Reward system for bonus Chapters
1 power stone - 2 points
1 collection - 3 points
10 points - 1 bonus Chapter
3 bonus Chapter at maximum per day
.....
The forest was silent.
Then the ground shook.
A flock of birds burst from the trees as a distant roar echoed through the wilderness.
Deep beneath the earth, two dungeons had collided.
The cavern between them had become a battlefield.
From one side came a swarm of slimes, crawling over one another as they advanced.
Behind them marched larger creatures—wolves with thick hides, horned beasts, and several enormous creatures covered in stone-like plates.
From the opposite tunnel came an entirely different army.
Goblins rushed forward with crude weapons in their hands.
Behind them came larger beasts, their bodies scarred from countless battles.
The two forces met.
The first impact was violent.
A goblin drove its spear into the body of a charging beast.
The creature bit down on its shoulder.
Neither stopped.
More creatures crashed into them, burying both beneath the fighting.
There was no retreat.
No surrender.
The two dungeons had already made their decision.
Only one would remain.
A massive beast tore through the opposing line, throwing several creatures aside.
For a moment, it looked as though one side might break.
Then the ground beneath it moved.
A wall of stone erupted from the floor and struck the creature from below.
It stumbled.
Three smaller monsters immediately swarmed it.
The beast roared and fought back.
One was crushed.
Another was thrown against the cavern wall.
The third sank its teeth into the beast’s neck.
Blood stained the stone.
The battle continued.
Creatures fought over every stretch of ground.
Some were killed within seconds.
Others continued fighting despite terrible wounds.
There was nothing resembling mercy.
Dungeon wars were not battles between armies that could eventually negotiate peace.
They were contests of survival.
One dungeon expanded.
The other was consumed.
And when a dungeon finally lost its strength, its creatures would become part of the victor’s domain.
Deep within one of the dungeons, its Heart pulsed.
A faint tremor passed through the walls.
The dungeon was losing.
But it had not fallen yet.
Across the battlefield, the opposing Heart answered.
Another pulse.
Stronger.
The creatures of both dungeons roared.
The war continued.
Far away, beyond the forest and the mountains, adventurers went about their ordinary lives.
Most would never know this battle had happened.
But dungeon wars had existed for generations.
And sooner or later...
Every dungeon lord would have to face one.
Oblivious to the problems waiting for him in the future, Tolu continued to train.
He stood in the middle of the room, facing a small mark he had drawn on the wall.
His eyes narrowed.
He lowered his stance and placed his hand against the floor.
Mana flowed through him.
The earth beneath his feet trembled.
A sharp stone spike suddenly burst from the ground.
Tolu directed it toward the mark.
"Go!"
The spike shot forward.
It flew past the mark and struck the wall with a dull crack.
Tolu stared at it.
"...Too far to the left."
He walked over and examined the damage.
Then he returned to his position.
Again.
He placed his hand against the ground.
Another spike emerged.
This time, he adjusted his aim.
The spike flew.
It missed again.
Tolu frowned.
"Too high."
He tried again.
Missed.
Again.
Missed.
Again.
The spike struck the wall just beside the mark.
Tolu’s eyes brightened.
"Closer."
He didn’t stop.
The room slowly filled with small cracks and broken pieces of stone as one spike after another was launched toward the same target.
Some went too high.
Others went too low.
A few flew too far to either side.
But each attempt brought him slightly closer.
Tolu wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Again."
He placed his hand against the ground.
Another spike began forming.
This time, he didn’t rush.
He remembered the feeling from Stone Grip.
Control the earth.
Shape it.
Then release it.
The spike finished forming.
Tolu stared at the mark.
He took a breath.
Then launched it.
The spike flew straight toward the target.
For a brief moment, Tolu thought he had finally done it.
The spike struck the wall.
Just a few centimetres away from the mark.
Tolu stared at it.
Then smiled.
"That’s closer."
He turned back toward the ground.
There was still a long way to go.
Akin made his way through the quieter part of the city until he reached Temi’s house.
He could already hear her voice from outside.
"Come on..."
Akin stopped at the gate.
Through the open space beside the house, he could see Temi standing in the yard with her spell book open on a wooden bench.
A small flame burned in her palm.
She stared at it intensely.
The flame flickered.
Then disappeared.
Temi frowned.
"Again."
She tried once more.
A tiny flame appeared.
It lasted for a few seconds before going out.
Temi sighed.
The first three basic Fire Affinity spells were simple in principle.
Kindle.
Fireball.
Fire Shoot.
Kindle was the foundation—creating and maintaining a flame.
Fireball required her to take that flame and increase its size and density.
Fire Shoot was the final step, launching that concentrated fire accurately and with enough force to cause damage.
Temi had managed Kindle.
Fireball was proving to be a different story.
Akin leaned against the fence.
"You’re slacking."
Temi’s head snapped toward him.
"What?"
Akin pointed toward the book.
"You’ve been practicing for how long?"
"Long enough."
"And you still can’t keep the fireball alive."
Temi glared at him.
"You came here just to annoy me?"
"I came to see how your training was going."
He paused.
"Apparently, not very well."
Temi’s eye twitched.
Akin continued.
"You know, you should probably get better at it."
She looked at him.
Then at the book.
Then back at him.
"You know what?"
Akin smiled.
"What?"
"You’re right."
She picked up the book.
Akin nodded.
"Finally."
Temi threw the book at him.
Akin barely moved his head in time.
"What was that for?"
"You said I was slacking!"
"I did."
"And I’m wasting your money!"
"Technically, yes."
Temi grabbed another small stone from the ground.
Akin’s smile disappeared.
"Temi..."
She threw it.
Akin stepped aside.
"You’re overreacting."
She started running toward him.
"I’m going to kill you!"
Akin turned and ran.
"That seems excessive!"
Temi chased after him, laughing despite herself.
Then she stopped.
A small flame appeared in her palm.
Her expression changed.
She remembered the book.
Kindle.
Increase the size.
Maintain the shape.
Temi focused.
The flame grew.
It expanded into a small ball of fire.
Her eyes widened.
"It worked."
Then she remembered Akin.
He was already halfway across the yard.
Temi grinned.
"Wait!"
Akin looked back.
"What?"
The fireball left her hand.
It flew toward him.
Akin’s eyes widened.
He jumped sideways.
The fireball passed him.
Another appeared.
Then another.
Akin stared.
"They’re not going out..."
Temi laughed.
She fired another.
This one came even faster.
Akin ran.
"If I wasn’t the target, I’d be happy for you!"
Temi chased him across the yard.
"You said I was slacking!"
"I was motivating you!"
"You were insulting me!"
"There’s a difference!"
Another fireball flew past him.
Akin jumped over the fence.
He landed on the other side and immediately started running.
"You’re welcome!"
Temi stopped at the fence.
"You—!"
Akin was already disappearing down the street.
He didn’t look back.
Temi stood there for a moment, breathing heavily.
Then she looked at her hand.
A small flame danced across her palm.
She stared at it.
She had done it.
Fireball.
After all those failures.
Her expression slowly changed from anger to disbelief.
A smile appeared.
She sat down on the edge of the yard and opened her book again.
This time, she wasn’t frustrated.
She was excited.
She had finally understood it.