"It's been a few months since I started training with Grandpa," I said, staring at my left hand as a small flame flickered to life. "I've learned to wield fire in ways I never thought possible. But time is running out. There are only fourteen days left until the curse takes Grandpa Clif. I have to make every second count."
The political landscape was shifting as rapidly as my own progress. Soldiers from the Theocracy of Lumen had pushed through the Crimson Thicket—a forest under their control—and were now emerging into the Verdant Wastes. It was a clear attempt to occupy imperial territory, a move that smelled of impending war.
I went to look for Clif, but the house was eerily quiet. I checked every room, every corner, but the old man was nowhere to be found.
"Where did he go?" I muttered, stepping out onto the porch.
There, I found a letter. Clif had received an urgent summons from the kingdom and had to leave immediately.
"Well, if he's busy, I might as well get some real-world practice in."
I headed back to my room and grabbed my black sword. I also took a map Clif had left for me—a detailed guide containing information on every kingdom and monster-infested region in the land. My finger traced a path to a particularly dense section of the Verdant Wastes. It seemed like the perfect place to hunt.
I left the house and crossed the imperial border. The weather was miserable; dark, heavy clouds hung low in the sky, threatening rain. But I didn't care. I had a blade at my hip and a burning desire to test my limits.
After twenty minutes of trekking through the undergrowth, I found my first real challenge: a Minotaur. It was a massive beast with glowing red eyes, wielding a pair of heavy iron axes.
"Finally, a decent sparring partner," I said, a smirk tugging at my lips.
I leaped into the branches of a nearby tree, watching the beast as it stomped through the woods in a straight line. Without warning, I dropped down directly in front of it. The Minotaur let out a low growl, a grey aura beginning to radiate from its massive frame. I looked it in the eye and smiled, the adrenaline already pumping through my veins.
I drew my sword in one fluid motion and charged. The Minotaur roared, swinging its axes in a wide arc. I aimed for its chest, but the beast was surprisingly agile, parrying my strike and launching a brutal counter-attack.
I skipped back, putting some distance between us to study its movements.
"Time to turn it up a notch," I whispered, activating Physical Enhancement.
I felt the mana surge through my muscles, increasing my speed by about five percent. It wasn't much, but in a fight like this, every fraction of a second mattered.
For a creature that size, its movements are incredibly fast, I thought. But if I can match its pace, I can end this.
I lunged forward again, moving with a speed that blurred the Minotaur's vision. It raised its axes for a crushing downward strike, but I wasn't there anymore. I flickered behind it, my blade glowing with a faint light as I drove it deep into the beast's back.
The Minotaur stiffened. A thick, purple substance began to ooze from its mouth.
"Tsk..." it groaned, its strength failing.
I wrenched my sword free. The Minotaur collapsed, its body dissolving into mist and leaving behind a single, pulsating purple magic stone.
"This should fetch a nice price," I said, picking up the stone. "I'll have Grandpa Clif sell it for me later."
With a satisfied smile, I pushed deeper into the Verdant Wastes. "Things are probably going to get a lot more dangerous from here on out. Better stay sharp."
I whispered a low incantation and pressed my palm to the forest floor. A small magic circle flared, and three fiery birds manifested from the flames.
"Go," I commanded. "Scout the forest ahead and report back if you find anything."
As the birds took flight, I began moving through the canopy, jumping from branch to branch to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. But as I advanced, I felt my connection to the scouts sever. One by one, they were being snuffed out.
I sprinted toward the location where the last bird had vanished. Reaching the edge of a clearing, I peered down from the safety of a high branch. My eyes widened.
Nestled in the heart of the Verdant Wastes was a military encampment belonging to the Theocracy of Lumen. I counted five mages, five armored soldiers, and a captain.
The captain was hard to miss. He wore gleaming white armor and radiated a pure, holy aura—the kind of mana that felt almost blinding. He was bald, currently deep in conversation with two of his guards.
Soldiers from the Theocracy? I thought, my brow furrowing. What are they doing this far into the forest? There's no peace treaty between us. This is an invasion.
Suddenly, the captain looked up. "Huh?"
I pulled back instantly, pressing myself against the tree trunk. "Phew... that was close. I don't think he saw me."
I risked another peek, but the clearing was different. The soldiers and mages were still there, but the captain had vanished.
A cold shiver ran down my spine. I spun around, but I was too slow. A hand gripped my shoulder, and a cold blade was pressed against my throat.
"What is a child doing out here?" the captain asked, his voice calm but deadly. "This is the most dangerous part of the woods."
Sweat beaded on my forehead. "I... I was training and got lost," I stammered, trying to sound like a terrified kid.
The captain narrowed his eyes. "Are you from the Empire?"
"Yes."
"I see," he said, his grip tightening. "Our orders are to seize this forest for the Theocracy of Lumen. I can't let you go. You've seen our numbers, and this operation is strictly confidential until the rest of our forces arrive. You're coming with us to Lumen's Reach as a prisoner of war."
He moved to grab me properly, but I didn't wait. I flared my Physical Enhancement and twisted away.
There's no talking my way out of this, I realized. I have to fight. I'll wait for an opening and then bolt.
"Guards! Tie the boy up," the captain barked. "We're taking him in."
"Yes, sir!"
A few minutes later, I was bound and shoved into a tent. Two guards stood watch inside, with another two stationed just outside the flap.
Now's my chance.
I focused my mana into my hands, manifesting a small, intense flame that ate through the ropes in seconds. With my Physical Enhancement already active, I lunged at the two guards inside.
They were caught completely off guard. I tripped the first one with a sweep of my leg and snatched the sword from his belt before he hit the ground. The second guard recovered and lunged with a frontal thrust.
I stepped to the left, the blade whistling past my ear, and delivered a clean slash to his sword arm. He let out a strangled scream and collapsed, clutching his wound.
The commotion drew the others instantly. The two guards from outside rushed in, but I leaped backward, chanting a quick spell. A massive fireball erupted from my palm, slamming into them and sending them flying.
As the rest of the soldiers began to close in, the captain raised a hand, signaling them to stop.
"Wait! I'll handle this myself."
I stood my ground, gripping the stolen sword, my gaze cold and fixed on the man in white armor. He met my stare with an amused smile.
"I'll give you a fair shake, kid. Use your enhancement to its limit, and I'll even give you your own sword back. I want to see what you can really do. But if you lose, you surrender quietly. Deal?"
"Deal," I said without hesitation.
The captain gestured to a guard, who hurried over and handed me my black blade. I caught it, the familiar weight grounding me. I immediately pushed my mana to the limit. I activated Enhanced Movement, followed by Abnormal Speed, and finally layered on Damage Reduction.
"I'm ready. Let's go."
The captain's smile widened. He signaled a guard to act as a referee. The man stepped between us, raised his hand, and then dropped it like a guillotine.
"Begin!"
The captain moved like a lightning strike. I met him halfway, our blades clashing with a violent shower of sparks. He retreated and immediately followed up with a crushing overhead strike. I gripped my hilt with both hands, the force of the blow vibrating through my entire body as I barely managed to block it.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, leaped back, and charged again. What followed was a blur of steel and mana, a battle fought at speeds that would have been invisible to the naked eye.
After several intense exchanges, we both leaped back, gasping for air.
"Time to end this, kid," the captain said, his aura beginning to shift. "I'm going to use my ultimate strike."
"An ultimate strike, huh?" I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "Fine. Let's finish this."
I have to enchant my blade with the rest of my mana, I thought. I'll use whatever's left to boost my speed for one final lunge.
I ran my palm along the flat of my blade, whispering a fire enchantment. The steel began to glow with a fierce, orange light. The captain watched, his smirk never wavering.
"I'll show you the same respect!" he shouted. "Behold, the power of my Ultimate Skill!"
My heart skipped a beat. An Ultimate Skill? If it's an area-of-effect or a homing type, I might not be able to dodge.
I pushed my aura to its absolute peak, leveling my sword at him. In response, the captain's mana tripled in intensity. A violent gust of wind erupted from him, shattering the nearby trees into splinters.
With a feral roar, he charged.
I roared back, pushing my body beyond its limits. I dodged a strike from the right, countered a feint from the left, and drove my blade straight toward his chest.
I felt the impact. I was certain I had him.
But the body I struck vanished into thin air.
An instant later, the captain reappeared just inches from my face, his smile wider than ever. Before I could react, he drove a fist into my stomach.
The world exploded in pain. I hit the ground hard, coughing up a spray of blood. I tried to breathe, but my lungs felt like they were collapsing.
I hit him... but it was an afterimage? I thought, my vision swimming. His real body was behind me the whole time. What a cheat ability...
I spat out more blood, my strength failing as the darkness closed in. I slumped forward, unconscious before I even hit the dirt.