A Pyromaniac's Ascent

Does the red color mean they're too strong for me to fight?

Behind the Tentacles, an army of Blobs was amassing. Their names and levels hovered in a chaotic mess, a sea of letters and numbers that made Finn's head spin.

"They're still coming after us?" Yukha groaned.

"We need to run!" he said, turning to Finn. "Out of the trees! We can't see them properly here, and I can't protect you against those numbers! Follow me!"

Before Finn could argue, a translucent barrier shimmered into existence in front of them, deflecting a barrage of tentacle strikes and acidic globs.

"Is this your doing?" Finn asked, marveling at the barrier's smooth, watery surface.

"Yes, it's made of water. It'll block their attacks for now. Now run!" Yukha shouted.

And run they did. Yukha led the way, clutching a scroll in one hand.

"Is that a map?" Finn yelled over the sound of their pounding footsteps.

"Yes!" Yukha replied without looking back.

Finn risked a glance behind them. The Blobs were falling behind, their sluggish movements making them easy to outpace.

But the Tentacles were another story. No longer lazily floating, they had morphed their mushroom heads into spinning, drill-like shapes, their tentacles propelling them through the air with terrifying speed.

Finn faced forward again, dodging rocks, roots, and anything else that might trip him up. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his legs burned with exhaustion.

Glancing back a second time, his heart sank. More Tentacles had joined the chase, their red names glowing like ominous warnings.

Where the hell are they all coming from?

"We're almost out of the trees!" Yukha yelled, his voice carrying a faint note of relief.

Finn forced himself to keep going, but his stamina was nearing its limit. Mana wasn't the issue—yet—but his body was screaming for him to stop.

"Are you okay, Finn?" Yukha asked, noticing his slowing pace.

Finn nodded, too breathless to speak. No use wasting energy on words.

Finally, sunlight broke through the trees, and the dense forest gave way to open space. Finn stumbled into the clearing, gulping down the fresh air like it was a lifeline.

He turned back, relieved to see the monsters lagging in the distance. Without the trees, Yukha would have a better chance of fending them off.

But his relief was short-lived.

Instead of an open field ahead, a vast lake stretched out before them, its surface shimmering under the sunlight. It was beautiful, serene even, but utterly inconvenient given the circumstances.

Finn groaned, his throat dry and his body drenched in sweat. A part of him longed to dive into the cool water, but the army of monsters behind them made that fantasy impossible.

"Are... you... kidding... me?" Finn whispered hoarsely, every word a struggle.

"So, what's the plan now?" he asked, glancing at Yukha. "Do we fight them here?"

"No," Yukha said firmly. "We keep running."

"Across the lake?" Finn sputtered. "I'm already running on fumes. The moment I hit the water, I'll sink like a rock!"

"Unless you've got some kind of flying skill to carry us both over, I don't see how—"

"I don't have a flying skill. Remember, I am not a wind specialist," Yukha said. "But I have another plan."

"Well, hurry it up before they catch up to us!" Finn urged, glancing nervously at the approaching horde.

Yukha strode to the edge of the lake, his gaze fixed on the far shore.

"We will run across this lake," he said.

"What?" Finn blurted, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten.

Yukha tossed a flask in Finn's direction. "Drink this first."

Finn caught it mid-air, uncapping it. "What's this?"

"It's water infused with one of my skills. Drink it—it will help you recover your stamina," Yukha explained.

Without hesitation, Finn took a swig. The liquid was cold, almost unnaturally so, and carried a faint sweetness that spread through his body like a refreshing breeze. Within seconds, the ache in his legs vanished, his lungs no longer burned, and the fatigue weighing him down melted away.

"This is... incredible," Finn said, staring at the flask in awe.

"It's useful, though I rarely need it anymore," Yukha admitted. "Now let's go before they reach us!"

Yukha darted toward the lake. To any bystander, it might've looked insane, but Finn had learned to trust his friend.

When Yukha's feet reached the lake's edge, the water before him froze instantly, forming a wide, solid path of ice.

"Follow me!" Yukha shouted.

Finn didn't hesitate. Sprinting after Yukha, he marveled at the ice path. It was slightly slippery beneath his sneakers, forcing him to adopt an awkward running stance, but he adjusted quickly.

Would've been easier with ice skates… not that I've ever used any.

Ahead of him, Yukha seemed unaffected by the icy surface, running effortlessly.

Does he have spikes built into his boots or something?

A glance behind them wiped away his amusement. The monsters were still pursuing, undeterred by the lake. Worse, some of them were beginning to launch attacks—spheres of water and sharp, spear-like shapes hurtling toward them.

A chilling realization hit Finn. "We're on water… their territory!" he shouted." Something's coming at us!"

Yukha skidded to a sudden halt, spinning around to face Finn.

Finn tried to stop as well but lost his footing on the slick ice. Arms flailing, he nearly crashed to the water before Yukha caught him just in time.

"Why did you lead us here? Aren't they corrupted water elementals? Isn't this their territory? We're surrounded by water!" Finn exclaimed, panic lacing his voice.

Yukha chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound. Though his expression remained calm, his eyes carried a sharp seriousness.

"It seems you've forgotten something, Finn," Yukha said. "Water is also my territory."

With a swift movement of his arms, the water around them froze into jagged patches.

In an instant, the frozen sections rose, twisting into spinning shards like drills. They launched forward, intercepting the incoming balls of water mid-air. The projectiles collided in bursts of icy mist, shattering into tiny fragments that scattered into the wind.

Yukha's arms moved with calculated precision, each gesture summoning another wave of ice to meet the monsters' relentless attacks. Every strike was clean, efficient, and unyielding.

But he wasn't finished.

Thick, razor-sharp ice shards surged upward from the lake, their sheer numbers overwhelming the enemies' onslaught. The remaining shards sliced through the air, hurtling toward the corrupted elementals. Shards struck with devastating accuracy, disintegrating the creatures into wisps of mist.

"Finn! Your turn!" Yukha shouted. "Launch your fire ahead! There are too many of them to miss, even if you can't see clearly!"

Finn hesitated for only a moment before summoning a massive flame. He focused his mana, injecting it into the fireball as it swelled larger and larger above him.

Sweat dripped down his face, a mixture of exertion and the intense heat radiating from his creation. His mana ticked down steadily, but he pushed himself further.

More… just a little more.

The fireball grew to an even larger size, its searing glow lighting up the ice below. When his mana dwindled to just ten, Finn hurled the blazing sphere toward the barrage of monsters ahead, guided by the flashes of Yukha's icy explosions.

The fireball moved slowly, like dragging a boulder through water. Each second felt like an eternity as Finn strained to propel it forward.

Does it get harder to control the larger it is?

Finally, the fireball collided with its targets, triggering a massive explosion. Fire, ice, and water merged into a chaotic flurry, shaking the ice path beneath them. The sheer force sent shockwaves rippling through the lake.

"That should do it," Yukha said, his tone unbothered. "Now, let's move. We need to reach the other side of the lake."

They sprinted across the ice once more, Finn glancing back every so often. But the thick mist of ice and steam obscured his view, making it impossible to tell if any enemies remained.

"They'll probably retreat after that," Yukha said.

"They retreat when they're in danger?" Finn asked, breathless.

"Yes," Yukha replied with a small shrug. "Surprisingly."

As soon as they reached solid ground, Finn collapsed, his body completely drained. Both his mana and stamina had almost hit their limits.

Gasping for air, he stared upward at the sky—or what looked like the sky. The expanse above was a brilliant blue, speckled with drifting white patches resembling clouds. Yet, there was no sun in sight.

Where's the light coming from? he wondered, squinting as he tried to pinpoint its source.

Sitting up, Finn grabbed the flask still hanging from his neck and drained its contents. He scooped more water from the lake, drinking deeply to quench his thirst. Though it wasn't as refreshing as Yukha's infused water, it was enough.

"That was insane," Finn said, still catching his breath. "I didn't think you could do that."

"Stand up, Finn," Yukha said, walking over and offering a hand to help him up. "We need to move. This lake is giving me a bad feeling. We'll find another place to rest along the way."

Finn, though still exhausted, nodded and forced himself to his feet. He trusted Yukha's instincts.

The water from the lake and the infused flask had helped alleviate some of his fatigue, but it wasn't enough for a full recovery. His body ached, and his mana reserves were nearly depleted.

Ahead of them, a dense forest loomed, its thick trunks and undergrowth blocking any view of what lay beyond.

"We're not going into another forest, are we?" Finn asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"No, not until we understand what's going on," Yukha replied.

A scroll materialized in Yukha's hand, and he began studying it.

"Is that the map you used earlier?" Finn asked.

"Yes," Yukha said without looking up. "You should get one too. If we get separated, you'll need it."

Taking Yukha's advice, Finn opened the shop interface. To his surprise, the "Maps" category was prominently displayed on the front page.

Curious, he tapped on it, and a list of scroll-like icons appeared. However, most of them were darkened, their names and descriptions hidden. Only one option at the top left was available:

Map [First Realm]

Description: A map of the Tower of Ascension's First Realm.

Cost: 20 VP

The price was cheap, as expected. Maps were essential starter items, often free in the games Finn had played. If this world were more traditional, like a fantasy town from a novel, merchants might have charged exorbitant prices to scam beginners.

Finn noted his current balance of Valor Points:

VP: 512

The battle earlier had been more rewarding than he'd realized. Without hesitation, he purchased the map. A moment later, it appeared in his inventory, and he clicked on it to materialize it in his hands.

The scroll looked like aged parchment, similar to the Transfer Scroll he'd used before. But instead of ink, the surface displayed a vibrant, colored image that seemed oddly digital. It was jarring—an ancient-looking scroll with what felt like a smartphone app embedded into it.

Icons moved across the map, animated as if alive.

One icon, a large white circle with a triangle at its edge, blinked. Finn turned to test its accuracy, and the triangle shifted, indicating his direction. Another smaller white circle ahead of him represented Yukha.

The map was surprisingly interactive. Finn discovered he could pinch to zoom in and out or drag to explore other areas. However, most of the map was obscured by fog, revealing only the places they'd been: the other side of the lake, the water behind them, and a small portion of the area ahead.

Yukha, represented by the smaller white dot, began moving. He followed the outskirts of the forest, avoiding its depths while staying parallel to its curved edge. The path led them away from the lake without venturing into the dense trees.

Finn tucked the map back into his inventory, finding it easier to follow the real Yukha. Staying alert to his surroundings, he scanned for any movement in his peripheral vision.

***************

Author's Note

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