Half an hour into his training session, Noah felt the first breakthrough in understanding. The fire inside the orb was responding to his mana, as if trying to meet up and become friends.
Progress, he thought with satisfaction while maintaining concentration on the delicate mental balance required.
The training continued with Noah gradually expanding his comfort zone, learning to coax the flames inside the orb. Each additional understanding built confidence while teaching respect for the element’s inherent volatility.
His enhanced attributes provided the mental stability necessary for managing such intense elemental energies without being overwhelmed by their demands. He had been able to do it at the novice rank; there was nothing stopping him from doing it at the apprentice rank. Whilst weaker practitioners might struggle with fire’s psychological requirements, he was able to maintain both comprehension and control simultaneously.
Fascinating how different elements require different mental approaches, Noah observed while successfully maintaining a stable flame that hovered above his palm like a living jewel.
The fire inside the orb danced with obvious pleasure at being properly and respectfully comprehended, its movements expressing the kind of joy that came from finding a worthy partner.
Almost there, Noah sensed as his understanding of flame manipulation approached the threshold necessary for true skill acquisition.
The final breakthrough came as Noah successfully created a tiny tornado of controlled flame that spiralled around his hand without burning or losing coherence. The technique demonstrated mastery of both creation and precise directional control.
Almost an hour after beginning his training session, a familiar notification flashed across his retina with the words that accompanied successful skill development.
[You have learned the skill Flame Manipulation (Level 1)]
Noah opened his eyes with genuine satisfaction at expanding his elemental repertoire, watching as small flames continued dancing around his fingers with obvious contentment at finding a new practitioner worthy of their cooperation.
Two elemental affinities confirmed, he thought with growing curiosity about what other elements he could learn. He hoped that he would be able to gain these orbs from the elves; perhaps after some time, he would be able to learn all of the elements and become like the Avatar.
Standing up from his meditative position, Noah noticed Lola had been watching him intently throughout the entire training session. Her face was cupped in her hands with obvious fascination, and she smiled with that mischievous expression that always seemed to carry hidden meanings.
"My talented boss seems to have an affinity for fire... just like me," she purred with obvious delight at the discovery. "I wonder if that’s a sign... hehe~"
Her ruby eyes sparkled as she spoke.
Noah rolled his eyes at her predictable flirtation while fighting back a smile at her obvious pleasure in finding another connection between them.
"Quit the teasing, Lola," he said with mock exasperation.
"Catch." Without warning, Noah tossed the fire orb toward her in a gentle arc that would be easy to intercept. In fact, even if he wanted to, with her reflexes and speed as an archmage, he wouldn’t have been able to make it hard to intercept.
Lola’s expression immediately shifted from playful confidence to genuine confusion and shock as she reflexively caught the valuable artefact that Noah had tossed casually.
"Why?" she asked with bewilderment, staring at the crimson sphere as if it might explode in her hands.
"Why? I’m obviously giving it to you," Noah replied with matter-of-fact simplicity. "I no longer need it for training purposes. You have a natural affinity for fire magic, so it will be beneficial for your continued development."
The gesture was both practical and generous—he had already learned the fundamental skill, making the orb more valuable to someone who could use it for ongoing advancement rather than letting it gather dust in his storage.
He had the idle room that would help him increase the level of the skill, whereas Lola didn’t.
"Bu-" Lola began to protest, her usual confident demeanour cracking as emotion threatened to overwhelm her composure.
Her ruby eyes glistened with unshed tears as she processed the unexpected kindness, recognising that he was giving away an artefact that was beneficial for him simply because it would help her grow stronger.
"Noah, I can’t accept this," she whispered with a voice that trembled slightly. "This orb is incredibly valuable. You could use it to improve your comprehension of the fire element or trade it for other enhancement items."
"And I’m choosing to give it to someone who will benefit from using it," Noah replied with gentle firmness. "Just take the gift. When someone gifts you something, you should say thank you, not give them multiple excuses and reasons why they shouldn’t."
The simple logic of his generosity only made Lola’s emotional response more intense, her usual playful masks unable to hide how deeply his gesture affected her.
"Besides," Noah added with a warm smile, "partners should support each other’s growth. Consider it an investment in an employee. You can’t always remain at the same power level, right? We will be going to different places, and you will need to be strong enough when the time comes."
In Lola’s mind, the word ’partners’ carried weight beyond simple business terminology, acknowledging the personal bond that had developed between them during their adventures over the past days.
Lola clutched the fire orb to her chest with trembling hands, her typical confidence replaced by gratitude that spoke to how rarely she had experienced such unconditional generosity outside the time she was with Noah.
"Thank you," she managed to say after a moment of silence. "This means... more than you know."
Noah smiled warmly, accepting her heartfelt thanks.
"You’re welcome, use it well," he said, his tone filled with warmth.
Lola carefully pocketed the flame orb. But as she secured the precious artefact, her mind went back to the issue at hand.
"Time to prepare for the auction," she said with growing anticipation, her ruby eyes regaining their spark of mischief.
Then, as if answering her words. Both Noah and Lola suddenly felt the unmistakable pressure of multiple grandmaster-level auras manifesting just outside their shop boundaries. The air itself seemed to thicken with concentrated magical power as beings of extraordinary capability positioned themselves for what promised to be a momentous confrontation.