[10 Years Ago]
A ten-year-old Bella knelt on the scorched ground, her tear-streaked face illuminated by the inferno consuming the Amber Family estate. Her small hands trembled as she gripped the dirt, and her tearful eyes burned with fury.
"I'll kill them!" Bella's voice cracked, seething with rage. "I'll kill both of them. This is all their fault!"
Franklin knelt beside her, his gaze steady and calm as it met hers. "Yes, my princess," he said softly. "I'll be with you. I'll help you see it through to the end."
[Present Day]
I wonder... what would have happened if I had tried to sway her from the path she was so determined to take back then? Franklin mused, his mind wandering to that fateful day. Would things have turned out better? Would she be happier than she is right now?
He shook his head, dismissing the thought. It doesn’t matter. My role is clear. I just have to ensure the princess achieves her goal at all costs.
Franklin's fiery gaze locked onto the colossal figure of Red Wing as it hovered menacingly above. Its predatory eyes glinted like embers, watching its prey.
"You might want to step back, kid. Let me handle this fight." Franklin said, confidently.
Joe glanced at him, hesitating for a moment before stepping back as advised.
[Franklin Has Activated The Forbidden Skill (Overheat)]
An eruption of flames burst from Franklin's body, engulfing him in a fiery aura that radiated pure intensity. Even at a safe distance, Joe felt the oppressive heat and could hardly believe his eyes.
"This old man... he was hiding this much power during our fight?" Joe thought to himself, the sight leaving him speechless. Franklin didn’t look like the man they had faced days ago; now, he looked like a force of nature, a completely different beast.
Red Wing, noticing the sudden surge of power, roared and descended from the sky with terrifying speed. Its beak flared with flames, aiming directly at Franklin’s small frame in a devastating [Falling Beak Smash].
Franklin smirked and leaped back with perfect timing, narrowly avoiding the impact. The ground shook violently as Red Wing’s beak struck, uprooting rocks and creating a massive crater.
In an instant, Franklin closed the distance, already at Red Wing’s face before the beast could recover. With a wave of his hand, he conjured two fiery blades, their flames crackling with lethal precision. He drove one blade directly into Red Wing’s left eye. [Flame Twin Swords]
The beast let out a high-pitched screech, its massive body staggering back from the pain. Franklin’s lips curled into a satisfied smile as he watched its anguish.
Red Wing retaliated immediately, flames erupting from its body. Its eyes burned with rage as it thrust its beak like a spear, aiming for Franklin with unrelenting fury. [Beak Smash]
Franklin moved with surgical precision, deflecting each strike with his flame twin blades. Every collision sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, scattering sparks and embers. As Red Wing lunged again, Franklin responded with a precise swing of his blade, sending a sharp arc of flame slicing through a piece of its beak.
The injury sent the beast into a frenzy. It flailed its massive wings wildly, attempting to strike Franklin, but he nimbly dodged, leaping back just in time.
What Franklin hadn’t anticipated was Red Wing’s calculated counter. The beast folded its wings momentarily before flapping them violently, releasing powerful arcs of fire. The attack forced Franklin to block with his blades, the impact sending him skidding backward across the charred ground. [Flame Wing Attack]
Regaining its composure, Red Wing launched into an unrelenting assault. From the depths of its maw, it fired four consecutive orbs of fire in rapid succession. [Fire Ball]
Franklin stood his ground, his eyes narrowing in focus. With a swift series of strikes, he swung his blades, tearing through each fiery orb before they could reach him. Sparks and embers scattered into the air with each swing.
As Joe watched, he noticed something alarming. Franklin's skin was beginning to burn—slowly but visibly. Burn marks crept across his arms and face like spreading cracks in dry earth. Joe opened his mouth to shout a warning, but before the words could escape, Franklin was already charging forward at full speed.
His form blurred, leaving only a streak of red light in its wake. Red Wing’s eyes flicked downward, struggling to track Franklin’s rapid advance. In one fluid motion, the flame sword in Franklin’s left hand morphed into a spear, which he hurled directly at Red Wing’s face. [Flame Spear]
The spear shot forward like a bolt of lightning, forcing Red Wing to react. It opened its beak to counter, but the unexpected occurred—the spear didn’t continue its trajectory. Instead, it erupted into a blinding flash of light as it neared Red Wing’s eyes. The dazzling flare stunned the creature, eliciting a high-pitched squeal of discomfort as it recoiled.
Seizing the opportunity, Franklin descended from above, poised to deliver a finishing blow.
Despite its temporary blindness, Red Wing’s sharp instincts detected Franklin’s plummeting form. Reacting on pure reflex, it raised a wing to shield itself. [Mana Beast Sense]
Franklin didn’t hesitate. With relentless precision, he brought his blade down in a vertical arc. The strike tore through Red Wing’s left wing, sending a spray of blood cascading down its side. The beast let out an agonized screech, its left wing hanging limp and useless.
Franklin prepared to end the fight, but Red Wing lashed out unpredictably. With a sudden, powerful swing of its uninjured wing, it struck Franklin hard, launching him through the air. His body hit the ground with a sickening thud, tumbling and rolling before coming to a halt.
[8 Years Ago]
Franklin approached Bella, who was sitting against a tree. "Look what I brought you, princess," he said proudly, holding up two golden bracelets.
"Bracelets?" Bella gave him a confused look.
"Not just any bracelets!" Franklin grinned. "These will help you concentrate your mana and flames. They're called the Golden Bands. They just need a bit of my mana, and you'll be all set."
"Why are you giving these to me? And why do they need your mana?" Bella asked, suspicion lacing her tone.
Franklin stepped closer. "The bracelets only work if they're enhanced with someone’s mana. That boosts their sealing capabilities. If I infuse them with mine, they’ll not only help you control those flames of yours but also hide your Mana Signature. As for why I’m giving them to you... isn’t today your birthday?"
Bella blinked in surprise. "How did you remember that?"
Franklin just smiled. "So, will you take them? These bracelets are exactly what you need. I went through a lot of trouble to get them, you know."
Bella hesitated for a moment before taking the bracelets and slipping them onto her wrists. "I guess they’re okay. Not exactly the most glamorous thing for a princess to wear, but their functionality is... useful."
"I think you look great!" Franklin beamed, his smile wide and genuine.
[Present Moment]
Franklin began to stir, dragging himself to his feet with shaky determination. His breaths came in ragged gasps, and the burn marks on his skin only seemed to spread. He glared at the injured Red Wing, his thoughts drifting. Why is this memory surfacing now? he wondered.
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"If I were to die here," Franklin mused bitterly, "how would the princess feel? Would she be sad? Angry? Or... would she feel nothing at all?"
The memory of Bella's last words cut through his doubts like a knife.
"Don't die... I'll be the one to burn you to a crisp for hurting a princess. So... don't die."
A faint smile touched Franklin's lips despite the pain. "The princess gave me an order," he murmured. "I can't die at the hands of this beast."
With a deep, pained breath, Franklin charged again, his body igniting into a blazing trail of fire. His mind sharpened with resolve. I don’t know how long Overheat will last, but it has to be enough. I need to see the princess again.
At full speed, the sword of fire in his right hand morphed into a spear, growing rapidly in size. The transformation came at a cost—the burn marks on his body accelerated, his flesh seemingly tearing apart. He winced but gritted his teeth, refusing to yield to the agony. With all his strength, he hurled the massive spear straight at Red Wing’s face. [Flame Spear]
The beast, sluggish from its injuries, barely managed to move its right wing in time to shield itself. The spear struck with devastating force, triggering a fiery explosion that sent Red Wing stumbling backward. Its wing burned, but it remained functional—a stroke of luck for the wounded creature.
As the smoke cleared, Red Wing lowered its wing, scanning for Franklin’s form. It quickly realized he was gone.
Almost instinctively, Red Wing’s gaze shot upward. Sure enough, Franklin was descending from above, a blazing sword in his hand, ready to strike.
But Red Wing wasn’t about to fall for the same tactic twice.
With a sharp screech, the creature opened its beak, unleashing a torrent of thick, scalding steam. The vapor engulfed the battlefield, shrouding Red Wing’s form in an impenetrable mist. [White Cloud)
Franklin swung his sword with a violent arc, but his blade found no target. His landing was clumsy, the suffocating steam burning his lungs and stinging his eyes. Vision blurred and body weakening, Franklin struggled to steady himself.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed before him. His legs gave out just as he tried to move.
Red Wing's right wing smashed into Franklin with crushing force, sending him skidding across the jagged rocky terrain.
He lay there, wheezing heavily. The burns on his body had worsened—his face and skin were now charred beyond recognition. His vision swam, watery and hazy, as he saw Red Wing emerge from the steam. The beast stalked toward him with slow, deliberate steps, its predatory gaze fixed on its prey.
[6 Years Ago]
"These bracelets of yours aren’t working, Franklin," Bella said, her voice tinged with frustration. "My flames are starting to act up again. If I expand myself even slightly, they can’t contain them. It’s only a matter of time before they expose my mana signature, and then the Flame Troopers will find us."
Franklin approached her with a calm smile, unfazed by her concern. "We’ll figure out the bracelets later. You haven’t eaten anything in days, and we’ve been on the move constantly. I brought you something."
Reaching into his jacket, Franklin pulled out a wrapped piece of paper. He carefully unraveled it, revealing its contents: a small, slightly charred drumstick.
"You brought meat?" Bella asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not just any meat," Franklin replied with a grin. "It’s Goblin meat—your favorite."
"It used to be my favorite when skilled cooks prepared it for me," Bella said, eyeing the drumstick skeptically. "This just looks like a burnt piece to me."
Franklin chuckled. "Oh, come on, Princess. It’s your birthday this year. Can’t you accept it as a present from me? I know it’s not much, but—"
"Why are you giving me presents every year?" Bella interrupted. "You’re not my dad, you know."
Franklin froze for a moment, her words catching him off guard. His tone softened, the energy from earlier fading. "Do I need to be your dad to give you a present?"
Bella hesitated, her voice dropping as she replied, "I guess... I could try it."
A smile returned to Franklin’s face as he handed her the drumstick.
Bella took a tentative bite, chewing slowly as Franklin watched her with anticipation.
"It’s overcooked," she said flatly. Then, after another bite, she added, "But still... the taste isn’t so bad." She took another bite, then another.
Franklin couldn’t help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" Bella asked, narrowing her eyes.
"It’s nothing," Franklin said, shaking his head with a grin. "I’ll get you an even better present next year, my princess."
[Present Day]
Franklin watched as Red Wing opened its massive beak, a glowing orb of fire manifesting within. The orb pulsed, growing larger and brighter with each passing second. As Franklin stood there, a thought crossed his mind.
"A dad, huh?" he murmured. "You’re not perfect by any means, but maybe being a father to you wouldn’t have been so bad. But an old man like me, being the father to a princess of the Great Families? What a silly idea."
Tears streaked down Franklin’s face as the fiery orb began to hum ominously.
Red Wing unleashed the flaming orb, and it hurtled toward Franklin at blistering speed, ready to engulf him completely. Franklin stood firm, his body battered and burned.
"I wish I could’ve seen it once," he whispered. "I wish I could’ve seen you smile... I’m sorry, Bella. Looks like I won’t be able to keep my promise."
As the orb closed in, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of him.
[Flame Severing]
A dagger sliced through Red Wing's orb, cleaving it cleanly in two. "You can't give up, old man!" Joe's voice boomed across the battlefield. "I really don’t know why you’d push yourself so hard for that entitled princess, but you look like you really care about her. So don’t give up! You want to see her again, right? Then you can’t die here. You have to keep going!"
Franklin's eyes widened as he watched Joe charging headlong at Red Wing. "Just who in the world is this kid?" he thought in disbelief.
[-2000 Rank Points To Your Mana Pool]
[You Have Activated The Skill (Outsider’s Enhancement)]
[Current Mana Pool: 18 020]
Joe surged forward, his Scorching Dagger blazing in his hand, his focus locked solely on Red Wing.
[The Mana Tool: Scorching Dagger (C-Class) Has Been Unsealed]
[3 Seals Have Been Removed]
"Let’s push past three seals, Syr!" Joe called out.
[You Are Unable To Do So. The 4th Seal Will Only Become Available After You Reach Rank 20.]
"Got it. I’ll have to make this work for now," Joe replied, determination steeling his voice.
[+45 Rank Points Have Been Added To The Scorching Dagger]
[-75 Rank Points To Your Mana Pool]
[You Have Activated The Scorching Dagger’s Skill: (Flame Wheel)]
[The Mana Injected Into The Scorching Dagger Has Been Adjusted To Avoid Destroying The Mana Tool.]
[You Have Injected The Maximum Amount Of Mana The Scorching Dagger Can Handle After The Removaf 3 Seals.]
[Mana Tool: Scorching Dagger Flame Strength And Speed: 1015]
Joe swung his blade, unleashing a fiery wheel that spiraled forward with explosive force. The flaming wheel struck Red Wing, severing its remaining wing cleanly. Even as the beast let out a shrill cry of pain, Joe didn’t falter. He pressed forward, resolute in finishing the battle.
Red Wing, desperate and wounded, lashed out with fiery crescent arcs from its talons, aiming to halt Joe’s relentless advance.
"Sorry, big guy… you’re done."
Joe raised his blade and swung it down in one fluid motion.
[Flame Severing]
The fiery arcs disintegrated under Joe’s strike as Red Wing’s form split in two, flames erupting from its body in a perfect line. The beast didn’t even manage a final screech before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
Joe strode over to its corpse triumphantly.
[Main Dungeon Quest Complete!]
• Reward: 35,000 Rank Points
[You Have Cleared The First Zone Of The Main Dungeon (Scorching Cave)]
• Reward: 30,000 Rank Points
[You Have Ranked Up!]
[Rank Up Progress: 20 [17,100/85,000 Rank Points Required]
[Updated Attributes]
• Physical Attributes: 54 (+15 From The Black Sheep)
• Mana Attributes: 90
• Psychological Attributes: 36
[Additional Rewards]
• 45,000 Gold Pieces (Total: 75,000)
• 10,000 Exam Tokens (Total: 16,000/100,000 Required)
[You Have Slain The Zone Boss Of The First Zone, The (Rank 25) ‘Red Wing’]
• Reward: 30,000 Rank Points
[Rank Up Progress: 20 [57,100/85,000 Rank Points Required]
[You Have Unlocked A Dungeon Item: (Crimson Feather)]
From the charred remains of Red Wing, Joe retrieved a radiant crimson feather.
[Dungeon Item: Crimson Feather]
• Description: A Precious Feather Belonging To Certain Mana Beasts Of The Tori Tribe.
• Effect: Heals Severe Burns But May Not Work On Injuries That Surpass Its Healing Capabilities.
• Boost: +200 Rank Points To Your Physical Attributes When Healing Burns.
"Perfect," Joe muttered, examining the feather.
[You Have Activated The 'Unique' Skill: (Predator)]
A swirling cloud of dark mana emanated from Joe’s hand, enveloping and devouring Red Wing’s remains.
[You Have Devoured Red Wing’s Remaining Mana. (+5000 Rank Points To Your Mana Pool)]
[+1 (Rank 23)] Mana Beast Orb Has Been Added To Your Inventory]
[Current Mana Pool: 23,020]
Joe turned to Franklin, who lay motionless on the ground, his mana signature flickering faintly. Kneeling down, Joe placed the crimson feather on Franklin’s chest.
"This might help with the pain," Joe said gently before stepping back.
An orange glow enveloped Franklin’s body, but when it faded, the results were minimal. The burns had slightly diminished, but his injuries were far beyond the feather’s capabilities.
Franklin grinned weakly. "Sorry, kid, there’s no saving me. This is what happens when you mess with Forbidden Techniques."
Joe ignored him, gently lifting Franklin onto his back. "Then I’ll just have to take you to Shelly. She’ll know what to do."
Franklin remained silent.
[You Have Unlocked The Hidden Zone: (Death Zone)]
"Wait, what? I thought we were heading to the second zone! What’s going on, Syr?"
[Transportation To The Hidden Zone Is Underway.]
Before Joe could question further, his body dissolved into a trail of light, vanishing from the battlefield.