Forming the First Core

As Roy walked home, he spoke with Mimi.

"Can you assist me in analyzing the battle and the gains?" he asked.

"Pi Pi! User was reckless and overconfident. If you were even a minute slower, you could have died!" Mimi scolded angrily.

"The good thing is that the beast was already injured, so it couldn't use its full power. That gave me an advantage," Roy replied.

"Hmph! Still too risky!" Mimi huffed. "But the gains are significant. Now, you have two elemental beast cores. If you absorb them properly, you can form at least a fire elemental core. Your power will increase, and there's even a small chance of inheriting a technique from the Fire Lion."

"What about my injury?"

"It's not serious. Since you also have the fire element, your body will heal naturally within one to two days. The mech protected you from the worst of it."

Roy nodded, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation. The battle had been intense, but the rewards were worth it.

By the time he reached home, his thoughts were already on his next steps.

When Roy entered the house, Sharvani was waiting for him. The moment he stepped inside, his mother's sharp gaze locked onto him.

"I know what you've done," she said sternly. "It was reckless, and you know it. The only good thing is that you're safe and that no one discovered your identity. But listen to me, Roy—don't use the mech unless you have the power to protect it."

Her voice softened, but the warning in her words remained. "The world isn't safe. If you can't protect what's yours, someone else will take it. That's the law of the jungle now. Inside the shelter, you have some security, but outside… it's different. Be careful next time. You're a fighter by birth, and you have the potential to become great, but you're still young. There are things you don't know yet—things I can't tell you right now."

Roy listened quietly, absorbing her words. He knew she was right. His mother had lived through far more than he had—she understood the dangers better than anyone.

"I'll be more careful next time," he said in a reassuring tone.

Then, after a brief pause, he added, "By the way, Mom… I can kill Level 2 beasts now. I need to train harder. Once I've recovered in a couple of days, I plan to go out for personal training. I won't go far from the shelter, but I want to face more beasts before heading to the military camp."

Sharvani studied him for a moment before nodding. "You have our support. With the mech, no ordinary beast near the shelter should be a threat to you. And if you encounter something too powerful, you can escape with the mech's speed and your wind abilities."

Then, her expression hardened slightly. "But don't be foolish, Roy. Be careful."

"This will also be a test from our end before you leave for the military camp," Ravindra added, stepping forward. He had been silently listening to the conversation between mother and son. "If you come across a powerful beast, you might even find materials to upgrade your mech."

Roy nodded. "Okay, Dad. I'll do my best."

Absorbing the Beast Core

Roy entered his room, determination flickering in his eyes. Tonight, he would take his first step toward true strength—absorbing his first beast core.

"Mimi, how do I absorb it?" he asked, holding the Fire Lion's core in his hand.

"You can swallow it directly," Mimi responded. "With your fire elemental affinity, you'll be able to slowly break it down and absorb its energy. But I recommend practicing Lion's Blaze while you do—it'll help your body adapt better. Since both the technique and the beast core come from a lion-type creature, they'll be more compatible."

Roy nodded. Without hesitation, he placed the core in his mouth and swallowed.

The moment it reached his stomach, a searing heat erupted from within. It felt like his insides were melting, his very blood igniting from the raw energy contained in the beast core.

But he didn't panic.

Drawing on his fire affinity, he guided the heat, letting it merge with his body instead of consuming him. He sat cross-legged, focusing on Lion's Blaze, channeling the technique as instructed. Flames roared through his meridians, his control over fire strengthening with each passing second.

Ten minutes passed. The beast core was nearly fully absorbed.

Then, something changed.

A spark ignited deep within him—at the very center of his being. In his heart, a tiny elemental core began to form. Compared to the beast core he had just absorbed, it was minuscule, a small bead of condensed energy. But Roy could feel its significance.

This was just the beginning.

He knew that an elemental core could evolve up to nine times, each stage exponentially harder than the last. Very few in the world had ever reached the ninth evolution. For now, forming the core was his first step toward true power.

As the beast core fully merged with him, a rush of foreign memories invaded his mind.

A lion-like beast prowled through a cave filled with molten magma. It trained there, refining its flames, perfecting its deadly strikes.

And then—an explosion of fire.

A technique.

When the vision faded, Roy's eyes snapped open.

He had gained something new.

A powerful offensive fire technique left behind by the Fire Lion itself.

Inferno Fang.

As the vision faded, Roy exhaled, feeling the surge of power within him. He clenched his fists, flames instinctively flickering around them.

"Mimi," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "I absorbed the beast core… and I think I inherited a technique from the Fire Lion."

"Pi Pi! Really? What kind of technique?" Mimi asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

"It's called Inferno Fang," Roy replied. "In the vision, I saw the Fire Lion using it in a magma-filled cave. The technique—it's explosive, precise, and… powerful."

"Pi Pi! User is very lucky!" Mimi chirped happily. "Not everyone gets a technique from beast cores. The compatibility must have been very high. Plus, practicing Lion's Blaze must have helped!"

Roy smirked. "Looks like your advice was right, Mimi."

"Of course! Mimi is always right!" she said proudly. Then, her tone turned eager. "Now, you must practice it! The faster you master Inferno Fang, the stronger you'll be!"

Roy nodded. "I was already thinking the same thing. I'll head to the training area now."

Without wasting time, he grabbed his training gear and made his way out.

Roy walked through the dimly lit hallways of his home, stepping into a private underground training area. It was a reinforced space designed to handle high-energy combat techniques—perfect for testing his new ability.

The moment he entered, he activated the room's energy barriers, ensuring no damage would escape the walls. He rolled his shoulders, stretching his arms as he prepared himself.

Taking a deep breath, he clenched his fists and focused.

Time to see what Inferno Fang could do.