[New Combat Skill Added: Fire Fist]
[Description: A flame-coated punch that increases destructive power and applies a burning effect on the target]
[Successfully killed a 2-star soul beast, gained 20 skill points]
Ronan smiled in satisfaction—two new skills, Fire Fist and Vital Strike. Not bad.
"Uhh, are you okay?" the old man asked, raising one eyebrow.
Ronan snapped back to reality, the hologram in front of him fading instantly. "Oh, sorry. I was just... feeling something, you know, some kind of adrenaline rush when you take down a powerful soul beast," he replied quickly, regaining focus. "My name's Ronan."
The old man nodded. "Alright. My name is Alistair Crowne, and the girl who passed out over there is my granddaughter, Zara Crowne. I'm truly grateful for what you did," he said sincerely, even bowing deeply in respect.
Ronan waved it off. "No need to be dramatic, Mr. Crowne. Besides, this is all part of my training. That was the most intense fight I've ever been in," he said casually.
Alistair looked at the young man with interest. There was no arrogance on his face—unlike other gifted youths he had met before.
"Your special ability… fire-related, what class?" he asked.
"S-Class," Ronan replied without hesitation.
Alistair's eyes widened slightly. "S-Class? No wonder it was that powerful. I could feel the heat even from far away," he muttered, stroking his chin. "But… Ronan, huh? I've never heard of you before. Usually, S-Class abilities attract attention fast and rise to popularity quickly," he added curiously.
Ronan replied, "Yeah, I prefer to stay low-key."
"I see," Alistair nodded. "Anyway, could I ask you for one more favor? Help us get to our vehicle. It's about five kilometers from here. I've run out of strength. But don't worry, I'll definitely repay your kindness," Alistair pleaded sincerely.
Ronan thought for a moment. He still wanted to test out his Starflame ability a bit more, but the energy in his body was nearly drained, and the wounds on his body were also quite bad.
After a few seconds, he nodded. "Alright. I'll help you."
"Thank you!" Alistair said with visible relief.
"But before that, let me grab this monster's soul stones... It's okay if I take all of them, right? Oh, and... that dagger—mind if I take it too?" Ronan asked casually, though his eyes remained alert.
Alistair instinctively glanced at the dagger lying on the ground beside Ronan. At first, he thought it might be some kind of special weapon, but on closer look, it was just an ordinary dagger. That, in fact, made him even more impressed.
"Of course. Go ahead and take the soul stones, and the dagger too," Alistair replied with a warm smile.
He knew that a simple weapon in the hands of someone like Ronan could be far more valuable than an expensive one in the hands of the wrong person.
"Thank you." Ronan smiled, then walked over to the charred body of the Mandrill. Beneath the massive corpse, three green soul stones shimmered faintly in the darkness. He picked them up, feeling a subtle warmth against his palm. Mid-tier stones—pretty valuable.
He didn't forget to grab Zara's fallen dagger, either. He examined it carefully—it was slightly longer than his own, with a tactical design clearly made for combat. The grip felt solid in his hand, perfect for a fast and flexible fighting style.
"That's a B-class magic dagger. It has the ability to adapt the user's energy," said Alistair, now standing beside him.
Ronan raised an eyebrow. He had guessed it was special, but he didn't expect it to be class B.
"You can try it now," Alistair added.
"Right now? How?" Ronan asked, one eyebrow still raised.
"All ranked weapons have the ability to absorb energy from their user, making them perfect for elemental awakeners like you. However, you'll need to learn 'Energy Channeling.' It doesn't require a skill scroll and can be learned on your own," Alistair explained.
Ronan nodded, a spark of excitement flashing in his eyes.
"Alright then. I'll give it a try."
Alistair smiled and stepped back slightly.
Ronan gripped the dagger tightly in his right hand, then focused. Slowly, his arm began to glow red—Starflame was responding. But as the energy began to flow into the dagger, the flame flickered, unstable, like fire caught in the wind.
Alistair stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder. "Ease up. Don't force it. Think of it like water flowing through a narrow pipe... guide it gently, don't push it."
Ronan gave a brief nod, took a deep breath, and tried again. His focus sharpened, more precise.
Bit by bit, red flames began to crawl along the blade of the dagger. Its tip now flickered with a small, steady flame.
Alistair gave a small nod. "You've managed to channel a little. It takes time and training to fully master it."
But Ronan didn't stop. He kept trying. Again. And again.
The energy in his hand flared wildly—sometimes too hot, burning his skin with prickling heat, other times fading completely.
Minutes passed.
The dagger trembled each time he failed to channel the Starflame correctly. His breathing grew heavy, sweat dripped from his brow, but his eyes stayed locked with focus.
Alistair watched silently, shaking his head slightly. This kid… stubborn. But that kind of resolve is rare. Still… energy channeling isn't something you can learn in just a few minutes.
Ronan kept at it, and then—
[Combat Skill Acquired: Energy Channeling]
[Description: Allows the user to channel energy into weapons or external objects. Effectiveness depends on control and object compatibility]
Ronan grinned wide.
"Hahahahaha!"
His laughter burst out deep and loud, making Alistair squint a little, wondering what the hell had just happened. But before he could ask, his eyes widened.
The dagger in Ronan's hand suddenly erupted in Starflame. Crimson fire danced along the blade—calm, dense, and pressurized, like a dragon awakened from its ancient slumber.
Alistair froze. His breath caught in his throat.
"…My Lord."