CHAPTER 13: Flames Unleashed
The System Companion flashed brightly and a System Inventory showing the [Monster Cores] in his possession, opened before Benji. He mentally snatched them out of his pouch. The two glowing orbs felt smooth inside his palm, his vision was drawn by their faint blue light.
“Focus on the cores, Benji. Pour your will into them and visualize what you need them to do. I’ll guide you through the process.”
Benji closed his eyes, centering himself. He felt the faint trace of his mana flowing within him and directed it toward the [Monster Cores] he saw rolling inside his palm. The cores warmed in his hand, growing hotter as he concentrated.
“Now, picture the [Ignite] spell. How it felt, the heat it generated, the way it crackled from your fingers.”
Benji tried to focus on that image but somehow, his thoughts slipped and he imagined more. He imagined fire, powerful and untamed. A burst of flames, wild and searing, erupting from his hand in a fierce wave. Is this how the spell evolves?
The air around him crackled and snapped and the cores began to glow brighter, their lighter more white than blue. His breath hitched as the power surged, and for a moment, it felt as though the whole cave was vibrating. It wasn’t just heat though. His entire arm trembled under the strain, as if the spell wanted more from him than he was willing to give.
And as he felt his eyesight dwindling, it happened.
A burst of flame erupted from his hand engulfing the two cores. It was not a tiny spark like before, but a full wave of fire. Benji’s head shot back at the burst of fire, the flames licking his hair. The heat was intense, rolling upward in a fiery arc, singeing the stone walls of the cave. Benji gasped, pulling his hand back in awe and in fear. The flames died down quickly, leaving behind a faint trail of smoke and the smell of charred rock, but Benji’s heart kept beating hard in his chest. Before he could calm himself, a System notification interrupted his thoughts.
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[Spell [Ignite] Upgraded]
[New Spell Form: [Flame Burst].]
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Benji grinned, staring at his hand, still warm from the spell. The surge of power had been exhilarating—intoxicating, even. Flame Burst. It sounded so much more potent, so much more dangerous. This was the kind of strength he needed to see through this bizarre situation. He mentally focused on the spell’s name hovering before him.
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[Spell: Flame Burst]
[Description: A fierce wave of fire, unleashed from within. Wild and untamed, it surges forward in a burst of heat, consuming the air as it roars to life. To wield it, focus deeply on the fire’s fury and thrust your hand forward to command the blaze.]
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The companion hovered nearby, wearing a broad smile on its simple round face. “You did it! That was almost… good. With practice, you’ll be able to control its range and intensity, but already, it’s more powerful than Ignite.”
Benji gave the companion a stern look. “Almost good?” The feeling of growth was exhilarating but now he could better see the reality of his situation. He didn’t know anything about spells or magic, or the potential of each. Of course, everything would feel like a wonder to him.
“Could my inexperience cloud my judgment?”
The companion’s glow dimmed slightly, its tone softening. “You’re growing fast, Benji. But remember, there’s still much to learn. Don’t be discouraged though. Only an arrogant and naive person would think that they know it all.”
Benji nodded, but some of those feelings clinged to his thoughts.
“You still have to face the leader of the Strak’t,” the companion chimed as if to ground him.
Benji glanced at the strange blue orb floating in front of him. He had no doubt that the leader would be far more dangerous than the ones he’d already faced. But now, he felt as if all of his previous fights were fought by another person. He looked down at his already calloused hands. He felt like a distant witness to his own adventures; a growing alienation crept at his thoughts.
The companion hovered closer. “By the way... You are required to give me a name. I’m your companion, after all. A name would be fitting, wouldn’t it?”
Benji chuckled softly, the tension in his body easing slightly. It would be more convenient than calling it the System Companion for sure.
He thought for a moment, and the image of a loyal friend from one of his favorite books came to mind. “How about Sam? After Samwise Gamgee. You know, from Lord of the Rings. A good friend to have on a long journey.”
The companion flickered, clearly pleased. “I don’t have a record of that person, nor the Lord you mention, but Sam would suffice.”
Benji smiled, feeling a strange sense of comfort, even though the System Companion was probably an advanced AI generated assistant. But now, more than that, he felt like Sam had a personality of his own. Sam, the System Companion, might be digital, but in this unfamiliar world, it made him feel like he wasn’t completely alone.
Benji looked down. The flames of the spell left traces on his palm and his fingertips.
So, I am a real mage now.
Benji’s face reddened as if he offended someone just by thinking himself as a mage. He looked around. The dim lit cave loomed before him, intimidating and mysterious. Absurdly, he only now realized that he was there in person.
Sam might have a clue about it.
“Sam, can you possibly detect how I got Mana Poisoning?”
The blue-hued orb floated silently for a moment before turning toward him.
“You likely ate too much of that blue moss.”
Benji’s jaw dropped. “So, it has a drawback after all.”
“When your Mana Pool is full and you keep consuming mana-replenishing herbs or potions, their effect is nullified, and you get the [Mana Poisoning] Condition.”
“Can it be removed?” Benji asked.
“Of course. It would be an easy task for even an [Initiate] Priestess.”
“A Priestess? So religion is a thing here, then?” Benji thought, remembering Prometheus' Blessing.
“Yes, gods exist in Theria, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Benji considered this, but he eventually decided that now wasn’t the time to dive into religious matters. He’d find a way to heal himself when, or if, he ever got out of this cave.
“Sam, I think I need to eat and sleep before going any further.”
“I’d also recommend you rest. You are immensely fatigued. Don’t let the vigor from leveling up fool you, it’s short-lived. As for food, I suggest you eat more of the blue moss. Despite the negative effects, it’s enough to sustain you for now.”
Benji nodded. There wasn’t a System measurement for his fatigue, but he could feel it growing. Reluctantly, he shoved a bit more moss into his mouth and began searching for a place to sleep.
After a few minutes, he found a small nook that looked safe and comfortable enough. Carefully placing his torch beside him, he rolled himself up in his tattered cloak. It wasn’t ideal, but it was enough to draw him into a somewhat restful nap.
His eyes shot open to a deep growl that reverberated throughout the cavernous walls and his body alike. For a fleeting moment he couldn’t recognize his surroundings. He rubbed his eyes and his heartbeat slowed down when Sam floated above him in circles.
The cave air was damp. Benji could feel it on his skin like a humid vail. Adding to his growing discomfort, the now flickering flames of his torchlight lowered his visibility considerably.
Taking out some monster fat and a cloth piece, he rekindled the torch and began venturing further into the cavernous tunnel before him. Along the way he plucked some more blue moss off of the walls, just in case.
The more he walked through winding passages, the more the oppressive atmosphere weighed on his mind.
“Just ahead,” Sam’s voice chimed, breaking the silence. “We’re close.”
Benji could see a thin, almost invisible, wall of light just ahead in a short distance. The invisible wall covered an opening that looked like a large passage; a passage that reminded Benji of an entrance to a boss fight. He took a deep breath and stepped forward.
The air around it seemed charged, crackling faintly with the same electric hum of energy that surrounded the Strak’ts. As he approached the opening, he felt pressure and the cave opened up into a massive chamber, its stone walls illuminated by patches of blue and red glowing moss. The red moss glistened in the dim light, and before Benji could fully take it in, a crackle of lightning split the air and a System notification appeared.
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[Strak’t Leader’s Lair]
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Before he could comprehend his surroundings the Strak’t leader emerged from the shadows.
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[Creature Identified]
[Strak’t Leader – Level 5]
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Despite its low level, it was massive, twice the size of its lesser kin. This one lacked a white stripe but in its stead, amidst its blue tinted fur, a row of bony scales shimmered with raw mana. Its yellow eyes blazed with fury, and arcs of electricity flickered around it, making the air vibrate dangerously. As it showed its bare long canines, saliva dripped from its maw and with a snap, it let out a growl that rumbled through Benji.
Benji’s steps came to an abrupt stop.
“Benji,” Sam’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Grab some of the red moss. Quickly. It has healing properties. Trust me, you’ll need it.”
Benji hesitated for only a moment before moving.
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[Red Glowing Moss: Alchemical Ingredient (Consumable)]
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
[Description: It can be used in the process of crafting Healing Potions or it can be consumed to restore a small amount of Health.]
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His hands darted to the moss, stuffing handfuls of the red-tinted plant into his inventory pouch. He could feel the Strak’t leader’s gaze on him, its crackling energy growing more intense with each passing second. It seemingly measured him.
“Here goes nothing,” Benji muttered under his breath. He didn’t know exactly how strong he’d become in the future, but now his body still ached from the earlier battle, and doubt crept at his thoughts.
Can I really take on something like this?
The creature let out a deafening roar, and in an instant, it lunged, not waiting for Benji to further contemplate on the situation.
Lightning crackled above the ground, leaving scorching traces in its wake. Benji barely had time to react as he threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the beast’s massive claws. Its breath smelled horrible. Benji felt a growing revulsion in his gut.
The ground beneath him shook violently, sending shards of stone flying through the air as the Strak’t leader’s claws dug into the cave floor.
Benji scrambled to his feet. He tried to draw mana from his pool, heat building in his palm. With a thrust and a shout, he unleashed a weak but considerably better looking [Flame Burst] than before. The wave of fire erupted from his hand, racing toward the Strak’t leader.
But the beast was far faster than anything Benji had faced before. It sidestepped the flames, its fur bristling as it let out a fierce snarl. Without hesitation, the Strak’t leader released a bolt of electricity, arcing toward him.
Benji was a tad too slow though, and the wave of electricity seized him whole. Pain lanced his body as the electricity coursed through his chest, sending him crashing into the cave wall. His vision blurred, and for a moment, everything went dark.
Sam’s voice broke through the haze. “Benji, use the red moss, now!”
With trembling hands, Benji fumbled for the moss, shoving a piece into his mouth. Bitter and almost metallic in taste, the moss worked quickly, numbing the pain in his limbs and restoring a sliver of his health. The trembling on his hands didn’t stop though. Adding to the effects of electricity coursing through him, the trembling was the result of a deep gnawing fear.
Fueling his fear, the Strak’t leader wasn’t giving him any room to breathe. It lunged again, electricity crackling around its body as it charged. Benji ducked, barely dodging another swipe of its claws, but the shockwaves from its movements sent him tumbling. As he lifted his body up, he saw a deep pit in the center of the den from which a dim light emitted.
“You can’t take it head-on,” Sam warned, “It’s too strong. We need to make it work for its attacks. Circle around the den, tire it out.”
Benji nodded, almost running out of options. He wasn’t fast enough, but he had to make it work.
“Can you heal me a little?” Benji asked, remembering Sam’s abilities.
Not wasting time, Sam released a pulse of Mana toward him. Benji immediately felt its warmth surge through. It was invigorating and comforting, but he couldn’t afford to lose more time.
He started to move, darting toward the edges of the den, trying to put as much distance between him and the Strak’t leader as possible. The beast snarled, its eyes locked onto him as it gave chase. Benji kept his pace steady, his feet kicking up dust as he sprinted around the cave, forcing the Strak’t to turn sharply with each pass.
The cave walls blurred around him. Sweat dripped down his face, and he could feel his stamina draining rapidly, but he had no choice. He just needed to hold on. Step by step, he moved closer to the pit. It was deep, filled with bones and debris slowly dissolving in a strange, yellow-hued energy. Benji’s gaze drifted to the ground beneath the bones, where the same yellow energy pulsed, radiating from the earth itself and rippling around the pit.
Could this energy be what's dissolving the bones? he wondered, as a plan began to form in his mind. Then, a low growl shattered his thoughts.
His eyes snapped to the Strak’t. The massive creature loomed on the opposite side of the pit, grinding its teeth on the ground in aggression.
“Sam, do you see that pit?” Benji asked, turning his attention to the System Companion. “What kind of energy is this?”
Sam hovered closer, studying the strange, pulsing glow beneath the bones. “It’s a form of corrosive energy, likely unique to this cave. It seems to be breaking down organic matter.”
Benji’s mind raced as he considered the implications. “If we can lure the Strak’t into the pit, maybe that energy can work to our advantage.”
Sam bobbed in agreement. “It’s risky, but the energy could weaken it—perhaps enough for you to defeat it.”
“Exactly,” Benji muttered, his gaze locked on the Strak’t leader as it barreled after him, electric arcs lighting up its path. “First, we need to trap it.”
With each circle around the den, Benji angled himself closer to the pit, narrowly avoiding the Strak’t’s attacks. It was faster, stronger, but Benji had one advantage, it was growing angrier. Its snarls were becoming more desperate and its movements reckless, adding to its frustration.
With a burst of speed, Benji made his move. He darted toward the pit stopping at the very last moment on the edge of it; his heart hammering in his chest.
The Strak’t leader leapt after him, lightning crackling around its body, but it wasn’t careful enough.
At the last second, Benji rolled to the side, causing the creature’s jaw to snap just air and with a deafening crash to tumble into the pit.
For a moment, Benji just stood there, panting, staring down at the beast as it thrashed in the bone-filled pit, its roars echoing off the cave walls. But he couldn’t rest yet. This was seemingly his only chance.
With shaking hands, Benji grabbed a piece of blue moss, quickly shoving it into his mouth. The bitter taste made him wince, but the rush of mana that followed was undeniable. Power surged through him, filling every fiber of his being with renewed energy. His hand glowed red as he called upon [Flame Burst], the heat in his palm burning hotter than ever before.
A massive wave of fire exploded from his palm, roaring toward the trapped Strak’t leader. The flames engulfed the pit, the debris quickly becoming ablaze, wrapping around the beast in a searing inferno.
The Strak’t leader howled, its body convulsing as the fire tore through it, rapidly consuming chunks of its Health Points. The smell of burning fur filled the air, and for a moment, all Benji could hear was the roar of the flames and the monster’s agonized cries.
The sight was horrid. More rapidly than the flames, the corrosive energy was covering its fur. Benji tried to look elsewhere but he was more than curious; he felt like he had to take in the sight to strengthen his resolve.
The burning, dissolving creature writhed in agony, causing a wave of guilt to fill Benji’s thoughts as he stared down to it.
Suddenly, with its last vestiges of strength, the Strak’t leapt out of the pit. Benji’s shocked eyes darted toward Sam and then to the beast.
This wasn’t the time to hesitate. With Sam urging him with a surge of adrenaline, Benji gripped his knife tightly and leapt in front of the Leader, his eyes locked on its exposed throat. The beast growled weakly, but it was too late. With a swift, brutal motion, Benji plunged the knife upward into the creature’s neck; his gaze on the ground.
The Strak’t leader, mortally wounded, left the final throes of death, before it fell still.
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[Strak’t Leader Defeated – Experience Gained]
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Benji collapsed to his knees, panting; his body trembling from physical and mental exhaustion alike. His hands were slick with blood, and his mind was still racing from the battle. But it was over. He’d done it. He’d won.
Sam’s voice was contrastingly bright in the aftermath. “You did it, Benji!”
Benji leaned back, staring up at the cave ceiling, his body still buzzing from the adrenaline.
I survived.
Benji knelt beside the fallen Strak’t leader, its massive form now motionless in the empty den. The once fearsome crackling of electricity around its body had faded, leaving only the faint smell of burnt hair and skin in the air.
As he reached down to loot the body, the System interface blinked to life before him, displaying the rewards in crisp, glowing text.
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[Monster Core [Uncommon] x1, Monster Fat x1, Strak’t Leader’s Pelt x1]
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The [Monster Core] was a dense orb which was pulsing brightly in Benji’s hand, its energy unfamiliar yet strangely comforting. He pocketed it alongside the other items, and before he could even process the implications of his newfound items, another notification appeared before him, far larger and brighter than the loot summary.
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[Congratulations[Initiate]!]
[Tutorial Quest: 3/3 Complete.]
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[Reward: Staff of Thunder.]
[Item Acquired]
[Magical Weapon: Staff of Thunder(Uncommon)]
[Staff of Thunder]
Type: Magical Weapon (Uncommon)
Durability: 60/60
Special Attribute: [Electric] affinity spells are 10% stronger
Description: A magical weapon constructed from the branches of an Olsterd tree. Its crystal orb, the core of a powerful monster, grants the user the power to wield thunder itself.
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A brilliant shaft of light appeared before him, gradually solidifying into the shape of a long wooden staff. The dark wood was smooth to the touch, yet radiated with a subtle electric hum. Sharp, thunder-like carvings etched along its surface, and at its head, held tightly by twisting twigs, a shimmering crystal orb pulsed with blue energy. As Benji reached out and grasped it, a familiar chill shot up his arm; it felt like the rush of static from the Strak’t, but this time, it was empowering instead of paralyzing.
Gripping the staff tighter, his mind flashed to images of Gandalf from his favorite books. There was something undeniably awe-inspiring about holding a weapon with such raw power. Imagining himself as a character on a grand adventure felt like a dream coming true.
Sam’s voice broke the silence, carrying a note of admiration. "The [Staff of Thunder] will serve you well. It’s imbued with an [Electric] affinity and provides more than just a power boost in battle. Worry not, though—with practice, you’ll learn to wield its full potential."
Benji gave the staff an experimental swing, feeling its weight. A satisfying whoosh echoed around the crystal orb, and a slight vibration pulsed through him. It was unlike anything he’d ever wielded before. This staff wasn’t just a weapon; it was a conduit for magic.
Despite the ache in his bones and the exhaustion threatening to drag him down, he couldn’t help but smile. "Looks like I’m finally getting some proper gear," he murmured with a breathless chuckle.
Before he could do more, a System notification chimed, and on the ground, a bronze bracelet—seemingly identical to his own—appeared, its surface dull and layered with grime. Benji picked it up hesitantly, reading the notification as he did.
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[Journal: New Quests Added]
1. Reach Tower Keep and enroll in the Crown Sentinel Academy.
2. Deliver Evander’s Bracelet to the Trial Delver’s Guild at Tower Keep.
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As he read the quest titles, his smile faded, replaced by the quiet, solemn realization that this victory—though hard-won—was only the first step. The Crown Sentinel lineage, the staff, the quest to deliver Evander’s bracelet, and most important of all, finding his mother—all pointed to a much larger journey. And though he wanted to feel proud, a sense of unease gnawed at him. The path ahead was still shrouded in uncertainty.
He looked down at the bracelet in his hand once more, turning it over in his fingers. It was more than just a quest item; it was a reminder of the stakes. People were dying out here, and if he didn’t keep pushing himself, he might be next.
"Sam," Benji said quietly, staring at the bracelet. "Do you think I’m ready for all of this? I mean… I barely made it through this fight, through this tutorial."
There was a brief silence before Sam responded. "Ready? Maybe not. But capable? Absolutely. You’re not the same person as the one who entered this cave, Benji, and with each challenge, you’ll grow stronger." Sam’s tone was encouraging, but there was a depth to the words that gave Benji pause.
He wasn’t the same person—that much was clear. The boy who stumbled into this world, terrified and untrained, had survived the [Tutorial Trial Domain]. He had faced monsters, overcame adversities, and found strength he never imagined possessing.
Benji stood slowly, the staff held firmly in his hand, Evander’s bracelet tucked safely into his pouch. The cave felt distant and fading into memory as he turned toward the light spilling, newly appearing, exit. The world outside beckoned, and with it, a future filled with new challenges, new dangers, and new discoveries.
"Let’s go," Benji muttered.
As he stepped into the light, a cool, fresh breeze brushed against his face. Before him, lay a small valley, with winding paths leading toward a medieval-looking town nestled between two mountains. At its center stood a massive tower—a colossal construct that loomed over everything, dominating the landscape.