Chapter 21
"This seems like a terrible idea." Alira shot at Dainen, arms crossed, her tone sharper than usual.
Dainen had his hands up, trying to get her to listen. "I wouldn't put him in this situation if I didn’t think he could handle it. Yeah, he’s a Copper-tier user, but he fights like a Gold. He’s as skilled as Teran—and faster. And Teran has been Gold-tier for over three years."
Alira didn’t waver. "Then why don’t we start with a Silver-tier? Or even two Copper-tier monsters? I get the logic, Dainen, I do—but this seems like an unnecessary risk."
Dainen remained calm—he’d expected this argument when he made the decision. "If we want him to ‘HUD up’ or ‘level’ or whatever he calls it, that doesn’t really matter. He needs to get stronger—fast. And yeah, training is working, but it’s slow. He said it himself, when he moves up to Silver-tier, he gets ten points to enhance his abilities. That could mean the difference between life and death."
He leaned back, shrugging. "We went through that HUD of his pretty thoroughly while you were gone. Turns out it has a help guide—talks to him sometimes, but he keeps turning the voice off. Which, honestly, I get. I can barely handle my own voice in my head. If there was another one trying to tell me things all day, I’d lose my mind."
Alira tilted her head, raising an eyebrow as she stared him down.
Dainen sighed. "Okay, fine. Lose my mind more than I already have."
He straightened and leaned forward, voice firm. "But that’s not the point. His HUD guide actually explained it—it tracks his growth and rewards him for fighting above his tier. The harder the fight, the greater the progression. And you know this, Alira. How many times did I have to talk you down from hunting an Emerald-Tier beast when we were still Silver? We have to challenge him."
Her expression didn’t change. But the corner of her mouth twitched—just barely.
Dainen pressed on. "We’ll be right there if anything happens. But Alira—you’ve grown to care about this boy, and I think it’s affecting your judgment. I have too."
He lifted a hand, cutting off her rebuttal before she could even start. "But we can’t afford to hold him back."
Alira exhaled, rubbing her temples. "I know."
She sat down in the chair opposite him, her shoulders slumping slightly. "You’re right. I do care for him. But I was there in the Heart Spring when the Celestial told Eli this. And the look on his face... this isn’t just some journey for him. It’s a curse."
Dainen stayed silent.
Her voice lowered. "This is going to destroy a good kid," she whispered. "I don’t know if I’m more afraid of him dying for this cause or succeeding. Because if he succeeds, he’ll control more power than any mortal soul should have to carry."
A beat of silence stretched between them.
Dainen tapped a knuckle on the table. "Then WE”, emphasizing the ‘we’ and pointing at himself and then at her, “make sure he can handle it."
Alira spent the next three days searching for any sign of a Gold-Tier Monster. At Dainen’s insistence, Teran accompanied her, gaining valuable experience tracking alongside someone of her caliber.
On the third day, Alira found something. She and Teran took mental notes of the location before heading back.
By the time they returned to the homestead near dinner, Dainen knew immediately.
“You found it,” he said, his tone making it clear he didn’t need to ask.
Alira sighed, wiping sweat from her brow. “We should go tonight and keep tabs on it. Then Eli can fight it in the morning.”
Eli blinked. “Why not tonight?”
Alira and Dainen exchanged glances.
“You’ve been training all day,” Alira pointed out. “You should rest—be at peak form for this fight.”
As she passed Liah, she ruffled the girl’s hair, only for Liah to immediately pull away, grumbling under her breath.
Eli crossed his arms. “But my stamina is at 100%.”
Alira tilted her head. “And?”
Eli grinned. “Mirelle makes this bread that regenerates my stamina. It’s also amazing.”
He shot a glance at Mirelle, who just smiled and nodded, pleased by the compliment.
Alira looked at Dainen for backup.
She found none.
Dainen just stood there, arms crossed, unreadable.
Her eyes narrowed. She mouthed, “Traitor.”
Dainen smirked.
Alira sighed and shifted her satchel over her shoulder. “It’s going to get dark soon. If we leave now, we’ll make it before nightfall.”
Eli pumped his fist and spun to high-five Teran.
Watching them, Mirelle raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “You two look like children.”
Teran grinned. “We feel like children, too.”
Mirelle turned back to the porch, where Rion and Liah stood, arms crossed, clearly displeased.
“Good luck, Eli,” Mirelle said. “These two will be asleep when you get back.”
“Maaaam, come on!” Liah whined. “We never get to see the cool stuff!”
Rion nodded furiously. “Yeah! The best we get is Grampy kicking Eli’s butt all day!”
Eli looked deeply wounded. “Hey!”
The kids grinned.
He huffed, crossing his arms. “It isn’t all day! I have lunch between my butt-kickings, thank you very much.”
The thank you very much carried just enough pride and wounded dignity to send both kids into a fit of laughter.
Mirelle sighed and nudged them toward the door. “Upstairs. Now.”
“Ehhh, fine,” Rion groaned.
“Good luck, Uncle E!”
With that, they disappeared inside, the door clicking shut behind them.
Eli sighed dramatically and shook his head. “Tough crowd.”
Alira smirked, tightening the strap of her satchel. “Ready to go, Uncle E?”
“Let’s go Ally!” Eli shot back.
Alira just shook her head.
By the time Alira tracked the creature to within 120 meters, Eli felt the pre-fight jitters settling in his stomach.
Didn’t matter if he was playing Oak Hill Academy or their junior varsity team—he always got butterflies before a game.
His mom used to call it his energy crank—a phrase that seemed fine until his teammates overheard it in eighth grade. He spent an entire season being called Energy Crank after that.
Eli smiled a little, remembering how his mom had laughed the whole time she apologized.
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She had the best smile.
He exhaled, shaking out his arms and bouncing on his toes, finding that balance between meditation and full alert.
Then, he saw it.
His HUD pinged a second later:
New Entry – Raiken (Gold-Tier)
?? Name: Raiken (Lightning Stalker)
?? Tier: Gold
?? Affinity: Elemental
?? Mana: Electrical Mana
?? Status: Highly Aggressive
?? Threat Level: Extreme
?? Known Capabilities:
? Storm Veil – Generates a constant electrical field around its body, disrupting movement and dulling sensory perception in close combat.
? Blink Strike – Instantly displaces itself in short bursts, moving faster than the eye can track.
? Thunder Fang – A direct bite that delivers a high-voltage shock, capable of momentarily paralyzing foes.
? Arc Step – Every step leaves behind a charge of electricity, priming the battlefield with dangerous terrain.
? Overload Frenzy – When critically wounded, the Raiken releases a surge of stored energy, amplifying its speed and damage exponentially.
?? HUD Note:
"Survival rate against Gold-Tier Raiken: 12%. If engaged, anticipate rapid movement, delayed visual tracking, and high electrical resistance. Best strategy: control the battlefield or strike before it can Overload. Failure to adjust = certain death."
As the flood of data filled his vision, Eli’s eyes locked onto one detail.
"Survival rate against Gold-Tier Raiken: 12%."
His breath caught. “Twelve percent?”
His head snapped toward Alira. “What, so if I have to fight a Gold-Tier, I might as well fight the toughest one?”
She didn’t respond. Just glanced at Dainen, who winked at Eli.
Eli stretched his neck side to side, took a deep breath, and forced himself to focus. He could hear Alira, Dainen, and Teran throwing out last-minute advice—but he tuned them out.
They had done their part. Now it was up to him.
He stepped forward.
Then broke into a slow jog, angling for a better position.
At the edge of the clearing, the Raiken stood waiting. Its ember-like eyes burned as they locked onto him.
Sleek, obsidian-black fur clung to a body built for relentless speed, coiled with unnatural energy. Blue-white lightning flickered in erratic bursts along its limbs, crackling as mana surged beneath its skin.
Its elongated snout curled, exposing serrated fangs gleaming like polished steel. Twin mana-charged canines crackled, raw power arcing between them.
Instead of a traditional tail, the Raiken’s spine extended into jagged tendrils of pure energy, twisting and pulsing with unstable lightning.
Its legs were impossibly long and lean, designed for explosive speed. Each step scorched the ground beneath it, the grass burning away from the sheer energy coursing through its body.
Then the world snapped.
A blinding pulse of light—then, suddenly, the Raiken was meters closer.
The air hummed where it had stood, still shimmering with static.
Eli’s heart pounded. The Raiken wasn’t just fast.
It bent the very air around it.
Its lightning-infused muscles coiled, predatory gaze unblinking.
It didn’t just hunt.
It wanted to play.
Eli had seen speed before.
But this? This wasn’t speed. This was a force of nature.
The air crackled with tension as Eli squared up. The massive beast pulsed with erratic arcs of lightning, its ember-like eyes locked onto him.
He barely had time to think before it moved.
And when it moved—it moved like death itself.
Eli thought he had a plan.
Then the Raiken’s lightning-enhanced claws missed him by mere millimeters, and he realized—he didn’t have a plan.
So, he kept dodging.
Trying to find patterns. A weakness. Or maybe, just maybe, the Raiken would get bored and leave.
What felt like three straight hours of playing tag, Eli felt something shift. The fight started to slow down—not for the Raiken, but for him.
He could see its movement better.
Anticipate it.
As Eli gained confidence dodging its relentless strikes, he studied its body closely. Then, he saw it.
A slight flicker ran through its form just before it blinked forward.
There.
He saw it again. This time, he tried to counter—shifting his weight right just as the Raiken prepared to strike.
Then, at the last moment, he shifted left to counterattack.
Half a fraction too slow.
The Raiken’s claws raked across his left arm.
A searing pain shot through him—not just from the wound but from the surge of electricity flooding his muscles and stabbing into his chest.
His HUD flashed red.
? Health: -10% ?
? Injury Status: Minor Nerve Damage – Electrical Disruption Detected ?
His HUD displayed a detailed injury report.
No time to read.
The Raiken pivoted—its tendrils of lightning snapping, charging for another attack.
The air around it warped.
Another Blink Strike.
Eli didn’t counter.
He dove—to escape.
Eli hit the ground hard, rolling to put distance between himself and the beast.
His chest rose and fell as he exhaled, reevaluating his approach.
Titan Form could slow the fight down—but at the cost of draining too much mana.
Meteor Dash or Fusion Punch could deal serious damage—but only if he could land a hit.
God, I really need to rename those.
Then—a flicker of motion.
Raiken charged.
Eli launched himself upward, flipping over the beast in midair.
He landed in a roll, twisting back onto his feet instantly.
The Raiken roared in frustration, its twin electric tails snapping violently as arcs of lightning surged outward.
Eli took a deep breath.
Even when he saw the attack coming, it almost felt like the Raiken could sense his movements before he made them.
Maybe countering wasn’t the answer.
Strike first.
But how?
He focused on the Raiken’s twin tails. They flashed, flickered—then the beast lunged.
This time, Eli leapt backward, barely dodging its front claws. As it snapped its fangs at him, he dove behind a tree.
The Raiken bit straight through it.
Wood splintered as the massive tree snapped in half.
The trunk crashed down, landing between them—so close Eli felt the rush of air as it fell.
Damn. That was way too close.
Eli took the opening to put more distance between himself and the beast.
Alira struggled to stay still, her muscles tensing with each lunge the Raiken made at Eli.
“Dainen, should we step in?” she asked.
She knew they shouldn’t—but watching Eli nearly get mauled to death every ten seconds made rational thinking difficult.
Dainen didn’t answer right away.
He just kept watching, focused.
Then, almost to himself, he muttered, “Did you see it?”
“See what? Eli almost die again?” Teran said, watching in worry.
"No. The Raiken—its tail charges the Blink Strike. Right before it flickers, the tails dim.” Dainen didn’t take his eyes off the creature, watching it stalk Eli around the broken tree.
Teran squinted. “Uh, no, Dad. I see a ball of lightning flashing at Eli and Eli barely getting out of the way each time.”
Dainen shook his head. “Eli sees it. I saw his eyes—how they darted back to the tail before it struck.” He was speaking more to himself than anyone else now.
Eli watched the Raiken strike twice more, and with each attempt, he grew more confident in his timing.
Just like the HUD said—strike before it overloads.
The Raiken was getting tired of the game. It stalked forward, frustrated.
Eli saw its paws dig slightly into the grass.
Now.
He triggered Meteor Dash—and time seemed to freeze.
Eli exploded forward, watching the energy surge up the Raiken’s tail.
He had to time this right.
The tail dimmed.
Now!
Just before the Raiken flickered—Eli triggered Fusion Punch.
? Meteor Dash Activated
? Mana Cost: -12
? Speed Boost: +125% (1.5 Seconds)
? Fusion Punch Activated
? Mana Cost: -8
? Physical Strike: Infused (Impact Multiplier: x1.8)
Eli’s fist exploded forward, powered by Meteor Dash’s momentum and Fusion Punch’s raw force.
? Meteor Dash + Fusion Punch Combo Activated
? Speed Boost: +125% (Final Velocity: 20.25 m/s)
? Impact Force: ~36,900 Joules
? Mana Cost: -20
His strike connected—
Right to the front of the Raiken’s skull.
Power rippled through the beast, colliding head-on with its overloaded Blink Strike.
A blast wave ripped outward, tearing through the clearing.
The Raiken’s overloaded core tried to resist—then shattered.
A violent surge of energy detonated in a flash of white-blue lightning, sending arcs of static snapping through the air.
When the light cleared…
Only scattered pieces of Raiken remained.
Eli stood there.
Little bolts of stray lightning crackled between the scattered pieces… of Raiken.
Then, time caught up with everything.
He blinked.
He was covered in monster gore.
Again.
His HUD pinged:
? You have defeated a Gold-Tier Raiken!
? XP Gained: +18 Overall XP (Please check history for a detailed breakdown)
? New Level: 24 (Leveled Up!)
? Meteor Dash → Level 3!
? 10 Ability Points Available
? Would you like to loot the Raiken? [Yes / No]
Eli barely had to think before selecting YES.
The gore dissolved off him, fading into nothing.
Eli exhaled and checked his Health Status.
? Health Status
?? Health: 114/127 HP (-13 HP from Raiken Lightning Claw)
?? Injury Report: Electrical burns & deep claw lacerations on left arm.
?? Effect: Minor nerve disruption. Left arm reaction speed reduced by 8% for 10 minutes.
?? Recovery Options: Natural healing rate +1 HP/min. Faster recovery requires external healing.
? Mana Status
?? Mana: 69/127 MP (-58 MP Used)
?? Mana Expenditure Breakdown:
? Meteor Dash (-15 MP)
? Fusion Punch (-10 MP)
? Sustained Combat Awareness (-6 MP, passive drain from heightened perception & reflexive HUD responses).
? Minor Defensive Mana Uses (-5 MP, instinctive reactions enhancing dodges & counters).
?? Mana Recovery Rate: +5 MP/min (Base Regen).
?? Time Until Full Recovery: ~12 minutes (Without Potions or Meditation).
? Stamina Status
? Stamina: 52/127 SP (-75 SP Used)
?? Stamina Expenditure Breakdown:
? Continuous Dodging & Sprinting (-22 SP)
? Meteor Dash Acceleration (-8 SP)
? Fusion Punch Impact (-6 SP)
? Sustained High-Effort Combat (-20 SP)
? Adrenaline Surge & Recovery Drain (-10 SP, still depleting at -1 SP/min for the next 3 minutes).
?? Stamina Recovery Rate: +7 SP/min (Natural Recovery).
?? Time Until Full Recovery: ~11 minutes (Without Boosts).
Before he could read further, his inventory icon flashed purple.
It pulsed once. Then stayed bright purple.
Eli closed his health menu and opened his Inventory.
New items blinked into focus:
? Mana Coins Gained:
? +10 Gold Mana Coins
? +100 Silver Mana Coins
? +1000 Copper Mana Coins
? Loot Acquired:
? 3x Raiken Hide (Extremely resistant to electricity)
? 10 lbs Fresh Raiken Meat (Consumable, Regenerates 5% Health per pound)
? 1x Gold-Tier Healing Vial (Restores 50% Health upon use.)
? 1x Unknown Ring (???)
Eli squinted at the unknown ring, ready to inspect it—
A voice shouted over his thoughts.
Teran was the first to reach him, sprinting across the battlefield.
“THAT WAS AMAZING!!”
He clapped Eli hard on the back, grinning from ear to ear.
“I thought you were dead for sure after it bit that tree in half!”
Eli chuckled, breath still uneven. "Me too."
Then his gaze shifted.
To Alira and Dainen.
They didn’t speak at first.
But their expressions—
Eli recognized that look.
He’d seen it before.
His parents used to give him the same one.
That mixture of pride, amazement… and knowing that something was changing.
