The midday sun hung high over Ravenwood as Yuuto made his way back to the village, feeling the effects of his morning training. The combination of mastering spells and practicing mana control had left him both physically and mentally exhausted, but there was an undeniable sense of accomplishment growing inside him. The Ascendant System had guided him through his first steps into the world of magic, but Yuuto knew there was still much more to learn.
As he walked, the familiar chime of the System echoed in his ears, and a new screen appeared in front of him.
[New Quest Unlocked: The System's Tutorial Quest]
Objective: Complete the final stages of the Ascendant System's tutorial by confronting a powerful magical beast. Defeat the beast and gain access to advanced System features, including skill trees, enhanced attributes, and crafting abilities.
Reward: 50 EXP, Skill Tree Access, Basic Crafting Unlocked
Failure: Locked progression, reduced mana regeneration for 24 hours.
Yuuto froze in his tracks, staring at the screen. A powerful magical beast? He had barely managed to fight off Mana Leeches in the forest, and now the System wanted him to face something even more dangerous. The stakes were high—failure meant a penalty to his mana regeneration, which could leave him vulnerable to future encounters.
Still, the rewards were too important to pass up. Access to a Skill Tree and Crafting could give him the tools he needed to survive in Aetheria. Yuuto had read enough fantasy stories to know how valuable those systems could be. He needed to be able to grow and customize his abilities if he wanted to have any chance of survival in this world.
He took a deep breath and straightened his posture, mentally preparing himself for the task ahead. No turning back now.
With the System's faint guiding pulse directing him, Yuuto turned away from the village and headed deeper into the forest, his mind focused on the upcoming challenge. The trees became denser, the sunlight struggling to penetrate the thick canopy overhead. The atmosphere grew heavier, as if the very air was infused with magic.
[Time until beast encounter: 2 hours.]
Yuuto used the time to prepare. He practiced channeling mana through his staff, casting Mana Bolt and Barrier in sequence to improve his combat readiness. He also reviewed his newly unlocked spell, Barrier, and practiced summoning the shield with as little mana as possible. The more control he gained over his spells, the better his chances would be in the upcoming fight.
But despite his preparations, there was a lingering sense of anxiety in the pit of his stomach. What kind of beast is waiting for me?
He didn't have to wonder for long.
As the System's countdown neared its end, the forest around him began to change. The trees grew more twisted, their branches like gnarled claws reaching toward the sky. The faint hum of magic in the air intensified, crackling with energy. And then, Yuuto felt it—a presence, dark and oppressive, lurking just ahead.
[Time remaining: 5 minutes.]
Yuuto's heart pounded in his chest as he stepped into a small clearing. The grass beneath his feet was charred and blackened, as if the very life had been drained from the ground. In the center of the clearing stood a creature unlike anything he had seen before.
It was massive, easily twice his height, with a body made of dark, shadowy mist that seemed to pulse and writhe with malevolent energy. Its form was vaguely wolf-like, but its eyes glowed with an unnatural crimson light, and its fangs shimmered with dark magic. Wisps of smoke curled from its body, and the ground beneath it seemed to decay wherever it stepped.
A Shadowbeast.
The System chimed once more, providing a description of his target.
[Beast Identified: Shadowbeast]
Description: A manifestation of dark mana, this beast thrives on consuming the life force of those it hunts. Its attacks drain both health and mana from its victims. Weakness: Light-based magic and concentrated mana strikes.
Yuuto's mind raced as he processed the information. Drains health and mana? Great. Just what I needed. But at least the System had provided him with a clue—light-based magic and concentrated mana strikes would be its weakness.
He gripped his staff tightly, trying to steady his breathing. Stay calm. Focus. You've trained for this.
The Shadowbeast let out a low, rumbling growl, its glowing red eyes locked onto Yuuto as it slowly began to advance. The air around it crackled with dark energy, and Yuuto could feel his mana draining even from a distance. The creature's mere presence was enough to sap his strength.
No time to hesitate.
Yuuto called on his mana, summoning the familiar warmth of energy into his hand. He aimed his staff at the Shadowbeast and fired a Mana Bolt, the blue light crackling through the air as it shot toward the creature.
The bolt hit the Shadowbeast square in the chest, but instead of recoiling, the creature absorbed the mana, its form shimmering as it grew larger.
Yuuto's eyes widened in horror. It's feeding on my magic!
The beast lunged forward with terrifying speed, and Yuuto barely had time to react. He raised his staff and cast Barrier, summoning a glowing shield of blue light just as the creature's claws slammed into it. The force of the impact sent Yuuto stumbling back, but the shield held—barely.
He couldn't afford to use offensive magic like Mana Bolt. He needed to get creative, fast. If the Shadowbeast was absorbing his mana, then his normal spells wouldn't be enough to defeat it.
Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. Arcane Bind. If I can immobilize it, I might have a chance to attack its weak points.
He gripped his staff tightly and focused his mana, channeling the energy through the wood. The familiar sensation of glowing chains formed at the tip of his staff, and with a sharp thrust, he sent the chains flying toward the Shadowbeast.
The chains wrapped around the creature's legs, glowing brightly as they bound its movements. The Shadowbeast let out an enraged roar, struggling against the magical restraints, but the chains held firm.
Yuuto didn't waste any time. He couldn't rely on regular magic attacks, but he had another option—using his staff as a physical weapon.
With the beast temporarily immobilized, Yuuto charged forward, raising his staff above his head. He swung the staff down with all his strength, striking the Shadowbeast across its face. The impact reverberated through his arms, and to his relief, the creature recoiled in pain, its form flickering and destabilizing for a moment.
It worked!
But the victory was short-lived. The Shadowbeast's red eyes flared with anger, and with a burst of dark energy, it shattered the chains that held it. Yuuto barely had time to react before the creature lunged at him again, its claws glowing with dark magic as they aimed for his chest.
He summoned Barrier just in time, the shield absorbing the brunt of the attack. But the force of the strike sent him flying backward, slamming into a tree. Pain shot through his body, and his mana reserves were dangerously low.
[Mana: 10/60]
I can't keep this up much longer, Yuuto thought, wincing as he struggled to stand. His mana was almost depleted, and the Shadowbeast showed no signs of slowing down. He needed to end the fight, and fast.
That's when he remembered the System's hint: concentrated mana strikes.
If he could channel all of his remaining mana into one powerful attack, he might be able to hit the beast's weak point and take it down. But it would be a risky move—he only had enough mana for one more spell.
Yuuto gritted his teeth and steadied himself. This is it.
He raised his staff, focusing all of his remaining mana into a single point. The energy gathered at the tip of the staff, glowing brighter and brighter as Yuuto poured everything he had into the spell. The light grew so intense that it hurt to look at, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
With a shout, Yuuto thrust the staff forward, releasing all of the concentrated mana in a brilliant beam of blue light. The beam shot forward, cutting through the air with a deafening roar as it slammed into the Shadowbeast.
The creature let out a final, anguished scream as the beam tore through its body, the dark mist evaporating in a burst of light. For a moment, everything was still.
And then, the Shadowbeast was gone. Its form dissipated into nothing, leaving only a faint shimmer of mana in the air.
Yuuto collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. His body was shaking from exhaustion, and his mana was completely drained. But he had done it. He had defeated the beast.
The familiar chime of the System rang in his ears, and a notification appeared before him.
[Quest Complete: The System's Tutorial Quest]
Reward: 50 EXP, Skill Tree Access, Basic Crafting Unlocked]
Level Up! Yuuto has reached Level 3.
New Stats: Health: 140/140, Mana: 80/80, Intelligence: 18, Magic: 16.
Yuuto smiled weakly as he felt the warm surge of energy that came with leveling up. He had unlocked new features—Skill Trees and Crafting—both of which would give him more control over his abilities and allow him to grow even stronger.
But for now, all he wanted was to rest.
As he lay back on the grass, staring up at the swirling sky of Aetheria, Yuuto couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. He had completed the System's tutorial, faced down a powerful magical beast, and emerged victorious.
But deep down, he knew that this was only the beginning.
The real challenges were yet to come.