cosmic outbreak

Chapter 16: The Path of Sorcery

Hikaru's eyes narrowed as he saw the girl standing in the distance. Something about her presence felt different—unnatural. He took a step forward.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The girl didn't reply.

Before anyone could say another word, Asahi, still burning with anger over Renji's death, charged straight at her, his fists clenched. He swung hard, but in a single motion, the girl caught his hand and slammed him into the ground with brutal force.

Everyone's eyes widened.

Kiyoshi rushed in, his fists glowing with strength, but she dodged his punch effortlessly and countered with a quick strike to his stomach, sending him stumbling back. Emi fired a barrage of bullets from her magic-infused guns, but the girl moved between them with almost unnatural grace, dodging every single one.

"Tch… just who are you?!" Emi growled.

The girl finally smirked. "You're all weak."

That irritated Hikaru. He clenched his fist, channeling his ether energy, and launched a powerful ether punch toward her.

For the first time, she looked slightly impressed as she barely managed to block it. "Huh… maybe not all of you," she admitted.

Emi stepped forward. "Enough games! Who are you?"

The girl crossed her arms and finally introduced herself. "I am Luna, a sorcerer."

Kaito furrowed his brows. "Sorcerer? What do you mean by that?"

Luna sighed. "So, you really don't know… We sorcerers are people gifted with the ability to control magic and elements. Some are born with it, while others learn to wield it."

Everyone looked at each other, still processing what she was saying.

"There are many of us," Luna continued. "And right now, my allies need help."

Without hesitation, Hikaru and his group agreed to follow her.

---

The Sorcerers' Sanctuary

Luna led them to an enormous fortress in Russia. It wasn't just a simple hideout—it was a massive sanctuary filled with hundreds of people. Humans, sorcerers, and powerful-looking individuals, all living together. Some were training in combat, while others studied magic.

A man stepped forward to greet them—a young but battle-hardened sorcerer.

"I am Santino," he introduced himself. "Welcome to one of the five Sorcerer Centers."

"Sorcerer Centers?" Hikaru repeated.

"Yes," Santino explained. "There are five elemental training centers across the world. Each one teaches mastery over a different element. Thunder is here in Russia. Wind is in Japan. Water is in the USA. Fire is in India. Earth is in Africa."

Hikaru was taken aback. "Wait… If sorcerers are so powerful, why have you been hiding?"

Santino's expression darkened. "We had our reasons. If the aliens knew we existed, they would have wiped us out before we had the chance to fight back. But now, we have no choice but to act."

An old man stepped forward, his presence alone commanding attention. "I am Ojii-san, the master of this Thunder Center."

"Ojii-san?" Ryo tilted his head.

Ojii-san smiled. "Yes, I am one of the strongest thunder sorcerers in the world. And now, I will train you."

Before they could react, Ojii-san lifted his hand. A barrier of pure energy surrounded the sanctuary. Suddenly, a zombie outside rushed toward it… and the moment it made contact, it burst into ashes.

"This is a Barrage Spell," Ojii-san explained. "No zombies or aliens can enter this sanctuary as long as the spell remains active."

Everyone was amazed. The level of power here was far beyond what they had seen before.

Ojii-san then asked, "Do you want to learn this power?"

Hikaru and the others looked at each other. There was no hesitation.

"Yes!" they all answered.

---

The Training Begins

The group was divided for training.

Santino took Kaito, Emi, Kiyoshi, Daiki, Akito, and Takeshi under his guidance. Luna trained Ryo, Toma, Aoi, and Hiroshi. Ojii-san himself trained Hikaru, Kuroshin, Asahi, Tatsuya, and Muscle.

Their first lesson was the Strength Spell, which temporarily boosted their physical power.

Kiyoshi and Muscle, who were already incredibly strong, felt an overwhelming surge of power. Their muscles tensed, their punches now capable of shattering the ground beneath them.

"This… is just the beginning," Ojii-san said with a knowing smile.

The true training had only just begun.

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