Just as I thought Urvock was done—chunks missing from his stone-like skin, heat burns covering his upper body—something changed.
He froze.
Then, his eyes started glowing.
A deep, blood-red light flooded both eyes, like a switch had been flipped in his brain. It wasn't just rage—I could feel the power pulsing off him like waves of heat. My body tensed on instinct. Something primal had been unleashed.
And then, he roared.
A thunderous, guttural sound tore from his throat and slammed into me like a physical force. My ears rang. The air trembled. I flinched—just slightly—but not from fear. The sound wasn't just loud. It was alive. Furious. Consuming.
That roar didn't just signal a change. It was the change.
His body began to mutate.
The cracked pieces of stone skin flaked off, crumbling to dust as they hit the ground. But what replaced them wasn't fragile or weak. His skin was now deep red—thick, raw muscle pumping beneath the surface, veins like ropes crawling along his arms and neck. Steam hissed from his mouth in heavy bursts, flooding the air around him. It was like watching a volcano come to life.
His chest rose and fell with rapid, violent breaths, each one making his massive shoulders twitch with tension. Then he reached behind him and yanked his massive iron sword from his back, dragging it across the ground with a piercing screech of metal against stone.
Then—
BOOM.
He launched forward.
The ground exploded beneath his feet, grass and dirt flying as his huge form barreled toward me. The speed he moved with was terrifying, even for someone his size. A berserker on the warpath.
Still wreathed in flames, I didn't move. I stared straight at him, calm, calculating.
I knew what was happening.
[Rage].
The skill he'd kept hidden until now.
His strength had multiplied. His speed had jumped. His mind was gone, replaced with fury.
But that didn't change anything.
I activated [Flame Claws] again to re-sharpen the heat and let [Speed Boost] surge through my legs. Flames erupted stronger than before, licking up my arms and torso, blazing in the moonlight. My limbs felt light. My blood burned with raw energy.
I took my first step.
Then vanished.
To everyone else, I probably looked like a blur of fire and speed. With an AGI stat now pushed over 45 thanks to [Speed Boost], Urvock's charge may as well have been in slow motion.
He swung.
His sword ripped through the air—but I was already behind him.
My claws slashed upward across his back. This time, I wasn't denied.
Flames tore through his exposed red flesh, spraying blood into the night. He roared again, turning with shocking speed and swinging his blade in a wide arc. I ducked under it and stepped to the side, flames trailing behind me.
He was faster, yes. But I was faster still.
I dashed left, claws dragging across his side. He grunted, his arm twitching. Another spin. Another miss.
I didn't give him a second to think. Strike after strike, I moved like a phantom in fire. Hit his ribs. Hit his leg. Jump back. Dash forward. His blood hissed as it hit the flames around my body.
He was a monster, no doubt—but I was a predator.
His swings became wild. Less focused. The rage was controlling him now. He couldn't read my movements. Couldn't keep up. He was a giant swinging at smoke.
I leapt into the air, twisting midair to slam a flaming claw down across his collarbone.
More blood.
More steam.
He stumbled. For the first time, he looked uncertain.
I landed and stared him down, my body still coated in fire. My breath was steady. I didn't feel drained. If anything, I felt even stronger.
My mana pulsed through me, replenishing almost as fast as I could use it. The title [Mana Born] made sure of that. [Speed Boost], [Flame Coat], [Flame Claws]—I didn't have to think about efficiency. I could run all my skills and not even flinch.
Unlike most people, I didn't worry about my MP ticking down.
I had fire in my veins and fuel to burn.
Urvock panted, blood running down his side. His muscles trembled, whether from fatigue or fury, I didn't care.
I smiled.
This fight wasn't over.
But I was going to win.
A few minutes passed, and the giant that had once charged at me like an enraged beast now lay face down in a puddle of his own blood. His body twitched slightly, a sign that he was still alive—barely. I didn't need to kill him. He wasn't some mindless creature. He was mine now.
He'd earned his place.
[Flame Claws leveled up]
[Flame Claws – Level 2]
I stared at the flames still dancing along my hands. They were different now—denser, more focused. The claws themselves had grown, now nearly 7 centimetres long. They pulsed with heat and had started to change colour, darkening toward an almost white-blue at the tips from how intense the flames had become.
That fight had given me more than just satisfaction. It gave me progress. A stronger skill, a stronger team, and something far more valuable—respect.
I turned to the two standing on the sidelines.
"Carry him to the hut," I ordered coldly. "Set him up in the centre room. Use some hides for a blanket if you have to."
Alvin and Thorn stared at the bloodied mountain of a man, clearly trying to figure out how they were supposed to move someone that large. But I didn't explain myself or wait to see how they'd manage.
They'd figure it out—or suffer trying.
I returned to the hut and made my way to my room. The familiar dark interior greeted me. I dropped down onto the bedding and opened the system, casually scrolling through my profile and checking for any lingering notifications or changes. The night was still young, but I needed a moment to let everything settle.
Half an hour passed.
Then, the door creaked open.
Urvock stepped inside, walking on his own two feet.
So, he'd woken up before they could carry him. Fitting. He followed the command on his own, not out of fear, but understanding. Thorn and Alvin trailed behind him, clearly making sure he didn't collapse on the way.
After ensuring Urvock made it safely, they returned to their spots outside by the fire. They knew better than to try sleeping in my hut.
Weaklings don't get shelter.
And they knew that.