Trial by Fire

Roy's voice echoed through the cavern, swallowed by the thick heat hanging in the air. He stood at the edge of the magma pool, staring at the half-buried sword and the World Ring resting just beyond its reach. His heart pounded in his chest, anticipation and unease warring inside him.

"You are not ready," Ignis Fang's voice resonated, firm and absolute. "Even the strongest of your world, those you call Ninth Evolution Core users, would shatter under my power. The inheritance within the ring? You lack the strength to claim it."

Roy clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "Then why lead me here? Why tell me all of this if I can't wield it?"

A low, almost amused chuckle filled the cavern.

"Because you still have a choice. The path of power is not given freely. You may attempt the first trial—succeed, and you will qualify to walk this road. Fail…"

The air shifted, the temperature rising even higher.

"And you will die here."

Mimi's tiny body tensed. "Pi Pi! User, you don't have to do this right now! We can come back later, when you're stronger!"

Roy exhaled, steadying himself.

"What's the trial?"

For a moment, there was silence. Then—

The magma pool churned violently.

Bubbles swelled and burst, spewing waves of unbearable heat into the air. The molten surface twisted unnaturally, as if something beneath was waking up.

The pressure in the cavern grew suffocating. Roy's skin prickled, his fire core responding instinctively to the sheer power surrounding him.

"Survive the flames. Cross the magma. Prove that fire does not reject you."

Mimi flailed. "Pi Pi! Are you crazy?! User, you can't swim in lava! That's—!"

"Then how do I cross?" Roy cut in, eyes locked onto the molten abyss.

A deep chuckle followed. "Figure it out."

Roy's fingers twitched. He could feel it—the fire here wasn't just dangerous.

It was calling to him.

The heat wasn't trying to kill him.

It was waiting for him.

Roy exhaled sharply.

Then, without another thought—

He jumped.

Into the Inferno

The moment his body touched the lava—

Agony erupted through him.

His nerves screamed, his skin blistering in an instant. His vision blurred, the world turning into a violent sea of molten red.

For a fraction of a second—

He thought he was dead.

Then—

The pain shifted.

It didn't fade, but it changed. The burning didn't destroy him. Instead, it pushed through him, digging deep into his flesh, his bones—

And then something cracked.

Roy's body seized up as a new heat exploded from within. His fire core, which had always been a small ember in his chest, roared to life like an untamed wildfire.

The flames around him were no longer just an external force.

They were part of him.

Mimi's panicked voice echoed above. "Pi Pi?! User, you—your body! You're—!"

Roy's vision cleared.

And what he saw shocked him.

His arms glowed, the molten light coursing beneath his skin. It was as if his flesh had become glass, revealing the fire surging inside. His veins no longer carried normal blood—

They burned with liquid flame.

His old skin peeled away, crumbling into embers, only for something stronger to take its place.

The magma wasn't destroying him.

It was reforging him.

The Lava Awakens

Ignis Fang's voice echoed through the cavern, distant yet unwavering.

"You adapt quickly, but survival is not enough. Strength alone does not make one worthy. Let's see if you can withstand true devastation."

A tremor shook the lava pool.

Roy barely had time to react before a massive eruption split the surface apart. From the depths of the inferno, a beast of flame and molten rock emerged—a Lava Guardian.

Its body stretched over twenty feet, a writhing mass of molten scales and searing embers. Its eyes burned like miniature suns, locking onto Roy with an insatiable hunger.

Then, it struck.

Roy barely managed to twist his body in time as the guardian lunged, its jaws snapping shut just inches from his face. The force alone sent waves of superheated magma surging around him, threatening to drag him deeper into the abyss.

"Damn it!" Roy cursed, struggling to stay afloat.

The guardian coiled back, then struck again—faster this time. Roy clenched his fists, summoning every ounce of fire energy within him.

He didn't dodge. He attacked.

With a roar, Roy threw a punch straight into the creature's snout. Fire exploded from his fist, colliding with the beast's molten hide. A shockwave blasted outward, sending magma flying.

The guardian hissed, reeling back in fury.

Roy didn't stop. He couldn't.

His body was burning, his limbs screamed for relief, but he pushed forward, unleashing a relentless barrage of strikes. Every punch ignited the air, every movement left trails of embers in his wake.

Yet, the guardian didn't falter.

Instead, it fought back harder.

A massive tail, forged from molten rock, whipped through the lava—and this time, Roy couldn't dodge.

The impact slammed into his ribs with the force of a boulder.

CRACK.

His vision blurred. His body spiraled through the molten sea.

Pain exploded in his chest. His breath hitched. Blood filled his mouth.

Somewhere in the distance, Mimi's panicked voice rang out. "User! User, move!!"

But his body… wouldn't move.

The guardian struck again, this time ramming him straight into the cavern wall. Roy felt his shoulder pop out of place. His body convulsed. His mind screamed for relief.

He was sinking.

His strength was fading.

No.

He clenched his teeth, fighting through the agony.

No! I can't lose here!

His heart pounded wildly in his chest. He struggled to push himself up, but his arms felt like lead. His core pulsed weakly, the fire within him dimming.

The guardian loomed above, a towering god of destruction.

This was the end.

Roy exhaled, his vision darkening. His limbs trembled, his body betraying him.

I'm not strong enough.

His mind wavered. He thought of home.

Of the people waiting for him.

His mother's gentle smile. His father's proud stance. His brother's stubborn grin.

Sara.

Her voice, her laughter, her warmth.

His fingers twitched.

I have to protect them.

Memories surged through him—his family's struggle, their hidden fears, the looming danger on the horizon. He had promised them. Promised to be strong. Promised to protect them.

A spark ignited in his chest.

His fire flared.

The guardian lunged, jaws wide—ready to devour him whole.

Roy's eyes snapped open.

And this time, he didn't retreat.

He roared.

BOOM!

Flames erupted around him, a whirlwind of fire and raw willpower. His body moved on instinct, adrenaline overriding pain. He twisted mid-air, grabbing onto the guardian's horn.

The beast shrieked, thrashing violently.

Roy clenched his fists.

His power surged.

"I'm not done yet!"

With a forceful yank, he pulled himself onto the guardian's head. His mech suit, still active despite the extreme heat, hissed and adjusted, reinforcing his body just enough to keep him from breaking apart.

Then—he punched downward with everything he had.

CRACK!

The guardian howled in agony, its molten scales splitting under the sheer force of the blow. Lava surged, twisting into waves around them.

But Roy didn't stop.

He struck again.

And again.

And again.

The air trembled with each impact. The lava raged around them.

Until finally—

The guardian's body cracked.

Its molten form shattered, breaking apart into a violent explosion of fire and embers.

Roy barely had time to brace himself before the force sent him flying.

His body crashed into the hardened cavern floor, his breath ragged, his vision flickering.

Blood seeped from his wounds. His right arm was completely limp. His core was nearly empty.

He had nothing left.

But he was still alive.

Silence filled the cavern, broken only by the soft bubbling of lava.

Then, a slow, amused chuckle echoed through the chamber.

Ignis Fang's voice was different this time.

"You… truly are a madman."

Roy coughed, struggling to push himself up. His arms shook violently, barely holding his weight.

"Shut up…" he rasped. "I won, didn't I?"

The sword hummed.

Then—

The lava parted.

The sea of molten rock split open, revealing a path leading straight to the relics.

The trial was over.

He had passed.

But as Roy took his first step forward—

His body collapsed.

The last thing he saw before darkness consumed him—

Was the glow of the World Ring, just within reach.