The Magic of the Races
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the moonlight faded beneath a canopy of thick leaves and twisted branches, casting the path into near-total darkness. Then Lua snapped her fingers gently, and instantly, a floating sphere of fire ignited above her head. It hovered like an enchanted torch, casting warm light and dancing shadows along the gnarled trunks.
"Can I ask you something?" Loli said softly, approaching with curious eyes fixed on the small artificial sun glowing over Lua.
"Of course," Lua replied calmly, without taking her eyes off the path.
"When you lit the campfire earlier… and now this. You didn't use any runes. Is that something special?"
Lua smiled faintly, clearly pleased by the girl's interest.
"Ah, that's because of my race"or more precisely, a racial ability. There are two major kinds of magic: the kind that's channeled through words, chants, or runes… and the kind that's innate, built into the body. This one is called Fire Control, a skill Oni are born with. As you evolve, you can retain or even enhance certain abilities from previous forms, especially if your evolutionary path stays aligned. For instance, a fire elemental might evolve into a fire avatar, and its skills become stronger or change into more powerful versions."
Lua paused for a moment to make sure Loli was following, then continued.
"Unlike formal magic, innate abilities are more instinctive"but they're also more limited at first. Magical abilities take lots of training to master, while structured magic can be devastating from the beginning if your mana control is strong."
Loli nodded, captivated by the explanation.
"So… races really matter for that kind of thing?"
"Exactly. Some races are naturally inclined toward certain types of magic or professions. Gnomes are brilliant with crafts and earth magic. Fairies handle elemental magic beautifully. Imps learn illusion magic quickly. But once you evolve, everything shifts. If you were a magical race and evolve into a melee-focused one, you might feel weaker until you adjust to the new strengths. It's the same with professions."
Loli listened in awe"but slowly, she also began to see Lua in a different light. Not just as a guide, but as someone… enchanting. There was something about her calm voice and gentle gestures that made her heart beat faster.
What Lua didn't say was that much of her knowledge came from SIA"the System"feeding her a constant stream of information. Lua absorbed it easily thanks to her sharp mind and perfect memory, but she retained a certain innocent charm, born from living alone since childhood for more than two centuries. That mix of wisdom and sweetness made her… unique. And to Loli, utterly captivating.
Time seemed to fly as they talked, until Lua suddenly raised a hand and stopped.
"We're here."
The three of them lit up with excitement.
Before them spread vast fields of crops, bathed in a soft magical glow. Each leaf and stalk shimmered with unearthly hues"iridescent greens, violets dotted with light, and flowers that seemed to breathe with the wind.
"Gather as much as you can and be quick. This land is fertile because it belongs to plant-type beasts… but it's also a key spot in the food chain. Herbivores come here, predators follow… and the plants absorb the remains. It's a violent, but balanced, ecosystem."
Lua handed out stone knives, and they began to harvest.
[You have obtained Carrot Plant.]
[You have obtained Lettuce Plant.]
[You have obtained Tomato Plant.]
[You have obtained Strawberry Plant.]
[You have obtained Garlic Plant.]
[You have obtained…]
The system notifications kept coming. Even though the names were familiar, the plants shimmered as though mana pulsed in their sap.
Loli was slicing a glowing root when a faint growl shattered the calm.
"Miss Lua!" she cried, pointing through the underbrush.
Lua appeared at her side in a blink, instinctively shielding her.
"Where?" she asked.
"There," Loli whispered, pointing.
Through the thick brush, they saw it: a lion covered in scales, a massive horn on its brow, and a tail wrapped in dying flames. Its body was torn and bloody, breathing in painful gasps.
"A high-ranking beast… a Territory Lord," Lua murmured in awe. "It must've lost to another challenger."
She drew her sword and approached carefully. Even on the brink of death, the lion's defiant roar made it clear"it could still kill them all if pushed.
After inspecting it from a distance, Lua turned her head.
"Loli, come with me."
"Y-yes," the girl stammered, hurrying over.
Lua crouched beside her and whispered, "Raise your hand and point with your finger. I need your help."
"M-my help?" Loli echoed, confused.
Lua moved behind her, adjusting her posture to match Loli's height. Her body was so close that Loli could feel the heat of her breath on her neck. Her cheeks flushed red, and her heart thudded wildly in her chest.
"F-focus… right…" Loli mumbled.
Gently, Lua placed her hand over Loli's raised one. Her skin was warm, and the soft press of her fingers sent shivers racing down Loli's spine.
"I'm going to transfer you mana. Try to feel it."
Lua's palm glowed blue, and the light streamed into Loli's hand. She held her breath as a warm current of power surged into her, spiraling through her arm like liquid fire. It felt as if her blood itself had begun to shine.
Then a system message blinked into view:
[Your Intelligence has increased by +100 temporarily.]
Loli's eyes widened. She had never felt such clarity. It was like all spells, formulas, runes, and magic concepts were suddenly within reach. She understood magic.
But more than the power, what disoriented her most was Lua's closeness"the soft contact, the calm voice so near… and how much she liked it.
She didn't know if she wanted to cast a spell… or stay like this forever.
Loli, though her heart pounded like a runaway drum, tried to gather all the concentration she could muster. But it was hard… far too hard with Lua so close"her breath gently brushing against her ear, her warm body pressing lightly against her back. Loli's cheeks burned like live embers, and her breathing trembled.
"Try to move it with your mind. Direct the flow to your finger," Lua whispered softly, so close her breath sent shivers down Loli's skin.
The contact between their hands was burning"not like a fire that scorches, but one that awakened butterflies in her stomach. Loli felt a tingling rush across her skin, like a stream of magical energy dancing in circles from the palm where Lua's hand pressed against hers. It was as if a warm, liquid current slowly flowed inside her, running through her nerves, her mind, her soul.
And then…
[Magic Damage Increased! Duration: 3 minutes]
A system window flashed before her, just as a blue spark ignited at the tip of her finger.
"Now," murmured Lua with determination, squeezing Loli's hand a little tighter.
In one swift and fluid motion"almost like a dance"Lua guided her arm in a perfect gesture. Mana surged with wild force. Before them, as if the very air obeyed, ten ancient runes manifested in a flawless arc, etched into space with blue fire. The glow was so intense that Sig and Bert, watching from afar, had to squint.
But just as Loli flinched from the effort, the glow at her fingertip went out… though it was already too late. The runes had been engraved. The magic circle that formed before them was majestic"over a meter in diameter"spinning in place with an almost divine energy.
The air vibrated.
A low sound, like a whisper of death, rumbled through the atmosphere.
From the center of the circle, a black flame emerged like an infernal serpent, hissing and moaning before it shot straight toward the Draconic Lion.
The creature roared in pain as its body was engulfed in a fire that didn't burn with heat, but with absolute cold. Black flames, as dense as darkness itself, devoured it inch by inch.
[Wind Draconic Lion – Lvl 50]
[HP: 50,000 / 5,000,000]
Loli stood frozen as she saw the monster's massive health bar. Even so wounded, it still held a terrifying vitality. But what truly took her breath away was seeing how the black fire drained its health mercilessly:
-1,000 HP per second.
"Back!" shouted Lua.
With an agile move, she grabbed Loli by the waist"making her let out a small, embarrassed squeak"and leapt back just in time. A whirlwind of wind blasted from the lion's mouth, tearing through everything in its path. Trees were uprooted, part of the crop field caught fire, and the ground cracked apart.
Sig and Bert retreated too, shielding themselves behind a pair of trees still miraculously standing.
And then… silence.
The Draconic Lion let out its final breath, wrapped in the black flames that consumed it. A long minute passed before it finally collapsed.
Ashes.
[You have killed the Wind Draconic Lion Lvl 50.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You cannot level up further. Choose another race to evolve.]
[Do you want to collect the Wind Draconic Lion's drop?]
[You have used Purgatory Flame. You have unlocked more races for your evolutionary path.]
[You have used Purgatory Flame. Many Sacred evolutionary branches have been sealed.]
A massive list appeared in front of Loli:
Select one of the following races to evolve into:
Ancient Forest Fairy – Bonded with wise trees.
Spring Nymph – Masters the fertility of the world.
Wind Sylph – Controls air currents.
Dryad – Fused with a magical tree.
Nature Spirit [SEALED]
Celestial Fairy [SEALED]
Solar Pixie – Light that burns or heals.
Astral Fairy – Manipulates constellations.[New]
Dawn Guardian [SEALED]
Embodied Light [SEALED]
Shadow Fairy [NEW]
Nightmare Fairy [NEW]
Lesser Succubus [NEW]
Nocturnal Witch [NEW]
Lady of Forgetting [NEW]
Black Flame Fairy [NEW]
Infernal Salamander [NEW]
Fiery Imp [NEW]
[Races outside the fairy evolution path – Click here]
Loli stared, not fully understanding. The light in her eyes flickered between confusion and awe. Her fingers were still tingling, her chest rising and falling with force.
"W-what… what was that?" she asked softly, still unable to grasp it all.
Lua smiled gently.
"You cast your first spell. Congratulations," she said, briefly patting her head. "Your mana wasn't enough, so I shared a bit of mine. I also weakened the lion beforehand. But it was your magic. Your fire."
Sig and Bert came running.
"That was insane!" shouted Bert, ecstatic. "I've never seen anything that cool! Your finger burst into black flames like some kind of legendary witch!"
"It was… impressive," added Sig, still unable to shut his mouth.
Loli looked down, still red. Everything had happened so fast… but the warmth of Lua's body hadn't faded. And that was what lingered most.
Lua looked at her, amused and a little puzzled.
"Weren't you happy? I thought you wanted fire skills to become a better cook," she said, tilting her head.
"I-I am!" Loli answered quickly. "It's just… I haven't processed it yet…"
Lua nodded, growing serious again.
"Grab the drop and let's go. All this noise surely attracted other beasts."
"Y-yeah…" Loli murmured, storing the item without even looking at it, her heart still pounding as if Lua were still touching her.
Without wasting any more time, the four of them gathered everything they could…
And set off back to the village, carrying bags full of magical plants, new experiences… and a spell that had changed her destiny.