The commander watched quietly from a short distance.

Her eyes stayed fixed on him. As she noticed everything.

The way his mana moved.

The way he adjusted his control.

And more importantly...

The method.

He crushed it... just like that.

Crude and simple.

It showed no signs of preparation with the lack of a proper extraction technique.

If it were anyone else, she would’ve stopped them already.

But she didn’t move.

Because this was Arthur.

And he wasn’t normal.

Her gaze narrowed slightly.

Let’s see how far you take it.

Meanwhile, Arthur was still struggling.

The wind element continued slipping through his grasp.

He tried to guide it.

Shape it.

Even force it.

Nothing worked properly.

It kept thinning out.

Fading.

"...Not enough."

He clicked his tongue.

He could feel it already.

The amount left in the first core wasn’t enough.

Not for what he wanted.

But he didn’t stop.

Instead, he shifted his approach.

Don’t force it.

His breathing steadied again.

His mana slowed.

Instead of trying to grab the wind..

He followed it.

His sensitivity kicked in.

He traced its movement.

The slight shifts.

The way it flowed through his mana instead of against it.

"...Alright."

His voice was quiet now.

More focused.

He tried again.

This time, instead of trapping it..

He layered his mana around it more loosely.

Like guiding instead of holding.

For a brief moment...

The wind paused.

Just slightly.

Arthur’s eyes lit up.

"There..."

Then it slipped again.

He exhaled slowly.

"...Still not enough."

The first core was nearly spent.

The remaining wind element faded quickly.

Arthur opened his eyes.

Then looked at the second core he collected from the Commander.

"...Guess I’m not done."

He picked it up without hesitation.

The commander’s gaze sharpened.

He’s doing it again?

Arthur didn’t even look at her.

He crushed the second core the same way.

Crack.

This time—

He was ready.

The moment the wind element burst out, his mana reacted instantly.

It surrounded the space more tightly.

More controlled.

Less waste.

The difference was obvious.

The commander noticed it immediately.

Better.

Arthur’s face showed it too.

Less struggle.

More control.

He adjusted quickly, learning from the first attempt.

The wind still resisted.

But not as easily as before.

He had reduced the gaps.

Closed the escape points.

"...Got you."

He didn’t try to hold it completely.

Instead, he created a small space within his mana.

A pocket.

And guided the wind into it.

Slowly. Carefully.

His Manifest Intent began to form.

Not fully.

Just the framework.

He didn’t rush it or try to force it, he just let the intent take shape around the wind element.

Move... like this...

He imagined it.

Light. Flowing. Unrestricted.

But still his.

The mana in his palm shifted.

The commander leaned forward slightly.

A faint current formed.

Barely visible.

But it was there.

A small swirl of wind gathered in Arthur’s palm.

Unstable.

Flickering.

But real.

The commander’s eyes widened just a little.

"...He did it."

The wind twisted once...

Then dispersed.

Gone.

Just like that.

The hall returned to stillness.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then the commander straightened.

The small excitement that had appeared on her face faded just as quickly.

"...Too unstable."

Arthur, however.. was smiling.

A bright, genuine smile.

"...No."

He shook his head.

"That worked."

The commander looked at him.

"It collapsed."

"Yeah," Arthur said.

"But it formed first."

He raised his hand slightly, staring at his palm.

Like he could still feel it there.

"I got the response."

His eyes sharpened again.

"That’s all I needed."

The commander stayed silent for a moment.

Then a faint smile appeared on her face.

"...You’re ridiculous."

Arthur laughed.

"I know that."

He pushed himself to his feet, brushing off his clothes.

His body felt a bit drained.

But his mind remained clear and focused. And even excited.

It works.

He looked at his hand again.

I can do this.

From the outside, it looked like nothing had happened.

The wind had formed for a second... then vanished.

A failed attempt.

At least, that’s what anyone else would think.

Arthur stood there, still staring into space.

Then slowly... he smiled.

Not a small smile.

A full one.

Because right in front of him..

The interface had already responded.

✦══════════════════════════════════════✦

❂ SOVEREIGN INTENT SYSTEM ❂

✦══════════════════════════════════════✦

⟦ New Attribute Integration Detected ⟧

Source: Gale Wolf Core (Wind Trace)

Condition: Partial Assimilation — Stabilized Through Intent Flow Alignment

Result: Layered Affinity Accepted

━━━ NEW MANIFESTATION UNLOCKED ━━━

Name: Wind-Layered Manifest Intent

Rank: C (Sub-Aspect)

Type: Offensive / Reinforcement / Flow Control

Affinity: Wind (Trace-Level Integration)

⟦ Description ⟧

Manifest Intent now supports a secondary wind aspect, allowing intent constructs and body reinforcement to adopt flow-based acceleration and cutting properties.

Unlike fire’s explosive dominance, wind enhances speed, sharpness, and continuity, making attacks faster, lighter, and harder to track.

⟦ Core Effects ⟧

• Flow Reinforcement (Physical Boost)

Wind-layered intent reduces resistance during movement.

→ Faster bursts of speed

→ Smoother directional shifts

→ Reduced strain during rapid motion

When combined with Intent Skin:

→ Reinforcement becomes lighter and more responsive

→ Movement feels "guided" rather than forced

• Accelerated Constructs

Manifested constructs gain wind properties:

→ Increased projection speed

→ Sharper impact edges (cutting effect)

→ Reduced formation delay

• Edge Formation

Intent can condense into thin, blade-like currents

→ Suitable for slicing attacks

→ Effective against exposed or lightly armored targets

→ Can extend briefly beyond weapon reach

• Flow Channeling (Conduction Enhancement)

Wind improves conduction pathways through:

→ Body

→ Weapon

→ Contact points

Result:

→ Faster release on contact

→ Smoother transfer of force into targets

→ Improved chaining between actions

⟦ Passive Effect ⟧

• Momentum Carryover

Actions flow into each other with reduced delay

→ Easier combo execution

→ Less stiffness between movements

→ Continuous pressure in combat

⟦ Synergy Effects ⟧

• Wind + Fire Interaction

When both aspects are layered:

→ Fire constructs gain increased spread and reach

→ Explosions expand faster and wider

→ Flames cling and travel along wind paths

⟦ Unique Trait ⟧

• Flow Alignment

Wind responds better to guidance than force

✦══════════════════════════════════════✦

Arthur read through everything slowly.

Then again.

His grin didn’t fade.

"...Yeah."

That one word carried everything.

It worked.

A/N:

Please send Powerstones and Tickets, Let’s fly to the TOP of the rankings together🚀..

Also, drop Comments and Reviews..

(TEN REVIEWS = BONUS Chapter🔥).