Chapter - 18

I don't know how long I've been here. Slowly, I start to regain my senses. At first, it feels like I'm floating, but as my mind clears, I realize something strange—I'm actually floating. Gravity seems to have abandoned me.

When I finally open my eyes, I'm surrounded by a thick fog, obscuring everything around me. It's like I'm lost in some kind of mystical haze.

As I gather my thoughts, a realization strikes me—I'm adrift in my consciousness realm, accompanied by two shimmering orbs of light. They're the soul essences I recently harvested, emanating an otherworldly glow.

As I extend my hand towards the two soul essences, expecting a passive response, I'm taken aback by their sudden reaction. They seem to recoil from my touch, their luminous glow dimming as if in protest.

Despite my efforts to grasp them, the soul essences evade my reach, darting away with surprising agility. It's as if they have a will of their own, a desire to escape the fate that awaits them.

Despite their attempts to evade me, I press on, determined to claim what is rightfully mine. With a surge of willpower, I seize hold of them, forcing them towards me.

In a final act of defiance, the soul essences resist with all their might, their light burning brighter with each passing moment. It's as if they are fighting to maintain their autonomy, unwilling to surrender to my grasp.

But in the end, their efforts are futile. With a surge of energy, they merge into my being, their light engulfing me in a searing blaze. I feel a burning sensation coursing through me, as if they are making one last stand against their inevitable fate.

And as their essence becomes one with mine, I used my frist ability "Synthmire".

Scenes and sensations that are foreign to me begin to unfold, like pages from a book I've never read.

****

Today, I celebrate my fifth birthday, a day that marks the beginning of my extraordinary journey.

My affinity was tested, revealing a remarkable connection to fire, an element that holds a mesmerizing allure. With this revelation came the awakening of a powerful fire-related ability, igniting within me a passion for mastery over flames. Moreover, my potential for achieving an A-rank in physics was acknowledged, hinting at a future filled with limitless possibilities.

My father spared no expense in commemorating this momentous occasion, hosting a grand celebration that resonated with the joy and pride of family and friends. Their admiration and praise bestowed upon me the title of a prodigy, setting high expectations for the path ahead.

From that pivotal moment, my father embarked on a journey of nurturing my talents, sparing no expense in securing the best education for me. A cadre of instructors was appointed to guide me in the arts of swordsmanship, mana control, and fire manipulation, each investment made with the utmost faith in my potential.

Age 7 found me showcasing remarkable progress in fire manipulation, captivating spectators with controlled flames at a bustling community fair. This early display of skill served as a testament to my innate talent and fueled my ambition for greater feats.

By age 8, I had already demonstrated early prowess in swordsmanship, earning the admiration of a seasoned warrior during a rigorous training session. The validation of my skills at such a young age fueled my determination to excel further in my pursuits.

Celebrating my tenth birthday was a moment of great fanfare, as family and friends hailed me as a prodigy for my remarkable affinity with fire. Their unwavering support and belief in my abilities served as a constant source of motivation as I continued to hone my skills.

At age 12, I delved into the intricacies of mana control, winning praise at a local competition for my mastery over magical energies. This accomplishment further solidified my standing as a rising talent.

By age 14, I had advanced my fire manipulation skills under the expert guidance of a renowned fire mage, effortlessly mastering advanced techniques that once seemed beyond reach. The culmination of years of dedicated practice and mentorship propelled me ever closer to my ambitions.

And now, at age 15, I stand on the cusp of greatness, having earned a coveted spot at the prestigious Best Hero Academy. This achievement serves as a testament to the unwavering dedication and exceptional abilities that have been honed over the years.

****

"This is... memories of that guy!"

I am now seeing the memories of the boy I took soul essence from.

Soul essence is part of a soul. And a soul is a person's true existence, memories included.

Normally, when I take another person's soul essence, it's only supposed to fortify my soul and nothing else. But because I have another ability called "Synthmire," which can seal memories in a soul, I can now see the memories inside the two soul essences I absorbed.

The two soul essence did not hold all of his memories, but only a small part of it . But even that was filled with almost all kinds of things.

I selected all the memories of him training, reading, and learning . These are necessary for me as a transmigrator who didn't receive the former self's memories.

Using the "Synthmire" ability, I stored those memories in the Archive within my soul. Memories of training with swords, memories of learning how to wield fire, and memories of mastering various arts. Among them, I also discovered memories of bullying other kids using these skills, but I chose not to retain those.

Till now I have only been doing the side quests, the main quest is still here. The main reason I harvested the soul, strengthening my own soul.

As I invoked my second ability, "Debt Reaper," a tremor ran through the two soul essences within me. Though they resisted, I knew I had to assert my dominance to fully integrate them into my being.

With steely determination, I unleashed my power, causing the soul essences to vibrate violently. Their resistance intensified, but I refused to yield. I needed to make them mine, completely and unequivocally.

As I exerted my will, the temperature around me soared to unbearable levels. The heat was suffocating, threatening to overwhelm me. Yet, through the scorching pain, I held on, refusing to relent in my quest to assert control.

With each passing moment, time seemed to stretch into eternity as the struggle reached new heights. It was a relentless battle of wills, a clash of opposing forces vying for dominance within the depths of my soul. Each instant felt like an eternity, as if my own essence were being used as fuel to stoke the flames of the raging inferno within me.

Despite the searing pain and the overwhelming intensity of the struggle, doubt began to gnaw at the edges of my resolve. With every passing second, the torment threatened to consume me entirely. I felt as though I were teetering on the brink of oblivion, the unbearable agony pushing me perilously close to the edge.

With every fiber of my being screaming in protest, I pressed on, driven by sheer determination and the desperate hope of victory. But as the marks of burn began to appear across the landscape of my soul, I couldn't help but wonder if even one more second of this torture would drive me to consider drastic, unthinkable measures.

Such as surrendering to the overwhelming agony, succumbing to the temptation to end the torment by any means necessary, or even contemplating the unthinkable prospect of extinguishing my own existence to escape the relentless pain.

And then, with a final surge of power, the resistance crumbled, the soul essences submitting to my command. They merged with me, their essence now bound to mine inextricably. But the victory came at a cost.

As the searing heat subsided, leaving behind only the echoes of pain, I realized the toll the ordeal had taken on me. The burns on my soul were deep, the scars of my struggle a reminder of the price of power. And though I had emerged victorious, I knew that I would not attempt such a feat again anytime soon.

The heat from the essence no longer sears my skin; instead, it wraps me in a warm, comforting embrace. It's as if the essence itself is offering solace, soothing the lingering ache of our struggle.

As I take stock of my surroundings, the thick fog still envelops me, but something has changed. The two soul essences, now bound within me, radiate a new light—a light that pushes back the fog, dispelling its oppressive presence.

Even without the concept of sight, I sense the world around me in a way that transcends mere perception.

Within the meter radius of the soul essences, I feel a profound sense of existence—a presence that surpasses the limitations of sight, hearing, and smell. It's a sensation that resonates deep within my soul, a knowing that defies explanation.

While sight, hearing, and smell can be deceived by external stimuli, the sensing power of my soul remains unyielding. As long as a soul exists within range, I can perceive its presence with unwavering clarity. It's a power that transcends the boundaries of the physical world, offering a glimpse into the deeper truths that lie beyond.

This is the passive ability of Debt Reaper. Using the soul essence I create an ability called "Soul Sense" that surrounds me .

Within the meter radius of my soul, I perceive existence in a way that transcends the limitations of traditional senses. It's a sensation far more profound than seeing, hearing, or smelling everything within that space simultaneously.

While sight relies on light rays entering the eyes, hearing depends on sound waves reaching the ears, and smelling is governed by the detection of specific molecules. All of these senses could be deceived.

But my soul's sensing power operates on a deeper level. It's a connection to existence itself, a perception that cannot be deceived unless someone can completely erase its existence from reality. In other words, I can sense any soul as long as it is within range.

"Hmm. System? Can you hear me?" I inquire, hoping for a response.

Silence echoes in the void, confirming my suspicion. "I guess not," I murmur to myself. "This place is my consciousness realm—it exists within my imagination, not in reality."

The consciousness realm is a unique space nestled within the confines of the mind. Every individual possesses their own consciousness realm, a realm inaccessible to external entities unless they possess the ability to traverse the depths of the mind.

With a sense of finality, I attempt to access the memories contained within the soul essences one last time, employing my ability "Synthmire." As expected, now that these essence belongs to me, the memories of that guy have vanished.

I am left with only the memories I stored in the Archive within the soul . Fragments of knowledge scattered like pieces of a puzzle. Among them are glimpses of swordsmanship techniques, insights into mana control and gathering, and strategies for efficient mana usage. Yet, these memories are incomplete, mere fragments of a larger whole.

However, amidst the fragments, there is one complete spell. It is the first basic spell of the fire element, "Fireball".