It had been a day since his family left, and Avince sat alone in their house, the silence pressing in around him like a tangible weight. At his desk lay a list of materials: Fireleaf, Emberhorn resin, Ignis core, Flame Serpent scale, and Sunbloom flower—each name carrying its own weight of difficulty. The list had seemed daunting when he first received the memory packet, but as he studied each item, he began to realize it might not be as challenging as he'd initially thought.
With another semester looming on the horizon, completing this task before his schedule filled seemed the wisest course of action. He had spent the past few days preparing, using what little free time he had to enchant his temporary dungeon equipment with fire resistance. It wasn’t perfect, but it would help mitigate the extreme heat he’d inevitably face while gathering the materials. The enchantments weren’t permanent, but they would last long enough for what he needed.
The thought sparked another realization: despite possessing his ability for what felt like ages, he'd barely scratched its surface. The corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smile as he considered his plan. What better way to explore the depths of his power than now, when he needed it most?
His fingers found the amulet around his neck, an automatic gesture tat formed with the repetitive use of the amulet. The faint hum of mana pulsed against his palm like a second heartbeat, familiar and reassuring. The amulet, Kartana's gift, represented more than mere protection—it was his key to pushing beyond normal limits, allowing him to channel more mana than his body could typically handle without risk of harm. Today, however, he had one clear purpose: to locate a dungeon containing all the materials on his list.
"Let's see how much mana this will cost," he muttered, his voice barely disturbing the quiet room. His eyes drifted closed as he focused on the list, building the image in his mind. He envisioned a place where fire reigned supreme, where every element danced with living flame—a perfect fusion of volcanic fury, desert heat, and burning forests. With practiced ease, he nudged his ability, feeling the mana flow through his veins like warm honey as he concentrated on the image.
Minutes ticked by on the old clock on the wall. Then an hour.
Avince's brow furrowed deeply, frustration etching lines across his forehead. The familiar pull of his ability, usually so reliable in guiding him toward dungeons, remained stubbornly absent. It wasn't like hitting a wall—it was more like trying to grasp smoke. His ability was there, he could feel it, but it seemed unable to comprehend what he was asking of it.
"What's going on?" he muttered, slumping back in his chair. The wood creaked beneath him as he shifted. The amulet in his hand had grown warm, indicating that some of its stored mana had been consumed in his attempts. "I wonder how I'd recharge you now. Well, they did say that I shouldn't use my ability, so that's probably why Dad didn't bother asking."
Deciding to approach the problem from a different angle, Avince narrowed his focus to just one material: Fireleaf. The response was immediate—his ability hummed to life, providing a distinct pull toward a destination, like a compass finding true north.
"Huh," he said, carefully pulling back before the ability could fully activate. "So, it works with one material... What about two?"
He repeated the process, this time combining Fireleaf with Emberhorn resin in his mental image. Again, the pull manifested, though it felt slightly less certain, like a radio signal starting to fade at the edges. Avince halted before his ability could fully engage, his mind racing with possibilities. If two materials worked, why had all five failed so spectacularly?
His thoughts drifted to the memory packet Althiel had given him, the images still vivid in his mind. He recalled the Fireleaf and Emberhorn resin growing on massive, gnarled trees in what appeared to be a fiery forest, their leaves dancing with golden flame. The Ignis core had been different—he remembered seeing a monster deep within a volcanic cavern, its power pulsing with waves of heat like a beating heart. The Sunbloom flower and Flame Serpent scale appeared in yet another setting: the sun-scorched dunes of a desert, where the very air shimmered with heat.
Pulling out his phone, he began researching, fingers flying across the screen as he searched through obscure forums and dungeon logs. The information was scattered like puzzle pieces, buried in user comments and expedition reports, but gradually, he pieced together a clearer picture. His initial hunch proved correct: each material belonged to a distinct dungeon environment. Ignis cores were dropped by monsters exclusively found in active volcanic dungeons, while Fireleaf and Emberhorn resin only grew in fire-based forests. The Sunbloom flower and Flame Serpent scale, true to the memories, were unique to desert-type dungeons.
"So that's why my ability couldn't find a single dungeon with all of them," Avince murmured, running his fingers through his hair as understanding dawned. "They don't exist in the same environment—it was like asking it to find something impossible."
The realization was frustrating, but it brought clarity. He spent the next half hour methodically testing his theory, experimenting with various combinations of materials. Each test confirmed his hypothesis—his ability's pull aligned perfectly with the dungeon type that matched the materials.
"I'll need to visit three separate dungeons, then," he concluded, drumming his fingers against the desk. It wasn't ideal, but at least now he had a clear path forward. Of the three dungeon types, the fire-based forest seemed the most approachable. According to the recipe, he needed one liter of Emberhorn resin and five kilograms of Fireleaf—quantities that, while substantial, shouldn't prove too overwhelming.
Grasping his amulet, Avince closed his eyes and directed his ability toward finding a fire-based forest dungeon. The pull was immediate and strong, like a rope tugging at his consciousness. He took a deep, steadying breath, mentally preparing himself for what lay ahead.
The transition into a dungeon was always peculiar—like stepping through a curtain of pure energy that blurred the boundaries between the real and the imaginary. When Avince opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a forest that defied ordinary description.
Colossal trees surrounded him, their trunks as wide as small houses. Their bark was a deep blackened red, like cooling lava, with veins of ember pulsing beneath the surface in hypnotic patterns. Leaves the color of molten gold swayed in the hot, dry air, creating a metallic rustling sound. The ground beneath his feet crackled with each step, small wisps of smoke rising from his footprints. The atmosphere was thick with the scent of smoke and sweet sap, while the distant roar of flames provided a constant backdrop, like the breathing of some massive beast.
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Avince inhaled deeply, feeling the heat of the fire-based forest wash over him in waves. His eyes swept across the towering trees, and for a brief moment, he was caught off guard. They're massive—way bigger than what I saw online. Despite his research on the emberhorn trees, nothing had prepared him for the sheer scale of this place.
Retrieving a sharp, well-maintained axe from his storage space, he approached one of the smaller Emberhorn trees. The familiar weight of the tool—one he'd watched his father use countless times to cut wood for their fireplace—brought comfort in this alien environment. Heat radiated from the tree's surface like an open furnace, its bark pulsing with inner light as thick resin oozed slowly from various points, catching the fiery light and transforming it into amber-like jewels.
"Well, here goes," Avince muttered, adjusting his grip on the axe handle as he reinforced it with mana. Following the technique he'd learned from online videos about collecting emberhorn resin, he swung the axe. The blade sank into the tree with a satisfying thunk that reverberated through his arms. However, chopping proved more challenging than anticipated—despite the embers glowing within its bark, the wood was incredibly dense and resistant, fighting against each strike. Sweat poured down his face as he continued his assault, the rhythmic swings of the axe echoing through the fiery forest like a woodpecker's determined percussion.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the tree released a deep, resonant groan. Avince stepped back, watching with a mixture of satisfaction and awe as the massive trunk began to lean. It toppled to the ground with an earthshaking crash that sent a cascade of embers spiraling into the air. He leaned against his axe for a moment, catching his breath and wiping his brow, before pulling several sturdy containers from his storage space.
Kneeling beside the fallen tree, Avince carefully examined the sap pockets where the Emberhorn resin oozed. The heat rising from the trunk made his face flush, but he pressed on, using a small, razor-sharp chisel to precisely puncture the sap reservoirs. The resin flowed freely into his containers, its consistency reminiscent of honey but with an inner light that made it appear alive. Even through his heat-resistant gloves, he could feel the warmth of the liquid as he worked.
"These sell for 15,000 Alliance Credits per liter," Avince remarked quietly, still amazed by the value of what he was collecting. "No harm in getting a bit extra, especially given the effort it took to gather them."
He continued his methodical work, moving from tree to tree with growing confidence. By the time he finished, he'd filled twenty containers, each holding five liters of the precious resin. While it far exceeded what he needed for his potion, the potential value made the extra effort worthwhile.
With the resin secured, Avince turned his attention to the Fireleaf. The golden, glowing leaves shimmered enticingly on the branches of the remaining Emberhorn trees, their edges rimmed with a deep crimson that seemed to pulse with inner fire. At 25,000 Alliance Credits per kilo, they were even more valuable than the resin. Drawing upon his magical abilities, he created controlled gusts of wind, carefully modulating the strength to pluck the Fireleaf from the branches without damaging their delicate structures. The leaves swirled around him in a mesmerizing dance, like a tornado of living flame, before settling gently into the prepared containers. The process proved harder than expected—sometimes the wind grew too strong, damaging the leaves.
When he finished, Avince had collected approximately thirty containers of Fireleaf. Some were definitely damaged, but that shouldn't reduce their effectiveness, though the exact weight remained uncertain. He surveyed his collection with satisfaction, wiping away the sweat that had accumulated on his brow despite the heat-resistant enchantments on his clothing.
Of course, as with all dungeon expeditions, the peaceful gathering couldn't last forever.
The ground beneath his feet began to tremble, and from the shadows of the forest emerged a group of burning treants. Their wooden bodies were wreathed in constant flame, hollow eyes burning with malevolent intelligence as they fixed their gaze upon him. Avince tightened his grip on his axe, which he'd cleverly infused with ice magic to extend its reach and add an elemental advantage—a modification that had already proved useful in chopping the trees.
"Let's see how well this works on you guys," he said, swinging the ice-imbued axe toward the nearest treant. The weapon sliced through the creature with surprising ease, the ice magic extinguishing its flames and leaving behind nothing but a steaming, lifeless husk.
The remaining treants proved minimal challenge, their high E-rank status making them more of a nuisance than a genuine threat. Avince methodically dispatched them one by one, the ice-enhanced axe providing a significant tactical advantage. As he fought, he found himself experimenting with his ice manipulation, attempting to shape it into more complex forms inspired by his cousin Mark's techniques. While his attempts were rough and unpolished, he could feel the potential for growth in each swing.
After dealing with the treant threat, Avince decided to press forward and complete the dungeon. His primary objectives—the resin and leaves—were secured, but his adventurer's instinct told him to see the task through to its conclusion. Besides, it would provide an easier way to find an exit portal.
As he pressed deeper into the dungeon, the environment grew more intense. The heat rose to nearly unbearable levels, and the forest became increasingly dense, the trees pressing closer together like soldiers closing ranks. Sweat dripped from his brow despite his best efforts to endure. At one point, Avince retrieved a cold water bottle from his storage space, one he had brought specifically to prepare for the dungeon's oppressive heat. He took a long, refreshing sip before pulling out a bag of ice and pressing it against his forehead. The brief chill provided some relief, but he knew it wouldn't last long.
Eventually, he reached the dungeon's boss chamber—a massive clearing dominated by a fire treant that dwarfed its lesser kin. Its bark glowed like fresh magma, and while its movements were slow and deliberate, each step shook the ground with tremendous force.
"High D-rank, huh?" Avince muttered, rolling his shoulders to release the tension that had built up. "Let's get this over with."
Channeling his mana, he transformed his right hand into silver as he formed a gleaming Ice Lance. The spell shimmered with frost, its surface crackling with concentrated magical energy as he took careful aim at the massive treant. With a fluid motion, he launched the lance toward his target. The projectile struck true, piercing through the creature's massive chest and instantly extinguishing its fiery core in a spectacular display of elemental conflict. The giant treant released a deep, resonant groan as it collapsed, its massive body crumbling into ash and leaving behind a single, softly glowing nature core.
Avince approached the remains and picked up the core, turning it over in his hands with a slight frown. Nature cores, especially those dropped by mid-tier monsters, weren't particularly valuable in the current market. However, as he examined it more closely, he noticed a faint, flickering warmth within—the unmistakable presence of fire mana intertwined with its natural energy.
He furrowed his brows. A hybrid core? That was uncommon. The combination of elements could either increase its value due to its rarity or decrease it if it was considered unstable and harder to refine. He wasn't sure which, but it was better than leaving empty-handed. With a thoughtful hum, he carefully stored the core away alongside his other gathered materials.
Standing in the now-quiet chamber, surrounded by the evidence of his successful expedition, Avince allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. He'd not only gathered the materials he needed but had also turned a potential profit in the process—assuming he could find a way to sell them. As he prepared to leave the dungeon, his mind was already turning to the next challenge: the volcanic caverns where he would need to search for the Ignis core.