After the battle with the leader-grade Mud Golem…
Fiona's jaw hung open, stunned. Aureil and David remained frozen in disbelief as they stared at Aaron, who had just dismantled the creature in a solo display of overwhelming power.
David finally snapped out of it and blurted, "Aaron, you're totally cheating!"
Aureil and Fiona nodded, still trying to wrap their heads around the sheer scale of Aaron's jutsu. Compared to their rudimentary spellwork, what he'd unleashed felt like an entirely different league and none of them had even reached Tier 1.
Aaron turned casually toward David, raised a middle finger with a smirk, and replied, "Obviously I'm cheating. Got a problem with that?"
He chuckled and added, "Let's go see what the boss dropped."
Fiona's and Aureil's eyes sparkled with anticipation. David, despite himself, quickly shut his mouth and followed, the thrill of loot overriding his indignation.
The group hurried to the center of the ruined battleground, where the remnants of the golem's shattered body glimmered with promise.
As they reached the center of the ruins…
The air still felt hot, like standing near an open oven. Heat waves danced above the ground, making everything look wavy and strange. The marshland, once soft and soggy, had completely dried up the water and was gone, turned to steam by Aaron's Fireball Jutsu.
Under their feet, the earth was cracked and hard. In the middle of it all was a huge crater, nearly three meters deep, with edges that still smoked and sizzled. The smell of burned grass and scorched mud filled their noses.
Aaron's attack hadn't just beaten the Mud Golem it had left a mark the land wouldn't forget anytime soon.
David, Aureil, and Fiona stood silently, taking in the battlefield's wreckage. Each of them had a different thought racing through their mind.
David narrowed his eyes at the crater, heat still rising from the scorched earth. "What the hell? This kind of damage… it's almost like a Tier 2 spell. Maybe even stronger." He felt a strange mix of shock and envy.
Fiona glanced at Aaron, her earlier judgments crumbling. "I thought he was reckless just some crazy guy showing off. But I was wrong. He's a monster… not someone you measure by normal standards." A shiver ran down her spine, not from fear, but from awe.
Aureil, usually composed, was frozen in place. She had witnessed Tier 1 and even Tier 2 battles before but this? "None of them caused this kind of destruction. He's beyond anything I've seen. Having him on our side… it almost feels unfair." Her heart pounded as she realized just how valuable Aaron truly was.
Aaron wasn't interested in the destruction he'd caused his eyes were locked onto the glowing loot in front of him.
The defeated Mud Golem had left behind a few items shining with soft light.
The first thing that caught his attention was a strange-looking stone. It shimmered faintly, but Aaron just gave it a quick glance before moving on.
Next, he saw three scrolls, each flickering with blue light. The symbols on them glowed softly, hinting at hidden power or forgotten knowledge.
Then his gaze landed on three weapons two sleek wands and a whip, all pulsing with the same blue glow. The wands were carved with fine patterns, and the whip gave off a quiet hum, like it held something wild and dangerous inside.
Aaron looked at the scrolls and weapons spread across the ground. Something felt off none of the items matched his combat style or class.
Meanwhile, Fiona, David, and Aureil were already drawn in by the glowing loot.
Aaron gave a half-smile and said, "Looks like you guys got lucky. Go ahead, take your rewards."
David didn't hesitate. He picked up the whip and grabbed one of the glowing scrolls. As he opened it, his eyes lit up and it was a skill scroll for Beast Fusion. Now, he could merge with a tamed beast for five minutes, gaining its strength and abilities.
Aureil and Fiona each picked up a wand and a scroll.
Aureil unrolled hers and discovered the skill Ice Rain, a powerful area attack that showered icy spears from above.
Fiona's scroll revealed Fire Rain, unleashing a wave of burning embers across the battlefield.
Aaron crossed his arms, watching them with quiet amusement. "Not bad," he muttered. "Even if I didn't get anything, at least the team's stacked now."
But David, Fiona, and Aureil didn't feel excited.
As they held their rewards, a sense of guilt crept in. Aaron had taken on the Mud Golem alone, fought through the danger, and won. Yet he didn't receive anything that suited him not a scroll, not a weapon. Just a few words of congratulations.
David glanced at the whip in his hands. Fiona traced her fingers over her wand. Aureil avoided Aaron's eyes entirely.
None of them said it out loud, but the feeling was the same "He deserved more than this."
Taking the loot suddenly didn't feel as satisfying. The glow around the scrolls and weapons dimmed in their eyes, replaced by quiet discomfort.
AARON (TIER 1. LVL. 1) (0/1000)
CHAKRA- 25,000/25,000
CHAKRA RECOVERY- 40 UNITS PER SEC
BLOODLINE- UCHIHA (10/100)
TAILED BEAST- ONE-TAILED
ELEMENT- EARTH, WIND, SAND, FIRE, YIN
NINJUSTU- TRANSFORMATION, CLONING, SUBSTITUTE, DEMON WIND SHURIKEN, CHAKRA REFINING, SAND VEIL TECHNIQUE, EARTH SPIKE TECHNIQUE, GALE FANG CLEAVE, EARTH BURIAL, FIREBALL JUSTU
WEAPON- KUNAI*10
POINT - 2530+15,000
Aaron opened his stats panel, curious and was instantly surprised by what he saw.
First, his chakra recovery speed had doubled from 20 per second to 40. That meant he could now fight for over an hour without needing to stop and recharge. This boost was huge for his combat style.
Second, his Uchiha bloodline score had increased by 10 points. Defeating a Leader-grade monster had made a noticeable impact. He suddenly realized: "Maybe killing Elite-grade or even higher-ranked enemies could help me upgrade the bloodline." The idea made his eyes spark with possibility.
Third and most exciting of all was the massive point bonus: 15,000 points added straight to his total. Aaron almost laughed out loud from sheer joy.
The sudden sound startled his companions.
David blinked. "What happened now?"
Aaron couldn't help the grin spreading across his face. "Turns out I didn't miss out after all."