I've been marked by a dragon.

And not just any dragon—the worst kind.

The type with a personality straight out of a nightmare.

First, she tosses students into bizarre, dangerous places "for fun," claiming it's to test our skills.

Then she hands out so-called "gifts" that are actually just more trials wrapped in shiny packaging.

Seriously… what am I supposed to do with Lumine?

I get it—dragons aren't human. Their sense of amusement is fundamentally different.

For her, everything that's happening to me is probably nothing more than light

entertainment. A little hobby. A distraction.

Like a child poking at ants with a stick.

And to Lumine, I'm that ant.

If she keeps being interested in me, there's no doubt these ridiculous incidents will continue.

I need to figure out a way to shake her off—fast.

But how am I supposed to detach myself from a dragon?

Let alone that dragon?

"…Should I ask Lisa for help?"

The thought slipped into my mind before I could stop it.

Lisa is a Maan.

If anyone could hypnotize a dragon, even a fragment of one, it would be her.

But I dismissed the idea almost instantly.

No—too risky. Way too risky.

There's no guarantee hypnosis would work on a dragon's mind.

And even if it did, what happens if the hypnosis breaks? Or if the dragon notices something off?

That wouldn't just be a problem.

That would be the disaster.

A catastrophe that no one would be able to control.

No matter how desperate I get, that's a line I shouldn't cross.

I sighed and rubbed the back of my head.

…There has to be another way.

But it's seems that I can't find answer yet.

So.

For now, the only thing I could do was pray that Lumine would eventually lose interest in me—

and in the meantime, quietly search for a solution on my own.

…But that was a problem for future me.

Right now, I had something more important to check.

Click.

[Simulation starting. Please set the level.]

I stepped into the special training room, the familiar mechanical voice echoing off the walls.

Time to test what I gained this time.

"Level 4."

[Virtual combat simulation will begin shortly.]

The system hummed, projecting mana into the air. A moment later, a hulking, green-skinned orc materialized in front of me—drooling, snarling, and looking disturbingly real for something made of light.

I took a breath.

Right. First, I wanted to try the technique the doppelganger used.

Until now, my lightning abilities had been straightforward—

Shoot electricity.

Channel it through a swing.

Compress it in emergencies.

Lightning Slash, Lightning Strike… all just variations of the same basic approach.

But what I needed now was something different.

Not a single-target attack.

Not a directional strike.

I needed an area-of-effect skill.

Fortunately, most of my fights until now had been one-on-one.

Straightforward. Predictable. Manageable.

But in a chaotic battle—surrounded, outnumbered, overwhelmed—none of that would matter.

If I didn't have some kind of area attack, I'd be finished.

And recently, I'd seen something that fit that requirement perfectly.

The technique the doppelganger used.

Lightning raining down from the sky—wild, uncontrolled, terrifying.

It lacked accuracy, sure, but the sheer destructive range was undeniable.

If I could replicate even a fraction of that technique…

I looked at the orc standing blankly in front of me—big, dumb, and just sturdy enough to survive a few experiments.

Perfect practice material.

I closed my eyes and focused, forming the image in my mind.

Lightning splitting the sky.

Bolts falling like spears.

A storm I controlled with my own hands.

As the image solidified, I gathered my magical power, letting it swirl and condense until the air around me crackled.

Then, I thrust the magic upward.

"Lightning Strike!"

CRAAASH!!

The air ripped open above us, and a massive bolt of lightning slammed into the ground—

Not into the orc.

But right next to it.

The orc flinched, stumbling back while smoke and dust billowed around the scorched earth.

I stared at the smoldering crater, my expression stiff.

I missed.

A direct shot—yet completely off the mark.

I exhaled sharply, rubbing my forehead.

"This… isn't easy."

I managed to create lightning.

That part was a success.

But hitting the actual target?

My accuracy was garbage.

It wasn't as simple as picking a target and dropping lightning on it.

The sensation had felt… strange. Almost like aiming from above the clouds—distant, detached, and unfamiliar.

It would definitely take time to get used to.

Still, a new combat technique was a new combat technique.

Even if I wasn't fully satisfied, I had to admit the gain was significant.

I pushed aside the lingering disappointment and focused on something else I'd acquired during the fight.

That formless energy still swirling faintly inside me.

Slowly, I reached inward and drew it out using my magical power, letting it gather at my fingertips before spreading across my hand.

A bright yellow glow wrapped around my skin, as if my hand had been dipped in golden paint.

"…Hmm."

The more I concentrated, the more the feeling sharpened—an odd pull, a subtle hum beneath the surface of my skin.

A faint vibration.

A strange attraction.

A push and pull I could feel even without touching anything.

I was starting to understand it.

"So… it's like my body became a magnet?"

That was the closest comparison I could think of.

The ability I gained after surviving Lumine's trial—

the ability to generate magnetic force within my own body.

Honestly, it sounded amazing in theory.

But putting it into practice was another matter entirely.

"…But what am I supposed to use this for?"

I frowned, flexing my glowing hand.

The magnetic force pulsed faintly,

responding to my thoughts and magic.

It was powerful. I could feel that much.

But I couldn't immediately figure out a practical use for it.

Combat?

Movement?

Support?

Something else entirely?

Right now, it was like being given a high-end tool without the instruction manual.

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