He Became A Monstrous Genius After Obtaining A Time Dilation Artifact-Chapter 429. Trials 3

Nearby, Micheal’s eyes had already locked onto a fragment sparking faint blue-white light. Electricity danced over its surface, flickering in unpredictable patterns. His expression hardened with excitement and caution.

"Lightning," Kailen murmured, noting Micheal’s compatibility. "Observe its flow, then move."

Micheal extended his hand. Sparks leapt toward him, threatening at first, then settling as his aura met the fragment. The library seemed to hum in response, the surrounding shadows recoiling slightly. Lightning flowed into his veins, electrifying every nerve, yet perfectly controlled.

"I feel... power," Micheal said, voice tight with exhilaration. "Speed, shock, impact... it’s incredible!"

A second fragment sparked nearby, its lightning far more violent, snapping and cracking like a living storm barely held in place.

Zarek stopped, eyes narrowing.

Unlike Micheal’s controlled flow, this fragment radiated aggression. Each spark struck outward as if daring anyone to approach.

Kailen glanced at it briefly. "That one won’t respond to calm. It tests dominance and will. If you hesitate, it will reject you."

Zarek exhaled slowly, then stepped forward without another word.

The moment his aura touched the fragment, lightning exploded outward, flooding the space around him. Several of the group instinctively pulled back, the pressure sharp and oppressive. Zarek clenched his fists, teeth gritted, refusing to retreat.

The lightning resisted him.

Then, slowly, it bent.

The violent sparks compressed, wrapping around his arms and shoulders like coiling serpents of electricity before sinking into his body. The fragment dimmed, its rage settling into something fierce yet obedient.

Zarek straightened, electricity crackling faintly around him.

"...So this is lightning too," he muttered. "Different from his."

Kailen nodded once. "Same element. Different nature. Yours is destruction and pressure. Micheal’s is control and precision."

Micheal glanced over, sparks dancing between his fingers, then gave a sharp grin. "Guess we’ll see whose lightning hits harder."

Zarek snorted softly. "Try to keep up"

As for Esimo, the moment his hand brushed the fragment pedestal meant for him, the air around him cracked violently. Thin arcs of lightning crawled across his skin, sharp and restless, making his muscles tense as his instincts flared. The lightning fragment surged straight into his being, wild and domineering, forcing him to grit his teeth as images of raging storms, shattered skies, and thunderous judgment flooded his mind. When the light finally faded, Esimo exhaled slowly, sparks flickering briefly in his eyes before vanishing as he flexed his fingers. A crooked grin spread across his face.

"So this is lightning..." he muttered. "Fast. Violent. Unforgiving. Heh... I like it."

Zarek and Micheal stared at him with smug expressions.

" Excellent , Esimo" Kailen said.

Charles, his eyes already scanning the library, located a fragment of wind, hovering lightly, spinning gently. The currents of air around it swirled in soft eddies, teasing at his robes and hair.

"Wind," Kailen murmured. "Subtle, yet precise. Don’t overreach; let it guide you."

Charles extended a hand cautiously. The wind coiled around him, almost playful, teasing, then solidified into a controlled force that danced around his fingers. He smiled, a mixture of relief and excitement. "I can feel it... the currents are... responding to me."

Lian Yu, standing a few steps away, had also located a wind fragment. Its currents were stronger than Charles’s, wild and untamed, yet waiting for someone capable of mastering it. Lian Yu’s eyes narrowed, focusing his intent. He reached forward. The winds whipped violently, but as his focus sharpened, they obeyed, swirling in a controlled spiral around him.

"Perfect," Kailen said softly. "That’s the strength of mastery—harnessing chaos without fear."

Miranda’s fragment glimmered icy blue. She approached cautiously, her breath catching as she felt the cold pulse of energy radiate outward. A soft chill wrapped around her hands, then encased them in a fine layer of frost, the fragment responding to her intent.

"I... I can feel the cold," she whispered. "Sharp, precise, and... powerful."

Kailen gave a small nod. "Ice. Controlled, elegant. Use it, but never underestimate the cost of overconfidence."

Anaya, the runesmith, had located a fragment glowing deep azure. Water, pure and flowing, responding subtly to her every heartbeat. She knelt, fingertips brushing the aura of the fragment. The water energy swirled around her, forming tiny spirals that reflected her intent, her focus.

"It’s... responding," she murmured. "I can feel its patterns, its flow... almost like reading a rune."

Kailen’s shadow lingered near her, a silent nod of approval. "Water. Adaptive, precise, yet patient. That is your path."

Ethan’s fragment, another water fragment, pulsed slightly differently, calmer, gentler, yet potent. He stepped forward, unsure at first, hand hovering near the glow. The water energy rippled, then flowed into him, adjusting to his rhythm and presence.

"I... I think I understand," he whispered. "It’s... flowing with me, not against me."

Pan hovered near a dark fragment, its aura heavy with curse energy. Shadows seemed to coil around it, writhing, testing those who dared approach.

"Curse," Kailen murmured. "Dangerous, and requires precise control. Recklessness here is fatal."

Pan’s eyes narrowed. He extended his hands, letting the cursed energy test his control. The shadows writhed, attempting to take over, yet he held his focus. Slowly, the energy settled, coiling obediently around him like a restrained serpent.

Arnold’s fragment glowed faint red, the aura of speed. He stepped forward and felt a sudden rush, as though time itself were stretching and contracting around him. Heart pounding, he focused, letting the fragment’s energy synchronize with his movements. The rush became controlled, explosive, yet balanced.

"Speed," he whispered. "I can feel it... every muscle, every step, perfectly in time."

Finally, Kailen approached his fragment. Unlike the water fragments around him, his pulsed with deep green, earthy energy. Vines coiled and twisted within the glow, moving as if alive. He extended a hand, and the vines reached toward him, responding immediately to his intent. They wrapped gently around his fingers, flowing into his aura, spreading through his shadow.

"These... vines," Kailen murmured, a faint smile forming. "Adaptive, resilient, and bound to the earth. Perfect for growth, entrapment, and defense."

For a moment, the library was silent. Shadows receded slightly, runes pulsing softly, acknowledging the successful alignment of intent and fragment with their new owners.

The group exhaled in relief, though their minds raced with the newfound power coursing through them. Each fragment had been tailored to its bearer, a reflection of their skills, and their intent.

Kailen’s gaze swept across them, sharp and calm. "Well done. The fragments are yours, but remember... power alone is meaningless without understanding. "

Arrie’s hand hovered over her healing fragment. "Babe... I feel like I could heal... almost anything."

"Remember," Kailen said, voice steady, "control comes before use. Power without control is danger waiting for you."

Micheal’s fingers sparked lightly with the lightning fragment. "This... this is incredible," he murmured. "I can feel the potential to strike, move, even protect..."

Charles flexed his hands, the wind fragment coiling around him like obedient currents. "I’ve never felt anything like this. Freedom... movement..."

Lian Yu’s eyes gleamed, the wind swirling faster around him. "Power and finesse... balance. I get it now."

Miranda’s icy grip felt sharp in her hands, her fragment’s energy forming delicate, precise patterns in the air. "Control... always control."

Anaya’s water fragment moved gently, flowing around her fingers, forming perfect spirals. "Intent first... reaction second."

Ethan’s water fragment rippled softly. "Flow... not force. Got it."

Pan flexed his hands, the curse fragment writhing. "I feel it... danger, and opportunity, together."

Arnold’s speed fragment pulsed with each heartbeat. "Timing... everything is timing."

Zarek flexed his fingers as lightning snapped once, sharp and heavy.

"Good. If it resists, I’ll break it."

Kailen glanced at his vines fragment once more. "Growth, adaptability, patience... restraint"

The library pulsed again, shadows stretching along the walls and floors, runes flaring golden. Yet unlike before, there was no threat now. The fragments were theirs, secured, their bonds complete.

The Time Dilation Artifact’s voice echoed in Kailen’s mind, softer this time. "Hmph... well done. The library recognizes your alignment. Well done."

Kailen exhaled slowly, eyes scanning the group. "Everyone... this is your moment. We have earned our fragments, but mastery begins now. Let’s be vigilant. Grow with them. Use them wisely."

The group nodded, each silently acknowledging the new power thrumming within them. For the first time, the library felt calm. The shadows had receded, the runes pulsed steadily, and the fragments shone like beacons of their hard-won potential.