Dancing on the golden ashes

I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins as my body plunged into the crevice below. Every nerve tingled with excitement, while Malrang shivered in fear in my embrace.

"THIS IS WHAT I CALL A FANTASY WOOORLD!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, my hair whipping wildly in the wind. A surge of excitement flooded through me—unlike anything I'd ever felt before. It was as if I were unbound, free from the constraints of this world...

"Don't worry, Malrang," I said, trying to console her despite the fact we were plummeting to our deaths. "I've got this all planned out! I think…"

I quickly summoned my scythe, slamming it into the massive Blazelia tree to slow our descent. Sparks flew in all directions as we plunged downward. The intense heat surged rapidly, growing more unbearable with each passing second. I knew I could spend more skill points to endure it longer, but I couldn't afford to waste them.

I can see the bottom! My eyes widened in awe. Wow... it looks like a crystal floor. Is it made of fire? The shimmering surface glowed brilliantly, mesmerizing me with its beauty. A tinge of greed flickered within me—I wanted to flip this entire area upside down, looting anything and everything I could.

My hand burned like hell as I gripped the scythe, the strain almost unbearable. But after a brief, agonizing moment, we finally reached the bottom. My endurance had paid off, though it left my palm bloody and raw.

Mom would be so mad if she saw me like this… As I looked at my palm I couldn't help but smile faintly at the memory from the days in my old world. Mom always cared so much, even over a tiny scratch, which would heal in a week or so.

I'll never forget the day she made all the boys in my class drop to their knees and apologize for bullying me in first grade. She was my hero, perhaps a bit more than that- a goddess.

Yet… why did you abandon me, Mom?

You don't need them… she left you... they left you... Remember that, Gaon…

The eerie voice echoed in my head, slipping in at every opportunity it could find. Its persistence was unnerving, and I'd already noticed a pattern—it was trying to make me despise everything but this world, urging me to kill endlessly, as if to satisfy its darkest desires. Yet, I couldn't understand why it felt the need to lock away my memories, as though even a moment of softness was forbidden.

Shut it! I snapped internally. I wasn't sure if I'd somehow learned to control it or if it was simply conserving its energy for something far worse. Either way, it always fell silent after just a few cryptic words, leaving me with an uneasy calmness, which would one day birth chaos.

Please don't drag me with you if you feel suicidal, Gaon... the fox complained, her voice laced with irritation. I couldn't help but smirk—she was starting to build quite a character of her own.

"It was fun, wasn't it? Lift your chin up! Look how far we dropped... Wow... such a beautiful fire paints the sky, and you and I are here in this mysterious crevice! How can you be such a buzzkill?"

It's not about this place not being amazing… Malrang sniffed the air, her nose twitching as she eyed a massive fiery hole inside a tree trunk. I smell something delicious! Her eyes sparkled with excitement, as if she were about to rob a bank. But then she returned to the previous topic, tucking her tail as is she was embarrassed for losing herself to the sweet aroma. It's about you being reckless and idiotic. We're friends, Gaon, but we're not the same… She pouted cutely.

I sighed, unable to understand why she would get so upset... If Malrang was afraid of heights, she could have just told me beforehand. I can teleport myself in and out of this space easily right now as long as I've been here once... I knew it would only be a waste of time to keep arguing, so I decided to give in.

"Fine, fine… I'm sorry…" I squatted next to her and gently took her paw in my hand, shaking it lightly. "I promise I'll be more careful, okay?" I smiled warmly at her, and to my relief, Malrang returned a warm and loving smile of her own.

Okay! Your apology is accepted! she chirped, sounding cheerful—almost too easy to please.

"Now then… how about we explore that entrance made of fire?" I asked, glancing at the opening. It radiated an unsettling aura, almost like a path straight to hell.

"Woo!" Malrang barked excitedly.

As I approached the enormous entrance, which was at least five meters high, I could feel my skin almost sizzling from the heat. I swear, my gambling addiction will kill me someday. Behind this fire entrance is either doom or treasure... My heart raced; I had to know. I'd been this way ever since I started playing video games—always needing to explore, always chasing the peak.

I pushed the flames aside with the back of my palm, revealing an open area filled with lava as far as the eye could see. For some strange reason, the space felt much larger inside than it appeared from the outside. If I had to compare, I'd say it was at least ten times bigger.

Endless pools of lava stretched to the horizon, interrupted only by a narrow plank path made of Blazelia trees running through the middle. My jaw dropped. I could have never imagined a place like this—it was truly like hell itself.

"Where are we…?" I muttered in a low voice, mesmerized by the surroundings.

"I'm not sure, but I… I can smell something that tickles my nose pleasantly at the end of this path. Let's go check it out!" Malrang exclaimed before speeding off on her own. She leaped effortlessly from one fire-colored plank to another, their hues blending so seamlessly with the lava that they were barely noticeable—but she didn't seem to care.

How does she dare call me reckless? I thought, watching her bold moves. If I didn't know this fox better, I'd call her… suicidal.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

I quickly followed behind, leaping from one plank to another, carefully avoiding the splashing death liquid below. Malrang was already at least a kilometer ahead of me, darting forward with incredible speed in her tiny form.

I wonder what could have triggered such an eager reaction from Malrang. Whatever it is, it must be a one-in-a-million treasure.

After a good twenty minutes of chasing, I finally caught up with the fox. She stood still on a blazing platform made of Blazelia tree, the flames dancing elegantly around her, making her look like a firelord.

"I've finally caught up… haa… haa…" I gasped, completely out of breath. Now I get why my parents kept pestering me to work out every day. But, how could I abandon my raid group just to exercise? I'd rather stay as skinny as a stick than do that…

"Malrang?" I called out, noticing she wasn't moving at all, as if frozen in time. Even her breathing was imperceptible. "Malrang!" I shouted again, my voice echoing in the fiery chamber as I tried to snap her out of her stupor. But my efforts only rewarded me with a headache.

Why is this happening? I wondered, a chill creeping over me despite the heat. This isn't normal at all…

Tiiiing!

Suddenly, a mysterious wave of energy swept over me, and I felt my mind begin to slip away. I gritted my teeth, holding on with every ounce of strength I had, resisting the pull with all my power.

Tiiiing!

Another wave came crashing, and this time it left me dizzy and disoriented, as though something was trying to wrench my soul out of my body.

Resist that! Circulate your soul energy through your body! FAST!

An eerie voice yanked my consciousness back, its tone filled with terror.

Even if you tell me to circulate my soul energy… how am I supposed to do that? I can only use it outside my body to manifest skills, not inside…

You fool! You're going to doom us both! Quickly! Imagine your body as a vessel and your soul energy as the tool to cleanse it. Instead of pushing it out, resist the urge and visualize the energy moving within. Use it to reach your brain—fast! Or we're both dead!

I was caught in peril. On one side, the mysterious energy radiated from somewhere in the distance, accompanied by the soft, persistent chime of a bell. On the other side, the eerie voice inside me was trying to guide me—but could I trust it? Either way, if I didn't act, I was dead.

Taking a leap of faith, I decided to follow the eerie voice's instructions. First, I imagined my body as a vessel—an empty one, ready to be filled. It felt oddly fitting. I focused on the soul energy in my chest, trying to move it through my body as if it were natural. But it wasn't. The energy resisted, trying to escape outward. Gritting my teeth, I cut off that path forcefully. Pain exploded in my chest, making me cough up blood and stumble, dizziness threatening to take over.

"AGAIN!" I shouted, my voice raw but brimming with determination.

I stood straight and strong, refusing to fall. I tried again, and again, failing many times, while also battling the relentless waves attacking my mind and my own body rebelling against me. The soul energy was too mysterious—it allowed me to use skills in this world and made me stronger, but it was entirely unlike any game system I had ever encountered in novels or games. It was almost as if the game system was actually _______________.

I shook my head, deciding not to dwell on that possibility. This world already defied all logic.

"AGAIN!" I shouted, giving it one final push. Guiding my soul energy through my body, I managed to bend it to my will. The warmth of my soul flowed through me, cleansing my mind and leaving me feeling light—almost ethereal, as though I was slipping free of this world.

Tiiiing!

The bell chimed again, but this time, I was ready. I turned toward the source of the sound, and my breath caught at the sight. Suspended in midair was a fist-sized gem, its fiery glow eerily similar to the Blazelia trees. It hovered, gently vibrating with each wave of energy it emitted.

Inspect!

[Blazelia Gem]

[A Legendary Grade Core]