I stared at the System notification floating in my vision, its implications churning in my mind like storm clouds.
"So," Isolde said, brushing soot from her travel cloak, "what has your eyes so occupied? Did you receive your Ascension Quest?"
I hesitated. I did receive it, and I also received the details. Do I tell her? It would help us sharpen our goals, but at the same time, there was no need to share since we were going to complete it regardless. The truth would raise questions I wasn't prepared to answer.
"...I did. It says to complete the Naga Witch's granted task," I replied carefully. In the end, I decided to trust her. I was growing closer to this Princess, and it's these little decisions of trust that’d close that distance even further I hoped.
As expected, her brow furrowed as she processed this.
"What? Can you see the Ascension Quest’s details? I know you said barbarians have different customs, but..." She paused, studying my face with those perceptive blue eyes. "Ascension Quests can only be revealed at temples dedicated to the Gods, or by a local Demi-God. There are no exceptions."
Ah, shit, is that how big that is? If I knew this were a Godly feat, I’d have decided otherwise. I thought priests or something had a [Skill] to help with this, that was why people visited the temples. I scrambled for a believable explanation.
"It's... a Valtherian tribal thing. Our Shaman performs rituals that connect us more directly to the System. Something about dragon hunters’ blood and ancient pacts. It’s quite uncommon even in our tribe, though. Ragna doesn’t have it," I explained.
The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I couldn't exactly explain that I was a reincarnated soul from another world with mysterious System privileges.
Isolde's scowl deepened. "Draconic rituals? That sounds..." She shook her head, clearly skeptical but unable to refute something she knew nothing about. "I suppose it's possible. The Valtherian tribes have always been unique in their relationship with draconic forces."
I nodded, hoping my expression conveyed more confidence than I felt. "Exactly. It's probably the same for you, right? Just different methods."
"Perhaps," she conceded, though her tone suggested she wasn't entirely convinced.
Time for a distraction. I approached the Phoenix's remains, where crystalline fragments still pulsed with residual heat. The familiar sensation of available power called to me. The actual dead body wasn’t here anymore, could I still attempt my Skill?
"What are you doing?" Isolde asked, watching as I activated Osmotic Evolution once more.
The world froze into grayscale. Over the space where the Phoenix had died, a list of traits presented themselves. The Skill worked.
[Warning: Choosing a new Source will replace your current trait (Magma Shell). Proceed?]
[Yes/No]
I chose Yes.
[Which Trait do you want to borrow?]
- Phoenix Core Overload [A]
- Solar Flare Dive [A]
- Rekindle [C]
- Synthetic Immolation [B]
- Cursed Resurrection [B]
- Molten Wing Dash [B]
- Ashstorm Pulse [C]
- Solar Mantle [A]
- Cinder Step [C]
- Radiant Beacon [C]
- Blazing Ascension [B]
Whoa, that is a lot of choices. Was it because this creature grew up in an artificial environment, or did every peak 5th Ascension have this many skills?
The A-Rank abilities looked tempting, especially Phoenix Core Overload, it sounded very powerful. But something about Solar Mantle caught my attention. The name itself suggested versatility. I could already imagine its use. Not just raw power, but controlled application.
I selected Solar Mantle [A].
Time resumed as the trait integrated into my physiology.
Immediately, I felt a warmth building beneath my skin, different from the Magma Shell's crude heat. This was refined, controlled – like having a miniature sun contained within my body.
I flexed my fingers experimentally, and golden light began to emanate from my skin. The illumination wasn't harsh like the Phoenix's flames, but rather a steady, warm radiance that made the surrounding shadows retreat.
I was burning Mana every few seconds, but as I opened my [Status] to check, it was manageable. Although if I increased the heat and power, it’d cost a lot more.
"Fascinating," I murmured, feeling the power respond to my will. The mantle could be intensified or dimmed, focused into specific areas or spread evenly across my entire form.
"Wooh! Nice." I grinned, testing the ability's range. Golden energy flowed around me like liquid sunlight, creating an aura that made the air itself seem to shimmer. It looked great! Ahh, if only I could keep the Skills I absorb for longer than 24 hours.
I shook my head and looked at Isolde. "We should find the Frost Titan after this."
Isolde had gone quiet, her expression troubled as she watched my transformation. The silence stretched between us until she finally spoke.
"I can't deal with this. This is really strange."
I turned to face her fully, the Solar Mantle's glow casting dancing shadows across her face. "What do you mean?"
"The temples of the Gods," she said slowly, as if working through a complex problem. "They're the only places where mortals can view their Ascension Quests. The same way they're the only places where people can choose their Classes." Her voice grew more uncertain. "The Divine Statues channels divine energy to reveal what the System has determined for each individual."
I remained silent, sensing she had more to say.
"The only other method involves a Local Demi-God – someone who has reached the Ninth Ascension and gained a fragment of true divine authority." She looked directly at me, confusion and something that might have been fear flickering in her gaze. "How could you just... see your own Quest? At your level?"
The question hung in the air like an executioner's blade. I could deflect again, create another lie about barbarian traditions, but something in her expression stopped me.
"How do the Local Demi-Gods do it exactly?" I asked instead.
She hesitated, then answered quietly. "I met a 9th Ascension for the first time when I was at Level 20. That person helped me choose my Class. Based on that experience and stories I’ve heard, I guess the Demi-God will touch the person gently and say, 'Reveal Ascension Quest.' The divine authority in their voice compels the System to respond."
We stared at each other across the clearing, both understanding the implications of what she'd just revealed.
Slowly, deliberately, I stepped closer to her. My Solar Mantle cast warm light across her blue hair, turning the strands almost violet in the radiance.
"Isolde," I said softly.
"Yes?"
I reached out, my fingers barely grazing her cheek. The Solar Mantle's energy pulsed gently where we touched, but I focused all my will into the words that followed.
"Reveal Ascension Quest."
The effect was immediate. Light flared between us – not from my Solar Mantle, but from something deeper, more fundamental. Isolde's eyes widened as System text materialized in her vision, visible to both of us:
[Ascension Quest: Place the Crown Jewel in the Crown of Thalassaria]
[Reward: Advancement to 5th Ascension upon completion, +20 Levels]
The light faded, leaving us standing impossibly close, my hand still touching her face. Her skin felt warm beneath my palm, and I could feel the rapid flutter of her pulse against my fingertips.
"Well, this isn’t good," I said, reading the Quest and noting the shock in her expression. "This means you’ll be stuck at the peak of 4th Ascension until you claim the Crown. At least it's giving a far greater reward, too. 20 Levels at once, which I’m assuming will be atop the Experience Points that you’ll save up by slaying monsters."
"...Yes, but this just made things more complicated. Haah," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Then she looked at me. "But the Quest is… somewhat expected. But you..." Her eyes searched mine, as if trying to peer into my very soul. "What are you really, Thorvyn?"
What an odd question. What was I? A reincarnated soldier from another world? A barbarian with mysterious System privileges? Something else entirely?
"I don't know," I said finally, the truth slipping out before I could stop it.
I pulled my hand away from her face and turned, walking deeper into the forest as I let my Solar Cloak relax into me. The honesty felt both liberating and terrifying.
"Let's keep walking."
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Behind me, I heard her footsteps following, but neither of us spoke. The weight of revelation hung between us like a bridge we weren't yet ready to cross.
****
The transition from the Ashgrove's eternal flames to the Frost Veil was like stepping through a doorway between seasons. One moment we walked through burning trees, the next our breath misted in air so cold it stung our lungs.
Ice crystals coated everything – trees, rocks, even the ground beneath our feet had become a treacherous sheet of frozen mirror. The landscape stretched before us like a winter wonderland crafted by a mad god, all sharp angles and deadly beauty.
"Seven hells," Isolde muttered, her words forming vapor clouds. "The temperature must have dropped forty degrees in the space of ten steps."
I nodded, grateful for the Solar Mantle's warmth radiating through my body. Without it, this environment would have been lethal within minutes. As it was, the golden aura around me melted frost wherever I stepped, leaving brief patches of dry ground in my wake. It wasn’t cost-free though.
[Mana: 5893/6150]
"There," I said, pointing to a massive crystalline formation rising from a frozen lake ahead. "That has to be where we'll find our target."
Talk about a Boss Arena. The structure looked like a cathedral made of ice, its spires twisting skyward in impossible spirals. Even from this distance, I could see something massive moving within its translucent walls.
[6th Ascension]
My Dragon's Eye confirmed what I'd suspected. As the Naga had said, this monster was Level 80. The strongest enemy we'd faced yet.
"The Frost Titan," Isolde murmured, her voice carrying a mix of awe and apprehension. "It's quite beautiful to look at."
"So was the Phoenix,” and the dragon we killed back home. I adjusted my grip on my crystallized ax, feeling the Solar Mantle pulse in response to my rising adrenaline. "Beauty doesn't make things less deadly."
We approached the frozen lake carefully, testing each step as we went. The ice was thick enough to support our weight, but the surface was treacherous with hidden cracks and ridges.
The Titan emerged from its crystal palace as we neared the center of the lake. Fifteen feet of living ice and crystal, its body carved into the rough approximation of a humanoid form but infinitely more magnificent. Geometric patterns ran through its translucent flesh like veins of pure light, and ice shards orbited its massive frame in a constant, mesmerizing dance.
When it moved, it was with surprising grace – not the lumbering gait I'd expected, but fluid motions that spoke of perfect balance and deadly precision.
"Whooooo dares disturb the eternal winter?" It could speak. And its voice was like glaciers grinding together, each word releasing clouds of frost that crystallized instantly in the air.
A monster that could speak.
6th Ascension.
So… was it the threshold of crossing above the 5th Ascension that birthed an intelligent mind? Or was this just when monsters could learn human speech? Regardless, this one was not a child like the Baby Dragon. I didn’t have to hesitate.
I was here for a mission, a Quest, and I’d complete it.
"Just a couple of tourists," I called back, feeling the Solar Mantle flare brighter in response to the Titan's presence. "Nothing personal, big guy, but I was informed that you're disrupting the local ecosystem. Global Cooling or something."
The creature's head tilted, ice shards chiming like wind chimes as they shifted around its form. "Global Cooling…? Yes! Indeed. I want the entire world to be my home!"
"Um,” Isolde cleared her throat and looked at me. “Looks like you just birthed a villain with your jokes. Barbaric humor isn’t wise, Thorvyn. Can we be serious?”
I stared at the monster and then sighed. I activated the Solar Mantle at full intensity.
[Mana: 5250/6150]
[Mana: 5225/6150]
[Mana: 5200/6150]
It was costing me 25 Mana Points per second, and I couldn’t maintain it for long. Even so, the transformation was spectacular.
Golden fire erupted around my entire body, not the crude heat of the Magma Shell but refined solar energy that turned me into a miniature star. The ice beneath my feet hissed and steamed, creating a pool of warm water in the frozen lake.
More importantly, I felt my feet leave the ground. The Solar Mantle wasn't just providing heat and protection – it was granting me flight.
Now this is awesome, I thought as I hovered three feet above the lake's surface. This was beyond anything I'd experienced before.
“No! Youuu! Youuu are destroying the Cool World!” The Frost Titan's response was immediate. It raised one massive arm and hurled a barrage of ice spears, each one the size of a tree trunk and sharp enough to pierce steel.
I darted left, then right, marveling at how the Solar Mantle responded to my will. The ice projectiles passed harmlessly through my wake, melting into steam the moment they encountered my aura.
"Isolde!" I called. "This thing's attacks are useless against me. Set up your mirrors. I think we can end this quickly!"
She was already moving, her hands weaving the complex patterns needed for her array. "Give me thirty seconds!"
Thirty seconds. Against a creature this powerful, that might as well be thirty minutes. But with my new abilities, I felt more confident than I had since arriving in this world.
The Titan charged, its massive feet sending shockwaves through the ice as it closed the distance between us. Ice shards swirled around it like a frozen tornado, creating a defensive barrier that would shred anyone foolish enough to engage in close combat.
The Titan slammed both fists into the ice, creating a rippling wave of frost spikes racing toward me.
"Watch out!" Isolde called, already positioning a mirror to deflect the incoming attack.
I grinned, feeling a different kind of energy build in my legs. "I've got this.” I was ready as it rushed at me. Time to show this ice sculpture what thunder felt like.
I activated [Thunderclap Crash], the Class Skill I’d gained at Level 2 after defeating Sir Allister. I leapt high above the Frost Titan's attack. At the apex of my jump, lightning crackled around my body as I oriented myself directly above the creature's head.
Then I dropped like a meteor.
The impact was spectacular. A glass-shattering, deafening boom echoed across the frozen lake as a concussive shockwave of lightning and wind exploded outward from my landing point. The Titan staggered backward, momentarily stunned, as cracks spread through its crystalline form. It wasn’t down just yet, though.
"Impressive," Isolde called, her mirrors already repositioning. "When did you learn that one?"
"That one’s a Class Skill," I replied, the Solar Mantle flaring back to full intensity around me. "Been saving it for a big monster like this."
Anyone without the surface of the sun for skin, that is.
I dove straight at it, Solar Mantle blazing.
The ice shards struck my aura and simply ceased to exist, sublimating directly from solid to vapor without bothering with the liquid phase. The Titan's own frigid aura met mine in a hissing explosion of steam that temporarily obscured the entire battlefield.
Through the mist, I struck with my crystallized ax. Power exploded in the form of aura. The blade, superheated by solar energy, bit deep into the creature's shoulder, carving away a chunk of ice the size of my torso.
The Titan roared – a sound like mountains cracking – and backhanded me with enough force to send me skipping across the lake like a stone. I recovered quickly, using the Solar Mantle's flight capability to right myself mid-air.
But something felt different. Stronger. More complete all of a sudden.
[You are dancing with the elements of nature, fire and ice.]
[Congratulations! Your Class has leveled up!]
[Draconis Stormborn - Level 3!]
[You have learned a new Class Skill!]
[Skill: Storm Sovereign's Edict
Description: You are Stormborn, and the elements recognize your authority. Unleash a powerful, draconic roar infused with primordial energy.
Weaker elemental creatures in the vicinity are momentarily stunned or forced to flee in terror. While stronger foes and non-elemental enemies are afflicted with [Elemental Discord], making them significantly more vulnerable to your fire, lightning, and ice attacks for a short duration.
Your decree shatters their elemental resistances.
Category: Area of Effect]
The skill's knowledge flooded my mind instantly. It felt ecstatic. A draconic roar infused with primordial energy, capable of breaking elemental resistances and stunning weaker foes. Perfect timing.
"Time to test the new toy," I muttered, hovering above the Titan as it prepared another ice barrage.
I drew a deep breath, feeling power build in my chest. Not just the Solar Mantle's energy, but something more primal. The roar that emerged wasn't human. It was the sound of ancient dragons, of storms given voice, of elemental authority that brooked no defiance.
I didn’t choose the words that came out, but perhaps the Skill itself did.
"KNEEL BEFORE THE STORM!"
The Frost Titan staggered as if struck by a physical blow. Its ice armor cracked and shattered, falling away in massive chunks that revealed the creature's vulnerable core beneath. More importantly, I could see the debuff taking effect. Its natural resistance to fire attacks had been completely negated.
"Now that's what I call a power upgrade," I laughed, diving toward the exposed Titan with renewed vigor.
"Thorvyn!" Isolde's voice carried across the battlefield. "I'm ready!"
Her mirror array had formed a complex geometric pattern around the entire lake, with each reflective surface angled to catch and redirect the radiance of my Solar Mantle. The effect was breathtaking – dozens of concentrated solar beams converged on the Frost Titan from every conceivable angle.
The creature had no defense against such a focused assault. Its remaining ice armor melted away like morning frost, exposing the crystalline core at its center. The core pulsed with frigid energy, but even it began to crack under the sustained solar bombardment.
"This is almost too easy," I called to Isolde as I prepared for the finishing blow. "Ice is just frozen water being told what to do by fire!"
She laughed despite the intensity of maintaining her spell array. "Hello?! That's not how thermodynamics works!"
"Says who?" I retorted, then channeled every ounce of Solar Mantle energy into my ax.
The weapon blazed like a falling star as I blitzed forward and brought it down on the Titan's exposed core. The crystalline heart offered no resistance – it simply shattered, releasing a wave of rapidly warming air that turned the entire battlefield into a sauna.
[You've killed a Frost Titan, Level 80!]
[You've gained massive experience points! Since you weren't the only fighter, the experience points have been halved.]
[...You’ve completed the Ascension Quest!]
Huh, what the hell? But the Storm Wyrm still remains, right? We haven’t fought that creature yet. I was confused, but the System notifications didn’t wait for anybody.
[You've leveled up!]
[You've leveled up!]
[You've leveled up!]
[You've reached Level 42!]
The familiar rush of advancement washed over me, stronger than ever before. My entire atomic structure seemed to scream in pleasure as I became a greater entity within the System. I was in the Fourth Ascension.
I landed on the now-liquid lake, the Solar Mantle automatically adjusting to keep me walking on the surface rather than sinking into the warm water.
"Level 42," I announced to Isolde, who was dismissing her mirror array with evident satisfaction. I’d gained three levels this time since I’d put up more of a performance compared to against the Phoenix.
"That’s nice," she replied, a smile on her lips. "This is why I’m not worried, despite being stuck at 4th Ascension. Because I have you."
"...Scary thought," I grinned. "We should go check out the Storm Wyrm. I don’t know how the Ascension Quest was completed without us fighting it. Something is going on."
“Ah, right, I didn’t even realize that. You aren’t supposed to cross Level 39 without completing the Ascension Quest,” she explained.
She studied me with those perceptive eyes, and I could see the wheels turning in her mind. The mystery of my abilities, the impossible command I'd given to reveal her Ascension Quest, and how easily I seemed to grow stronger with each battle.
"Thorvyn," she said finally, "when this is over, will you…”
“Will I what?”
“No, never mind. I’m sorry."
“It’s not very romantic to start something and stop halfway,” I met her gaze steadily, even as she gave me a shocked look at my brazen choice of words. "But fair enough. Anyhow, we have to find the Storm Wyrm and see what went wrong with it."
Isolde seemed to have many questions about me. But more than that, she appreciated my presence as an ally. As the saying goes…
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
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