The day was coming to an end, and the city was bathed in the crimson light of the setting sun. Kaine wandered through the abandoned streets, trying to make sense of the stranger's words. The shadows grew longer, hiding potential dangers, but for Kaine, this was nothing new—the world he had found himself in constantly tested his resilience.
The system wouldn't stay silent, offering new upgrades and strategies, but Kaine decided to ignore its insistent notifications for the time being. He needed to figure himself out and understand his intentions before moving forward again.
In the distance, footsteps echoed. At first, nothing seemed unusual, but Kaine's instincts told him someone had been following him for a while. He stopped, listening closely, and soon a figure appeared around the corner—a young man with wild red hair, clad in armor that seemed too bulky for his slender frame.
"Are you Kaine?" the man asked, slightly out of breath, as if he had been running for an eternity.
"Who's asking?" Kaine narrowed his eyes, his hand still hovering near the hilt of his sword.
"My name's Ares. I'm also a wielder of a power... and I'm searching for others like me to learn more about our gift."
"Gift?" Kaine scoffed. "It feels more like a curse."
Ares seemed to ponder this, but his eyes flashed with fire. He took a step forward, and Kaine immediately felt the air around him heat up.
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"You say that because you don't understand the potential hidden in our abilities," Ares spoke with fiery enthusiasm in his voice. "I believe we can change this world. But to do that, we must be strong."
Kaine sensed a strange tension in the air. His fingers tightened around his sword's hilt, and he realized something was about to happen.
"Tell me, Kaine, how far are you willing to go to unlock your potential?" Ares asked, his voice low and hypnotic.
"As far as it takes to get the answers I need," Kaine replied coldly. "And you?"
"Then show me your strength!" Ares suddenly shouted, and in that instant, his body was engulfed in flames.
Kaine didn't have time to react as a wave of fire rushed toward him like a scorching tide. Pain shot through him, but at the same moment, the system activated, responding to the threat.
[Opponent detected. Threat level: medium. Analyzing possible actions...]
"Absorption!" Kaine instinctively shouted, and the fire that should have burned him to ashes suddenly stopped and began to be drawn into his body.
Ares' eyes widened in shock, but his astonishment didn't last long. He intensified the flow of flames, trying to sever the connection between himself and Kaine, but Kaine stood still, unmoving, like a statue, absorbing every ounce of energy.
"This... is impossible..." Ares panted, stepping back. His strength was waning, and the flames weakened.
Kaine stepped forward, his eyes now blazing with the same fire that once belonged to his opponent.
"In this world, nothing is impossible," he said quietly, and, activating his sword, he pointed it toward Ares. "Now tell me what you know about us."
But before Ares could answer, he lost consciousness and collapsed to his knees. The flames disappeared entirely, leaving only a faint wisp of smoke.
Kaine knelt beside him, trying to bring him back to consciousness. The system activated again, notifying him of the absorbed ability.
[Ability absorbed: Fire Manipulation. Ability level: 1]
"So, I really can absorb their power..." he muttered, feeling the flame within him become a part of his very being.