(Opening Scene: Zane and Astrid stand in the clearing where they fought the Boarhide. The injured beast has retreated into the undergrowth. Astrid is still marveling at Zane's newfound Void Fragments skill.)
"Zane, that was incredible!" Astrid exclaimed, her stormy eyes alight with curiosity. "How did you do that? How did the blade… break apart like that?"
Zane shook his head, still slightly in awe of what he had just accomplished. "I… I don't really know. You told me to try changing its shape, and I just… focused on it. It felt like the darkness inside me just… shifted."
"Try it again," Astrid urged, her excitement evident. "Show me!"
Zane concentrated, recalling the feeling of the blade fracturing. He willed the Null Blade to shift its form, and this time, with more conscious effort, the obsidian steel dissolved into the familiar array of sharp Void Fragments. They hovered around him, slightly more controlled than before.
Astrid watched with fascination. "Amazing! It's like you're wielding a cloud of shadow daggers. But can you change it back? To the sword?"
Zane focused again, picturing the fragments coalescing. Slowly, the shadowy daggers flowed back together, reforming into the sleek, obsidian Null Blade in his hand.
"It seems so," he replied, a sense of growing confidence in his voice.
"Try changing its shape again," Astrid prompted, eager to see the limits of this new ability. "Can you make it a shield? Or a spear?"
Zane concentrated, trying to manipulate the shadowy substance into different forms. He could feel the energy shifting, but the blade remained stubbornly sword-shaped. He strained, but no other distinct form would materialize.
Frustration flickered across his face. "It's not working. I can break it into fragments, and reform it, but I can't seem to make it anything else."
Then, a thought struck him, a sudden, intuitive understanding. He remembered the fight with the Shadowed Maw, the feeling of the Null Blade solidifying as his resolve strengthened. He recalled the Boarhide, and the blade's effectiveness against its armored hide.
"Astrid," he said slowly, his eyes widening with realization. "I think… I think the blade changes based on the beasts I've… defeated. It felt stronger against the Boarhide than against regular creatures. And now this new skill… it awakened after fighting it."
Astrid's brow furrowed in thought. "You think your blade… levels up with each kill?"
Zane nodded, the idea solidifying in his mind. "It feels like it. As if absorbing something from them makes it stronger, unlocks new potential." He wondered aloud, "Could I awaken more skills if I defeated more powerful monsters?"
Astrid considered this, her expression thoughtful. "It's possible. It would explain why your weapon is so unique and effective against creatures like the Thornhide Beast. But…" She glanced at the sky, then back at Zane. "The entry test is in two days. We need to return to Oakhaven to rest and prepare. Even if your theory is correct, we wouldn't have enough time to hunt and defeat enough powerful monsters to significantly enhance your blade further or unlock new skills before the test."
Zane's shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment, but he knew she was right. The immediate priority was the academy. The mystery of his evolving blade would have to wait.