A Pyromaniac's Ascent

"Wait, do you have some kind of mana regeneration skill?" Finn asked, his curiosity rekindled.

"Nope, almost all my skills are combat-oriented," Yukha said.

"I'm a Water Warrior, and I have focused my attributes on Constitution and Strength. I have been fighting like a warrior my whole life, even before I received the system, so naturally, that's the class I picked."

"A Water Warrior?" Finn asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yukha's massive frame, coupled with the heavy armor he wore, certainly fit the image of a warrior. But water? That seemed off. When Finn thought of warriors, he imagined Stone or Fire affinities—something solid, forceful. Water felt more suited for Mages or Clerics, not someone charging into battle.

"Yes. It's a great class," Yukha replied, nodding confidently.

"But when I imagine a warrior," Finn said hesitantly, "I think of Stone or Fire—something more… offensive. Water just feels different."

Yukha paused, his expression thoughtful. He rubbed his chin with his large hand, as if trying to piece together Finn's perspective. "I can't seem to grasp what you mean, Finn. Water and being a Warrior seem perfectly natural to me."

Finn blinked, confused by Yukha's reaction. How could he not understand? And then it hit him—of course.

He isn't from Earth. He has no concept of RPG logic.

"Besides," Yukha said, breaking Finn's train of thought, "I am also a natural when it comes to water."

He raised his hand, and as Finn watched, a small sphere of water formed in the air above Yukha's palm. It grew steadily, pulsing with a faint energy, before Yukha clenched his fist, and the water dissolved into thin air, vanishing as suddenly as it had appeared.

"Why didn't you tell me that earlier?" Finn asked.

"You didn't ask," Yukha replied.

"Fair enough," Finn said, shaking his head with a wry smile.

"Now it's your turn, Finn," Yukha said, crossing his arms. His tone was firm, almost like a challenge. "You said you were a natural with fire, did you not? Show me what you got."

"And do not use your Fireball skill. Just summon fire like you did before you got here."

Finn hesitated. When he had used his power earlier, it was in the heat of the moment—desperation to escape the burning house. Now, without that surge of adrenaline, he didn't feel as confident.

After all, the fire had almost killed him twice. And the times he'd lost control of it haunted him.

His hand instinctively moved to his scar, as though it could somehow guide him, point him toward the right path. Yet, all he felt beneath his fingers was its rough, uneven surface—a reminder, not a compass.

"What are you waiting for?" Yukha's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

He was right. There was no time to wait. No time for his mind to heal, no time to let the trauma fade. If he wanted to survive, he needed to control it now.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. He focused, letting his mind drift back, searching for the memories from his childhood.

The memory of when he first discovered his power came to him clearly. He remembered the small ember appearing on a sheet of paper, slowly consuming it. Then, the times he experimented—setting fire to more papers, pieces of wood, and random objects he found. Even small critters hadn't been spared. He could vividly recall the heat, the acrid smell, and the way the flames moved—red, alive, and constantly shifting.

As he focused on the memory, something stirred deep inside him. It was hard to describe, but it felt as though a hidden part of him—an unseen mouth—had opened. When he tapped into it, he felt a burning sensation deep within.

He opened his eyes and exhaled from this imagined mouth. A flicker of flame, about the size of a small rock, sparked to life above his hand.

The sensation was strange yet familiar, as if the fire came from within him, much like how air flowed from his lungs. Back on Earth, it had been different. The flames he summoned felt distant and disconnected, like a tool he was borrowing. But here, the fire felt natural, like a part of him he had always known.

The small flame hovered above his palm, its steady red glow warming his skin. It wasn't searing or dangerous; it was comforting, almost soothing.

"You really are a natural," Yukha said, his wide eyes fixed on the flame. At fire too. That's something you don't see often."

"Is it really that rare?" Finn asked, his gaze still on the flame.

"Very. Even fire specialists are uncommon," Yukha explained. "It's a difficult element to master. Wind, stone, and water are all around us, easy to draw from. But fire… it has to be ignited first, and it's easily extinguished. Not to mention, it's dangerous. An unskilled user can easily hurt themselves.

"Fire's not much use defensively, either. It's not dense enough to block attacks. The only way fire can defend is if it's hot enough to burn anything it touches instantly. But that level of heat could just as easily harm the user. Few are willing to take that risk."

Yukha glanced at the flame again. "Fire naturals are even rarer. In my 300 years, I've only seen four or five of them. Even in the Tower, I imagine very few people choose fire as their specialty. Other elements are just easier to use."

"Three hundred years?" Finn asked, startled. His surprise made the flame flicker slightly.

"Yes, orcs live for about five hundred years on average," Yukha said with a small grin. "That makes me an old man. But enough about me—try infusing more mana into that flame. It's a rare sight, and I want to see what else you can do."

Finn wanted to ask Yukha how to infuse mana, but as he turned his focus back to the flame, the answer came to him instinctively. It was as though the flame was connected to him by invisible veins, and his mana was like a liquid flowing through them—fuel for the fire.

He carefully let the mana flow, and the flame responded, growing steadily until it was the size of a basketball. Satisfied, Finn stopped the flow, and the flame stopped growing.

"Now, try controlling it. Make it move around," Yukha suggested.

Finn focused again on the fire, surprised at how deeply he could feel it. It wasn't just a visual thing—it was as though the flame was an extension of his body, connected to him in a way that he could sense it mentally. When he willed it to move, it obeyed. Up, down, left, right—the flame followed his commands.

It was so much easier than back on Earth. Back then, controlling fire had felt like pushing through thick fog or moving underwater, slow and clumsy, like struggling to move in a dream. But here, the connection was clear and smooth, with no obstruction.

That didn't mean it was perfect. The fireball sometimes overshot where he wanted it to go or stopped short, but it was still far easier to manipulate than before. Finn moved it around, weaving it through the air, almost mesmerized by the way it danced.

"It's like it has a life of its own," he murmured.

"Impressive," Yukha said, his eyes following the flame. "How long have you been training with it?"

"Not long," Finn admitted. "When I was younger, I experimented a bit—burning paper, wood, random things. But I didn't try to control it much, not like this. Back then, it felt… sluggish. Like there was something blocking me."

"Blocking you?" Yukha raised a brow.

Finn nodded, the memory of that desperate night flashing in his mind. "Yeah. When I was trapped in a burning house, I tried to summon fire to break through a wall. But it moved so slowly, like I was dragging it through mud. If I'd had this level of control back then…" He trailed off, his chest tightening.

I could've escaped. I could've made the fire bigger and faster. Maybe things would've been different.

Yukha's voice snapped him back to reality. "That makes this even more impressive," he said. "For someone with so little experience, your control is remarkable. My theory proves true again: the system must have optimized your body to unlock its potential. Still, even with that, this level of skill for a beginner is rare. I might have underestimated you, Finn." A grin spread across Yukha's face. "Now I'm even more excited. Training you in the Tower is going to be fun."

"Training me?" Finn looked at him curiously. "You're not just accompanying me—you're going to train me too? Isn't that a bit much?"

"I told you earlier, did I not?" Yukha chuckled. "I have no grand ambitions in the Tower. I've lived long enough, and there's nothing left for me to prove. Helping a friend grow stronger seems like a worthwhile use of my time."

"Friend?" Finn repeated, blinking in surprise.

"What?" Yukha teased, raising a brow. "Do you not wish to be my friend?"

"Of course I do!" Finn said quickly.

"Then it's settled. I look forward to working with you in the Tower, my friend," Yukha said, extending a hand.

Finn shook it firmly. "Looking forward to it too… friend."

The warmth in his chest surprised him. Having an orc as a friend felt surreal. Moments ago, he'd only seen Yukha as a potential ally. Now, with the word confirmed, it made him feel welcome—a part of something bigger. It gave him a burst of motivation to move forward.

But as Finn opened his mouth to speak again, a sudden wave of exhaustion hit him. His knees buckled, and the flame he was controlling fizzled out. He barely registered Yukha catching him before he collapsed.

"You must have drained all your mana," Yukha said, chuckling as he steadied Finn.

Finn glanced at his status. Sure enough, his mana bar was empty: 0/50, the blue color completely gone.

"Here," Yukha said, handing him a small bottle filled with a shimmering blue liquid.

Finn took it with trembling hands, surprised by how easy it was to open the cap despite his weakness. He tilted it back and drank, expecting something bitter or medicinal.

Instead, he was hit with a cold, minty sweetness that reminded him of those sugared bottled waters back on Earth, the ones he drank for dehydration when he had a fever. The potion's effects were almost immediate—like a refreshing wind rushing through his veins, washing away his fatigue. Within moments, he felt steady again.

He glanced at his status: 52/52, the mana bar filled to the brim with glowing blue.

"This is amazing," Finn breathed, taking deep, steadying breaths.

"That," Yukha said with a grin, "is the effect of a high-level mana potion."