Beast Master: I'm the strongest.

DtststsThe days leading up to Yǒnghéng's departure were a blur of preparation. Seris had proven resourceful, rallying the village's few hunters and herbalists to provide him with supplies. Maps of the region were rare, but one of the elders had offered a hand-drawn sketch of the paths leading toward the base of the Lunar Pinnacle.

"You'll need more than just a map," Seris warned as she handed him a bundle of preserved food and a satchel of healing herbs. "The storms around the Pinnacle are unpredictable, and mana beasts roam the outskirts. You can't afford any mistakes."

"I'll manage," Yǒnghéng replied, his tone calm but resolute.

"Don't let your stubbornness get you killed," she said, her voice softer now. "Just… come back."

Yǒnghéng met her gaze, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes. "I will."

At dawn, Yǒnghéng set out from Verdant Hollow. The path ahead was rugged, winding through dense forests and across rocky outcroppings. The Ethereal Flame pulsed faintly in his palm, its warmth a constant reminder of the power he bore—and the responsibility that came with it.

The first few days passed uneventfully, though the landscape grew harsher with each step closer to the Pinnacle. The air grew thinner, tinged with the faint hum of wild mana. Strange lights flickered in the distance at night, and the howls of unseen creatures echoed through the mountains.

On the fourth day, Yǒnghéng encountered his first challenge. A pack of mana wolves, their glowing blue eyes and shimmering pelts marking them as creatures of the Aether, emerged from the underbrush. They encircled him, their movements calculated and predatory.

Yǒnghéng tightened his grip on his staff, the Ethereal Flame flaring to life in his other hand. The wolves hesitated, their instinctive fear of fire battling their hunger.

The largest wolf lunged, its jaws snapping inches from Yǒnghéng's face. He sidestepped and thrust his staff forward, channeling the flame into a focused burst of energy. The wolf yelped as the fire seared its fur, retreating with a snarl.

The rest of the pack attacked in unison. Yǒnghéng's movements were fluid, his training in the Mana Grove sharpening his instincts. He used the flame sparingly, relying on precise strikes and calculated dodges to conserve his strength.

When the last wolf fled, limping and singed, Yǒnghéng collapsed to one knee, his breaths ragged. The Ethereal Flame flickered erratically, its chaotic energy reacting to his exhaustion.

"Not yet," he muttered, forcing himself to his feet. "I can't lose control now."

By the time Yǒnghéng reached the base of the Pinnacle, the air was thick with mana, its raw energy crackling like static electricity. The mountain loomed above him, its jagged peaks piercing the sky. Storm clouds swirled around its summit, their edges glowing with an otherworldly light.

The path upward was treacherous, marked by crumbling stone and narrow ledges. Yǒnghéng moved carefully, the Ethereal Flame lighting his way.

As he climbed, the storms grew more violent. Lightning, infused with wild mana, struck the mountainside with deafening force. The wind howled, threatening to tear him from the cliff.

Halfway up, Yǒnghéng came across a plateau. At its center stood a stone altar, weathered by time but still pulsing with energy. Inscribed on its surface were runes that glowed faintly in the storm's light.

He approached the altar cautiously, his hand hovering over the box Kael had given him. The elder's words echoed in his mind: "It amplifies the chaos within, forcing you to confront its true nature."

With a deep breath, Yǒnghéng opened the box. Inside was a vial of shimmering liquid, its colors shifting like a living flame.

He hesitated for only a moment before uncorking the vial and drinking its contents.

The effect was immediate. The Ethereal Flame erupted from his body, engulfing him in a vortex of heat and light. Pain lanced through him as the flame's chaotic energy surged, threatening to tear him apart.

Yǒnghéng fell to his knees, gripping the altar for support. His vision blurred, and his surroundings faded into darkness.

When Yǒnghéng opened his eyes, he was no longer on the plateau. He stood in a void of swirling fire and shadow, the Ethereal Flame consuming everything around him.

"You seek to master chaos," a voice echoed, deep and resonant. "But chaos cannot be tamed—it must be understood."

A figure emerged from the flames, its form ever-shifting. One moment it was a towering beast, the next a cloaked figure, and then a mirror image of Yǒnghéng himself.

"You are your own greatest enemy," the figure said, its voice a perfect reflection of Yǒnghéng's. "Face the truth of your existence, or be consumed."

The flames around Yǒnghéng intensified, and the figure attacked.

The battle was unlike anything he had experienced. The figure mirrored his every move, countering his strikes and matching his use of the Ethereal Flame. Each blow landed not only on his opponent but also on himself, the pain a stark reminder of the flame's chaotic nature.

"You cannot fight chaos," the figure taunted. "You must embrace it."

Yǒnghéng faltered, the weight of his doubts and fears pressing down on him. But then he remembered Kael's words: "The flame is a part of you. To control it, you must first accept it."

Closing his eyes, Yǒnghéng let go of his resistance. He allowed the Ethereal Flame to surge through him, its energy flooding every corner of his being.

The pain was overwhelming, but he endured it, focusing on the flame's core. Within its chaotic energy, he found a flicker of harmony—a delicate balance that mirrored his own determination.

When he opened his eyes, the figure was gone. The flames around him had subsided, their once-wild energy now calm and steady.

Yǒnghéng awoke on the plateau, the storm around the Pinnacle now eerily silent. The Ethereal Flame burned brightly in his hand, its chaotic nature tempered by his newfound understanding.

He rose to his feet, a sense of clarity washing over him. The path to the summit lay ahead, and with it, the answers he sought.

With renewed determination, Yǒnghéng began his ascent, the Lunar Pinnacle's secrets waiting to be uncovered.