SSS Awakening: I Can Create Skills By Will-Chapter 115: The Weight of Acknowledgment

The tension in the training hall still lingered, thick and heavy, even after the clash had ended.

Heat drifted through the air like fading echoes of battle. The scorched floor, the faint glow of dying embers, and the sharp scent of burnt mana told the story of what had just happened. No one spoke at first.

Then the commander moved.

Commander Lyra stepped forward, her expression calm but thoughtful, and her presence alone broke the silent standoff. The invisible pressure pressing against everyone’s chest slowly eased.

She looked directly at Arthur.

"That’s enough."

Her voice was steady, neither harsh nor soft, yet it carried authority that demanded attention.

Arthur stood facing her, shoulders straight, his breathing controlled. The flames he had summoned hovered for a moment longer, flickering as if reluctant to disappear. Then, with a small motion of his hand, he dispersed the remaining fireball. The light vanished, and with it the tension in the room seemed to dissolve.

The commander studied him carefully.

"The level of control you showed," she said, walking slowly around him, "is remarkable."

Her eyes examined every detail, not with hostility but with clear evaluation.

"It surpasses most fire mages in the silver squads. Even some in the gold squads would struggle to maintain that precision."

Arthur said nothing. He simply listened.

Lyra continued, "And the way you switched roles. One moment a warrior, the next a mage. The timing was clean. Natural. You did not hesitate."

She stopped in front of him again.

"It was almost perfect."

Arthur met her gaze. He could sense she was not offering casual praise. She was measuring him, trying to understand him.

She went on, her voice softer now, almost reflective.

"You fight like someone who has been on the battlefield for years."

There was a brief pause.

"And yet you have only just awakened." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Arthur felt the weight of those words. He did not smile, nor did he show pride. Inside, however, he understood what she meant. His battles, his struggles, his constant fight to survive had shaped him long before anyone noticed.

He answered simply. "I do what I must to survive."

The reply was calm, but the sincerity in it made the commander acknowledge him even more.

Lyra’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if that answer confirmed something she had suspected.

"But more than that," she continued, "you forced me to go beyond using only mana."

A faint glow gathered at her fingertips for a brief second before fading.

"I had to use my affinity."

Arthur’s attention sharpened at once.

Light.

He had felt it during their clash. Pure, piercing energy that carried warmth yet also overwhelming force. Now he finally understood.

A rare affinity.

Light was not something commonly seen. Many explorers would live their entire lives without encountering it. Its power was known for both destruction and restoration, but more importantly, it was exceptionally difficult to awaken.

Arthur finally understood why others called her strange.

And for the first time, he looked at her not simply as commander, but as a warrior worthy of deep respect.

The brief exchange of power between them replayed in his mind. The precision of her control, the overwhelming presence of her energy, the clarity of her attacks. She had restrained herself heavily, yet even that had pushed him to his limits.

His respect for her deepened.

Lyra noticed the change in his expression.

A faint smile appeared on her face.

"That look," she said. "Good. You understand."

She straightened her posture and addressed him formally.

"I acknowledge your control over the fire element. The reports I heard were accurate."

Her gaze sharpened.

"The scale of your flames is not what impresses me most. It is the time it takes you to shape them. The speed. The precision."

She paused briefly.

"It is almost as if you were born with fire affinity."

Arthur simply nodded. "I’ve grown used to it in battle."

The answer was modest, almost plain, yet those who had witnessed his performance in the mission knew practice alone could not explain such mastery.

Still, the commander did not challenge his words.

The invisible pressure between them faded completely. The air felt lighter, easier to breathe.

But Lyra was not finished.

She crossed her arms and looked at him with a more serious expression.

"You have shown strength far beyond the bronze squad level," she said. "Not only here. On the battlefield as well."

Her eyes searched his face carefully.

"In fact, your ability already rivals, if not surpasses, some bronze captains."

The words landed heavily.

Arthur remained composed, though he could feel the expectations in her voice. But also, suspicion, curiosity, respect, and doubt mixed together.

Lyra continued, her tone thoughtful.

"Your growth is unusual. You continue to defy the limits placed upon you."

For a moment she seemed genuinely amazed. Then she smiled, faint but sincere.

"I am pleased with my decision to bring you in."

Arthur bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Commander."

Then her expression hardened again.

"You are aware of the system that allows explorers of sufficient strength to ascend in rank."

Arthur nodded. "Ryn explained it to me."

He already knew what she was leading to. From the battle, from his achievements, from the head of the ritual guardian he had presented earlier, the path ahead was obvious.

Lyra gave a single approving nod.

"You are already qualified for advancement."

But she continued before he could interrupt.

"However," she said, "you will not ascend immediately."

Arthur did not show surprise. Instead he listened carefully.

"You will take it slowly," she continued. "You will first settle into joint missions with the silver squad."

Her reasoning was clear even without explanation. Strength alone was not everything. Experience, discipline, and understanding of the larger battlefield mattered just as much.

"You will prepare yourself and report to the mission hall tomorrow."

Arthur responded immediately. "Understood."

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