A Pyromaniac's Ascent

The warmth prickling Finn's skin was a stark contrast to the cool, otherworldly sensation of the space-like Eternal Realm he'd just left. Here, the air was humid, thick, and clinging, also far different from the ethereal calm of The Threshold.

The moment Finn opened his eyes, he was nearly blinded by the intense light. Compared to the Eternal Realm's engulfing darkness, this place was dazzling. A glaring ray of sunlight pierced straight into his eyes, forcing him to take a step back and shield his face.

Once his vision adjusted, the scene came into focus. What lay before him was a world of greenery, but unlike the expansive fields of grass at The Threshold, this place brimmed with trees, plants, and moss—a sprawling forest.

Now this feels like a First Realm.

Rays of golden light filtered through the canopy, painting the forest floor in dappled patterns. At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary forest, but something about it was subtly wrong. The leaves of the trees were unfamiliar, their shapes strange and alien. The plants and vines looked almost familiar yet distorted, as if someone had reimagined Earth's flora with a surreal twist. Even the chirping of the wildlife was off—melodic yet dissonant, like a symphony of creatures he'd never encountered.

Is this place artificial? Or are these just alien species of plants and animals?

A sudden hand on his shoulder made him flinch.

"You look distressed, Finn. Just relax," Yukha said. "Since you're from Earth, you're probably not used to being in such a different environment. Take it in slowly. You'll adjust."

"Yeah… good idea," Finn replied, though his voice wavered slightly.

Before he could fully relax, a searing pain exploded in his right palm, sending him to his knees.

"Ahhh!" Finn cried out, clutching his hand. The blue dash that the Water God had marked on his palm was glowing intensely, the pain almost unbearable.

"Finn! What's wrong?" Yukha shouted, rushing to his side.

"I… I don't know," Finn gasped through gritted teeth.

Then, the system message appeared before him in glowing text:

NEW BLESSING GAINED

WATER GOD'S BLESSING #2

And just like that, the pain subsided, leaving Finn panting and clutching his still-glowing palm.

"What happened?" Yukha asked, his tone urgent.

"There was a sudden pain… and then a system message," Finn explained, shakily rising to his feet.

Before either of them could process further, a loud rustling in the nearby bushes made them both freeze.

Finn's mind raced. Please let it be something harmless, like a rabbit or a frog… But he knew better. This wasn't Earth, and this wasn't a movie.

"Prepare for battle, Finn!" Yukha warned.

The bushes parted, revealing a strange creature. Finn barely had time to register its form before a massive metallic slab—Yukha's weapon—crashed down, reducing the creature to a sizzling puddle of water.

"I expected this, but not so soon," Yukha said, shaking his head. "The moment we step into the tower, we're already under attack."

"What was that thing?" Finn asked, still wide-eyed.

"A blob," Yukha replied, his voice calm but serious. "Weak enemies, but dangerous if left alive. They spit toxic water. If it hits you, it'll start dissolving your skin."

Finn shuddered. "That sounds horrifying. Is that a corrupted elemental?"

"Yes," Yukha confirmed. "A corrupted water elemental, specifically. Are you alright now?"

Finn nodded hesitantly, but more rustling cut their conversation short. This time, five more creatures emerged from the underbrush.

Now Finn could see them more clearly. They were amorphous blobs of bluish-green water, faintly translucent, with two tiny horns protruding from what might've been their heads. Above each one floated a glowing name:

[Blob lvl. 5]

The names were green. Does the color mean something? Finn wondered, but his thoughts were interrupted as one of the creatures aimed a small, cannon-like tube at him and spewed a jet of green liquid.

"Dodge it, Finn!" Yukha shouted.

Finn sidestepped just in time, the liquid sizzling as it hit the grass where he'd been standing.

"Summon your flame!" Yukha called out. "These are low-level enemies. You can take them out easily if you're efficient with your mana!"

Finn took a deep breath, visualizing his flame. This time, it came to life effortlessly—a glowing sphere of fire hovering before him.

I need to conserve mana, Finn thought, keeping the flame small. He adjusted its size until it was about half the size of the blob, hoping it would be just enough to take them down without overexerting himself.

"Alright," he muttered, steadying himself as the blobs began their attack.

In front of Finn, Yukha skillfully parried the streams of green fluid the creatures spat at them. Each impact on his greatsword sizzled menacingly, but the weapon remained unscathed, defying Finn's expectation that the corrosive liquid would eat through it.

Yet, Yukha wasn't attacking—he was merely defending.

Is he giving me a chance to handle them myself?

Steeling his focus, Finn directed the ball of fire hovering before him. It swept forward with a sharp whoosh, circling toward the nearest blob. The instant the flame touched the creature, it hissed violently. The blob's watery form quivered as the flame carved through it, sluggishly melting its body like heated metal slicing through gelatin. When the slug evaporated into nothingness, the flame extinguished with it.

"Congratulations on your first kill, Finn! But don't relax—try it again!" Yukha shouted.

For a brief moment, a flash of light coursed through Finn's body, vanishing almost as quickly as it appeared. He recognized it as a signal of progress—a level-up, perhaps—but there was no time to dwell on it. The threat of being melted alive demanded his full attention.

Summoning another flame, Finn steadied his breathing. The fireball hovered, awaiting his command, but doubt gnawed at the edges of his mind. The last flame had vanished along with its target—was he too weak, or had his flames lacked the necessary intensity?

What am I missing?

An idea sparked. "Do these things have a core? Something I can target directly to kill them faster?" he called out.

"Yes!" Yukha yelled back, fending off another barrage of toxic fluid. "It's in their center—look for the most condensed, greenish part of their bodies!"

Finn squinted, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the remaining blobs. After a few seconds, he spotted it—a faint, denser green orb suspended in the center of their translucent forms.

Got it.

He concentrated on the flame before him, shrinking it to the size of a marble. Smaller and more focused now, he channeled additional mana into it, feeling its heat intensify. The once-red flame deepened into a fierce orange, its heat almost palpable even at a distance.

Let's if this this works.

With a flick of his fingers, the flame shot forward like a bullet. It pierced the first blob's core with surgical precision, reducing the creature to a sizzling puddle. The flame didn't stop; it zipped to the next target, repeating the process with ruthless efficiency.

Two down.

As the flame reached the third blob, its power faltered, vanishing just outside the creature's core. Finn's heart sank, but Yukha dashed forward, his greatsword crashing down on the remaining blob with a resounding impact. Water sprayed across the grass, sizzling where it touched the ground.

"I thought you were letting me handle them?" Finn asked.

"I was, but we've got bigger problems," Yukha replied grimly, gesturing toward the bushes. "More are coming."

Finn turned, spotting a fresh wave of creatures emerging from the undergrowth. His count tallied ten—twice as many as before.

"This isn't normal," Yukha muttered. "Why are so many of them targeting us? It's like we're being hunted."

"Aren't they always hostile?" Finn asked, summoning another flame.

"Yes, but not in these numbers. Even in their territory, there shouldn't be this many going after us. Something's wrong," Yukha said, his tone dark. "I'll handle half; you take care of the rest. If you get hit, use a health potion immediately!"

With that, Yukha charged, his greatsword cutting through the first blob in a single, devastating blow. The impact sent tremors through the ground, leaving a scar in the dirt beneath.

Finn didn't hesitate. This time, he started small, forming a flame the size of an ant. He steadily fed it mana, expanding it until it matched the size of the blobs' cores. The flame's color deepened to an intense orange, radiating blistering heat.

Time to end this.

The flame zipped through the air, striking the nearest blob's core and disintegrating it instantly. Without pausing, it streaked to the next, then the next, evaporating four blobs in rapid succession. Each one dissolved into harmless puddles, the ground beneath them hissing and steaming.

It was like watching a bullet shred through fragile water balloons, each impact precise and devastating. Finn exhaled, his chest tight from the exertion.

Four down. One to go.

Finn's flame held strong against four blobs this time before flickering out—a noticeable improvement from his earlier attempts.

He glanced at Yukha, who was already done, his handiwork evident in the scorched grass and charred remnants where the creatures once stood.

With one blob remaining, Finn decided to try something new.

He waited as the lone creature began adjusting its cannon-like mouth, aiming directly at him. Moments later, a glob of green fluid shot out, streaking toward his head.

"Let me handle this!" Finn shouted.

Yukha nodded, stepping back and gripping his greatsword, ready to intervene but holding off.

Halfway through the attack, Finn summoned his flame, this time molding it into the shape of a shield wall. He wanted to see if the fire could act as a barrier—perhaps evaporate the acidic fluid before it could reach him.

The green glob punched straight through the flame like it wasn't there, forcing Finn to sidestep at the last moment. The fluid sizzled ominously as it splattered onto the ground.

"Guess I wasn't fast enough to heat the flame," Finn muttered, frustrated.

I need more speed.

He glanced at his mana bar, relieved to see he still had a little under half left.

"That's seriously impressive, Finn," Yukha said, stepping closer. "To have that much control of fire at your level… Maybe focusing on your fire attribute was the right call after all."

"Thanks. I plan to make it even stronger," Finn replied, his frustration tempered by Yukha's praise.

A sudden whooshing sound cut through the air, narrowly missing Finn's head. Yukha grabbed him by the shoulder, yanking him into a crouch just in time.

Looking up, Finn spotted the source.

Hovering ominously ahead were three creatures with mushroom-shaped heads. Beneath them dangled countless writhing tentacles. Their glowing names floated above in a foreboding red:

[Tentacles Lvl. 25]

**********

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