Monica's flames wreathed her body as she barreled at full-speed against the first Wasp Soldier.
She smashed into it, not caring about anything else than killing it.
She was a ball of anger, fury, and frustration. Burning her Vitality to power the Obsidian Flame had also somehow activated the Charred Masochist Skill. It had all become exhilarating, but that was right before everything went dark.
* * *
Monica wheezed herself back to life and looked around, alarmed.
"W—what happened?" She said, looking at the disintegrated body of the one Wasp Soldier she had killed and then at Thizmug's forge. "Oh no, oh, no, no, no."
She ran inside the forge only to find it empty. A jolt of panic shot through her when she met the silence.
"Dworsul!" Monica shouted, feeling her heart thumping in her ears. "Dworsu—fuck!"
She swore out loud, and she was about to run outside the forge when she heard a heavy sigh.
"I'm alive, idiot. You took an entire day to come, though."
Monica saw Dworsul coming out from a side room she hadn't even seen before.
"How are you alive?" Monica frowned.
"You think I don't know how to hide myself?" Dworsul snickered. "Instead, why don't you try and explain what happened? You lost the little reason you had when your feathers turned black."
"I—" Monica suddenly realized that she didn't have any of the fatigue she would usually experience when dying while Fury of the Phoenix was active.
I have been gone for more than twenty-four hours.
It was a sobering realization.
"My Obsidian Flame reached Bronze Rank and I think it allowed me to burn Vitality to empower my Skills. It was working very well for my fighting Skills and I tried to use it for my Phoenix Feathers Skill, which boosts my Attributes and power."
"And you went rogue."
"I did," Monica said, looking at herself, still not fully understanding what had happened. "I thought I had the burn of Vitality under control. I don't know why I died on the spot. I felt invincible."
"That's how young warriors get themselves killed on their first battle: they feel invincible, Avatar. It's also why I don't recommend getting drunk before a fight. You were drunk on your power and something went awry along the way."
Monica's pride was hurt by that, but she couldn't refute the Dwarf's words.
"I need a moment to check my notifications," Monica said. "How far are the Wasps?"
"We're good for three hours," Dworsul sighed, looking away from her and disappearing into the storage room.
*Ding*
You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier – Level 150]
You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you.
You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption.
*Ding*
You have slain [Corrupted Molten Wasp, Soldier – Level 145]
You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature fifty levels above you.
You receive extra experience and skill proficiency for killing a creature infected by Corruption.
*Ding*
Looting process completed.
*Ding*
Auto-loot is on.
You obtain:
Molten Wasp Chitin, Superior (Corrupted) x2
Mithril Thread (Corrupted) x2
Gold Coins x30
*Ding*
Class – Phoenix Healer (Rare, Enhanced) Lv.60 → Lv. 62
+10 VIT, +10 END, +10 STR, +10 DEX, +10 WIS, +10 SPI, +10 INT, +10 CHA and +12 Free Attributes
*Ding*
Healing Skill – Golden Flame Lv. 72 → Lv. 73
*Ding*
Offensive Skill – Obsidian Flame Lv. 67 → Lv. 79
*Ding*
Constitution Skill – Phoenix Feathers Lv.35 → Lv.41
*Ding*
Movement Skill - Phoenix Step Lv. 40 → Lv.42
*Ding*
Offensive Skill - Obsidian Impact Lv. 47 → Lv. 49
*Ding*
Movement Skill - Phoenix Cloud Lv. 9 → Lv. 15
*Ding*
Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv.54 → Lv.59
Name: Monica Monroe
Race: Earther
Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique)
1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 62
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
2nd Class: Phoenix Forge (Epic) Level 68
Talent Class: None
Attributes:
Vitality - 2508
Endurance - 310
Strength - 315
Dexterity - 366
Wisdom - 310
Spirit - 310
Intelligence - 310
Charisma - 310
Free Attributes: 166
Skills:
Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 73
Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 79
Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 41
Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 74
Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 42
Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 49
Meditation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 33
Phoenix Cloud (Movement Skill) - Lv. 15
Fire Transmutation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 81
Forging (Utility Skill) - Lv. 89
Hammering (Utility Skill) - Lv. 86
Smelting (Utility Skill) - Lv. 93
Temperature Control (Utility Skill) - Lv. 88
Charred Masochist (Utility Skill) - Lv. 59
Fire Breathing (Utility Skill) - Lv. 42
Equipment:
Steel Talons (Uncommon)
Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/6)
Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare)
Hammer of Dworznel (Epic)
Racial Abilities (Earther):
Tutorial
Quest System
Inventory
Map
Myriad Tongues
Her forging Skills, unsurprisingly, hadn’t changed since the day prior. But she saw that Obsidian Flame itself had soared by twelve full levels—now outstripping her Golden Flame by six.
Warning: Flame Imbalance
Your Obsidian Flame is growing faster than your Golden Flame. Once the level difference grows higher than ten, side effects will ensue.
She clenched her fists—she did feel more on-edge. Beneath the flush of near-euphoria, a simmering anger clung to her, hungry to be unleashed. Her knuckles turned white, and she forcibly exhaled.
Still, her new power had let her dispatch a Level 150 Wasp Soldier in seconds—something unthinkable just days ago. Monica recognized the danger… but also the potential.
At last, she dismissed her notifications with a grim set of her jaw. A few new items had dropped from that kill—some superior chitin soaked in Corruption. They would be forging materials later.
She turned to Dworsul, meeting the dwarf’s gaze. A silent tension lingered between them. He’d clearly seen her rampage—and her meltdown. Still, he didn’t hurl any further insults or jabs. His eyes, however, flashed with concern when they flicked over her battered figure.
Monica broke the silence by pulling the newly acquired chunk of Wasp chitin from her Inventory, setting it on a table in the corner.
“We said we’d use these to craft gear that counters Machina’s brood, right?”
Dworsul arched an eyebrow and grunted. “That was the plan. Your forging is at least passable for now—passable enough to incorporate monster parts. But be careful with that chitin: it’s corrupted."
"Right," Monica smirked, turning on her Golden Flame and flushing out the Corruption from the material.
"Yet another surprisingly useful ability," Dworsul nodded to himself.
"How much do I use?" Monica asked. "And do I refine it with my flames?"
Dworsul shook his head. He paced around the table, hands clasped behind his back.
"You don't want to do that. Loot from monsters is finicky, Avatar. You must use the entire piece, no matter how big what you're trying to smelt. There will always be some waste, but the System enforces these rules. Otherwise, one could make a dozen daggers with that much material," the legendary Blacksmith said, pointing at the chitin.
Monica nodded. “Got it. Steel plus the chitin, then." She went and put the steel ingot she had made before and the chitin inside the forge.
"You will now craft an ingot that you will use for your gauntlets. Do not hesitate when you mix the steel and the chitin, Avatar."
Monica swallowed hard and nodded.
"Wait, do I refine the chitin before?" She asked. "My Obsidian Flame can—"
"No. That comes after."
She was still reeling from the previous encounter with the Wasp Soldiers and on edge because of the higher-leveled Obsidian Flame, but she couldn't afford the distraction.
Over the next hour, she worked the newly purified steel together with the chunk of chitin, carefully melding them in Thizmug’s runic forge. As always, Dworsul insisted on absolute precision, demanding that she watch for lumps of unabsorbed chitin or pockets of ill-formed steel.
At last, an ingot formed—a dark steel shot through with black and orange flecks. A faint sulfuric tang clung to it, making her wrinkle her nose. Dworsul handed her a pair of thick-lensed dwarven glasses.
"Inspect glasses," he explained.
Monica donned them and read a simple description.
*Ding*
You have successfully Inspected Item - Corrupted Molten Wasp Steel
*Ding*
Item - Molten Wasp Steel
Description: A special kind of steel forged through mediocre technique. If an item is forged with this, it makes the wearer more resilient or more dangerous toward Molten Wasps and their kin.
* * *
Monica chained together the last piece of her gauntlet and sighed when she saw the Mana align throughout the entire thing. By the time she fitted the final segment of the gauntlet, sweat matted her red hair to her cheeks. She slipped it onto her left forearm, flexing her fingers. The faint warmth coursing through the gauntlet told her the forging had worked.
“It’s not your best,” Dworsul muttered, eyeing the final product with a practiced frown. “But it’ll do. Now you’re outfitted to kill them with at least half the risk.”
Monica nodded, exhaling. Indeed, the Mana distribution felt far from perfect—there were pockets of turbulence she just couldn’t smooth out. But it was definitely better than bare fists and battered bracers.
*Ding*
Utility Skill – Forging Lv. 89 → Lv. 90
*Ding*
Utility Skill – Hammering Lv. 86 → Lv. 88
*Ding*
Utility Skill – Smelting Lv. 93 → Lv. 94
*Ding*
Utility Skill – Temperature Control Lv. 88 → Lv. 89
*Ding*
Utility Skill – Fire Transmutation Lv. 81 → Lv. 84
*Ding*
Utility Skill – Fire Breathing Lv. 42 → Lv. 45
*Ding*
Utility Skill - Charred Masochist Lv. 59 → Lv. 62
Name: Monica Monroe
Race: Earther
Title: Avatar of the Twin Phoenix (Unique)
1st Class: Phoenix Healer (Rare) - Lv. 62
2nd Class: Phoenix Forge (Epic) Level 68
Talent Class: None
Attributes:
Vitality - 2508
Endurance - 310
Strength - 315
Dexterity - 366
Wisdom - 310
Spirit - 310
Intelligence - 310
Charisma - 310
Free Attributes: 166
Skills:
Golden Flame (Healing Skill) - Lv. 73
Obsidian Flame (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 79
Phoenix Feathers (Constitution Skill) - Lv. 41
Mana Sense (Perception Skill) - Lv. 74
Phoenix Step (Movement Skill) - Lv. 42
Obsidian Impact (Offensive Skill) - Lv. 49
Meditation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 33
Phoenix Cloud (Movement Skill) - Lv. 15
Fire Transmutation (Utility Skill) - Lv. 84
Forging (Utility Skill) - Lv. 90
Hammering (Utility Skill) - Lv. 88
Smelting (Utility Skill) - Lv. 94
Temperature Control (Utility Skill) - Lv. 89
Charred Masochist (Utility Skill) - Lv. 62
Fire Breathing (Utility Skill) - Lv. 45
Equipment:
Steel Talons (Uncommon)
Twin Phoenix Bracers (Divine) - Twin Phoenix Set (1/6)
Nightshade Battle Wear (Rare)
Hammer of Dworznel (Epic)
Racial Abilities (Earther):
Tutorial
Quest System
Inventory
Map
Myriad Tongues
This wasn't her best work. The Mana distribution was far from perfect, and the gauntlet itself, despite looking sturdy, wouldn't last forever.
"Well, it's time for you to hunt, Avatar," Dworsul said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Why don't we just go straight for the elevators, now? I can keep forging when I kill more Wasps and you can teach my friends in the meanwhile."
"I can only sense Wasps moving if I'm putting all my attention to it," Dworsul explained. "If we moved, there would be too many variables, too many Wasp groups that could elude my senses. We can only make the journey if you can protect me from the largest threat we could find in these corridors."
Monica clenched her jaw and nodded.
"Can you point the closest group out to me?"
"They're coming toward the wall. Three of them."
She nodded and turned her back to him.
"Another thing," Dworsul said as Monica was already heading for the exit of the forge. "Do not be foolish, Avatar. I've seen people get eaten alive by powers lesser than yours. Do not succumb to it."