Supernova Flames of Destiny

WILDFIRE

Chapter 1: Wildfire

In the dead of night, far to the west of the Wukong Kingdom, the small town of Kagu-Tsuchi lay enveloped in an uneasy stillness. Inside a modest home, Supernova, or Nova as he was often called, lay wide awake on his bed. He struggled to find sleep after a long day of helping his grandfather, Shinjuro, gather wood from the forest.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Nova's eyes shot open at the sound of a firm knock on his door. "Hey, Nova, can I talk to you for a minute? It's me, Shinjuro."

Still groggy, Nova responded, "Oh, yeah, Grandpa. What's up? I didn't expect you at this hour."

Shinjuro entered and sat beside him, pulling something from his pocket with a solemn expression. He handed it to Nova, a small, intricately carved stone that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light.

"Look closely, Nova. This is the Fire Stone your father gave me the day he first held you. His last wish was for me to pass it on when you were old enough, when you could wield its power. You've just turned thirteen, and after all your hard work and training, you've already mastered the first form of fire: [Fire Fist]. I'm very proud of you."

Nova stared at the stone, a mix of curiosity and confusion crossing his face. He had heard little about the Fire Stone, a relic tied to his father's legacy. As he examined it closely, the stone began to glow. His heart raced as warmth spread from the stone, its light growing brighter with each second.

"Grandpa, is this the awakening you mentioned? I feel a surge of energy inside me."

Shinjuro's eyes widened with pride. "Yes, Nova. This is a Fusion. When an Elemental Stone merges with its compatible element, it amplifies all your basic stats and abilities. This Fusion applies to all elements—water, earth, wind, lightning, light, and dark."

Nova's body trembled as the energy surged through him, seeking his core.

"Good job, Nova. I knew you could handle the Fusion. Now, calm down. Breathe in and out. Let the energy flow through you and focus."

The energy from the stone coursed through his veins, finding its place within him.

FUSION COMPLETE

Nova's eyes snapped open. "Grandpa, what was that sound?"

Shinjuro's voice was thick with emotion. "That was the stone signaling that you've succeeded. My grandson, you did it!"

However, Shinjuro's smile faded as he realized the gravity of the situation. Most users received their Elemental Stone at the age of sixteen, but Nova was only thirteen. The strain had been considerable. Nova's body swayed, and he collapsed. Shinjuro quickly carried him to bed, ensuring he could rest and recover from the energy-draining Fusion.

---

RING! RING!

RING! RING!

BAMM!

Nova shot up in bed, his heart pounding. "OH NO! I broke my alarm clock trying to turn it off. SHIT, SHIT, SHIT! Grandpa's going to be so mad. But... I guess I really did get stronger after what happened yesterday because all I did was touch it lightly, and it shattered."

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Supernova, what's that noise I just heard?" Shinjuro's voice, laced with concern, penetrated the room.

Nova's mind raced. "Oh no, oh no, oh no! I have to hide it. I worked so hard to build it, and now it's just a pile of ashes."

In a panic, he tossed the remnants of the broken alarm clock into the trash, then hurried to open the door.

"Uh, h-hello, Grandpa. What's up?"

Shinjuro's eyes searched his face, full of curiosity. "Hi, Nova. I heard a loud noise, so I came to check on you. Everything okay? How are you feeling?"

Nova forced a smile, hoping to mask his anxiety. "Oh, don't worry, Grandpa. I feel great. Actually, I've gotten a lot stronger and faster since yesterday, So yeah, everything's fine. Nothing to worry about."

Suddenly, a screen appeared before Nova's eyes.

STATS MENU

His jaw dropped. "OHH MY—Grandpa, what is this?"

Shinjuro leaned in, his eyes widening. "I think that's your stats menu. It shows your height, weight, speed, strength, defense, and more."

Nova blinked at the information displayed:

- Height: 173.5 cm

- Weight: 62 kilograms

- Strength: D

- Speed: C

- Defense: D

- Fire Fist Special Ability: C

The stats were ranked from F to YXS, the highest known tier.

Nova grinned, excitement bubbling in his chest. "YOOOO! That's so sick! So my Fire Fist is the strongest thing I have? (It's also the only ability I have...) Guess I'll train it until it's A-tier one day."

Shinjuro smiled warmly. "You know I love you and your brother more than anyone in the world. I work hard every day to give you both the best future possible. You've made me so proud, Nova. Very good job."

Nova's eyes softened with gratitude. "Thank you, Grandpa. I love you too." He stood, already pulling on his clothes. "Go help Nebula in the forest. I'll have some food ready for you both when you return."

With that, Nova sprinted out the door, his heart lighter than it had been in days.

---

"Hello, Nebula! Look how fast I caught up with you! It's all because of my new powers!"

Nebula turned, his eyes wide with awe. "Wow, big brother! I didn't even realize you were there. You were so fast, I only saw a flash of fire!"

The two brothers laughed as Nova recounted what had happened the night before, explaining the Fire Stone and its powers.

"So the Fire Stone made me faster and stronger, and now I have new abilities and a stats menu where I can see my powers."

Just as Nova began to explain further, Nebula's eyes widened in alarm.

"SUPERNOVA, DUCK QUICK! Look over there! Bandits they're heading towards our village. We need to warn the villagers and alert Godai that our village is about to be raided!"

Nova's heart skipped a beat. "Nebula, I don't think we can do both in time. If we go to Godai, our village will be destroyed. But we can't alert the villagers either—the bandits are using the only path to the village."

Nebula's face set in determination. "Still, we have to try something. Let's use your fire and my wind to reach Godai as fast as we can. We have to warn them!"

The brothers took off towards Godai's headquarters, their hearts pounding with urgency. But suddenly, Nova skidded to a halt, sniffing the air.

**SNIFF! SNIFF! SNIFF!**

"Nebula, I smell smoke! We have to get back to the villag fast! Forget Godai, follow me!"

They raced back towards the village, panic rising in their chests. On their way, they encountered a terrified woman, a neighbor whose eyes were wide with fear.

"Lady! Lady!" Nova called out.

The woman turned, her voice trembling as she spoke the words that would forever echo in the brothers' minds.

"They burned everything. All of it is gone. Not a single thing left."

Nova felt the words slam into him like a physical blow. His mind spun with confusion and rage.

"ALL??"

"NO! NO! NO! NO!"

"ALL MEANS ALL!"

"WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!"

"ALL??"

"GRANDPA??"

To Be Continued...