First Light of a New Age

Chapter 94: The Black Nyxxelith

Just as Anukus expected, his sudden surge in strength was not without a price.

This power was the result of a rare, innate ability he was born with, [Absolute Ignition]. True to its name, it granted him the potential to burn anything. Of course, it was not as simple as that. In theory, [Absolute Ignition] could ignite any substance, but in practice, it was hardly usable.

Even something as fragile as paper required a staggering amount of mana to burn. The energy cost was so immense it left him questioning the ability’s practicality. For a time, he dismissed it as little more than a curiosity.

Still, driven by his desire for greater strength, Anukus persisted in mastering it, and his efforts paid off that revealed two distinct ways to wield its power.

The first involved merging [Absolute Ignition] with his family’s ultimate spear technique, [Skypiercer]. Through this fusion, he created a powerful transparent flame capable of burning through space itself, a phenomenon he called [World-Burning Flames].

The second approach was simpler but dangerous, which he could burn his own mana.

By burning his own mana, Anukus could erupt with an extremely powerful strength for a short period of time. It made him as strong as a Transcendent even at a young age.

He called this technique the same as his innate ability, [Absolute Ignition].

But the downside of this ability was immense. Not only did it consume an enormous amount of mana, it also placed a severe strain on his body. Even in his best condition, Anukus could sustain this power for perhaps an hour. If he surpassed this time, he would have to spend several days in bed after that.

'I guess I must end this fast then.' Anukus thought to himself as he took one step forward.

A manic grin twisted Anukus’s face as he stared down at the small creature before him, gripping his fiery spear calmly. Each heated breath he exhaled raised the temperature around him, creating a distortion in the air that rippled outward.

Though the others nearby, Woods within his protective barrier and Barron shielded by a web of enchanted items and resistance spells, felt little of the rising heat, but the lone black-furred rabbit sat fully exposed to the blistering aura. But curiously, the creature appeared utterly unaffected.

Anukus didn’t waste a thought on the little beast. His smirk shifted to the rabbit’s master and narrowed his eyes with barely contained fury.

‘Just sit there and watch, you arrogant bastard!’ he sneered to himself while licking his lips. ‘Once I’m done with this one, I’ll come straight for your head!’

With his mana reserves brimming, thanks to his Star distribution and class advantage, and his artifacts amplifying his strength with sufficient energy, Anukus readied himself.

Then, his transparent flames, fierce and vast as a storm, blossomed out of his body.

Vwoooosh!

In an instant, he vanished, moving with such impossible speed that no one could track him. His very aura made even the deadliest monsters nearby tremble, or else incinerated them to ash in seconds before the transparent flames engulfed the area and stretched upward like a blazing pillar.

Then, with a powerful thrust, he launched his spear and sent it hurtling toward the rabbit. The weapon tore through the air with a fierce roar, and the winds seemed to howl under its weight. It crashed down with the force of a falling mountain, aimed squarely at the little creature.

In the eyes of anyone who could follow his speed, the rabbit seemed doomed to be obliterated in an instant.

But—