The moment the surge stabilized, the air itself seemed to bow.
Frost crystallized in complex patterns across the ground, spreading outward from Shadow's feet like a living sigil. The pressure of his mana no longer felt violent—it was controlled, precise, as if the ice answered him by instinct.
Mike observed the phenomenon carefully, eyes narrowing for a brief moment before he nodded.
"It's working perfectly," he said.
Shadow exhaled slowly. The overwhelming tide of power settled into a steady flow, no longer leaking into the surroundings. Every thread of ice and water mana moved exactly as he willed it to—no resistance, no delay.
Perfect control.
Mike reached into his inventory and took out the Eternal Winter Katana.
The moment it appeared, the temperature dropped even further.
Runes along the blade awakened, glowing with a deep, glacial blue. The air around the sword shimmered as if reality itself was freezing in layers.
Mike stepped forward and handed it to Shadow.
