Reawakening: I Can Absorb Infinite Skills

When the formalities with Arden's group ended, the Crimson Fang finally stirred.

Still battered and humiliated, they stepped forward. Lysandra, pride cracked, spoke first.

"And… what of us?"

The envoy sighed, clearly having prepared the answer. "After discussion, you will be granted another trial. This one was beyond your station, and it would be unjust to judge you by it. Another chance will be given."

The Crimson Fang froze, their expressions crumbling.

Another chance. It sounded merciful, but in truth, it was a knife to their pride. Especially when standing beside Arden's group, who had done the impossible.

The envoy softened his tone, as if sensing it. "Do not despair. Prove yourselves in the next. But know this, strength is more than arrogance. Learn from what you've witnessed."

Arden's eyes lingered on them briefly, then he turned away, already walking toward camp with his group.

Rael caught up first, grinning. "You really asked for the cursed plant? You never fail to surprise me."

Arden's smirk was faint but telling. "Surprises keep people on edge. And sometimes, that's the best shield."

Rael chuckled while Nyra shook her head, a quiet smile on her lips. Zephyra padded behind, her tail swishing once as if agreeing in her own way.

Their path back to camp was lighter than the trial ground.

Rael cracked jokes about how the Crimson Fang might start training with children's weights, and Nyra teased him about being louder than useful during the dig.

Even Zephyra gave a short, gruff huff that almost sounded like laughter.

Yet Arden's mind drifted elsewhere. He replayed the crimson bloom's appearance in his head, the way its corruption had seeped unnaturally into the land.

It hadn't spread like a beast's nest or sprouted like a wild anomaly. No, this felt planted, deliberate.

The purity creed again, he thought, lips tightening briefly.

Every time his instincts clawed at the back of his mind, they whispered that same name. It wasn't proof, not yet, but it was enough to keep his suspicions sharp.

A smirk tugged at his mouth, quick enough for his party to notice. Nyra eyed him. "What are you plotting this time?"

"Nothing dangerous," Arden said with mock innocence. "Just thinking of ways to annoy the right people."

Rael laughed. "As if you don't already."

"Better me than you," Arden replied dryly.

Their path stretched quiet after that, at least quiet enough for Arden to get bored.

His thoughts shifted, and he called up the system's glow.

[Life Signature Gained.

Name: Infernal Furnace Core

Source: Emberhorn Juggernaut (A Rank – Fire, Berserk Condition)

Effect:

Core Overdrive – Temporarily raises internal fire affinity output, letting the user release high-density flame techniques with greater destructive reach.

Burning Resilience – Converts excess life energy into heat to cauterize minor wounds, reducing bleeding and slowing stamina loss in prolonged combat.

Molten Adaptation – Fire spells or constructs gain the property of lingering heat, burning or destabilizing terrain/defenses even after impact.

Arden studied it carefully. Overdrive, resilience, adaptation. Perfect. And fire of all things.

He thought back to his other fire-based life signatures, the way they had grown in usefulness but still lacked an edge. This one bridged the gap, linking power with endurance.

He muttered under his breath, "So even if I'm bleeding out, I'll still be burning through the field."

Nyra tilted her head. "Did you say something?"

"Just admiring my luck," he replied smoothly, brushing it off.

What struck him most, though, was how this skill wasn't just about raw force.

Overdrive meant he could match enemies who relied on short bursts of power. Resilience gave him a fallback when wounds slowed others down. And adaptation meant his flames wouldn't just vanish, they would linger, tormenting terrain and enemies alike.

Good. That Juggernaut was worth it.

The rest of the road offered no surprises.

The occasional beast scattered at Zephyra's low growl, and Rael's boredom led to stones being tossed into the undergrowth. Nothing came near.

By the time the camp came into view, the sky was shifting, dusk stretching its fingers across the horizon.

The line of tents and the raised banners of the explorers gave the place an orderly calm compared to the chaos of the trial ground. Torches were already being lit, smoke from cooking fires drifting lazily upward.

The lead envoy stepped ahead, his voice firm but less formal than before. "You've done more than enough for today. Rest your bodies. We'll meet again later in the day for further discussions. Until then, stay within camp."

Rael stretched his arms, groaning. "Finally, a bed."

Nyra chuckled. "You call those cots beds?"

"Anything's better than dirt," Rael shot back.

Zephyra rumbled low, flicking her ears toward the envoy.

The envoy gave them a respectful nod, though his eyes flickered once toward the wrapped bloom at Arden's side before quickly looking away.

Arden noticed, of course. He let the silence linger, then smirked faintly and turned toward the tents. "Come on. Let's see what passes for comfort around here."

Their party moved in together, chatter easy, steps light.

Yet for Arden, the weight of his thoughts remained.

The bloom wasn't natural. The purity creed's name lingered like a thorn at the back of his mind. And though rest was offered, his instincts told him the real trial was still waiting.

And that thought, more than anything, made his smirk deepen.

The activities that went on outside his head was enough to distract him from his thoughts.

He got busy with his party members, gathering up ingredients for a meal, although they dwelled on aether, it wasn't enough to remove the feeling of hunger they felt.

Besides they had a long fight and deserved a good meal as a reward.

A/N:

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