She hesitated briefly, ncing at Aria before continuing. "I''ve mastered a few spells beyond just the basic ''Fireball'' and ''Firewall'' now," she added. "Aria and Aurelia helped me a lot—especially with controlling my Aether flow more efficiently. I can now cast ''zing Spear'' and ''Inferno re,'' both of which give me more versatility in battle."


    "And... I''ve been working on a spell that canbine fire and wind elements to create a powerful area-of-effect attack, though it''s still in the testing phase."


    Adrian nodded, impressed by L''s determination.


    As for the fire x wind, he could guess who she was practicing it with.


    She had always had a fiery and arrogant yet ignorant personality, but now she had the skills to back it up even more effectively. "It sounds like you''ve taken your abilities to the next level. Thatbined spell will definitelye in handy inrger battles. Keep it up and show it to me when you master it. I really want to see it."


    L smiled at the praise, though her expression remained focused. "I still have a long way to go, but I''m confident you will be amazed by it."


    Adrian could see that confidence, but also the lingering tension in her posture. The uing ruin exploration weighed on all of them, but they were growing stronger, each in their own way.


    Adrian turned his gaze to Aurelia, who sat beside Aria. He met her eyes and gave a knowing look.


    "I already know about you," he said, his tone calm but carrying a hint of familiarity. His words earned a small smile from Aurelia, but it wasn''t a surprise—he had been keeping track of her progress. After all, they had trained together on several asions recently.


    Adrian shifted his gaze to the others. "And you guys?"


    Kairen, Ardel, and L exchanged nces before nodding almost in unison, a quiet confirmation that they too were well aware of Aurelia''s improvements. She had made remarkable strides, even without saying much about it.


    "Good," Adrian said, satisfied. Then, his attention moved to Aria. He couldn''t help but smile, his expression softening slightly.


    "And you, Aria…" He trailed off for a moment, as if thinking about the right words. "You''ve been my greatest support through all of this, and honestly, I don''t think I could''ve done half of it without your help."


    Aria''s cheeks turned a light shade of pink at his words, but her smile was warm. "I''m just doing my part, Adrian," she said softly, her modesty shining through, though it was clear she appreciated his praise.


    For a brief moment, the room was filled with afortable silence, everyone exchanging nces as they realized how much each of them had grown over the past few months.


    Though Adrian could also tell the three''s gazes held another meaning. But he chose to stay ignorant.


    All eyes slowly turned back to Adrian again, as if waiting for something.


    ''They will ask us about it if I don''t change the topic.''


    Adrian chuckled under his breath. "So, it''s my turn now, huh?" he muttered, his gaze lowering briefly before meeting everyone''s expectant stares. He could feel the weight of their anticipation.


    "You must have already guessed," he began, his voice steady, "I''m stuck at my current rank, and I probably will be for a while."


    His words carried a weight of truth, one that he hade to terms with over time. His rank had always been a sticking point, something he couldn''t ovee by normal means. But it didn''t matter. Rank wasn''t everything.


    "As forbat and experience, I can say I''ve improved a lot," he continued, a glint of confidence shing in his eyes. "I''ve picked up a few tricks here and there, and I''m ready for whatevering at us."


    He paused, looking around the room, each of his teammates watching him closely. "But there''s something else—something I''ve recently gained—that I''ll show youter during our exploration."


    Adrian''s words hung in the air, sparking a mix of curiosity and excitement among the group. Even Kairen, who rarely showed much outward emotion, seemed intrigued by the idea of Adrian having something new up his sleeve.


    His Phantom Step and Whispering Cut surprised a lot back then too.


    Ardel shifted in his seat, leaning forward slightly, while L''s eyes brightened with anticipation. Aria gave Adrian a knowing look, clearly trusting in whatever he had nned. As for Ardel, he remained attentive, but there was an unmistakable gleam of interest in her eyes.


    Adrian crossed his arms, leaning back with a small smirk. "Trust me, it''ll be worth the wait."


    "I can''t wait to see it, let''s quickly go to the ruins!" L said enthusiastically, grabbing Kairen''s hand quickly as she stood up.


    L''s sudden enthusiasm broke the tension in the room, and in a swift motion, she grabbed Kairen''s hand, pulling him up from his seat. "Let''s quickly go to the ruins!" she eximed, her eyes bright with excitement.


    Kairen, usually calm andposed, stumbled a bit as L tugged him along. He blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard by her energy, but he didn''t pull away. Instead, he gave a small, almost awkward smile, his usual stoic demeanor softening in her presence.


    For a moment, the room fell into a curious silence.


    Adrian, Ardel, and Aria exchanged nces, struggling to hold back their amusement. The sight of Kairen and L—one so serious, the other so fiery—was too much to resist. The pair had always been close, buttely, there was something different in the way they interacted, something that had be impossible to ignore.


    Aria''s lips curled into a yful smile as she nudged Adrian gently with her elbow.


    Ardel''s face twitched, trying to suppress a wry grin, but it was Adrian who finally cracked.


    "Hahaha."


    He burst out chuckling, the sound filling the room. "You guys are way too obvious! You lovebirds." He said betweenughs, his voice ringing with genuine amusement. "You really are hopeless!"


    Kairen and L froze in ce, turning to face the group, their hands still sped together. The moment Adrian''s words hit them, their cheeks flushed a deep shade of red.


    Kairen, usually unreadable, shifted awkwardly, his usualposed expression faltering as he avoided eye contact with everyone. Meanwhile, L''s fiery nature betrayed her, and her face was practically glowing with embarrassment.


    "You—!" L stammered, eyes wide as she pointed at Adrian, but no words followed. For once, her sharp tongue seemed to fail her, leaving her standing there, flustered and red-faced.


    "...It''s not like you are hiding your affection either you know..." Thankfully, Ardel came in for her help as he stared at Adrian and Aria. "I think you guys are the obvious ones..."