Magic elements permeated the world in endless abundance. Both mages and warriors could communicate with these elements to aid them in battle. The difference lay in their methods: mages channeled the elements of heaven and earth, unleashing terrifying destructive power, while warriors typically focused their elemental energy into singular, concentrated strikes—unable to achieve widespread devastation.
But this was merely communicating with the elements.
To fuse with them, however…
That was an entirely different challenge.
Fusing with an element required an extraordinarily profound understanding of its essence—a feat only a handful of supremely gifted individuals could accomplish.
Oke had fused with the water element, making his strength incomparable to someone like Zev. Fortunately, Kael's Small World was formidable enough; otherwise, killing Oke would have been nearly impossible.
"Teacher, how many elements have you fused with?" Kael asked.
Ethan coughed, a note of pride in his voice. "I've mastered four: water, fire, wind, and earth!"
Four elements!
Kael was stunned. Ethan's strength was indeed monstrous—unfathomable. Fusing three elements elevated one to Level 12, but four?
No wonder everyone treated Ethan with such reverence wherever he went. A mage who had fused four elements was at least Level 12—a legendary figure whose power ranked among the continent's absolute peak.
However, experts of Ethan's caliber rarely intervened in worldly affairs. The continent had explicit conventions: mages and warriors above Level 12 were forbidden from meddling in continental disputes or interfering in national politics.
Seeing the shock in Kael's eyes, Ethan finally allowed himself a moment of smug satisfaction. No matter how much of a freak you are, kid, you're just starting your journey into elemental fusion!
For the first time in a long while, Ethan truly felt like a mentor. Kael's talent was so absurd that he'd rarely had the chance to teach him anything.
"Elemental fusion—easy to say, but how difficult is it to achieve? Countless mages remain stuck at the mid-stage of Level 10 for life, never advancing further. I once met an equally prodigious young man who took years to barely break through after reaching that stage. Someone like Oke was already considered a rare talent... pity you killed him," Ethan sighed.
He then grinned at Kael, eyes glinting with schadenfreude. "So, kid, now you finally understand what hitting a bottleneck feels like, don't you?"
Kael could only stare blankly at Ethan's smug expression. The old mage's mischievous, childlike personality was on full display. Yet, from his words, Kael truly grasped just how arduous elemental fusion would be.
"Fusing your first element won't bring a drastic change in power—which is why you could still kill Oke. But starting with the second element, your strength will multiply exponentially!" Ethan's tone grew slightly more serious, his words both a revelation and a warning.
Kael nodded. He now had a thorough understanding of elemental fusion, but even the thought of it underscored its difficulty.
To fuse with an element was to master its deepest mysteries, to unite oneself with its essence and comprehend the fundamental truths of magic in the world.
Ethan chuckled. "Alright, kid, focus on your comprehension. Let's see how long it takes you to fuse with fire."
Kael had been a fire-attribute mage since the beginning of his magical training. In other words, fire was the element he knew best—and thus the easiest to fuse with. Nearly all mages chose their primary element for their first fusion attempt, as it offered the highest chance of success.
Of course, "easiest" was only relative.
The process of elemental fusion was grueling beyond measure. Ethan was certain even Kael wouldn't grasp it quickly. With that, he gave Kael a pat on the shoulder and swaggered out, tossing back a reminder: "Oh, and don't forget my Sunfire Gold!"
Kael could only nod, though a headache was already forming. Sunfire Gold...
He wanted nothing more than to acquire more of it. With his current wealth, he could afford the cores needed for Arcane Cannons—but Sunfire Gold was simply too scarce. So far, he'd only gathered enough to forge a dozen or so cannons.
If only we had a hundred Arcane Cannons...
Elemental Fusion!
Kael had actually brushed against the threshold of this gate.
Fire elements seemed to merge with every inch of his being. An endless surge of flames roiled around him, their power escalating relentlessly.
"Just a little more, and I'll achieve fusion!" Kael thought. He had already grasped fragments of fire's essence, yet that final step—complete unity with the element—remained agonizingly out of reach.
That one step made all the difference.
If he lost this opportunity, he might never know when another chance would come.
But no matter how hard he strained, Kael felt perpetually stranded outside the door, a hair's breadth away from crossing it—always almost there.
"No… Do I have to give up?" A wave of defiance rose in his chest. He refused to let this pivotal moment slip away.
Gritting his teeth, Kael redoubled his efforts.
Yet progress remained elusive. Beads of sweat drenched his forehead; his entire body was soaked as if he'd been plunged into water.
Then—
The World Tree within his Small World suddenly radiated pulses of life energy. These luminous strands surged into Kael's body, acting like kindling to the flames. The fire elements blazed anew, finally synchronizing with him in perfect harmony!
At the critical juncture, the World Tree had tipped the scales. It was as if Kael, after lingering helplessly at the doorstep, had been given a decisive push from behind—propelling him straight through!
Fire and Kael became one, indistinguishable.
Against all odds…
He had succeeded.