The human—James—stood before me, his face pale, his breaths shallow. Despite his fear, he had answered my questions well enough, though his trembling hands betrayed his nerves. The sheer audacity of his comrades trying to challenge me still amused me. It was like watching ants throw pebbles at a mountain, but James had proven more useful than the rest. His knowledge had filled in many blanks I needed for this world.
The air was heavy with the lingering tension of our standoff. I lowered my massive head to his level, letting my glowing eyes meet his. He flinched but didn’t step back.
"What do you intend to do with me now that I’ve answered your questions?" His voice cracked, but he stood his ground.
"You may leave."
His jaw dropped. "What?"
"Just because we are bound by fate, little mouse, does not mean I have any interest in someone as weak as you following me around. Besides," I rumbled, pulling back slightly, "the monsters I will challenge now could kill someone like you in an instant. I would rather not waste time scraping your remains from beneath my claws."
He opened his mouth to argue but seemed to think better of it. His shoulders slumped, and he gave a bitter laugh. "Whatever will be, will be, huh?"
I tilted my head. The phrase was one I remembered from my past life, but it sounded almost ridiculous coming from him. Still, there was something about James—a peculiar thread of fate. He was tied to me in ways I couldn’t fully comprehend, though the pull was undeniable. Yet, for now, his usefulness seemed limited.
My gaze fell to his pouch, the faint hum of its essence catching my attention. Something was off about it—something the system quietly highlighted.
"What is that?" My voice rumbled, low and dangerous.
James instinctively placed his hand over the small bag. "This? It’s nothing. Just a space pouch."
"No," I said, narrowing my eyes. "It is not just a space pouch. I can feel its worth. Give it to me."
He stiffened, clutching the pouch tightly. "I can’t. It’s—" He hesitated, his face twisting in conflict. "It’s a gift from my Avatar master."
A gift from his master? Interesting. But sentimentality was a human weakness I had no patience for.
"I was not asking." My claws scraped against the rocky ground, leaving molten grooves as I leaned closer.
His hands trembled, his grip tightening. "You don’t understand. This... this is all I have left of my Avatar. It’s not just a tool; it’s... it’s important."
I growled, the sound reverberating through the air and making him stumble. "Do not mistake my tolerance for mercy, human. That pouch is a tool, nothing more. And if it means your life, so be it."
For a moment, James looked like he might refuse. His jaw clenched, his knuckles white around the pouch. But then he sighed, defeated, and extended it toward me. "Fine. Take it."
I plucked the pouch from his outstretched hands, the faint hum of its enchantment resonating with my core. The system chimed in acknowledgment.
Inventory Expansion: Grade A Space Pouch integrated. Inventory capacity increased to mansion-size.
The satisfaction was brief but meaningful. This tool would serve me well in my ascension. My gaze flicked back to James, who stood with his hands clenched into fists, his eyes downcast.
"You may leave now."
He blinked, his head snapping up. "What?"
"I have no further use for you here, little mouse. You are free to go." My tail lashed behind me, carving a deep trench in the ground. "Use your return stone and vanish before I change my mind."
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For a moment, he hesitated, as if he might argue. Then, with a nod, he reached for the return stone around his neck. "I hope we never meet again, God-beast."
I snorted, the sound shaking the ground beneath him. "The feeling is mutual."
He activated the stone, and in a flash of light, he was gone. The lingering hum of his departure dissipated, leaving me alone in the vast, smoldering wasteland.
Good. It was better this way. Humans were unreliable, their motives muddled by emotions and self-interest. James had answered my questions and given me a tool of great value—his role in my journey was complete.
But the faint thread of fate still nagged at me. The system had not explained the connection fully, only that James’s presence was significant in ways I could not yet see. No matter, I thought. Fate or not, I carve my own path.
I turned my gaze inward, reaching for the system’s guidance. "System, guide me to the first child of Volcranax. Use the key."
The system responded with its cold, mechanical tone.
Key accepted. Calculating optimal path to the first child of Volcranax. Warning: Target possesses destructive capabilities rivaling late-stage second-tier entities. Extreme caution is advised.
The path materialized in my mind—a vivid trail cutting through the wastelands toward the deep, fiery heart of this realm. The air around me grew hotter, the distant roar of the land itself calling to me.
Good. A challenge worthy of my time.
I really do hope this one’s more of a battle than that flying bitch.
I stretched my massive wings, their span casting a dark shadow over the cracked, burning ground. My claws flexed, gripping the earth as molten veins pulsed across my obsidian form. Each step I took resonated with power, the ground trembling beneath my weight.
+
The molten lake stretched before me like a shimmering inferno, its glow reflecting off my obsidian skin. The heat no longer stung or burned—it welcomed me like an old friend. Steam hissed from my body as I exhaled, my claws digging into the searing ground beneath me.
I stepped closer to the edge, my weight sending ripples across the molten surface. The pulsing veins of destruction in my hide glowed faintly, casting their own fiery light. This place felt alive, every bubbling hiss and distant crack of rock feeding into the aura of power that surrounded me.
Time to see how far I’ve come.
The surface of the lake shifted unnaturally, the telltale sign of something massive moving beneath it. A shadow swirled deep within, coiling like a serpent ready to strike. My molten veins pulsed in anticipation.
There you are.
I stepped into the lava, the molten rock parting around my legs. The sensation was almost comforting. No resistance, no heat sharp enough to challenge me. Just warmth and power. I waded in further, my tail carving lazy furrows behind me, waiting for the predator to reveal itself.
And then it came.
The lake exploded as the Lava Serpent surged upward, its roar splitting the air like a thunderclap. "RRRRAAAAUUUUGHH!" Lava cascaded from its massive, scaled form, each shimmering scale a molten jewel in the light. The beast was a titan in its domain, its coiled body easily stretching fifty meters, with a head crowned by jagged, glowing horns. Its fanged maw opened wide, lava dripping from between its serrated teeth.
"Impressive," I rumbled, my voice reverberating through the lake as I crouched, claws digging into the lava-quenched stone beneath me. "Come, little worm. Let me show you what it means to challenge a god-beast."
The serpent roared in answer, a deafening screech that shook the molten lake and sent waves crashing against my legs. "SHRRREEEHHH!" It lunged, its head a blur of motion. Its jaws snapped shut where I had stood a moment before, the force sending molten rock splashing skyward.
I twisted, my tail whipping around like a battering ram. VOOM! The impact cracked against the serpent’s side, a deep, resonating thud that sent ripples through the lava. It reeled, coiling its body defensively, molten blood spilling from the impact point.
The beast hissed, its horned head rising above the lake like a vengeful god. "HHRRAAAHHH!" With a whip of its tail, it retaliated, the molten appendage cutting through the air faster than I expected.
CRACK!
The blow slammed into my side, forcing a grunt from me as the molten scales of the serpent met my obsidian hide. The force of it sent me sliding a few feet through the lava, but the heat and pressure felt distant, almost dulled.
That would have shattered me before.
I growled low, surging forward with claws carving through the molten rock. My jaws opened wide, aiming for the serpent’s neck.
"RRRAAAH!" the serpent shrieked, its massive head twisting at the last moment. I caught its side instead, my teeth sinking into its molten flesh. Its blood was fire itself, spilling into the lake in bursts of superheated steam. The beast thrashed violently, its coils tightening around my torso in a desperate attempt to crush me.
I roared, the sound rising from deep within my chest like a quake. "HHHHHRRRRRAAAA!" Destructive energy pulsed outward, a shockwave that cracked the air and blackened the molten lake. Destruction Pulse ripped through the serpent’s grip, forcing its coils to loosen as it recoiled. Chunks of its molten scales were charred black, the edges glowing faintly as they melted into the lake.
The serpent’s molten eyes narrowed as it reared back, a fiery glow building in its throat.
"RRRRAAAAUGH!"
A stream of molten fire erupted from its maw, slamming into my chest with the force of a volcanic eruption. BOOOM! The impact shoved me back, the glow of my obsidian armor intensifying as the heat spread across my form. The molten energy sizzled against my hide, licking at my veins like a hungry predator.
I snarled, shaking off the attack. My molten veins pulsed brighter as the heat seeped into me. You’re only feeding me, worm.
I lunged again, claws slicing through the lava as I surged toward the serpent. This time, I aimed for its head. My claws raked across its crown, carving deep gouges into its molten horns. The beast shrieked in agony, thrashing wildly as it tried to throw me off.
"SSSSSHHHRRREEEHH!"
I didn’t relent. My jaws snapped down on one of its horns, the crunch of molten bone and stone reverberating through the air as I tore it free. The serpent roared, its convulsions growing more frantic as molten blood poured from the wound.
My tail slammed down onto its coiled body, pinning it in place as my claws tore into its exposed underbelly. The beast’s struggles weakened, its massive body thrashing in vain as I dug deeper.
With one final roar, I plunged my claws into its chest and ripped free its molten core. The beast’s body spasmed violently before going limp, sinking into the lake with a final, pitiful hiss.
I held the core aloft, its fiery glow illuminating the lake around me. The heat from it was intense, even by my standards—a true testament to the beast’s strength. The system’s voice chimed in my mind, offering its options.
+
Absorb Lava Core - Upgrade Path Options:
Lava Veins: Reinforce your internal structure with lava-like veins, increasing resistance to fire and heat-based attacks.
Molten Strike: Infuse your attacks with molten energy, dealing additional burn damage to enemies.
Lava Form: Temporarily transform into a molten state, reducing physical damage taken while increasing fire-based attacks.
+
My molten eyes narrowed as I studied the options. Endurance. Survival. I selected Lava Veins, and the core dissolved in my claws, its fiery energy seeping into me.
A searing heat coursed through my body, hotter than anything I had felt before. My obsidian hide glowed brighter as molten veins spread like fiery rivers beneath my surface, their glow pulsating with every movement. My claws tingled, sharper and more precise than ever.
I turned my gaze back to the molten lake and waded deeper, submerging myself fully.
+
The lava embraced me, its heat no longer an obstacle but a catalyst. I stayed there, letting the molten rock temper my form, feeling the transformation take root.
Days passed, though time meant little to me now.
When I emerged, steam and molten rock dripping from my form, I knew I was different.
Stronger.
It was time.