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When I opened my eyes, I was floating again. Green light everywhere. Back in the jade orbit.
"Hey!" I yelled. "Paranoid Shao Lee or Lung or whatever—was that you? Did you do that?!"
Shao Lung materialized, massive and unimpressed. "Do what?"
I gave him a flat, unamused stare. "Really? You don't know what the hell just happened?"
He burst into laughter. "You fool. Of course that was me. How else would you have pulled that off yourself?" He laughed again, like I told the world's dumbest joke.
"You bastard," I snapped. "I didn't need your help to win that race. I was already at the finish line anyway." I crossed my arms, smug.
Shao Lung's voice dripped sarcasm. "Oh yes, sure you were. It's not like you were about to faceplant on the track." He laughed again.
I clicked my tongue, accepting it. "Fine, fine. I was going to lose and you helped. Thanks. But don't let it get to your head. You only gave me a little boost."
"Oh, my bad," Shao Lung said, smirking. "Just a little boost that carried you all the way to the finish line."
I changed the subject before he could roast me again. "Alright, enough. Anyway, what was that element? I've never seen lightning manipulation before. How did I—"
"Fool," Shao Lung cut in. "That wasn't lightning manipulation. And you didn't manipulate it. It gave you a boost into a single step. Think of it as a Flash Step, but it embodies you with lightning—covering your body to boost speed, defense, and attack force all at once. The drawback? It renders you useless when I withdraw my strength. Do you understand, Denki?"
I frowned, confused. "Hold on. So you're saying you lent me your power, my feet got electrified, I hit the finish line, you took your power back, then I fainted... So you're calling me a hopeless vehicle that needs you as fuel to move? Is that it?" I glared.
Shao Lung burst into laughter. "Well, you _are_ hopeless. You even said it yourself last time we spoke." He mimicked my voice: "'How will I fight without my element? I'm hopeless without it, aren't I?'"
"Darn you, I never said that!" I said, disbelief written all over my face.
"Oh yes, you did," he insisted.
"Well I don't remember," I shot back. "And tell me how the hell you're using lightning abilities when our family is from the air clan?"
Shao Lung's tone turned serious. "Your family is from the Kusukube clan, correct? Also known as the Storm Tempest clan. The seventh-ranked clan. And don't you know storms don't have only one ability? When a storm comes, three things happen: rapid wind, heavy rain, and lightning strikes."
He paused. "Denki. You can control them all. You weren't given an air ability at birth because your base element was never supposed to be air. It was lightning and thunder. That's why you were blessed with unimaginable speed from birth. It's my job to help you manifest it completely."
Pride swelled in my chest. "You see? That Lightning Flash Step was me all along. Your help did a tiny bit. Or probably I did it all myself." I grinned. "Hehehe."
Shao Lung looked at me with pure pity. "Denki, you have a long way to go before you can command even a fragment of lightning. Or try another Flash Step." He sighed. "Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. At least I have a year to teach you properly before you match the Demon King."
"Alright, Denki. You've stayed here long enough. Time to return to the physical realm before your body turns into a slimy mess."
"—You should have told me that _before_ you brought me here!" I yelled, cutting him off. "Take me back! Take me back already!"
Shao Lung burst into laughter, then sent me back.