Dawn arrived at the Cradle, bringing with it another day of elemental training. Ares, now on day three of what he called "baby warrior boot camp," felt sore and worn out. His tiny body still ached from the brutal ice training the day before, and even the lingering fire energy in his core couldn't shake off the deep cold in his bones.
"Day three," he thought, wiggling his fingers, still numb. "Fire nearly roasted me, ice almost turned me into a popsicle, and today... water. Maybe drowning will be quicker than burning or freezing. Silver lining, right?"
As he absorbed the ambient mana, Ares noticed something strange—fire and ice, rather than clashing, were working together. They balanced each other out, creating a stronger, more stable core.
"Holy crap," he thought, thrilled. "I'm like a baby yin-yang bomb. Maybe this is what the author meant by 'unprecedented potential' in the sequel notes."
His thoughts were interrupted by Junia's footsteps. Her approach was slower today, heavier—probably weighed down by worry after seeing what he'd endured.
"Good morning, young master," she greeted him gently, trying to smile but unable to hide her concern.
During his bath, Ares noticed her hands were shaking. She whispered quiet prayers as she washed him.
"She's getting attached," Ares realized, feeling a twinge of guilt. "She thinks I'm just a helpless baby being tortured. She doesn't know I'm actually a grown man in a baby's body. Still… it's kind of nice having someone who cares."
---
Elsewhere in the castle, two figures approached the High Matron's chambers, both carrying reports that defied logic.
Drenar arrived first, clutching notes on the previous day's training. Moments later, Glaciana appeared, her breath still frosty from the ice chamber. They stopped short when they saw each other.
"You too?" Drenar asked quietly.
Glaciana nodded, eyes wide. "The infant's results aren't just impressive—they're impossible. Elemental harmony on day two, and he stayed conscious for eight hours in freezing temperatures."
"Eight hours of fire absorption the day before," Drenar added. "And he retained the energy overnight. That shouldn't happen."
Neither had expected to meet the other, but it was clear—they were both shaken by what they'd seen.
The obsidian doors creaked open. High Matron Veltrissa stepped out, graceful and imposing. Her sharp eyes narrowed at the sight of both wardens waiting together.
"How interesting," she said smoothly. "Two of my top wardens, both here without appointment, both looking like you've seen a ghost. What has the youngest done this time?"
Drenar went first. "High Matron, the child absorbed fire mana for four hours straight, no injuries, and kept refining the energy afterward."
Glaciana followed. "Yesterday's ice training showed him achieving elemental harmony—something that usually takes years."
Veltrissa tapped her fingers on her desk, eyes narrowing in thought. Then she stood.
"Two days. Two impossible feats," she said. "Either we're witnessing the birth of a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy, or… something even more extraordinary."
Her gaze turned razor-sharp. "Continue the training. Document everything. And speak of this to no one. I'll observe him myself before informing the Lord."
The wardens bowed and left, leaving Veltrissa alone with her swirling thoughts. A child with such potential could be the family's greatest weapon—or its downfall.
---
An hour later, Ares' door opened, revealing someone new—Nerida, the water warden.
She glided into the room with the calm grace of ocean waves. Her flowing robes shimmered like water, and she looked more like a sea spirit than a warrior.
"Hello, little one," she whispered, voice soft and rhythmic. "Today, we explore the power of water—of flow and adaptation."
As she picked Ares up, he was surprised by the warmth of her touch. Despite her water-based nature, she radiated a soft, comforting heat—like a hot spring instead of a cold sea.
As they walked through increasingly humid halls, Ares heard muffled sounds of training from other rooms.
"How many of them are surviving this?" he wondered grimly. "The book said the mortality rate was high… but seeing it for real hits different."
They reached the Aqueous Sanctum—a dome of deep blue that looked like it had been carved from frozen ocean currents. The walls shimmered like water, and mana filled the air like mist.
"This is the water shrine," Ares recalled. "At least it won't burn or freeze me. Drowning's still a risk though. Lovely."
Inside, the chamber pulsed with living energy. At its center was the Tidewell Basin, a still pool that hummed with power. Suspended above were the Hydro Chambers—rotating spheres filled with glowing mana orbs.
Nerida explained, "Water trials are about balance and going with the flow. We'll start gently, but even calm currents can be dangerous."
She placed him on a platform extending into the basin. It was warm and slightly damp, covered in glowing runes that reacted to his presence.
Ares felt the mana immediately—it was gentle but relentless, seeping into every part of him. Not aggressive like fire or sneaky like ice, but deeply persistent.
As he drew it in, he realized something amazing: the water mana was helping fire and ice work together, acting like a bridge between them.
"Whoa," he thought. "Water's letting them cooperate. It's not just coexisting—it's integration."
The pool rippled as his connection deepened. The platform gently swayed, testing his focus and balance. Nerida watched in awe.
"He's syncing with the basin," she whispered. "That shouldn't be possible this early."
Hours passed. Ares stayed focused, feeling the mana flow through him like a dance—complex, but natural. The mana orbs above began glowing and drifting lower, drawn to him.
"He's attracting them without even trying," Nerida thought, stunned. "This level of attunement is unheard of."
Around the fourth hour, it happened. Fire, ice, and water balanced perfectly in his core. His body glowed with a soft, shifting light—red, blue, and aqua.
"Holy crap," Ares thought. "I'm basically an elemental reactor! Fire fuels me, ice stabilizes me, and water ties it all together. This is nuts!"
The basin responded with rolling waves. The Hydro Chambers spun faster. The whole room seemed to hum with rising energy.
"Impossible," Nerida breathed. "Three-element harmony… on day three… by a baby…"
Even as exhaustion set in, Ares kept going. By the sixth hour, he had formed a stable core combining all three elements in perfect balance—a feat most top cultivators couldn't achieve.
When Junia arrived, she gasped at the strange aura coming off him—warm, cool, and moist all at once.
"You feel… different," she said, cradling him gently.
As they left the Sanctum, Ares smiled faintly to himself. The elements were now working together: fire gave strength, ice gave control, and water gave flexibility.
"Three down," he thought. "Three to go. If I keep this up, I'll either become a god—or explode. Honestly, fifty-fifty at this point."
Behind them, Nerida stood in silence, still processing what she'd seen. Like the others, she knew the High Matron would need to hear about this. And like the others, she wasn't sure what the fallout would be.
The water had tested him—and accepted him. Tomorrow, the sky would bring its own trials. And Ares would have to rise to meet them.