Kaizen was breathing hard and he fell heavily against the side walk bench under the tree. His chest heaved, his breathing laboured as sweat glistened on his face.
He just finished completing the task given to him by the system. It was the most workout he’d ever done in a day, and he was already telling himself he’d never try this again.
This better be the last time I’m getting task .
The system blinked to life before his eyes.
[DAILY QUEST COMPLETE.]
[REWARD HAS BEEN DELIVERED]
[WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE REWARD?]
"Of course yes, think I’d decline that?"
A golden small box materialized before him. Kaizen jolted backwards, shocked. He wasn’t expecting to actually get a physical reward.
The box dropped to the floor, and Kaizen watched it in silence for a moment, watching to see if something weird would happen. But after several seconds of waiting and nothing happened, he bent down and picked up the box.
What could be inside? With how small this is, it is either a gemstone, or a pearl maybe? Gold?
With a deep breath, he twisted the little lock and the box shut open. Kaizen’s face feel in disappointed when he found only one coin inside the box.
"Are you serious? One coin is my reward for all that workout?"
He reached for inside the box and picked up the coin, then brought it closer to observe it. That was when he noticed that one side of the coin had flame symbol on it, and the other side of the coin had the frost symbol on it.
This isn’t even a useful coin. What am I supposed to use this for.
He looked back up at the system, and that was when he noticed an unread message right at the bottom corner.
The screen blinked, and then new texts appeared.
[YOU’VE SUCCESSFULLY CLAIMED REWARD.]
[FLIP COIN IF YOU WISH TO PROCEED INTO THE NEXT STAGE.]
Just flip the coin? And what exactly does it mean by next stage.
"Well, i’d never find out if I don’t flip it."
Kaizen stood up from the chair, placing the coin on the back of his thumb, and then he flipped. The coin rolled several times before finally landing onto his palm as he caught it just in time.
Carefully, he opened his palm to see what he got. It was the flame symbol that was above.
He looked up at the system. The words had changed.
[INITIATING FIRST TRAINING PHASE.]
[CONQUER THE FLAMES AND COMPLETE THIS STAGE TO ADVANCE.]
[ONCE A STAGE IS CLEARED, YOU WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY PROMOTED TO THE NEXT LEVEL.]
[IF YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER, YOU WILL BE FORCIBLY EJECTED, BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO RESTART THAT LEVEL FROM THE BEGINNING.]
"What do you mean by training? When did I ask for training?"
Kaizen wasn’t even done protesting when he was suddenly transported into a strange realm. He struggled for balance because of the sudden shift in location.
His eyes immediately darted around, widening when he noticed he couldn’t recognize where he was. And the worst of all, he was surrounded by flames, but surprisingly...he didn’t feel hot. Why was that?
Just then, he heard a growling sound from behind him that made him freeze. At first one, then two, they several more.
What the hell are those? Dogs?
He slowly turned around, and his eyes widened when he saw what they were. A pack of wolves, not just any wolves, flame wolves, huge flame wolves, and each of them were about three feet tall...a
"You’ve got to be kidding me. You want me to conquer those? With what? I don’t even have a freaking weapon...how..." But Kaizen paused mid sentence, then he looked down at his palm, and instantly...a blade made out of flame materialized in his hand.
Kaizen gasped in disbelief. He didn’t know he could do that until now. He just did something he never once believed was possible, he just used magic. He actually used magic.
This was the very first time he was using this power, and it actually felt, easy, amazing. It all just came naturally. Would other elements work too? He wanted to try it right away. And he tried, he used the same method he used for the flames, but nothing worked.
His brows furrowed, he was confused... wondering why others weren’t working, but then he looked up to read the texts from the system.
[OTHER ELEMENTS CANNOT BE USED IN HERE.]
"You’re also restricting my abilities? What exactly do you even want from me."
Honestly it was getting annoying, was the system even trying to help him or it just wanted to destroy him? Because this was pure wickedness. How exactly was he supposed to defeat this many wolves with just flames. Nothing more stupid than using flames to fight flames.
The wolves were already closing in on him, growling rabidly.
So I just need to kill these and clear the first level. Alright here I come.
Kaizen lunged, his feet lightening up in flames as he used it to enhance his speed. The first wolve attacked, leaping high as it headed directly for Kaizen, it’s claw aiming at his throat.
Kaizen twisted his body and slid under the lunging beast, flames sparking under his heels as he propelled himself forward. He spun around just in time to block the next wolf’s strike. The moment his blade connected with the creature’s fiery paw, a shockwave rippled through his arm.
"Damn, you’re heavier than you look!"
The wolf snarled, flames dripping off its fangs like saliva. Kaizen pushed forward, gritting his teeth, and with a sudden surge of strength, shoved the beast back. He didn’t even get a second to breathe before another charged straight at him from the side.
This time, Kaizen slashed. The blade cut clean through the wolf’s neck, scattering sparks and embers as the creature let out a dying howl before vanishing into thin air like smoke.
"Okay..." he muttered, flicking the ash off his arm. "That worked."
But that was one down. At least seven more were already circling him.