This time, Moyo thought he was ready for the pain.
His mind was steeled, his body rigid and taut, every nerve alive with the raw determination to survive. He clung to the thought of what lay beyond this torment—a reward worth the suffering.
And yet, he failed again.
The molten liquid seared through him, turning his skin into a bubbling, grotesque slurry of blood and flesh. His screams rose, raw and shrill, a sound of such pure agony that it seemed inhuman. His body maintained its posture, fingers locked tightly together even as the skin peeled from them in sickening strips.
Ajax stood above him, calm as ever, crushing something in his hands and pouring it over Moyo's ruined form.
The pain stretched into eternity, each second a lifetime. Time lost meaning as his mind teetered on the brink of madness, clawing at the edges of sanity. His nerves, exposed and frayed, screamed as they were dissolved and reformed, again and again.
Finally, it ended.
Piece by piece, his body began to rebuild itself. Physical Regeneration surged to life, weaving nerves and tissues back together with ruthless efficiency. But with each breath, each faint twitch of his reconstructed form, came new agony—a chorus of raw, burning sensations.
Moyo's breaths came shallow and ragged at first, then steadied as the healing completed its work.
Through the haze of pain, his bloodshot eyes focused on Ajax, who stood in front of him. The man's gaze was sharp, no doubt analyzing Moyo's stats. With a faint nod, Ajax broke the silence.
"As I guessed," he said, his tone matter-of-fact, "your Physical Regeneration won't climb further until you ascend to the next stage—Initiate. Perhaps it's time you obtained a core."
Moyo couldn't respond, his throat raw, his energy spent. He lay there, breathing deeply, as the system notifications began to scroll before his eyes.
[Body is undergoing tempering!]
[Refined aether shards have been used in the process, increasing physical strength! +10]
[Endurance has been improved! +10]
[Aura core has been rejected!]
He guessed that was Ajax's doing, rejecting the aura core to ensure he stayed firmly on the path of an intent user.
STATS
Name: Moyosore
Path: None
Race: Human
Rank: Fledgling
Core:
Level: 25
Skills:
Blood Absorption [?]Endure Agony [U] 25Physical Regeneration [U] 25Toxin Resistance [C] 25
Attributes:STR: 33DEX: 18END: 33VIT: 25
Items:Ethereal Credits: 100,000
Moyo's gaze lingered on his stats. His Strength and Endurance had climbed far above the rest, leaving Dexterity and Vitality trailing behind. He took stock of his body as the pain finally dulled to a manageable throb.
Turning his head with effort, Moyo saw the rusted metal rod lying nearby. He reached for it, his stinging palms wrapping around its cold, unyielding surface. A faint shudder ran through him as he swallowed hard.
The glow of the lava bathed the cavern in an eerie orange light, casting deep shadows across Ajax's figure as he sat in the distance, watching Moyo quietly.
Moyo forced himself to his feet. Every movement sent fresh jolts of pain through his barely healed muscles. Blood and remnants of his former flesh clung to him, his steps uneven and jerky as he fought to stay upright.
Yet through the haze of suffering, through the madness clawing at the edges of his mind, he stood.
Unbroken.
Ajax's expression didn't shift, but there was something in his gaze—a flicker of acknowledgment, perhaps even respect—as he gestured toward Moyo.
"Come at me," he said simply.
Raw speed and strength surged through Moyo's body as he swung the rusted pole with all the rage he could muster. The weapon cut through the air, but when it connected with the sheath of Ajax's blade, it rebounded effortlessly, as if Moyo's strength were nothing more than a nuisance.
"To wield a blade is to wield an instrument of death," Ajax began, his voice steady and unbothered as Moyo attacked without form or skill, relying purely on brute force and fury.
"It is to become an extension of a weapon so ancient that its essence has birthed powerful figures across countless eons of the Archailect, resonating across galaxies and systems," Ajax continued, parrying each of Moyo's wild swings with ease.
Fueled by frustration, Moyo's attacks became even more erratic, his anger intensifying with each effortless deflection.
"It is not enough," Ajax said, his voice cutting through Moyo's rage, "to simply swing like a madman. You must feel the essence of the blade. Will it to cut. Like this."
Ajax gave his sheathed blade the smallest shake, and Moyo staggered backward, a shallow cut opening across his chest. The gash stretched from his shoulder to his navel, a spray of blood bursting forth as the sharp pain overwhelmed his senses.
Gritting his teeth against the agony, Moyo blinked rapidly to clear his vision as Ajax tossed him a crystal. The blue shard hummed faintly in Moyo's hand, its surface pulsing with a soft, electric glow.
"That's a refined intent shard," Ajax explained, his tone casual. "Used by intent users to assimilate intent into their cores. Costs about a thousand credits per shard—not that you can't afford it now."
Moyo winced as his chest began to heal, Physical Regeneration knitting the wound closed with ruthless efficiency. "I don't have an intent core," he rasped, his voice raw.
"Not yet," Ajax replied cryptically. "But the first step is learning how to wield intent. Now, crush it and seize the intent."
Moyo hesitated, then obeyed, closing his fist around the shard and applying pressure. It shattered with a sharp crack, releasing a torrent of blue-tinted aether that grazed his skin like the edge of a blade. The energy swirled around him, wild and untamed, threatening to slip from his grasp.
He fought to focus, reaching out instinctively to gather the intent around the pole in his hands. The energy pushed back, resisting him at every turn.
Ajax snapped his fingers, and a ripple of power radiated from him. The intent whipped into a cyclone, swirling faster and faster around Moyo, who stood in its center, battling to maintain control.
"Sit," Ajax commanded, his voice firm. "Let the power seep into your body."
Moyo obeyed, sinking to the ground.
Ajax appeared behind him without a sound, one palm pressing against Moyo's back. A sudden rush of energy suffused Moyo's body, the raw force of intent pooling just below his stomach.
"Every ascendant of the Archailect has a dormant core," Ajax said, his voice low and steady, "hidden within their bodies. It waits for the moment they willingly choose a path—a designation of aether to follow. Weapon users gain intent. Brawlers gain aura. Elementalists gain mana cores."
Moyo clenched his fists as the power swelled within him, surging faster and brighter.
"But you," Ajax continued, his tone almost amused, "were cut off from the system's usual rewards. No smooth integration for you, no effortless core formation. Time we do not have. So, we must go the old route."
The pressure in Moyo's body mounted, the energy burning brighter as it sought a release. His HUD pinged, the notification cutting through the storm.
[Create intent core?]
"Yes," Moyo whispered, his voice trembling as he willed the system to accept.
[Refined intent shard has been assimilated in the process of creating intent core.]
[Intent core created!]
[Core grade set at: Dim.]
The cyclone of intent dissipated, siphoning into Moyo's core. He gasped as the power settled, his body alive with a newfound energy.
"A dim core," Ajax remarked, his smirk returning. "Not bad for a fledgling. Odd to see in a Tier 1 world, but then again, nothing about this situation is normal."
Moyo felt the power crackle within him, the raw potential of the intent core sparking like phantom fire in his chest.
"Now," Ajax said, his tone turning instructive, "channel it into the rod. Imagine the intent flowing from your core, through unseen lines in your body, and into your hands."
Moyo closed his eyes, picturing the energy as veins branching outward from his core. With a deep breath, he willed the power to travel those pathways, guiding it toward the pole.
[Aether lines created!]
The rod in his hands flared to life, blue flames of raw intent licking along its length. It felt alive, thrumming with power, an extension of himself.
Ajax chuckled, his grin widening. "Congratulations, ascendant. You're a step above a worm now."
Despite the pain still echoing through his body, a faint smile crossed Moyo's lips.
Name: Moyosore
Path: None
Race: Human
Name: Moyosore
Rank: Fledgling
Core: Intent [Dim]
Level: 25
Path:
Points:
Skills:
Blood Absorption[?] Endure Agony[U] 25 Physical Regeneration[U] 25 Toxin Resistance[C] 25
Attributes:
STR: 33 DEX: 18 END: 33 VIT: 25
Items:
Ethereal Credits: 100,000
Moyo stared at his stats, a flicker of satisfaction breaking through his exhaustion. In mere hours, he had been transformed, dragged kicking and screaming through the hellish gauntlet Ajax had thrown him into. The cost? Nearly his sanity—and perhaps parts of it were already lost—but he doubted that mattered now.
The heat from the magma lapped at his skin, his footsteps crunching against the scorched banks as he approached Ajax. The Death Blade stood waiting, his sharp eyes scanning Moyo like a hawk assessing prey, his stance calm and unyielding.
"Initiate rank," Ajax began, his tone casual but edged with authority, "is where you start to refine aether into your core's chosen form. Without reaching it, you'll remain a gnat—an annoyance to the denizens of this dungeon."
He paused, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "And you, worm, lack offensive skills—something you're painfully aware of."
Moyo frowned but stayed silent.
Ajax continued, "Normally, fledgling ascenders would have access to the Syndicate's shops by now—assuming this dungeon's survivors managed to carve out a base nearby. But since we're cut off, we'll have to create a skill for you instead."
"Create a skill?" Moyo asked, incredulous.
"Rare, but not impossible," Ajax replied with a shrug. "It depends on your aptitude and the resources at hand. Since you've refined intent into your core, we have a chance. That said, creating even an uncommon skill takes time. The truly mythic ones can cost tens of thousands of Aurums."
Moyo's eyes widened at the mention of such astronomical sums.
"How do we start?" he asked cautiously.
Ajax's grin widened, a glint of sadistic amusement lighting his eyes. "Simple. You do your best to harm me while I beat the weakness out of you."
Moyo shuddered but readied himself, gripping the intent-infused rod.
What followed was nothing short of a massacre.
Moyo swung relentlessly, the pole blazing with intent as it struck over and over. But Ajax deflected every blow with insulting ease, parrying with his sheathed blade or, worse, slapping Moyo's attacks aside with his intent-coated arm.
"Pathetic," Ajax said with a chuckle, his strikes cutting shallow gashes into Moyo's skin.
Moyo's Endurance kept him standing as the hours passed. His movements grew more desperate, his swings wild and furious. Each failed strike fed his irritation, simmering anger boiling into raw frustration.
Still, Ajax toyed with him, barely bothering to defend with more than the occasional counter.
But something shifted.
Moyo's strikes became sharper, his intent growing more concentrated as he instinctively pulled it from the air around him. The loose threads of power vibrated with each swing; his determination etched into every move.
Ajax's gaze grew focused, his earlier amusement giving way to something closer to approval.
Moyo's HUD pinged, momentarily breaking his concentration as he faltered, his core half-drained.
[Skill: Blade Surge (U) has been created!]
[Blade Surge (U): A storm of intent sharpened to cut into your enemies from multiple angles, dancing to the tune of your blade.]
Ajax raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Well, congratulations are in order."
Moyo tightened his grip on the rod, feeling its vibrations intensify.
"Now we level it up," Ajax declared, unsheathing his blade.
The first strike came hard and fast, forcing Moyo to block with the rod. He activated Blade Surge, sending a storm of intent spiraling toward Ajax. The Death Blade swatted it aside effortlessly, laughing as he increased the tempo of his attacks.
[Blade Surge level 2!]
[Blade Surge level 5!]
[Blade Surge level 10!]
[Blade Surge level 15!]
As the skill grew, the intent surrounding Moyo began to shift. The flames dimmed, trading raw flare for refined potency. The concentrated power lashed out with each swing, forcing Ajax to adjust his stance ever so slightly.
"Your skill grows because you're facing a tougher opponent," Ajax explained, laughter punctuating his strikes.
Moyo barely registered the words, grunting as a punishing blow struck his ribs. The pain was sharp, but his determination didn't waver.
When Blade Surge reached level 30, something changed. The intent surged with newfound strength, condensing into a dark blue glow. One of Moyo's strikes actually deflected Ajax's blade slightly off course, drawing a flicker of surprise from the Death Blade.
Seizing the moment, Moyo gathered all his intent into a single point. The rod blazed with barely restrained power as he swung it downward with all his might.
A small explosion rocked the cavern, the shockwave pushing Moyo backward. He crashed into a roll, coming dangerously close to the lava before he managed to push himself away from the edge.
[Skill: Crushing Blade (U) has been created!]
[Crushing Blade (U): A devastating blow that channels the full strength of your body and intent, delivering a wrathful strike upon your foes.]
Panting heavily, Moyo stared at the rod. It glowed faintly red, almost as if heated by the raw energy coursing through it. To his surprise, he couldn't feel the heat—the scalding surface seemed incapable of burning his skin.
Ajax's laughter broke the silence, his voice echoing through the cavern.
"Not bad, ascendant," he said, his grin widening.
A screeching sound interrupted them, reverberating from deep within the cave.
"I believe we've woken the locals," Ajax said, his tone casual but his eyes gleaming. "About time. You need to rank up."
Moyo turned, his HUD flashing as dozens of scaled creatures poured into the cavern. Their crimson bodies shimmered in the lava's glow, smoke curling from their mouths.
[Flame Serpents, Level 20.]
Before Ajax could give an order, Moyo was already moving.
Pole gripped tightly, he surged forward, intent blazing in his core. The first serpent lunged, flames erupting from its jaws. The fire washed over Moyo harmlessly, his very skin shielding him.
The first swing of his pole cut through two of the creatures with ease, the raw intent slicing cleanly through their bodies.
A grin spread across Moyo's face, widening into a smile—and then into something darker, a malicious look of pure delight.
For the first time, he wasn't the one enduring the pain.
And he savored every moment of it.
Ajax cackled quietly, watching as Moyo tore through the ranks of flame serpents with unrelenting fury. The pole in his hands blazed with intent, each swing carving through scales and flesh with crushing precision. The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoldering serpent remains, but the creatures showed no hesitation, charging mindlessly over the bodies of their fallen peers.
Seated on a boulder near the edge of the battlefield, Ajax crossed one leg over the other, observing Moyo's movements with a critical eye.
Every swing, though effective, was clumsy—more brute force than technique. To a seasoned swordsman, it was an embarrassment. Still, Ajax couldn't fault the child. Moyo lacked the experience, the years of muscle memory that could turn raw power into art. Ajax knew better than to expect perfection from someone who had been thrust into this hellish world mere hours ago.
That said, Moyo had exceeded every expectation.
The Blood Absorption skill had undoubtedly played a role in his rapid growth, but it wasn't the whole story. Moyo's sheer perseverance, his ability to endure the grueling tempering process Ajax had put him through, was extraordinary. Ajax winced at the memory, knowing full well that his employers didn't need to hear about the... unconventional methods he'd employed.
All they would see was the result: a weapon, sharpened and hardened, ruthless and unyielding. A creation worth every resource poured into its foundation.
And Moyo's foundation was solid.
By now, Ajax was certain the boy had already surpassed every other native of this backwater world. He doubted any of the planet's fledgling ascenders had reached Level 10 yet, let alone reached the thresholds Moyo had just crossed. The presence of a Tier 2 dungeon had undoubtedly skewed the balance, throwing the natives into chaos. Perhaps this was the Archailect's way of correcting the scales—allowing Ajax to forge someone capable of defending the planet when the time came.
As Moyo dispatched the last of the serpents, Ajax noted how his skin shrugged off the worst of the creatures' fiery attacks. The boy's Toxin Resistance and Vitality had made him nearly impervious to their flames, and his growing skill with intent ensured he could finish them off with ease.
Ajax clapped slowly, drawing Moyo's attention.
The child turned to him, his figure glowing with the dark blue hue of concentrated aether. The oppressive energy radiating from him made it clear: he had crossed the threshold into a new rank.
"Congratulations, Initiate," Ajax said, his voice carrying a mix of amusement and approval.
Moyo panted, the glow around him dimming as the rush of advancement settled in his core.
"Now," Ajax continued, standing and sheathing his blade with a sharp snap, "your true training begins, swordsman."
He stepped toward Moyo, hand raised to pat him on the back, but paused mid-motion. His nose wrinkled, his expression twisting into one of pure distaste.
The smell hit him like a wall—a pungent, rancid stench of dried blood, burnt flesh, and the wastes purged from Moyo's body during his advancement. Ajax recoiled slightly, taking a deliberate step back.
"First," Ajax said, his tone dripping with disdain, "let's get you cleaned up. Your smell alone could have killed that troll earlier."
Moyo blinked, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as Ajax turned, gesturing toward a nearby stream of molten lava trickling into a smaller, cooler offshoot of water.
"Over there," Ajax ordered, "before I start questioning my decision to train you."
Despite the biting words, there was a faint smirk on Ajax's face.