Surrounded by the quiet aftermath, I found myself the sole survivor amid the consequences of the night's violence.

The bodies of my adversaries, those who had plotted against me, lay motionless.

Nearby, the victims of their earlier cruelty shared the same fate, innocent lives caught in the crossfire of their deadly intentions. In this moment of solitude, I was acutely aware of the weight of survival.

Yet, my mind was not preoccupied with the adrenaline-fueled thrill of battle or the newfound depths of my abilities.

Instead, what commanded my attention was the system notification that had appeared before me, signaling an unexpected increase in my vitality.

It was a moment of clarity amidst the chaos, prompting me to make a conscious decision to deactivate my Self-Immolation ability. The risk of letting it consume my health was too great, and there were pressing matters that demanded my focus.

With the flames extinguished, the immediate threat to my life subsided, offering me a chance to gather my thoughts.

The night had unveiled numerous revelations, each demanding consideration and understanding.

The discovery of my ability's potential, the unexpected pleasure derived from the heat of battle, and the sobering reality of my actions—all these aspects needed to be sifted through and comprehended.

I knew I needed a moment of calm to reflect on everything that had transpired. The adrenaline that had fueled my survival now gave way to a pressing need for introspection.

I began to piece together the insights gained from the night's events. Understanding my newfound prowess was crucial, and I acknowledged four key revelations that shaped my experience.

Firstly, the extraordinary level of power I had displayed was primarily a result of the hyperthermia effect. This effect created a balance between the extreme heat of my Self-Immolation skill and the intense cold of the potion.

It mitigated the detrimental aspects of my ability: the constant drain on my health and the excruciating pain of being burned alive was largely lessened.

Without such a counterbalance, replicating this level of power would be unsustainable, if not impossible right now.

Secondly, the euphoric sensation I experienced was deeply unnatural.

In my first life, I had spent countless hours in the training room, not only practicing mana manipulation but also poring over books about human anatomy to understand my own body better.

This knowledge helped me realize that the euphoria was likely a result of endorphins released in response to pain.

However, there was another layer to this sensation — a sense of gratification in overturning the expectations of those who had underestimated me.

It wasn't the act of killing that brought me pleasure; rather, it was the realization of my strength and the reversal of roles.

The satisfaction of proving my detractors wrong, of showing them the power they had overlooked in me, intermingled with the endorphins to create a potent mix of feelings that was both exhilarating and disconcerting.

Thirdly, and perhaps most intriguingly, was the multifaceted nature of my ability, which revealed itself to be much more than a simple mage's fire spell.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

One of the primary advantages was its ability to counteract extreme cold, acting as a sort of personal furnace that shielded me from chilling effects.

More than that, the intense heat it generated appeared to enhance muscle flexibility and strength. This enhancement stemmed from the musculoskeletal system responding to the heat, a phenomenon I hadn't anticipated but proved crucial in combat.

Additionally, the skill offered medical benefits, such as cauterization and sterilization.

These were particularly useful in the battle where injuries were common. Cauterization could seal wounds and stop bleeding, while sterilization could neutralize potentially harmful agents, as seen with the paralyzing needle.

But perhaps the most striking revelation was the realization that this ability, though classified under a mage class, seemed ideally suited for close combat. It was a body enhancement skill in disguise.

The ability to generate high temperatures not only inflicted heat exhaustion on opponents but also disrupted their physical capabilities, especially under intense conditions. This strategic aspect of the ability opened up new avenues for its use in combat, far removed from traditional mage-like spells.

This was a groundbreaking discovery for me. It was the first time I encountered a mage class endowed with a skill that diverged so significantly from conventional spellcasting.

The realization of the fourth and most groundbreaking aspect of my ability struck me with the force of a revelation.

Self-Immolation, by its very nature, was a self-harming skill, continuously inflicting damage upon my body for as long as it remained active.

And here lay the crucial insight: vitality, a stat typically enhanced through enduring damage, was being directly influenced by this self-inflicted harm.

The realization dawned on me with a mix of astonishment and self-reproach.

"I'm such a dumbass , i can't believe i overlooked this synergy." I thought to myself.

The constant damage inflicted by my Self-Immolation skill wasn't just a painful side effect; it was actively contributing to the development of my vitality stat. Each moment I sustained the skill, I was effectively 'training' my vitality, pushing it closer to the threshold where it would increase.

This was a revelation with profound implications.

It suggested that by enduring the self-inflicted damage of my ability, I could continuously improve my vitality stat. This method of stat enhancement was unheard of – a groundbreaking discovery that defied conventional stat development.

"And I was the only one that could do it!"

The potential of this discovery was immense. If I could find a way to sustain the self-harm inflicted by my ability, I could potentially unlock continuous growth in my vitality.

It was a strategy that could redefine the limits of my endurance and resilience.

My mind was racing with the implications of my newfound understanding, a sudden thought struck me.

If such a profound synergy existed between my Self-Immolation ability and my vitality stat, it begged the question: what other connections and potential synergies might exist among my skills and attributes?

With a sense of growing anticipation, I called up my skill window, eager to explore this line of thought further.

My eyes scanned the information displayed, focusing on the proficiency levels of both my Self-Immolation and Enduring Vitality skills. As I took in the details, a revelation crystallized in my mind, affirming the path I had chosen.

https://i.imgur.com/FuYXmqF.png [https://i.imgur.com/FuYXmqF.png]

The significant increase in the proficiency levels of both my Self-Immolation and Enduring Vitality skills was not just a coincidence; they had risen in tandem, each reflecting the same amount of proficiency gained.

This fascinating development revealed a profound connection between the two skills: the active use of Self-Immolation was intrinsically linked to the triggering of Enduring Vitality, causing both skills to develop simultaneously and at the same frequency.

This revelation was yet again another eye-opener. It suggested another symbiotic relationship between two abilities, where the challenges posed by one skill actively promoted the growth of the other.

Turning each moment of pain and endurance into an opportunity for both skills to develop together.

Seeing the tangible results of my struggles in the form of increased skill proficiency was a powerful motivator.

It was a confirmation that my experiences, no matter how harrowing, were contributing to my development.

It was a powerful motivator, affirming that each trial was a building block towards growth.

As the early morning light filtered through the trees, casting shadows on the ground, I turned my attention away from the revelations about my skills and faced the grim reality before me.

The corpses lay strewn about, a reminder of the night's violence.

The ground was marred with blood.

"What should I do with them?" I found myself murmuring aloud. The question was more than just practical; it was a moral and ethical consideration. Dealing with the aftermath of a battle was a responsibility I couldn't ignore.