Affinities

Lindarion gathered every last drop of mana in his body, pulling it toward his Mana Core. The moment he did, his senses sharpened, his blood boiled, and an intense heat surged through his veins.

It felt as if his entire being had become a furnace, the mana within him roaring like a caged beast. 

Slowly, he began circulating the energy, bracing himself for what was to come.

Then, the air around him shifted.

Thalorin's sharp gaze snapped toward him, his brow furrowing in concern.

'What the…?'

It was then that Lindarion saw them.

Ten rings.

They floated around his Core, each glowing in elegant, distinct hues—some vibrant, some subdued, but all undeniably powerful. The moment Lindarion sensed them, he knew.

'These… I have to claim them.'

He reached out with his will, drawing them in. Some obeyed effortlessly, while others fought, resisting his pull. And then—

The pain struck.

Agony unlike anything he had ever known exploded through him. It wasn't just pain—it was as if his very existence was being rewritten from the inside out. His muscles tensed, his breath hitched, and sweat poured from his body, soaking his clothes. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as it dripped from his nose. His vision flickered, the world swimming in and out of focus.

Thalorin's expression hardened, his instincts kicking in as he attempted to stabilize the chaotic mana surging through Lindarion.

The rings resisted. They weren't just power—they were entities of their own, demanding submission. But Lindarion refused to yield.

'I won't let go. I need this power.'

He forced the rings into his Core.

And then, everything collapsed inward.

A deafening silence filled Lindarion's mind, followed by a voice.

[Congratulations on your breakthrough, Host!]

[Affinities unlocked! Stable Core successfully formed!]

For a fleeting second, Lindarion thought the worst was over.

He was wrong.

Pain erupted from within, so raw and unbearable that his body convulsed. His skull felt like it was being split apart, his very essence wrenched into something new.

'It hurts…it hurts… it hurts…'

The words echoed in his mind, over and over, a mantra of survival.

Then—warmth.

A soothing energy spread across his back, numbing the agony just enough for him to breathe again.

Thalorin.

His healing magic pulsed through Lindarion, working to keep his body from breaking apart completely. Lindarion barely registered the blood he coughed onto the dirt before gasping for air, his lungs burning as if he had just clawed his way back from death itself.

"Lindarion."

Thalorin's voice cut through the haze. Lindarion's head felt heavy, his vision swimming, but he forced himself to listen.

"…How many affinities was that?"

Thalorin's voice held something rare—hesitation. As if he himself couldn't believe what he had just witnessed.

Still panting, Lindarion swallowed thickly and forced out the answer.

"Ten."

Silence.

Then—

Laughter.

A deep, booming sound that didn't fit the situation at all.

Through the fading pain, Lindarion managed to glare at Thalorin, who, despite everything, was laughing.

"Incredible… truly incredible." Thalorin exhaled, shaking his head in disbelief. "No one—no one—has ever had ten affinities before."

'You're kidding me…'

"This is a new milestone," he mused, rubbing his beard, eyes still gleaming with amazement.

Lindarion frowned. "What's the usual limit?"

Thalorin shot him an incredulous look. "Four, kid. Four. You more than doubled that."

"Oh."

[Affinities Unlocked]

Void (Tier 1)

Blood (Tier 1)

Astral (Tier 1)

Lightning (Tier 1)

Fire (Tier 1) Divine

(Tier 1) Darkness

(Tier 1) Time

(Tier 1) Water

(Tier 1) Ice

(Tier 1)

[Congratulations, Host! Importing basic affinity knowledge…]

The next moment, pure information flooded Lindarion's mind.

Each affinity, its basic principles, its fundamental laws—all of it burned into his brain in an instant. The overload nearly sent him into shock. He groaned, gripping his head, his breath coming in short, pained gasps.

'Holy—'

Thalorin crouched beside him, watching carefully. "It's time to continue training."

Lindarion barely mustered the energy to glare at him, but Thalorin ignored it, placing a steady hand on his shoulder. Another surge of healing magic washed over him, stabilizing his exhausted body.

"I won't pry into your affinities," Thalorin said. 

"That's your own business. In our world, secrecy is power. The element of surprise is your greatest weapon. Remember that."

Lindarion exhaled slowly and nodded.

"You have more to learn than most," Thalorin continued. "Having so many affinities means your path will be harder. Others refine a single craft, while you must master many. But I'll do what I can to guide you."

He stood then, rubbing his temples as if still trying to process what had just happened.

Then he turned back to Lindarion.

"What do you know about the monsters in the caves?"

"…Nothing."

The answer came instantly.

In his past life, Lindarion had read about dungeons in novels, but here? He had never faced anything like them.

"Perfect."

Lindarion blinked.

Then froze.

'Wait. No. That's not perfect.'

"The best way to learn is through discovery," Thalorin said. "I'll be back in a week. Until then, train however you like. Fresh food and water will appear by the well daily."

"…Wait, hold on. What?!"

Lindarion's voice cracked in disbelief.

He wasn't training him—he was throwing him to the wolves.

"If you have a space affinity," Thalorin added, "I'll give you one piece of advice."

The air around him distorted. Reality itself fractured, warping as he prepared to leave.

Lindarion lunged forward.

'I can't let him leave me here!'

"Lindarion, listen well."

Thalorin's voice was calm, unwavering.

"Space affinity isn't just about controlling emptiness. It's about understanding that the fabric of reality is constantly shifting. You must learn to move with it, not against it. Don't fight the flow—guide it.

If you can master that, space will not be your enemy, but your greatest ally."

He smirked.

And then—he was gone.

Lindarion stood there, fist clenched, teeth grinding.

"What kind of teacher does that?!"

His frustrated shout echoed through the empty field.

Seething, he slammed his fist into the ground.

"This is insane… This isn't training—this is suffering!"

He forced himself to stand, shaking the dirt from his clothes.

'Now what? How the hell am I supposed to train alone?'

[Host, first test your affinities to determine their combat viability.]

[Though knowledge was imported, practical application is key. After that—]

'Let me guess. Go into the cave. Kill monsters. Return to the well. Rinse and repeat. Right?'

[Exactly, Host!]

A notification blinked into view.

——[Quest Window]——

[Quest: Monster Slayer]

Objective: Kill 100 monsters in the cave.

Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Intelligence, +1 Charisma, Choose 1 Passive Skill.

Failure: None.

Status: Pending.

———————————

'…The system's starting to cheap out on stat points. But the passive skill thing is new.'

Lindarion wasn't about to complain.

[Quest Accepted!]

He took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders.

Time to get to work.