Chapter 9: Infernic Drift

Arden moved like a shadow through the trees, quiet but precise.

His eyes never left the group of Lynx in the clearing, yet his focus wasn't on them, it was on whatever they were guarding.

He didn't know what it was, but he could feel it pulsing, like it was calling out to him.

He started the hunt from the flanks.

One by one, he picked off the distracted ones. They were too busy snapping and growling at each other to notice the flicker of movement behind them, too focused on their prize to sense the danger closing in. Arden struck fast, relying on his reflexes and raw strength, driving his fists and knees into weak spots.

Then one screamed, and the others noticed.

"Damn it," he muttered, dropping into a crouch as their heads snapped his way.

They didn't hesitate. A chorus of snarls rang out as they lunged for him, but Arden didn't wait either.

He darted between trees, weaving through brush, drawing them apart. If they wanted to chase, he'd make them pay in pieces.

He caught the first with a low kick to the leg, followed by a rising elbow that snapped its jaw sideways. It collapsed with a thud.

Another pounced, and he sidestepped, letting his heat-boosted punch catch it mid-air.

"Still too slow," he said through gritted teeth.

More came. But Arden kept moving, and kept fighting, his mind still half on the pull of that unknown treasure ahead.

The fragments kept coming with each kill, each burst of life energy absorbed into his body.

His skills worked overdrive—Ignition Reflex firing, and Ignition Vein Surge driving flame into every strike, but the toll was heavy.

He could feel the drain creeping in.

He pressed on, slipping behind another, his elbow finding the base of its skull. Two more circled him. But he didn't back off. He moved low, let them leap, then rolled and snapped his foot into one's side.

He grunted as the other clawed his back, but he spun and ended it with a hammer fist.

And then it came.

That familiar sound.

Life Energy Absorbed

Gained Life Signature: Ignition Reflex fragments ×2

Total Fragments Reached = 50

Fuse Ignition Reflex Fragments to evolve? Y/N

He blinked, panting, heart still racing. "Yes," he whispered, not a second of doubt.

His body jolted.

It wasn't like before. This one hit deeper, like something rewired itself at the core of his instincts.

His vision sharpened, and his limbs felt lighter, but not weak.

Stronger. Smarter and Faster.

Evolution Successful

Gained Life Signature: Infernic Drift

Effect:

Movement ignores physical terrain for brief bursts

Leaves behind burning afterimages that explode or distract

Can trigger on reflex, even against hidden or soul-based attacks

Arden stood there, stunned for a second, feeling it settle into his being like it had always been there.

"Infernic Drift…" he muttered, cracking a grin. "Now we're talking."

The rest of the Lynx didn't matter. He dashed forward, and the world blurred.

Trees bent around him as he shifted through branches like mist.

The first Lynx in his path saw nothing but a flicker of light and fire before it exploded in flame.

Another roared, confused, slashing at an afterimage, only to get blindsided by Arden's true self slamming into its side.

He cleared the last of them in minutes, his new skill giving him an overwhelming edge.

He didn't wait, sprinting through the trees, toward the heart of the clearing, the place where they'd gathered before.

His boots barely touched the ground as he closed the distance, driven by a blend of adrenaline, curiosity, and instinct.

He was ready to see what they were guarding.

And he wasn't leaving without it.

Arden stepped into the clearing, eyes narrowing as they landed on the last beast standing.

It wasn't like the others.

This one was bigger, thicker around the shoulders, and its tail glowed with a deeper hue, like molten embers instead of simple flame.

Its fur shimmered slightly, like it was coated in a faint aura.

Its eyes locked onto him with a calm intensity, not wild like the others. It didn't growl or posture. It just waited.

"Why do you look different?" Arden muttered, wiping blood off his knuckles. "Where were you hiding?"

Then the system answered for him.

Species: Mutated Blazetail Lynx

Rank: D (Mid-tier)

Affinity: Flame + Pulse

Trait: Pulse Conduction – Can absorb ambient heat and release it in rhythmic bursts, increasing reflex speed and muscle output temporarily.

Arden blinked. "Pulse conduction... that explains the others being restless. You were feeding off them, huh?"

He took a slow breath, not letting his eyes leave the beast.

He wasn't dumb. A mid D-rank wasn't something he should be messing with just yet, not when his energy had already taken a hit from the earlier fight.

But the fruit behind it… that was what had pulled them here.

It sat nestled in a thick stem, glowing with a gentle warmth, barely matured but definitely not ordinary. He didn't know what it was or how it grew here, but he knew it mattered.

He could feel the life energy inside it, steady but rising.

"If I leave it, someone else will take it. If I wait, it might rot, or this bastard could consume it first."

Arden glanced around the edges of the clearing, noting the broken ground and scorched roots.

This lynx had been protecting it for a while. Maybe not out of instinct, but because it had bonded to the energy, just like him.

His heart pounded, part excitement, part dread.

"Alright," he said, brushing his hair back, sweat sticking to his brow. "No turning back. Two rewards, one fight."

He dropped to a knee, drawing in slow breaths, letting the heat in his veins calm.

His ember pulse had quieted a bit, but it still flickered under the surface, ready to rise again.

He focused, letting his energy settle. His body ached, but not enough to stop him.

"Let's do this," he muttered, pushing himself to his feet. "One good fight… and it's mine."

Then he charged.

A/N:

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