SSS Awakening: I Can Create Skills By Will-Chapter 90: Trial by Flame
She did not wait to see his expression.
The shock written all over, then the sudden excitement that lit his face.
A private commander’s training hall.
Given to him.
Arthur looked down at the fire seed core resting in his palm. Its crimson light reflected in his eyes as a slow smile spread across his face.
The warmth of the flame pulsed steadily.
Arthur then watched Commander Lyra’s back disappear beyond the door, and only when the hall fell completely silent did her last words truly settle in his mind.
Remain here until you master the fire element.
He blinked once.
Then twice.
"...Wait."
The meaning clicked slowly.
He sighed and dragged a hand down his face.
"So that’s what she meant."
No rest or sleep.
He was basically locked in here until he figured it out.
Arthur let out a tired laugh and shook his head. "Commander really doesn’t joke around."
Yet beneath the exhaustion was something else.
Excitement.
A strange sense of belonging.
Someone powerful had acknowledged him, trusted him, and given him a chance to grow. Even if the method was harsh, he couldn’t deny the opportunity.
Still, one problem remained.
"She didn’t even explain how to use this thing..."
He looked down at the fire seed core resting in his palm. It glowed quietly, as if breathing, its crimson light flickering across his fingers. The heat seeped into his skin and stayed there, steady and alive.
"What exactly am I supposed to do with you?"
Arthur didn’t have an answer.
But he chuckled softly and brushed off the worry.
"I’ll figure it out."
He always did.
He lifted the fire seed core closer to his face and studied it again. The flame within the crystal swirled slowly like a trapped storm. Power rolled from it in quiet waves.
This was his path to getting stronger.
And the timing...
It couldn’t have been more perfect.
A thought surfaced in his mind as he recalled the final effect of his recent skill upgrade.
✦══════════════════════════════════════✦
❂ SOVEREIGN INTENT SYSTEM ❂
✦══════════════════════════════════════✦
⟦ Elemental Integration Framework — Dormant ⟧
• Stabilized channels capable of binding foreign elemental mana
• Compatible with future attribute infusion
• Prevents elemental backlash during integration
✦══════════════════════════════════════✦
Arthur’s lips curved.
"Well," he muttered, "guess this is the test."
He did not intend to waste time.
He walked toward the center of the training hall and sat cross-legged on the smooth floor. The air here felt heavier than outside, thick with concentrated mana. Every breath carried energy into his body.
Now he had to decide how to proceed.
The first method that came to mind was the traditional approach. The one most elemental users followed.
Form a connection with the core using mana.
Let the energy slowly purify and reshape the user’s mana.
Improve affinity over time.
Safe. Stable and Reliable.
But painfully slow.
Arthur understood the logic behind it. People with large mana reserves could endure the process better. Those born with fire affinity would synchronize faster. Their bodies naturally accepted the element.
He looked around the private hall.
The dense mana here explained why Lyra allowed him to stay. She had already prepared the best possible environment for success.
She knew he lacked fire affinity.
She knew his mana pool was small.
She knew his chances were low.
Yet she still gave him the opportunity.
Arthur smiled faintly.
"She really did her homework."
Still, the slow method did not suit him.
Even if he guided his mana carefully, even if he forced a connection using intent, he did not know how long it would take. Days. Weeks. Maybe months.
Too slow.
His eyes narrowed as another thought slipped into his mind.
A reckless one.
He stared at the fire seed core.
"...What if I just swallow it?"
The idea sounded insane even in his own head.
Even fire users rarely dared such a thing. The core contained condensed fire essence. If released directly inside the body, it could burn through mana pathways, destroy internal organs, and reduce the user to ash from the inside.
Death would come before control.
Arthur imagined the heat tearing through him, and for a moment even he hesitated.
Then he chuckled quietly.
"Yeah... that’s definitely a stupid idea."
But he did not discard it.
Because Arthur was different.
He did not rely solely on mana.
He had intent.
He had a system that responded to will.
If his intent could guide his mana... if his system truly supported integration... then forcing direct contact might create faster results.
Dangerous. But efficient.
He stared at the core for a long moment.
Then his expression hardened.
"This is a test," he whispered.
A test of his system.
A test of his belief.
A test of himself.
He trusted his intent more than anything.
Arthur inhaled deeply, steadying his heart. His fingers tightened around the fire seed core.
"For growth," he murmured.
And before hesitation could return, he tossed the crystal into his mouth and swallowed.
The moment it slid down his throat, regret hit him.
Hard.
A violent heat exploded inside his body.
Arthur’s eyes widened as fire erupted through his chest like a burning spear. The sensation was not simple pain. It was raw destruction. His insides felt like they were melting.
He collapsed to his knees instantly.
A strangled gasp escaped his lips.
"Ah—!"
The heat spread violently through his veins. His stomach twisted. His chest burned. His heartbeat pounded like a war drum as waves of scorching energy surged through him.
It felt like swallowing a living flame.
Arthur clutched his chest and crouched low, his entire body trembling. Sweat poured down his face as his vision blurred.
For a brief moment, fear crept in.
Did I just kill myself?
The fire raged harder, spreading toward his core, clawing at every part of him. His mana pathways screamed under the pressure.
His thoughts wavered.
His resolve shook.
He nearly regretted everything.
Then, just as the pain reached its peak, something changed.
The burning slowed.
And a cool sensation rose from within him.
