"I refuse to die in this place!" I looked straight ahead, filled to the brim with anger and resentment.

After everything I have been through, I won't let this stop me. I faced the queen without taking a single step back.

She just continued to stand there, unmoving, as if she were mocking me.

I decided to not entertain her any further and break this stalemate. I fired at her at point-blank range, but my attack turned out to be useless against her strong exoskeleton. The Queen hissed at me dismissively, as if my attempt to defeat her was merely child's play.

I decided I wouldn't let it bother me and instead increased my spell strength as much as I could before firing again.

This time it seemed to work somehow, as the queen had finally moved. But the shot never connected, as she moved faster than I could follow. She dodged my shot without much effort and then rammed into me with one of her legs.

'Oh, crap...!' Was the only thing I could think of before I was tossed into the air and flew several meters before hitting the cave wall. Luckily, the walls were covered with webs and cocoons, which somehow dampened my fall; otherwise, I would surely break something.

But still, it hurt like hell nonetheless. I stood up, my muscles aching and my head spinning. I knew I had to think fast. I faced the Queen again, my eyes locked on hers.

"You think you can kill me so easily?" I shouted, my voice echoing through the cave.

The Queen hissed, her eight legs skittering across the ground as she lazily moved closer.

Why is she like that? Earlier, she could have easily killed me, but she didn't. And now she just stands there like that. But then it hit me. 'She's simply playing with me... She thinks of me as nothing but food.' I realized.

A vicious grin appeared on my face. 'Well, then I will show her I'm pretty hard to stomach.'

If she was underestimating me, that was something I could work with... It gives me time. Time to come up with a way to kill her—or die trying.

My trusty [Stone Bullet] is pretty useless here. Not only could she easily dodge it with her speed, but I'm pretty certain I won't be able to do much damage through that chitin armor of hers.

I wish I could have burned her like those other spiders before. But she is too clever and agile to get caught in a trap like that.

The queen narrowed her eyes and lunged at me. In desperation, I grabbed the last few wood twigs I was carrying. I lit them on fire and threw them at her right as she tried to bite off my head.

It somehow worked. I pumped a lot of mana into it, and it burned her a little bit, but it failed to do anything more than that.

She lunged back. 'It seems she is afraid of fire, like the others...' I realized with glee. This was great news. The queen stood there, looking at me warily. It gave me a little more time, but now she is angry.

It seems that playtime is over. She looked at me with narrowed eyes. I could feel that the next attack would be for real. And I also realized I have zero chance of surviving it.

My mind was in overdrive, and I scrambled to come up with any sort of plan.

'If only I could master fire like the other elements...' I thought bitterly. Every time I channel the heat, it is weak and costs so much mana that I can't sustain it for long. 'What am I doing wrong?' I thought desperately.

I watched the dying flames on the Queen's body dissipate into nothingness as I tried to come up with anything that I would be able to use against her.

Moving the air is easy, and magical fire is technically nothing more than burning gas, so why is it so much harder?

'Wait a minute... moving? That's it! I get it now!' I widened my eyes as I realized something.

You see, you can't create something from nothing. I'm always moving an existing air, not trying to create a new one. It's the same with fire. To make a fire, I need fuel. I'm subsidizing it by burning my mana and turning it into heat.

It works perfectly. I found out that you don't even need oxygen to do it; magic fire burns everywhere, even underwater. The problem is... me.

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The heat still needs something to conduct it. In this case, it's me. The main problem is that I'm afraid of getting burned, so I always conjure it atop my palm as far away as I can. So I move the heat through the air, and the heat quickly dissipates before it has time to properly form into a flame.

I finally figured it out. To control the fire, I must embrace it. Channel the heat through my body and release it from within, like a dragon breathing fire.

But this is, of course, easier said than done. The idea of basically setting myself on fire is scary. My fear of getting burned didn't go away. So I'm still afraid—very much so.

But now, with the spider queen looming over me, I have no other choice if I want to live. I closed my eyes and focused on my mana.

I think I know how to do it. However, it will be the hardest thing I have ever done, and I won't be able to control it for long, so all I have is a single shot.

I felt the heat building up inside me, like a raging inferno waiting to be unleashed. The flames grew stronger and brighter with each moment, and I could feel my body beginning to change. My eyes snapped open, and I saw the queen hesitating, her eight legs twitching nervously.

I smiled as the flames erupted from my hands, engulfing my entire body. I felt the heat and power surging through me, and I walked confidently toward the spider queen. Her eyes widened in something that resembled fear for the first time, and she quickly tried to scurry back, her chittering legs slipping on the slick cave floor.

I laughed triumphantly as I advanced, the flames now swirling around me like a fiery vortex. I put everything into this spell. Every drop of mana I had left.

The queen tried to flee, but it was no use. The flames exploded outward with tremendous force, scorching her body and tearing into her flesh. She struggled furiously and tried to jump away, but she was a moment too late. With a final hiss of agony, she fell to the ground, her body twitching in the last throes of death.

I simply stood there for a moment, panting, the flames slowly subsiding. I look around the cave, and I can see the exit, now unobstructed. The sun's gentle glow beckons me to come. The tension finally left my body, and I looked around with a big grin plastered across my face.

I have done it. I won my ticket to freedom. I struggle to stay awake. I'm tired. So tired and hot at the same time. But I can't let myself pass out. Not yet. There are more spiders around.

I quickly looked back to check on the situation in the rest of the den. Luckily, the spiderwebs behind me caught fire, creating a wall of flames between me and the rest of the den.

I took a deep breath and looked around. The spider den was eerily quiet now, the other spiders having fled at the sight of their queen's defeat. The way ahead was clear now, and I could finally leave this cursed place.

I turned to the exit, but then I paused, looking back at the spider queen's body. Something caught my eye, and I moved closer—I saw a gem. A purple gem glinted in the dim light of the fire.

It's the same gem I discovered in the bear-like monster's corpse in the Forest. Although it is a little bigger and of a different color. I still didn't find a use for it. And it is only the second time I have ever found one.

It seems only some monsters have it. Not that I bothered to check every monster I killed. I decided now was not the time to think about this. I pocketed the gem, and then I turned and ran towards the exit, my heart pounding with the thrill of victory.

As I walked, I noticed that the air was fresher and the passage was growing wider. The darkness began to recede, replaced by dim, gray light that filtered in from an opening ahead.

With growing excitement, I quickened my pace, eager to see what lay beyond the cave's exit. And then, at last, I emerged into the light.

I found myself standing on a narrow ledge high above a deep chasm. Far below me, I could see a glittering river winding its way through a lush, green valley.

For a moment, I stood there, taking in the breathtaking view. The sun was just rising, casting a golden glow over the landscape. The air was cool and crisp, filled with the sweet scent of fresh flowers and the sound of birds singing.

And then, with a feeling of joy and relief, I realized that I had made it. I had conquered the cave, faced my fears, and emerged victorious. I had found my way out of the darkness and into the light.

With a deep sense of gratitude, I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh, clean air. I knew I would never forget this journey or the lessons I had learned along the way.

And with a final glance back at the cave's entrance, I turned and began to walk down the narrow path toward the valley below.

I knew there would be more adventures waiting for me in the days ahead. However, for now, I was content to simply bask in the warmth of the rising sun.

***

Deep within the Northern mountains stood a tower, rising above the treeline and piercing the clouds. The tower was ancient, its walls etched with the scars of time, but even in its decrepit state, it exhaled an aura of majesty and power that could not be ignored.

On the highest floor of the tower, beyond winding stairs and hidden corridors, in a small round room, the Oracle sat.

Secluded from the rest of the world, she peered into the secrets of the universe, seeking knowledge that few could comprehend. Sitting in a circle of ancient runes, her plain gray robe blended into the shadows around her.

For how long she had sat there, she did not know. Time had little meaning for those who could see beyond it.

And then, with a sudden jolt, she snapped her eyes open. Her eyes were murky and lifeless, yet they saw with otherworldly clarity.

She was blind, and yet she could sense the flow of magic that formed our reality all around her. And just then, she felt it. A faint disruption occurring in the vast tapestry of fate.

"Interesting!" she creaked, her voice rough from disuse. With a knowing smile, she closed her eyes once more, as if nothing had happened at all.

*** End of Volume 1: A New Beginning ***