As the Yaampur dissolved into particles, Dante laid his eyes on the longbow; a six and a half shaft of polished stone gray wood.

Iron Compass

Item type: Longbow Hybrid

Durability: 98/100

Rarity: Uncommon

Quality: E

Damage: 96-102

Staple of the Iron Way Clan, the Iron Compass aligns to the four corners of the Iron Path, further augmenting the four Truth arrows. + 8% status effects when used together. 

• Base STR required 26

Dante lifted the weapon, his slight irritation at the stat requirement, turning into awe.

A mental picture of specialized arrows flew through his mind, carrying magical bombs that exploded with a nuclear bang. The primitive technology matched the destruction of modern technology. The sheer larping aspect alone enticed him. "But the power…" Dante grinned. "Lazer death arrows! Oh I can't fucking wait!"

Ignoring the fact that it was the only faction he was aware of, or the possibility that they were savages who would shoot first and desecrate his corpse later, Dante grew excited at the prospect and was eager to sign up. 

~

Night had fallen when Dante once again found himself hidden inside a tree. Wolf pelts covering him, as he stared out at the impossibly vast darkness, illuminated by twinkling orbs of molten gas and swirling particles of interstellar dust. He marveled at the sight. Unlike on earth this wasn't one he would ordinarily get to see.

The other side of the sky was dominated by a pale moon. Its glow, a steady ray of pure tranquility.

As Dante closed his eyes the imprint of the moon continued to loom overhead. 

'If we're going for a bit of lore here, was this what it was like for the first Sage?'

Shrouded in darkness, Dante took in the cool night air then let out a steady breath. In his mind's eye the moon became a star, and that star became a raging ball of fire, condensed down into the palm of his hands.

The night air remained cool, yet he ignored that, continuing to watch the dancing flame. It flickered, undulating in the darkness. Before he knew it he had received a notification.

Congratulations! Skill unlocked! Meditation:

Waning Fire.

A Cycle of Rebirth has been imprinted on your soul. Mana regeneration +10%

• Waning Fire: When activated upon full depletion of mana, gain 15% increase to mana regeneration. 

• Health regeneration +10%

• Stamina regeneration + 10%

Congratulations! You have created a Foundation! 500 Essence particles gained!

Dante's eyes shot open in a bit of a panic. "Again with the soul, what the hell did I just do?"

This wasn't the first time the prompts had mentioned his soul, at first he ignored it but now.

Scratching his head, Dante laid back against the wolf pelts, deciding to look on the bright side. Finally he had gained a method to increase his health points.

Opening up his status, Dante completed the AOF skill tree.

• +1 Fire Manipulation

• +1 Focus

Bursts of flame lit the path, extending out, burning the darkness.

• +1 to Focus

• +1 to Fire Manipulation

The Void recoiled, weaving between the light. Enhanced sharper than a blade, it struck.

• +1 to Magic

Darkness encroached. The first Sage witnessed the embers of their path die.

• +2 to Focus

• +1 to Fire Manipulation

They called. The children danced with glee, spiraling into a shifting star.

Skill unlocked: Deaths Corona

Congratulations! You have completed the Burning Path skill tree. The essence of the First Sage now lingers on your soul. You wield the first four techniques.

"The last skill was a shield? Interesting."

Death's Corona: Shield yourself in a protective aura of fire.

Unwilling to burn down his current bed, Dante opened his status.

Dante Evergold

Race: Human

Mark: Lonely Hero, Burning Path, Crystalized Monk

Essence Points: 728

HP: 180/180

SP: 160/160

MP: 300/300

Physique: F

Strength: 17, Endurance: 16, Vitality: 18, Dexterity: 19, Agility: 15, Intelligence: 28, Magic: 30, Perception: 17, Focus: 24, Willpower: 14, Fire Resistance: 15

Combat Level: F

Dark Vision Lvl 2

Fire Manipulation Lvl 6

Fireball Lvl 5

Crystal gaze Lvl 2

Flame Burst Lvl 1

Charge Lvl 1

Imbue Lvl 1

Meditation: Waning Fire Lvl 1

Death's Corona Lvl 1

Legacy

Affinity of Fire [Locked]

Will of the Lonely Hero [Locked]

Arcane Blessings [Locked]

Satisfied with his new set of skills, Dante drifted off to sleep.

~

"We've had plenty of good times together, why disobey me now!?"

Dante's hand shook, as it fought him to a stand still. He had been trying to store a gourd back into his inventory. The tea smelled of sweet mint, and held a bubbly aftertaste. Ever since he took his first sip, his body behaved as if on crack. Numerous times he scanned the carbonated liquid inside the bottle, thinking it to simply be water as the first bottle was just that, but no.

Purified Lindonberry Tea

Purified Lindonberry Tea from the Iron Path.

"A very unhelpful prompt, but either one of those clan members knows how to party, or they are all heathens!"

Dante had gained an extra two points in Strength, after having completed two hundred push ups. The tea also provided a temporary boost to his Endurance and Focus attributes, with a bit extra attention given to his little soldier, that now stood at half salute. It was an odd feeling.

"Liquid Viagra. I may need to buy a few stocks."

With the jitters still racing throughout his body, and his burps now impossible to control, Dante went about increasing the difficulty of his training, by incorporating his skills.

Removing the boar's tusks from his inventory, Dante sat in a rotation of fire, carving the tusk down into a machete.

Compared to his discarded spear, mana flowed through undisturbed. And when he brought the bone blade down on the side of a tree, it entered like a hot knife through butter. After five more strikes, the tree fell with a crash.

Imbue has reached level 2

With Dark Vision, if he focused just right, he could perceive the flow of mana throughout the sword. It shone with an ethereal glow. 

Next Dante chopped the tree into a three foot long log, tied it around himself with cords of vines, and he spammed the active skill Charge.

The training method was similar to one he often saw his highschool football team do as he sat on the bleachers sketching Ninjas and Samurai.

Strength+1

Sweat poured down his back and chest, mixing with the dust on his skin. Not for the first time he wished to rummage through the Iron Way clan member's belongings. Maybe find some clothes or better yet armor, but he ultimately believed that would decrease his chances of being accepted by them.

As for the Lindonberry tea, he had only taken two...maybe three, maybe five sips. He doubted they would mind.

Endurance +1

Agility +1

Dante dropped the log, stretching his back muscles and loosening a crank in his neck. He wasn't delusional, he knew this amount of exercise, combined with weight training was unsafe and borderline self harm. But after all he had gained a new regeneration skill, so he didn't mind the exertion.

Charge has reached level 2

Charge has reached level 3

Endurance +1

Strength +1

Off and on, Dante switched between weight training and physical exercises. Besides a general increase to his overall Strength stat, he diversified his training methods, conditioning muscles that would be useful in drawing a bow.

Through the haze of liquid ecstasy flooding his muscles, Dante could feel the tendons cry.

Endurance + 1

After three and a half hours Dante had increased his Charge skill to level five.

It was when he needed to recover stamina that he activated Waning Fire, and discovered the skill bonuses were increased near an actual fire. Mana regeneration increased by an extra ten percent, while health and stamina regeneration increased by an extra five percent.

Left with no excuse, Dante continued his training. Shooting enhanced Fireballs at targets to develop his aim, speed and power.

He also leveled up Imbue at the same time, idly flourishing the glowing blade in his palm.

Fireball has reached level 6

Imbue has reached level 3

Trying to push his luck, Dante attempted to gain an active version of the skill Meditation: Waning Fire, as he ran, dragging weights around the swamp.

Suffice to say he didn't unlock a new skill, however the meditation skill did increase by two extra levels.

Strength +1

As much has he utilized the skill, Fire Manipulation remained at level nine. His fireballs became a spear, his Flame Burst skill was pushed beyond its normal limits, reaching level three, and still Fire Manipulation did not budge.

Death's Corona he managed to manipulate into a smaller size. The sphere broke apart, forming a dense circle that floated out three feet in front of him, blocking imagined attacks. 

With insight from the First Sage, Dante cycled through all of the four techniques. Attack flowing into defense, defense flowing into attack. Manipulation was at the center of the Burning Path, and he would master it.

After another sip of Lindonberry tea, Dante added weights to his legs.

Strength +1

Agility + 1

~

It was somehow morning again when Dante awoke with a hangover, laying upside down on his weight lifting log. The after effects of the Iron Way clans tea, had drained him to the core.

Struggling to focus his vision, the first thing he noticed was a bog frog. The little bastard had gotten uncomfortably close. Had they not received the message?

With a groan Dante summoned his new spear. The improvised weapon now tipped with a North Seeker arrow, flashed.

You have slain Mutated Bog Frog Lvl 5! 13 EP absorbed!

Dante swayed on his feet, accidentally looting the annoying critter.

Ready to discard the mutated frog legs from his inventory, he noticed he had gained another monster core. 

Lesser Core of a Mutated Bog Frog

Core containing the active skill Kickflip. Do you wish to imprint the skill onto your soul? Yes / No

The steady rhythm of a migraine moving to the beat of the Cha Cha Slide, slammed in his head.

Shielding his eyes from the glaring sun, Dante moaned. "Ugh sure, why not."

Kickflip skill... Imprinted.