Chapter 5: The Fickle Flame
Rhaizen sat cross-legged in the middle of the crystal circle he had discovered the day before. His body was still sore from the battle with the Stoneback Boar, muscles aching from bruises and scratches. Sweat dripped down his face, mingling with the dried blood on his arms.
He focused on the black-red aura swirling faintly around him. It was unstable, unpredictable — yet undeniably his.
He clenched his fists, trying to push the energy outward, to make it obey him. For weeks he had trained, but the flames of power never followed his will. They surged, pulsed, then collapsed back into him, leaving him exhausted and frustrated.
"Why won't it listen?" he muttered. His voice was rough from shouting. "I can feel it… I can see it… but it won't follow me."
He remembered Elder Kaien's words:
> "Those born with elemental affinities have an advantage. But even without one, the peak belongs to those who endure."
"So… what does that make me?" he whispered. "Ordinary, or… something else?"
Rhaizen took a deep breath and tried to push all emotion aside. He focused on the heat in his chest, on the black-red aura that had appeared the day the boar had tested him. He didn't try to force the fire this time. Instead, he let it exist — allowed it to flow naturally through him.
At first, nothing happened. The aura flickered, weak and uneven. Then, slowly, it began to stabilize. It spread along his arms, wrapping around his torso. His muscles burned, but the energy no longer threatened to explode uncontrollably.
He opened his eyes, staring at his hands. They glowed faintly red. A spark of fear shot through him.
"Not again…" he whispered, trembling. But he didn't step back. He clenched his fists and let the energy flow outward.
The moment he released it, the air around him trembled. A surge of heat pulsed through his body, strengthening his limbs. He felt faster, stronger — more alive than he had since the burning of the Silent Veil Clan.
Rhaizen staggered backward, surprised by the sudden burst of power. He realized something incredible: he hadn't summoned flames, but his Qi had manifested in a form of energy so strong it enhanced his body naturally. Every muscle, every joint, every movement now carried extra strength.
He tested it. He swung an imaginary strike at the air. The aura followed perfectly, stable and controlled this time. He clenched his fists, pushed forward, and a wave of red energy pulsed from him, knocking over a large rock nearby.
His heart pounded. I did it…
He sank to his knees, gasping for air. He had barely controlled it, and the strain left his muscles screaming, but for the first time in weeks, Rhaizen felt like he had accomplished something. He wasn't just surviving anymore — he was learning to master himself.
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For the next few days, he trained relentlessly. The mountains were empty, far from any human settlement, and the forests and cliffs around him offered no help or shelter. Every day was a trial: physical exhaustion, Qi control, and mental discipline. The black-red aura became familiar, though still difficult to manage. Each attempt left him drained, but he could feel himself growing stronger.
Two months passed. His body had adapted to the energy, his Qi flowing smoother than before, though far from perfect. His movements were faster, more precise, and he could release bursts of energy without collapsing afterward — most of the time.
Rhaizen sat on a flat rock at the edge of the clearing, the wind brushing against his face. He flexed his hands, feeling the residual heat coursing through his arms. He didn't need fire yet. He didn't need destruction yet.
All he needed was control.
He stood slowly, muscles still trembling, and raised his arms. The red glow surrounded him fully now, stable and responsive. He struck the air again. The aura pulsed outward, moving exactly as he willed it. He tested kicks, punches, and leaps — every movement strengthened by the Qi, every action under his control.
"This… this is the first real step," he whispered, his chest heaving. "Strength comes later. Control comes first."
The mountains were harsh. The nights were cold, the forests wild. There were no villages, no people, no distractions — only him, the wildlife, and the Qi crystals scattered around the clearing.
For the first time since the Silent Veil burned, Rhaizen felt like he wasn't just surviving. He was preparing. Preparing to leave this isolation, to face the outside world when he was ready.
He breathed in deeply and exhaled, focusing his Qi one last time before sitting cross-legged in the clearing. His aura pulsed faintly, red and black, steady and responsive. He smiled faintly.
"Not revenge yet," he muttered. "First… strength. Then, the world."
The mountains were quiet around him, the only witness to his progress. And Rhaizen would endure.
The next morning, Rhaizen moved carefully through the forest. His body still ached from yesterday, but the black-red aura of his Qi pulsed around him, making him faster and stronger.
A rustle in the bushes caught his attention. A Forest Fang Wolf stepped out. It was bigger than any normal wolf, its eyes glowing faintly with energy.
Rhaizen didn't panic. He let his Qi flow through his body, enhancing his speed and strength. The black-red aura glowed around him as he moved.
The wolf lunged. Rhaizen dodged and struck with a punch powered by his Qi. The wolf yelped and staggered, but it recovered quickly, circling him.
Rhaizen pushed his Qi harder than ever. Suddenly, his fist ignited with flames — a technique he had never consciously made. The punch hit the wolf, sending it stumbling back. He gasped. He hadn't meant to do that.Converting his Qi to fire consumed twice as much Qi as a normal punch, and he could feel his energy draining faster than usual.
The brief fire on his hands reminded him of his innate ability to convert Qi into fire. The flames appeared naturally when he pushed himself, but the energy cost was higher than normal Qi-enhanced strikes.
The wolf lunged again. This time, Rhaizen focused only on controlling his Qi. The black-red aura glowed as he dodged and countered with Qi-enhanced strikes. He didn't try to use fire this time. He kept his movements precise, conserving energy, knowing that overusing Crimson Flame Fist could leave him exhausted.
Finally, a well-timed kick powered by his Qi sent the wolf crashing into a tree. It growled, staggered, then ran deeper into the forest.
Rhaizen sank to his knees, panting, feeling the warmth of his aura and the lingering heat from the Crimson Flame Fist.
"I can manifest fire," he said to himself. "A new technique… I'll call it Crimson Flame Fist."
He stood and brushed dirt and leaves from his clothes. The forest was quiet again. He had survived. He had tested his Qi in a real fight.
Rhaizen had learned something important: he was capable of more than he thought, and now he had a new tool to grow stronger.