Ronan left the camp at the crack of dawn, his boots crunching softly against the dew-kissed earth. The crisp morning air carried the scent of damp foliage as he made his way through the dense forest.
His stomach rumbled, prompting him to pluck a few ripe fruits from a nearby tree. As he bit into one, its tangy sweetness spread across his tongue, a small moment of solace before the trials ahead.
With his free hand, Ronan summoned a flame, watching it flicker and dance in his palm. Its heat had grown noticeably stronger since that day (absorbing natural fire), yet he found no sign of an upgrade or mutation.
Furrowing his brows, he whispered, "After that day, your heat significantly increased, but I see no signs of change. What happened?"
Most magic users viewed their abilities as mere tools—stepping stones toward power and recognition. But Ronan was different. To him, his flame was more than an extension of himself; it was a trusted companion, a silent partner in his struggles.
He sighed, his fingers tightening slightly. "I don't have a dual affinity, nor do I possess an extraordinary mana capacity. I'll never receive a god's blessing..." His voice softened as he turned his gaze back to the flame. "But at least I have you."
An hour passed as Ronan trekked through the forest, eventually arriving at a familiar clearing. His memory served him well—this was where he had spotted the rank-four four-tailed fox days ago. But this fox was different. Its fire wasn't the usual purple; it burned an eerie silver.
Ronan had never read about this kind of flame, so his curiosity was at its peak. Determined, Ronan activated Keen Eye, his perception skill, sharpening his senses.
He crouched low, scanning the entrance of the fox's den. Tracks in the dirt and the faint, shifting glows within told him there were multiple creatures inside.
A battle was inevitable.
Drawing his blade, he inhaled deeply before stepping forward. As soon as he did, the den stirred with life. A rank-two two-tailed fox emerged first, followed closely by a rank-three three-tailed one. Their fiery eyes locked onto him. Without hesitation, the three-tailed fox pounced, purple flames bursting forth as it lunged.
Ronan sidestepped, barely dodging the scorching fangs, and countered with a swift Blazing Strike. A crescent-shaped wave of fire cleaved through the air, striking the fox and sending it skidding back with a yelp.
The two-tailed fox snarled and retaliated, launching fireballs in rapid succession. Ronan twisted his body, weaving between them before closing the distance. He slashed downward, his blade cutting cleanly through the creature. With a final whimper, it fell lifeless to the ground.
The three-tailed fox wasn't so easily bested. It circled him warily before unleashing a burst of fire from its mouth. Ronan reacted instantly, bringing his sword up as the flames washed over him.
Heat singed his skin, but he pushed forward, slicing through the inferno with another Blazing Strike. This time, his attack found its mark, and the beast collapsed.
The ground rumbled.
From the darkness of the den, the true challenge emerged. The rank-four four-tailed fox stepped forward, its silver flames casting an eerie glow against the cavern walls. Its piercing eyes locked onto Ronan, intelligent and unyielding.
Ronan took a deep breath. "Alright, let's do this." He activated Void Overdrive.
Power surged through his body, his muscles tightening, his senses heightening. His movements became sharper, faster. The fox snarled and lashed out with a wave of silver fire.
Ronan leapt aside, feeling the unnatural chill of the flames as they grazed past him. This isn't ordinary fire— touch sent a deep shiver down his spine, as though his very soul recoiled. "What is this?" he thought, his breath catching. I've never seen flames this cold… it feels like I'm standing in a field of countless dying souls. My whole body is trembling with fear. This… this is the same suffocating dread as when I enter that dark void. What the hell is this?"
Darting forward, he unleashed Sky Splitter, his sword cutting through the air in a devastating vertical slash. The fox dodged at the last moment, countering with a powerful burst of silver Flame.
Ronan barely managed to roll away, his heart pounding. He couldn't afford to waste time. Void Overdrive only lasted four minutes.
Summoning every ounce of strength, he lunged forward, delivering a flurry of strikes. The fox twisted and turned, avoiding most, but one well-aimed blow carved through its shoulder.
It yelped in pain before retaliating with a massive eruption of silver fire. Ronan braced himself, then dashed straight through the flames, enduring the scorching heat to land a decisive strike.
The fox staggered, its legs trembling. One final Sky Splitter, infused with his fire element, brought the beast down. It collapsed, the eerie glow in its eyes fading.
Panting, Ronan sheathed his sword and collected the flame orbs from the fallen creatures. When he reached for the four-tailed fox's silver flame orb, an unseen force suddenly yanked at him. A powerful pull dragged his arm forward, his veins igniting with searing energy.
The silver Flame was consuming him. He gritted his teeth, struggling against the force, but the flames spiralled up his arm, sinking into his skin. Panic flared in his chest as he tried to shake it off, but it was too late; the fire had already merged with him.
Moments later, the pull ceased. Ronan stumbled back, his breath ragged. He summoned his fire, half-expecting it to be altered. But to his confusion, it remained unchanged.
Frowning, he muttered, "Nothing different?" A shadow of unease lingered in his thoughts. "I need to ask Miss Amara about this. She knows more about fire magic than I do."
Pushing his uncertainty aside, Ronan continued his hunt, testing his abilities against fire-elemental creatures.
As the sun dipped beyond the horizon in the evening, Tavin, Orin, Andrea and Mr. Alden sat around a campfire.
As they were talking, Ronan returned to the camp. His body is covered with dried blood, his clothes are torn, scorch marks here and there on his body.
Orin runs at Ronan, holding him, and asks, "What happened, man?" Ronan replied with a tired laugh and shaky voice, "Just fought with some monster that's all. Nothing serious." Mr. Alden asked, "So, how is the hunt?" Ronan replied, "hehehe, more than I expected."