It was building up in his chest. Now that he’d approached this state so many times, he realized that the first time had not been the real deal. He didn’t have the exact words for it, but if he were to compare it to anything, it might have been something like a partial combustion. Like a piece of fire log burning unevenly, with one side still water-logged from having been in the snow too long. Every other time since then, whenever he’d approached that state, it was as if he was creating the perfect temperature for igniting that piece of wood in his chest. Heating it, drying it, making sure it would burn evenly and quickly but again and again, he would fail for some reason or another. Either he’d get distracted, or for the longest time, he just didn’t know how to get in the mindset. He didn’t know he had to have an actual obstacle ahead of him. But on and on, he kept trying, and this time, he could feel it. He could feel that piece of wood slowly turn to coal. He could feel the concept, the idea of barreling through all obstacles douse that log of coal, priming it, and the only thing still missing was the spark.

  When Ethan felt the tension refuse to rise any further, when he saw the crystal-studded lizard hiss at him and charge, when it felt like he wanted to set his own body ablaze, one word slipped past his teeth.

  “Burn,” he breathed, and the log ignited.

  The air shuddered around him while a wave of warm energy poured off his chest and down into his limbs, sinking into his flesh and bones. In a way, it was reminiscent of Scorching Ascendancy’s effect. While the latter empowered his body and stats, this new ability felt more spiritual and in a way, it did something to his perception. As he gazed ahead, he only saw obstacles to be stepped through. It made Ethan think of an idiom. ‘Think like a hammer and everything looks like a nail,’ it said, and right now, everything looked like a nail to him.

  No… this isn’t like Scorching Ascendancy.

  It had felt like the other side of the same coin at first, but the more time he spent in this state, the more it felt like he was still in the shallow end of the pool. There was more to this… but he couldn’t dwell on that just yet and as much as he tried to ignore it, he couldn’t stop himself from looking up, completely ignoring the predator barreling at him.

  Are my horns on fire?

  An orange-reddish fire was dancing on them, but he couldn’t dwell on it, even though he felt that the state wasn’t as vulnerable to distractions anymore. The cave monitor leaped at him, trying to bring him to the ground, only to stumble back as Ethan continued walking forward. As if it had just put its front legs on a wall that just kept moving.

  Right.

  With his palm out and his fingers straight, Ethan lunged forward right as the monitor opened its maw and shot a clump of crystal at him. The projectile clipped him on the left shoulder and exploded into a storm of shards, and a couple of sharp edges managed to cut into his scales, but no matter how powerful it might have been, the attack did nothing to his momentum. Any other time, it would have thrown him off balance or even pushed him back, but it seems like this state did not allow for such.

  It’s like I’m embodying a part of a juggernaut. I can’t be stopped when I’m moving, but I still can be injured, he thought as he shoved his open palm in a stabbing motion toward the creature’s neck. The black claws met the incredibly tough scales of the monitor, the same scales that had always given him such a hard time—and sank right through. Like a hot-knife through foam.

  Blood spurted out from a cut artery. The monitor stumbled back, and feebly tried to snap its teeth around the retreating hand, but it missed. It kept backing away, surprised, but Ethan had no eyes for it and instead, he gazed upward, frowning. The horns had grown dimmer, and so did the sensation in his chest.

  I’m using up something when I’m in this state? No… just standing around doesn’t consume a lot of energy, but exercising the juggernaut-effect does.

  Taking a quick look at his notifications, he noticed that nothing new had shown up. Which was a bit disappointing.

  I hoped this would have been a hidden quest like the stuff from before. Oh well… I’d love some explanations though. A bit of context about what this is.

  The monitor screeched, filling the tunnel with its strident call, and Ethan stepped forward as it tried and failed to turn around and run and with a slash, he extended his claws and tore straight through the creature’s neck, decapitating it, and the feeling in his chest—as well as the flames licking up his horns—winked out.

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  You have defeated [Cave Monitor (I) - Level 57]

  Shardpurse: 59 fragments collected.

  Ethan exhaled as the intense feeling left his spirit and a quick check of his interface told him his Essence was up to 14 points. He cracked his neck, and looked around, only to find Ember staring at him, completely frozen.

  “What?”

  “[What do you mean what? What was that?]”

  Ethan blinked at the cat and frowned. “The thing I’ve been working on? You were with me last time?”

  The cat circled around his feet, slowly, as if he was some sort of mouse she was getting ready to pounce on.

  “[It didn’t look like that back then. It didn’t feel like that either.]”

  That was odd. “How did it feel?”

  Ember sat down on her haunches, but unlike other times where she’d lick her paws or do anything else while speaking with him, she kept still, her eyes fixed on him and in the dim light of the tunnel, they were almost glowing.

  “[It feels as intense as the upgrade to tier-1. Like back in the cave, when you went on your vision. When you accessed this state the first time it did not feel as intense as this. What’s different this time? Did you unlock a trait or a spell?]”

  Ethan shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. He felt a bit tired, all of a sudden. “No, I don’t see anything new. Not even any hidden quests, and as for the rest, I know as much as you do. I hoped I’d get some explanation or achievement for this, but it doesn’t seem like it’s gonna happen.”

  Ember tilted her head for a moment then yawned. “[Right. The cheating this system does for you pups.]”

  “Hey I’m not the one who decides who gets quests and who doesn’t.”

  The Ignisra stepped past the monitor, and Ethan followed and peered down around the corner. The tunnel was stretching down in the earth and as the cat whipped her tail left and right, she sent one more thought. “[Let me know if you get anything about this state… for now, let’s get going.]”

  Ethan glanced down at his blood soaked claws, then without a word, he stepped into the tunnel after her.

  No threads. No traps. Did they already leave?

  Their steps echoed in the dimly lit tunnel, and further down, he could see a dark stretch that made his heart-rate pick up. If they were going to be ambushed, it’d be in such a—

  Congratulations. Hidden quest: Achieve Prime Manifestation completed

  1x rift access token from a list of tailored options

  Caution: Reward will be claimable after end of the current tutorial

  Ethan stopped mid-step, frowning, and Ember’s ears instantly flicked backward and crouched, ready to attack. When nothing happened, she spoke through their connection.

  “[What is it?]”

  Ethan was still staring at the prompt. The state had come and gone, and it’s been like three or four minutes already. Why did it take so long for the notification to arrive? Every other time, the hidden quest notifications had been nearly instantaneous.

  It’s almost as if… the system had to come up with this.

  With them being in the cave and tracking enemies, Ethan decided it was time to communicate quietly. “[I got it. The hidden quest notification. What I did is called Prime Manifestation.]”

  The cat slowly turned around and looked up at him.“[That’s… wait. No. That’s just-are you sure?]”

  “[That’s what it said. Why? You know what that means?]”

  The cat stared at him for a few seconds, mouth slightly open, then she got up and looked down the tunnel.

  “[I think I do… and if I’m right, then no wonder you’re a little monster compared to the other humans.]”

  “[Thanks, I guess?]”

  Ember didn’t react to his words. “[I think that’s what we call Zenith State in my tribe. Well, not me, because that’s got nothing to do with me. I mostly heard our elders speak of it. That state is the first key to reaching tier-3. It means you are getting more aligned with your Path, and I don’t think that’s supposed to happen while you’re still in tier-1. It’s not supposed to happen within a week of you finding your Path. Even the two elders of my tribe have not managed it yet, or they’d be tier-3 by now.]”

  Ethan listened, and his eyes kept moving back to the notifications still being displayed.

  Zenith State?

  He wished he could digest all of this a bit more. To test it and learn more of the ability’s limits and nature, but it was time to finish things up with his fellow humans. And considering how quiet and still the cat has gotten, he believed she sensed they were being watched as well.

  Click here to join

  If you want to support me and read ahead, there's 12 advanced chapters.