They shot forward like a storm.
Zaraf reacted quickly.
A spinning wind barrier formed around him.
The bullets crashed into it violently.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
When the barrage finally ended—
Zaraf noticed something.
The ground beneath him was completely soaked.
Water surrounded him from all sides.
Gray floated calmly in the air.
His eyes began glowing faint green.
Suddenly—
The water on the ground moved.
It rose upward and wrapped around Zaraf's legs like living slime.
Then his arms.
Then his torso.
Zaraf slashed at it.
But the blade passed straight through.
The slime reformed instantly.
"…Tch."
Zaraf reacted immediately.
"Wind Burst!"
A violent explosion of wind erupted from his body.
BOOM.
The slime shattered apart.
Zaraf jumped free.
He immediately looked toward Gray—
But Gray spoke calmly.
"It's good to see your spirit."
"But that was only something small."
Gray raised his hand.
A massive sphere of water appeared above him.
Inside it—
Something began forming.
A monster.
Then another.
And another.
Five massive water creatures emerged.
Towering over Zaraf.
They charged toward him.
Ben watched silently.
(So he can create puppets…)
(And control five at once.)
(He's still not even serious.)
Zaraf slowly sheathed his sword.
He took a deep breath.
Wind began gathering on a large scale.
He placed his hand on his blade.
"…Looks like I'll have to surpass my limits."
All the gathered wind concentrated at the tip of his sword.
He drew it.
"Wind's Way!"
A massive barrage of wind slashes exploded outward.
The monsters were cut apart instantly.
But—
They melted.
Then reformed.
Zaraf gritted his teeth.
"Damn it…"
"I didn't think you were this tough."
"So this is what Creators are like."
Gray replied calmly.
"And neither of us is going all out."
Zaraf charged again.
He cut through the monsters repeatedly.
But they kept regenerating.
So he changed tactics.
He dashed straight toward Gray.
But before he could reach him—
Gray descended again with the water scythe.
Now Zaraf was fighting Gray and five monsters at once.
He dodged.
Blocked.
Countered.
Retreated.
But it was overwhelming.
He couldn't touch Gray.
And the monsters wouldn't die.
Pressure built inside him.
Ben was watching.
Zaraf could feel it.
Ben's eyes were cold.
Observing.
Judging.
Zaraf realized something.
He needed one decisive attack.
He began compressing wind in his palm.
Rotating it rapidly.
Faster.
Stronger.
More unstable.
The air twisted violently.
A terrifying force formed in his hand.
Then—
He unleashed it.
A massive tornado burst forward.
The ground cracked apart.
The training field collapsed.
Nearby buildings trembled.
The water monsters were torn apart instantly.
But—
Gray dodged.
The tornado was powerful.
But slow.
It surged forward like a natural disaster.
Then—
The weather changed.
The sky darkened.
Zaraf looked up.
Storm clouds gathered rapidly.
Rain was coming.
Gray had attracted natural rain clouds.
Now two disasters were about to collide.
Tornado.
And storm.
But before the rain attack could begin—
Ben moved.
Flames exploded from his body.
With overwhelming power, he stopped the tornado.
The violent winds turned into steam.
The dark clouds scattered.
Everything went silent.
Zaraf gasped.
"W-what?!"
Gray blinked.
"Oh…"
Ben stepped down calmly.
He looked at both of them.
"Do you know what you did wrong?"
Gray lowered his head slightly.
"…It's me."
"I cheated by using my second level."
Ben nodded.
"Yes."
"You went overboard."
Then he looked at Zaraf.
"And you?"
Zaraf hesitated.
"I think… we didn't consider the surroundings."
"If we continued… civilians and buildings nearby would have been destroyed."
Ben's eyes sharpened.
"If you noticed that… why didn't you stop?"
Zaraf answered honestly.
"I realized it when my tornado started destroying the ground."
"I was about to stop it…"
"…but then I saw Gray summoning the storm."
Ben stayed silent for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"It's good to grow stronger."
"But power without restraint…"
"…is not true power."
Gray clenched his fist.
"…It's my fault."
"I shouldn't have gone that far."
Ben nodded.
"Yes."
"But this is a good lesson for both of you."
Zaraf exhaled slowly.
"It was a good lesson."
"Now I understand what a real Creator's power looks like."
Gray glanced at him.
"…I admit something."
"I had to use my second level to counter your tornado."
Ben crossed his arms.
"So?"
"What do you think now?"
Gray looked at Zaraf seriously.
"…If I don't train harder…"
"…he'll leave me behind soon."
Zaraf smiled.
"Then let's get stronger together."
Gray smirked.
"Why not, buddy?"
