Five days had passed since they began their march, the distant border camp finally coming into view. The weariness of travel hung on Rifi's shoulders, but even exhaustion couldn't dull the steady thrum of his heightened senses. His eyes scanned the horizon, searching for any sign of danger, though none had appeared on the journey.

Rudeus chuckled, his voice carrying a rare note of relief. "It seems our newest member brought us a bit of luck. Not a single beast spotted along the way." He clapped Rifi on the back, his grip firm. "But don't get comfortable, Rifi. Fortune doesn't last. A few months ago, this camp had nearly three hundred legionaries. We're down to two hundred now. Don't go joining the dead ones and leaving me to find another recruit. I'll make your afterlife miserable, newbie!"

Rifi smiled, though his mind lingered on the unspoken truth behind Rudeus' jest. Every day brought the threat of death, and the border was unforgiving.

Albus, walking alongside them, grunted. "Lucky this time. Next time, the newbie'll probably get us killed." He cast a sideways glance at Rifi, suspicion clear in his eyes. "You sure we have to take him, Captain?"

Rudeus sighed, though his smirk remained. "Since you're so fond of him, Albus, you'll be the one showing him the ropes in camp. Share your tent with him too."

Lucilia snorted, crossing her arms with a playful glint in her eyes. "Big dumb Albus, always volunteering himself."

Albus shot her a dark look as Lucilia stuck out her tongue at him, clearly pleased with herself. Julius, ever the peacemaker, grinned at Rifi from across the group.

"Don't let Albus scare you, Rifi," Julius said with a reassuring smile. "Once you get to know him, you'll see he's just a big, angry teddy bear."

Rifi nodded, grateful for Julius' attempt to ease the tension, though Albus merely grumbled something incoherent under his breath.

As they reached the encampment's entrance, Rudeus turned back to address the group once more. "Rest up. The day after tomorrow, we head out on our weekly scout mission. Make sure to eat well while you can. The next few days might be your last chance to enjoy decent food."

Rifi had learned much during the journey to the border. As scouts, their duty was to map the territory, track the movements of mana beasts, and report any unusual activity back to the main camp. It was a dangerous job, but it came with certain advantages—slightly better pay than the average border legionary, and an extra mana stone every second week.

Albus led Rifi around the camp without much enthusiasm, gesturing to the main hall where the legionaries ate and pointing toward the cluster of small tents where their scouting party would reside. He made little effort to hide his annoyance, muttering about finding Lucilia as he left Rifi to settle in on his own.

Rifi glanced around at the bustling camp, noting the contrast between the veterans and the fresh-faced recruits. Rudeus had his own larger tent near the command center, his five years of service and rank as a peak Purple core mage affording him more comfort than the rest. Most of the other legionaries, however, weren't so fortunate. The majority were Black core mages, their abilities still limited despite their late or peak-stage advancements. There were only a handful of Purple core mages among the two hundred, well now almost five hundred stationed here.

As Rifi unpacked in the tent he now shared with Albus, his thoughts wandered. The encampment, though remote and isolated, wasn't entirely safe. Mana beasts roamed these lands in search of mana veins, just as men did, and casualties were high. Everything in this world revolved around the elusive veins and the mana stones they produced, a resource coveted by beasts and humans alike. It was a cruel balance, one Rifi knew all too well—the scar across his chest a daily reminder of the wars fought over these veins.

With nothing else to occupy him, Rifi decided to cultivate. Sitting cross-legged on the hard ground, he closed his eyes and began drawing mana into his core. But something felt different. The ambient mana surrounding him seemed to flow toward him with an urgency he hadn't felt before, as if it were being drawn to him more quickly, more eagerly.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Rifi frowned, unsure of what this meant. Without the guidance of a clan or elders to teach him, he had no knowledge of advanced cultivation techniques. He was forced to walk this path alone, one step at a time.

Days passed. Rifi had joined his scout team, venturing out into the wilds surrounding the camp. Their task was simple: map the territory, mark beast activity, and avoid drawing too much attention from the creatures that roamed the northern border. They had encountered a few tier-one beasts along the way, easy enough for Albus to dispatch with his earth magic. Despite his gruff attitude, Albus was strong—stronger than Rifi had realized. Earth magic was versatile, and Albus wielded it with precision and power.

Rifi observed in silence, noting how Albus could shield the group with a mere flick of his hand, raising walls of stone to block attacks or crush smaller beasts. In contrast, Rifi's lightning magic, though potent, was still raw and inefficient. Where Albus could manipulate his element with ease, Rifi had to carefully control every spark of lightning that ran through his body. His element was dangerous, unpredictable, and lethal—but only if mastered.

Lucilia's wind magic added mobility to their group, and Julius' water element provided support in combat. Rudeus, with his fire magic, was their leader, and the one to put out the constant verbal fires between Lucilia and Albus. Despite their bickering, the group worked well together, and over time, even Albus began to warm to Rifi.

It was Rifi's knowledge of hunting and tracking that earned him a grudging respect. His sharp eyes and mastery of the Battle Eye technique allowed him to spot distant threats before they came too close, preventing ambushes that could have ended in disaster. His lightning-enhanced eyesight gave him an advantage during the day, and at night, Rudeus took over, his fire-enhanced vision cutting through the dark.

Weeks passed, and Rifi felt himself growing stronger. He'd broken through to the middle Brown core, his control over his mana improving with each passing day. He had learned how to infuse his body with just the right amount of lightning mana, enhancing his speed and reactions without overloading his nerves. It was a fine balance—too little, and he gained nothing. Too much, and the pain was excruciating. But Rifi welcomed the pain. It was the price of survival, and he was willing to pay it.

Each time he felt that his pain treshhold increased if only by a little. This in turn increased the amount of lightning mana he could use to enhance his muscles. At the rank Rifi was, this was basically his only option. At lower ranks he didnt have a dense enough mana for ranged lightning attacks, at most he could muster a lightning bolt to travel half a meter at full strength.

He also learned to conserve his energy, only using lightning mana when absolutely necessary. Most of the time, he fought with unenhanced-raw elementless mana, relying on his physical training and instincts. Lightning was a last resort, a weapon to be used only when he was ready to strike decisively.

The bond between the group deepened over time, forged in blood and battle. When a tier-three beast nearly decapitated Rifi, it was Albus who leaped in to save him, nearly losing his arm in the process. When a tier-two eagle beast ambushed Lucilia, it was Rifi who pushed her out of the way just in time, taking the brunt of the attack himself.

Slowly, Rifi earned the trust of his comrades. Even Albus, once skeptical, began to rely on him during missions. Lucilia and Albus had grown up in the same village, and Julius, with his quiet determination, revealed that he was fighting to support his ailing mother. Rudeus spoke of his wife and child, the family he was protecting with every mission. They were all bound by their struggles, their stories weaving together in the crucible of war.

One month had passed when disaster struck.

The team had been scouting the northern perimeter when they came across a terrifying sight: a vast horde of beasts, moving as one toward the border. The ground trembled beneath their feet as the creatures surged forward, a chaotic mix of species that should have been tearing each other apart.

Rudeus' face darkened as he watched the mass of beasts. "This isn't good. A horde this size is unheard of. We need to report this to the base commander immediately."

Albus stared at the horde in confusion. "Why are they moving together? Beasts don't do that… they're territorial. They fight each other!"

"Exactly," Rudeus said, his tone grim. "Something is forcing them to cooperate. Whatever it is, we're in serious trouble."

Lucilia glanced nervously at Rifi. "We need to get our gear from the outpost before it's too late."

Rudeus nodded, eyes still locked on the distant horde. "Grab everything. We don't know when—or if—we'll be coming back. Let's move."

Without another word, the team bolted toward their outpost, their bodies fueled by mana as they raced against the clock.