A New Home, A New Fire
It had been a week since Rai moved into Uncle Baren's home. The grief still lingered, but something warm had begun to fill the silence.
Mina was always there. She never left him alone. She'd tug at his sleeve, make jokes that didn't land, and smile like nothing in the world could break her. Her presence was like sunlight—soft, persistent, and healing.
And Baren?
He was a mountain. A towering wall of quiet strength. He didn't say much, but every glance, every nod, carried more weight than words ever could.
---
Real Training Begins
Rai had imagined swords, battles, maybe some magic.
Instead, Baren gave him pain.
> Morning runs through mud and fog.
Lifting logs heavier than himself.
Dodging arrows that whizzed way too close to his ear.
And then, the worst — a freezing lake dive.
Every time he gasped, Baren would fold his arms and say,
> "Real fights don't start with warnings. Neither do I."
---
Elemental Frustration
One evening, Baren had Rai sit in a circle of flickering candles.
> "Focus on your soul," he said. "Breathe. Wait for the heat inside you. Your element will answer."
Rai tried. He really tried.
But… nothing.
> "Am I broken?" Rai whispered.
Baren chuckled softly.
> "Tch. Took me thirteen years to summon a flame.
You're fine. Your thread's just tangled. When it snaps… you'll know."
---
Rai's Voice
That night, Rai sat under the stars. The village lights were distant. The wind was cold.
> "This world… it runs on power," he whispered.
"Everyone speaks one language: elements."
He held up his fingers.
> "Fire. Water. Wind. Lightning. Dark."
> "These five are the core. Everything else—ice, poison, metal—they come from them."
> "Most people awaken one. Few… awaken two. Dual affinity."
He clenched his fists.
> "I don't know what I'll get. But I will master it. Whatever it is."
---
The First Hunt
Baren found him still awake.
> "Can't sleep?"
"Just thinking."
Baren nodded.
> "Good. You'll need it tomorrow."
> "Why?"
> "You and Mina are going on your first hunt."
Rai's eyes widened. "A dungeon?"
> "E-rank. Just observe. Don't try to be a hero."
---
The Twist
The next morning, Rai and Mina stood before the glowing gate. She was cheerful, sword at her back. Rai was nervous, but ready.
They stepped inside.
But something felt off.
The air was too still.
The mana was too heavy.
The beasts… too quiet.
Then the dungeon barrier pulsed—
Red.
> "Warning: Dungeon Classified as A-Rank."
Rai's stomach dropped.
They weren't supposed to be here.
They weren't ready.
But fate never asks.
---
❓ Cliffhanger Ending
What lies beyond this gate?
Will Rai awaken his power in time...?
Or will it awaken... when it's already too late?