1 Chapter 1 - Arashi
[010/100 HP]
'...Is this the end? It appears they've abandoned me. To be honest, I can't blame them. I stopped believing in myself a long time ago, and I'm surprised they kept trying to help me for so long. Let's face it... I need to stop kidding myself. Why do I keep hoping for the best when I know what the 'Arashi' family is really like? They didn't keep me around to help me get better, but to use me as a test subject, to stop things like my situation from happening again...
'To this day, I still struggle to understand how things went so horribly wrong. I was once seen as the next big genius, and I did everything I could to make my family proud. But all of it fell apart just when it should have marked the beginning of my success. Instead, it marked the end of everything...'
[009/100 HP]
'Why did I end up with this ability? No, this isn't a blessing; it's a curse. Was my talent so immense that even God feared what I could become? What kind of deity imparts such a dreadful gift to their follower? In my family's long history, there have been no such cases; I stand as the first and only one to bear this burden. It's no wonder they've kept me alive all these years; I am the exception in our long lineage of pyromancers.'
"They kept me here to try and stop this from happening again, always looking for a way to get rid of my disabled state, but not because they care about me – they're doing it for their own good. Although it seems they've reached a stalemate with no progress, given that they are not here to offer a healing potion to restore my health to full. Ha~, I guess I've used up a lot of their resources. Maybe they can't afford to experiment on me."
"System Window Open..."
(System Window Pixelated Art for your viewing pleasure: https://imgur.com/TPZPfwB)
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Name: Kaien Arashi
Lv:01
Sub-Class: N/A
Health: 008/100
Mana: 000/250
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Attribute:
Str: 05
Vit: 05
Int: 15
Dex: 07
Points: 0
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Equipment
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Skills
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Locked
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'Just eight health points left before it's all over. You'd think a member of the 'Arashi' family would meet their end in the 'Tower,' not in their own room, with no one around – not even attendants or doctors. But here I am, alone in my dark room, nobody else in sight...'
'Every time I look at my status window, I can't help but laugh a little inside. If I'd known the skill I was going to get, I might have chosen a different path. Maybe it's this passive skill we Arashi's get that's made things so bad for me? Or is it the active skill itself causing all my troubles, even without the extra effect of the passive ability?'
[007/100 HP]
"Skill Window Open... Magic Amplification's Information"
(System Window Pixelated Art for your viewing pleasure: https://imgur.com/tslGzUX)
[Magic Amplification Lv1 (Mastery: 0.01%)
Magic Amplification, a passive ability that boosts magic damage
output. It enhances the power of all spells, increasing their
effectiveness without the need for active management.
A skill essential for mages seeking to maximize their arcane
potential
- Increases Magic Damage by 10%]
'Perhaps it's due to the increase in magic damage from the passive skill that my situation has become so dire? Had I known that the skill bestowed upon me by God would be such a curse, I wouldn't have trained so hard to increase my Intelligence stat to ten. If only I had known, maybe I would have taken a different route... Such an amazing passive skill has ended up being my downfall..."
'But really, what choice did I have? The Arashi family, famous for their line of pyromancers, built their reputation and influence on their skill with fire magic. In our family, every kid is born to be a pyromancer and has to go through tough training to get our first passive skill before our coming-of-age ceremony. That's when God gives us our first active skill. Everyone sees it as a blessing, but to me, it's always felt like a curse.'
[006/100 HP]
'Before everything went wrong, I was seen as a child prodigy, a talent worth developing. I was the first in my generation to hit ten points in intelligence stats, the requirement to unlock the magic amplification passive skill. You see, when the first attribute between Strength, Vitality, Intelligence and Dexterity reaches ten points, it grants a corresponding passive skill. This is precisely why the Arashi family emphasizes the development of their children's intelligence stats, aiming to cultivate this unique passive skill.
However, in comparison to my siblings within the family, I had pushed myself to reach an impressive fifteen points of intelligence through dedication and rigorous discipline. This accomplishment made me one of the few to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony with stats far beyond the recommended amount.'
[005/100 HP]
'Could it be that this was also my mistake? Allowing my intelligence stats to soar so high also amplified my magical power output. If I had kept it at ten, perhaps the damage wouldn't be so... irreparable. Every time I reflect on it, my talent and dedication appear to be the root of all the misfortune if we forget the skill itself. Although, I suppose it no longer matters. I've long been abandoned, with no true ally except... Mother. I hope to reunite with her in whatever lies beyond. Oh, Mother... you should have led a life filled with happiness, but because of me... and the stress I caused you... you had to depart at such a tender age... I'm deeply sorry.'
[004/100 HP]
'Status Window Open... Self-Immolation's information...'
(System Window Pixelated Art for your viewing pleasure: https://imgur.com/NF8RSMy)
[Self-Immolation Lv1 (Mastery: 0.001%)
Self-Immolation embodies the essence of playing with fire.
Upon activation, the user becomes engulfed in a mystical flames.
The very representation of a dangerous pact with the elemental
force of fire.
The user's own vitality is consumed by the flames, causing a steady
reduction in heath over time.
- Consumes 2% of Maximum Health every second
- Upon reaching 1 health of points,
Self-Immolation will automatically deactivate
- Can be activated and deactivated any time
- Mana Cost: 0]
'This cursed skill... it's what ruined my life. If only I'd known the terrible consequences of using it, I would have never dared. Self-Immolation, just as it sounds. It's a skill that sets the user's body on fire. In just one second, my veins, bones, flesh, and skin were scorched beyond recognition. A lifetime of pain and disability, all for a minuscule 0.001% increase in proficiency. Ridiculous, isn't it?'
'A self-harming skill, but for what purpose? The skill's description only mentioned its drawbacks; it didn't seem to offer any real benefit. It was supposed to take 2% of my health every second, but that was far from the truth. The effect was massively increased because of the 'Magic Amplification' passive skill and the added effects of my high intelligence stats. Just one second using this skill left me paralyzed; my veins disintegrated instantly, my bones melted from the heat, my flesh turned to ash, and my skin charred completely.'
'They tried everything to keep me alive, but I wished they hadn't, as I was left useless for years. Unable to move or change my fate. Even after the skill was disabled, my body was beyond repair, constantly having my life force drained. The family had to use expensive healing potions to treat my wounds, only to leave me hanging on by my last few health points.'
[003/100 HP]
'My dear mother, she did everything she could to heal me. But my father... he didn't care, didn't even visit once to check on my progress. My mother was shunned by the entire family because of her desperate pleas for support and help for my condition. This put her under unbelievable stress, and sadly, it eventually took her life.'
'I was left alone, confined to my room, a reminder of a failed prodigy whom was once celebrated. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and months into years, with only the occasional visit from a servant who'd bring me my meals and the necessary potions to keep me clinging to life.
[002/100 HP]
'As time passed, I began to reflect on my situation. Trapped in a body that no longer served me, I started to see my room as a prison rather than a sanctuary. The once prestigious 'Arashi' name now felt like a heavy chain around my neck. The family, renowned for their prowess and influence, seemed indifferent to my plight. It was as if I had become a ghost, haunting the corridors of my ancestral home, forgotten by those who once praised my potential.'
[001/100 HP]
'A thought often lingered in my mind: If only... I was given another chance.'
[000/100 HP]
'As my health dropped to zero, the world around me started to blur and shift. The walls of my room, once so familiar, began to twist into shapes I couldn't recognize. It felt like the end, my journey drawing to a close with my health meter exhausted. But in that final moment, something extraordinary happened.'
'Time seemed to unravel around me. My life flashed before my eyes - my childhood, my days as a prodigy, and the tragic turn that led me here. I felt weightless, as if lifted from the physical pains and constraints of my existence. The suffering, regret, and loneliness began to fade away, replaced by a strange, calming sensation.'
'I felt something pulling me beyond the limits of my current reality. The darkness that had been closing in was now receding, giving way to a soft, glowing light.'
"Young Master, It's time to wake up!"
"Huh?"
