Chapter 21: The Confrontation Begins

"Who were you talking to?"

Adrian approached him and looked at him with concern. "You're awake? How are you feeling now? Does your wound still hurt?"

Dan gave him a faint smile. "I'm feeling better." His expression changed slightly as he added, "But... you still haven't answered me. Who were you talking to?"

Adrian sighed and sat down beside him. Then he said calmly, "Ever since that power was transferred to me, I've been able to hear its owner's voice and see some of his memories. He contacted me a little while ago."

Adrian then told him everything the voice had said, from his request to have his daughter restored to his claim that Philip's soul was still trapped within the World of Mirrors.

Silence fell between them for several seconds before Dan finally asked, "What are you going to do?"

Adrian lowered his gaze and replied calmly, "Nothing. I know he's trying to deceive me. He wants to use Philip to manipulate me into doing what he wants."

Dan remained silent for a moment, thinking about his words. Then he said, "That may be true, but... what if what he said about Philip is real?"

Adrian raised his head and looked at him. Dan continued, "Why don't you ask Valdrin to tell you everything about the power of the mirrors? Maybe you'll be able to uncover the truth."

Adrian remained silent for a moment as he considered the suggestion. Finally, he sighed and said, "Alright. When morning comes, I'll talk to him again."

...

In the World of Mirrors

Malcar stood beside Eldar before asking him with concern, "What will you do if Adrian doesn't believe your trick involving his brother?"

A calm smile appeared on Eldar's lips. "I've already thrown out the first bait. I didn't tell him about his brother's soul so that he would believe me. I wanted him to start doubting."

Malcar frowned. "Doubting?"

Eldar nodded. "I wanted him to doubt Valdrin and everything he has told him. Once he starts questioning Valdrin, it will become much easier for him to believe me."

Malcar remained silent for a few moments, trying to understand what was going through Eldar's mind. Then he said, "I still don't understand."

Eldar looked at him calmly, a mysterious smile appearing on his face. "Adrian doesn't need to believe me yet... It's enough that I make him doubt the person he trusts."

He slowly turned away, while Malcar continued staring at him in silence. He was beginning to realize that what was happening was only a part of a much larger plan than he had imagined.

Eldar's smile widened slightly as he said calmly, "You'll understand tomorrow, when I make Adrian hate that world... and hate Valdrin. Once that happens, he won't need any proof. He'll believe everything I tell him."

Early the next morning, the door to the room opened, and Valdrin stepped inside with his usual calm voice. "Wake up, you two. You lazybones."

Adrian's eyes snapped open, while Dan sat up in his bed on the other side of the room. Valdrin looked at them and said, "Come on. It's time for training."

Adrian yawned as he got out of bed, then asked, "Are we going back to the forest again?"

Valdrin nodded. "Yes. We don't have any time to waste."

Dan quickly raised his hand and said excitedly, "I'm coming with you too. I'm tired of staying in this bed." He smiled and added, "Besides, I'm feeling much better now."

Valdrin looked at him for a moment before replying calmly, "Fine, as long as you're only going to watch."

A look of excitement appeared on Dan's face as the three of them headed toward the forest together.

...

A few minutes later, they reached the same spot by the river. Dan sat down on a rock a short distance from the riverbank, while Adrian and Valdrin stood facing the water.

Valdrin looked at Adrian and said, "Yesterday, you learned how to increase your speed and control it according to how long you can hold your breath. Today, you'll repeat the same training, but this time, you'll be using the Dark Energy."

Adrian frowned in confusion. "Yesterday, you told me there were two stages to this training, but I don't see the difference between them now."

"There is a big difference," Valdrin replied calmly. "Yesterday, you were training using your natural abilities. Today, you'll be training while summoning the Dark Energy."

Adrian looked at him in confusion. "And what does the Dark Energy have to do with this training?"

There was a brief silence before Valdrin answered, "Because you won't just learn how to use it... you'll learn how to make it work for you without allowing it to take control of you."

Adrian looked toward the river, then back at Valdrin, his expression growing more serious.

Valdrin continued, "If you want to use that power in battle, you need to learn how to control it while under pressure. And diving is the best way to test that."

Dan silently watched the two of them from where he sat, while Adrian continued staring at the water, realizing that today's training would be nothing like yesterday's.

"With this training?"

Valdrin answered calmly, "When the Dark Energy takes control of you, you lose your focus and become more likely to act according to its impulses. That's why your goal today is to continue the training while under its influence. Whenever the Dark Energy tries to distract your mind, bring your focus back to one goal only... reaching the algae."

Valdrin continued as he watched Adrian. "At first, you'll struggle, and you won't be able to control it. But with time, you'll become accustomed to keeping your focus on your goal, even while it tries to take that focus away from you."

He looked directly at Adrian and said, "You won't succeed on your first attempt, but eventually... you will."

After a brief pause, he added, "As for the first step, we need to bring out your Dark Energy."

Adrian looked at him. "It only appears when I get angry... or when I hear voices or see memories belonging to the power's original owner."

Valdrin nodded. "Then... we need to make you angry."

Silence fell for a moment before Dan, who had been listening to them the entire time, spoke up. "Why don't you try remembering your last battle with Malcar? Remember what he did to you... and to your brother."

Adrian sighed. "Alright."

He slowly closed his eyes and began reliving those moments.

Philip... dying in his arms.

The sound of his screams.

And the image of Malcar, with that cold smile that had remained on his face even during the most brutal moments.

Adrian's breathing gradually grew heavier as a faint black aura began to rise from his body. It was weak at first, barely visible, but Adrian clenched his fists with all his strength and tried to push his anger to its limit.

Dan continued urging him on from the side.

"Don't stop! Try again!"

The black aura trembled for a few moments, as if attempting to respond to Adrian's anger, but it soon began to weaken and gradually faded away.

Adrian opened his eyes and said exhaustedly, "It's no use... It seems to require an overwhelming amount of anger to appear. It won't come out just by remembering a few memories."

Valdrin replied calmly, "Because you're not actually experiencing the situation again. This power responds when you feel genuine danger or real anger. Memories alone... aren't enough."

Silence fell once again as Adrian thought about Valdrin's words. After a few moments, he frowned and asked, "What are we going to do now?"

Valdrin remained silent for several seconds, thinking of another way to force the energy to emerge. Suddenly, his eyes shifted toward a spot between the trees.

His expression changed slightly as his gaze narrowed, fixed on the dense darkness between the branches.

Then he said calmly,

"There's someone there..."

"Who is watching us?"

Adrian and Dan quickly turned toward the direction Valdrin was looking, but they saw nothing. The trees remained still, with only overlapping shadows visible between the branches.

Valdrin reached beneath his cloak and pulled out two short, sharp knives with small blades. Without hesitation, he hurled them toward the trees.

The knives shot forward like flashes of light. In the next instant, two figures leaped from among the branches and quickly retreated to avoid the blades. They landed lightly on the ground before straightening themselves.

They were human, but something in their appearance told Adrian from the very first moment that they were not ordinary people. Their eyes carried a cold, emotionless gaze, while faint smiles rested on their lips, giving off nothing but danger.

Silence fell for a few moments before Dan quickly got to his feet and moved to stand beside Adrian and Valdrin.

Adrian kept his eyes fixed cautiously on the two men before asking in a low voice, "Who are they?"

Without taking his eyes off them, Valdrin answered, "Kiroma... and Kaziro. They're from the Breath Village."

Adrian frowned. "The Breath Village?"

Valdrin nodded, but before he could explain, Kiroma interrupted him, staring at Valdrin coldly.

"How many times do I have to tell you that this territory belongs to us?"

Valdrin gave him a faint smile and replied calmly, "About as many times as I've told you that rare medicinal algae grow in the depths of this river, and nowhere else. Besides, this river belongs to everyone."

Kiroma's lips curled in annoyance. "Don't test our patience, Valdrin. You know very well that the Breath Village is stronger than your bloodline."

Valdrin let out a mocking laugh. "If that were true, the Protectors would have chosen the Breath Village to become the greatest power beneath them instead of the Nerathion bloodline."

Kaziro's smile turned cold. "You'll find out now which of us is stronger."

In the next instant, the men's throats visibly swelled, and their mouths slowly opened as if they were preparing to unleash something terrifying.

Adrian's eyes widened, while Valdrin immediately shouted, "Be careful! Don't let them get close! Keep a distance of more than ten meters!"

Adrian and Dan quickly backed away as Valdrin continued watching their opponents without taking his eyes off them.

"They possess the ability to control breathing," he said.

Adrian looked at him in surprise, and Valdrin continued, "If they want to kill someone, they can stop that person's breathing from a distance of up to ten meters. And if they want to save someone, they can restore their breath even if they're on the verge of death. Within that ten-meter range, they can completely draw the air away from their opponent. Once that happens, their target will suffocate within moments."

A heavy silence settled over the area. The only sound that remained was the wind moving through the trees as both sides prepared for the battle to begin.

Adrian looked at Valdrin and asked, "How are we supposed to attack them at close range if we can't enter the ten-meter range?"

Valdrin answered without taking his eyes off the two men. "If you hold your breath and your speed is fast enough, you'll be able to take your opponent down."

His eyes narrowed as he added in a warning tone, "But don't underestimate them. They're incredibly fast as well. The moment they realize you're trying to get close, they'll retreat while maintaining the distance between you, without ever leaving that ten-meter range."

Adrian clenched his fist as Valdrin continued, "You'll be forced to chase them, and the air in your lungs will begin to run out. If you're slower than them, you'll die before you ever reach them."

Silence fell for a moment. Then Valdrin looked directly at Adrian and said, "That's why you have to be faster than them. You need to outrun their movements before they outrun your breath

Adrian asked, "Do they have a weakness?"

Valdrin nodded. "Yes. Only one."

Adrian kept his eyes on him, waiting for an explanation. Valdrin continued, "Although they're both powerful and can keep up with you in combat while using their ability, that ability requires intense concentration. If either of them takes a powerful hit or loses focus, their ability will stop immediately."

Adrian frowned, and Valdrin continued, "Once that happens, they'll need a full three minutes without moving before they can use their ability again."

Adrian lowered his head, thinking carefully, while Valdrin went on. "At that point, they'll have only two choices. They can either fight you without their ability, which puts them at a disadvantage because their true strength lies in that power. In physical combat, they won't be able to keep up with a strong opponent for very long."

Valdrin paused for a moment before adding, "Or they can try to buy themselves three full minutes without being attacked, giving them enough time to activate their ability again."

Adrian remained silent, taking in Valdrin's words as he cautiously watched Kiroma and Kaziro. Their ability was certainly dangerous, but now he knew something far more important...

If he could break either one's concentration, they would lose their greatest weapon.