The grassland inside the Chrono Cube stretched endlessly under the pale white sun.

It had been ten days since the training began.

Now the once quiet field was filled with different sounds. From one direction came bursts of mana, from another the faint echoes of combat… and from a distant side, a wolf’s howl could be heard. It was low and wild, carrying across the entire field.

Zane stood calmly with his hands in his pockets, a faint smile resting on his face as he looked ahead.

In front of him stood the Storm Wolf.

But this time, it wasn’t inside Maera’s consciousness.

It had manifested here.

Its body churned like a living storm, made of swirling gale-force currents, mist, and streaks of silver-blue lightning. There was no solid form to it, only shifting wind that constantly reformed itself into a predatory shape. Its crimson eyes burned like empty voids, glowing intensely as they stared at Zane.

The beast growled, but it didn’t attack.

Zane tilted his head slightly, observing it.

“What’s wrong?” he said casually. “Attack me.”

The Storm Wolf remained where it was, its gaze fixed on him.

Zane’s eyes narrowed slightly as he thought.

She failed again.

But this time… instead of her taking its power… it took over her.

He continued watching carefully.

Still, it’s not attacking me. Its instincts are sharp… it knows I’m dangerous.

Zane exhaled softly.

Then he did something simple.

He lowered his power.

Just a little.

The effect was immediate.

The Storm Wolf reacted instantly, its body compressing before launching forward in a sudden burst of speed. It pounced toward him with overwhelming force.

Zane stepped aside effortlessly, the beast passing by him and crashing into the ground behind.

He turned, watching it recover.

A small smile appeared on his face, followed by a light sigh.

“Alright…”

“I’ll help her this time.”

Zane moved forward, folding his hands infront of his chest in a relaxed manner.

Then he looked directly at the beast and smirked.

“Come on, doggie.”

“I won’t use my hands.”

The Storm Wolf growled louder, its stormy body intensifying as it prepared to attack again.

The Storm Wolf lunged again.

Its body compressed for a moment before bursting forward like a storm unleashed. In response, Zane simply leaned back and flipped into the air, his hands still folded infront of his chest in relexed manner. He rotated once and landed lightly on the ground, as if the attack had never even reached him.

“Maera,” he said calmly, “are you really going to let this wolf take over you?”

The beast didn’t respond.

It growled.

Grrrrrrr

It charged again.

Zane stepped forward and threw a kick, but his leg passed straight through the stormy body as if hitting nothing but air.

He paused for a second and tilted his head slightly.

“Oh… right. Your body is just wind and storm.”

The wolf growled, its form intensifying as lightning gathered around its claws. In the next moment, it slashed forward.

Multiple lightning strikes followed instantly.

The ground exploded with each impact, loud booms echoing as craters formed across the arena. Sand and debris scattered everywhere.

Zane moved through it effortlessly.

Even with his hands still folded, he stepped, shifted, and dodged every strike as if the attacks were too slow to matter.

Then he stopped.

“…Alright.”

A faint smile appeared.

“Let’s add a little something.”

In the next moment, red-golden flames ignited around his leg. Feather-like patterns formed within the fire, flickering with intense heat.

“Here. A little phoenix power.”

Before the Storm Wolf could react—

Zane moved.

A single kick.

This time, it connected.

The flames struck the wolf directly, and the impact sent the stormy body flying . It tumbled violently, its form distorting as it rolled before finally crashing into the ground.

The wolf growled again, louder this time.

Zane stood still, his hands still folded in relaxed manner.

His gaze hardened slightly.

“Maera… this form won’t save your friends.”

The storm around the wolf stirred.

“You have to do it yourself.”

A pause.

Then his voice rose.

“Rise from this.”

“Take control from it.”

“Rise from this, Maera!”

—

Inside Maera’s consciousness,

the colosseum stood battered and worn. The ground was cracked in several places, sand scattered everywhere, and marks of repeated clashes covered the arena. The air itself felt heavy, as if it carried the weight of every failed attempt.

At the center of the arena stood the Storm Wolf, completely still. Its swirling body of wind and lightning continued to shift, but it no longer attacked. It didn’t need to. It had already taken control.

Beneath its paw, Maera lay pinned to the ground. Her body was covered in injuries, her breathing uneven as she struggled even to move under the crushing weight.

How much time has passed…?

Her thoughts felt slow and heavy.

This thing is too strong… I can’t beat it…

Then suddenly, a voice echoed through the entire space.

It was Zane.

“Are you really going to let this wolf take over you?”

Maera’s eyes widened slightly as the pressure on her body lightened for a brief moment. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for her to feel it.

Her teeth clenched as she forced her body to move. Her fingers dug into the ground as she tried to crawl out from under the wolf’s paw.

But the moment she moved, the weight came back, heavy and crushing again.

The Storm Wolf looked down at her, its glowing red eyes fixed on her struggling form. It was watching her.

Judging her.

Maera’s body trembled under the pressure.

Then the wolf suddenly flinched.

A low growl escaped it, this time carrying a hint of pain.

Maera noticed it immediately. Red-golden flames flickered across the side of its face, burning against its storm-like body.

The pressure on her body eased again, more than before.

Zane’s voice echoed once more through the arena.

“Maera… this form won’t save your friends. You have to do it yourself.”

Maera’s eyes shook as the words sank in.

Her friends.

Ron. Lia. Jax.

That was why she was here. Not to win for herself, but to save them.

If she failed, they would die.

Zane’s voice came again, louder and sharper this time.

“Rise from it, Maera!”

Something inside her snapped.

She stopped trying to crawl away.

Instead, she raised her arm covered with red wild mana and grabbed the wolf’s paw that was pressing her down. Her grip tightened despite the pain.

“Give me your power…”

As she roared.

“Graggggghhhhhhhhh”

Her voice roared, but there was determination in it now.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then a spark of lightning appeared.

It flowed from the Storm Wolf into her gauntlet.

Then more followed.

Electricity surged through her arm, wild and violent, forcing its way into her body.

The Storm Wolf reacted immediately. It growled sharply and leapt back, its body distorting as it pulled away from her.

It had felt it.

Although miniscule but..

A part of its power—

Had been taken.

—

Meanwhile, outside—

After Zane’s voice echoed, “Rise from this, Maera…”, the Storm Wolf’s crimson eyes widened slightly. Its body trembled, and a low growl escaped it, mixed with a faint whimper.

“Grrrr…”

Something was changing.

The swirling storm around its body began to destabilize. The dense currents of wind slowly started stripping away, as if something inside was being pulled out of control.

Gradually—

The storm thinned.

And within it, Maera’s figure became visible.

Her body appeared where the core of the storm had been, her clothes completely torn from the repeated clashes.She was naked.Her eyes were closed, her consciousness still trapped inside the inner world.

Zane stepped forward calmly.

With a simple wave of his hand, her torn rag were replaced instantly with a new set.

Then he placed his hand gently on her head.

—

Inside the consciousness world—

The Storm Wolf stood in front of Maera again, growling deeply. But this time, something was different.

Maera stood infront of it.

Breathing heavily.

Her body was still injured, but there was a faint current of lightning flowing through her gauntlet—small, unstable, but real.

A fragment of its power.

She had taken it.

Maera steadied herself, lifting her gaze toward the beast.

“I’m ready…”

Before the wolf could move—

A presence appeared beside her.

Zane.

Maera’s eyes widened slightly.

“Professor…!”

Zane gave a small nod.

“Good. You broke out of its control.”

Maera clenched her fist, her breathing still heavy but her eyes clear now.

“I understand it now, Professor. I was looking in the wrong direction.”

She looked at the Storm Wolf again.

“Even after you told me to take a portion of its power… I kept trying to defeat it.”

A small smile appeared.

“But that’s not it.”

She raised her hand slightly.

“I just need to take its power… and leave.”

She pointed toward one side of the colosseum.

There—

A white door stood quietly.

An exit.

Zane followed her gaze, then smirked slightly.

“Finally.”

He stepped a little closer.

“Listen carefully, Maera.”

His tone became serious.

“Your consciousness has been damaged and healed repeatedly. If you lose one more time…”

A brief pause.

“You’ll suffer permanent damage.”

Maera nodded immediately.

“I felt it too.”

Zane raised his hand, and a golden-red feather made of flame appeared between his fingers. It flickered softly, carrying a faint, powerful presence.

He handed it to her.

“Take this.”

Maera accepted it carefully.

“This is the last help I’ll give you.”

Zane looked at her directly.

“In this consciousness world, if you die… you can use that for one more chance.”

Maera took a deep breath, absorbing everything.

Then she nodded.

“…Thank you, Professor.”

Zane turned slightly.

“If you fail after this, I won’t save you.”

And with that—

He vanished.

Maera stood alone once again.

In front of her—

The Storm Wolf growled, its body churning with power.

Maera tightened her grip on her gauntlet.

A faint spark of lightning flickered.

She stepped forward.

“You heard him.”

A small, determined smile formed on her face.

“I’ve got one more chance…”

Her stance lowered.

“Now come.”

Her voice rose—

“Get ready!”

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