A triumphant chime rang out inside his head, bright and musical—so incongruous with the solitude of the forest that Kajin froze. The golden progress bar hovered before his vision, then leapt forward in a fluid stroke:
――――――――――――――――――Mission Complete: "Establish Your Flame"
20 EXPTalent Unlocked: Sun Fire ManipulationNext Mission: "Prove Your Flame"――――――――――――――――――
Just like that, the UI vanished, leaving him alone with the crash of the river and the hum of the jungle. For a long moment, he simply stood there, breath heaving, palm pressed to his chest where the ember of his spark still throbbed.
Legs went weak beneath him. He sank to the mossy ground at the water's edge, tucking one knee to his chest. Dawn light slanted through the trees, warming the droplets that clung to his arms. Cold water, once a balm, now felt like a mirror: reflective, showing every scar, every tense muscle, every line of pain that had brought him here.
He closed his eyes and let the river's song wash over him. Somewhere upstream, a bird called—sharp, insistent—and a breeze whispered through palms. It felt like the world was exhaling, and in that breath, he found something he hadn't felt since before the hospital bed on Earth: hope.
Kajin flexed his fingers, imagining the golden orb dancing across his palm once more. He tested the warmth in his veins, felt the subtle surge of power waiting to be shaped. "Sun Fire Manipulation," he muttered, tasting the words. The thought brought a faint smile to his cracked lips.
His scarred cheek itched where the burn had once blistered him raw—another reminder of battles past, both literal and personal. But this time, his scars spoke not of defeat but of survival. The sting in his neck, the tight coil of muscle across his shoulders, the residual ache in every step—all were proof he had faced the abyss and refused to fall.
He stood, water trickling from his hair and sleeves, and looked inland. The jungle's green depths promised more trials: wild beasts, hidden perils, perhaps even hostile inhabitants. But for the first time, he did not feel dread. He felt readiness.
A low growl drifted from the forest shadows—small, scared, but insistent. Perhaps a boar caught his scent, or a jungle cat marking territory. Kajin squared his shoulders, willfully igniting the ember inside. Fingers brushed the air before him; a faint glow sparked at his fingertips.
The system had assigned his next mission: "Prove Your Flame." He didn't know the exact parameters—destroy a threat, contain a danger, protect the helpless—but he had no doubt that this jungle would offer the opportunity. And now, thanks to that first spark, he would meet it.
He crouched beside the river, scooping water across his neck and arms to ease the sting of exertion. Each drop hissed softly against his skin, a lullaby of steam and gentle heat. The taste of grit on his tongue reminded him of victory: harsh, unexpected, but undeniably his.
With a final, steadying breath, Kajin rose fully. The jungle before him pulsed like a living thing, alive with possibility. The air seemed charged, as if the island itself awaited his next move.
He blew out a breath that steamed in the dawn light and lifted his chin. "Let's see what you've got," he murmured—not to the system, not to fate, but to himself. His voice echoed in the hush, fierce and determined.
And so Kajin D. Ilios—once Dajuan Jackson, college rugby hothead—took his first true step into the world he'd been cast into. Behind him, the river flowed on; before him, the jungle whispered challenges yet unspoken. Within him, a flame burned brighter than ever, ready to forge a legend across the North Blue.