He chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s… not bad.”
Damien leaned back against the bed’s headboard, his silver hair falling over his eyes as the faint chime of his system notification echoed in his mind.
The familiar translucent panel materialized at the edge of his vision, displaying a message he’d been waiting for.
Ding!
Before he could fully absorb the information on the first panel, a second notification overlapped it.
Ding!
Two system panels now floated before him, their ethereal glow casting faint light in the dim room.
The first was a notification announcing his advancement to the next level, while the second congratulated him for completing his most recent mission.
Across from him, Arielle was animatedly talking about something—likely the rumors of his recent battle against the demon horde—but Damien’s attention was locked on the glowing text in front of him.
The first panel caught his eye:
«Congratulations! You have advanced to Level 69.»
«Rewards: +1 to Strength, +1 to Agility, +1 to Stamina, +1 to Endurance, +1 to Intelligence, +20 to Magic Essence, +100 to Life Force.»
Damien felt the familiar surge of energy course through him as the stat bonuses were applied. His body felt lighter, his mind sharper, and his core brimming with renewed magic essence.
“Finally,” he muttered under his breath, dismissing the panel with a wave of his hand.
As the first panel disappeared, he turned his attention to the second one:
«Mission Complete: Demon Annihilation»
«You have successfully protected the town from the demon invasion.»
«Rewards: Grade Two Essence Core x1, Skill: Elemental Integration Unlocked, +5 to all stats, +50 to Magic Essence, +50 to Life Force.»
Damien’s brow furrowed as he read the list of rewards. The (Elemental Integration) skill piqued his interest.
If Damien had to rank his acquired skills, he would rank the Flame skill at the top as it was his most used skill beside the system the God of Summons had bestowed upon him. Even the nickname the townsfolk had started calling him—The Silver Flame—was proof of the skill.
Arielle’s voice cut through his thoughts.
“Damien? Are you even listening to me?”
Her words jolted him back to reality, and he glanced up to find her staring at him with an exasperated expression.
“Honestly?” Damien said with a small grin. “No, I wasn’t.”
Arielle rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Of course you weren’t. I was saying that rumors of your fight have spread like wildfire through the town. Everyone knows you didn’t just chase the demon off—you killed it.”
“Is that so?” Damien replied, his tone casual, though his thoughts remained on the system notifications.
“Yes, that’s so,” she said firmly. “People are talking about you everywhere. Some are calling you The Silver Flame.” Read new chapters at empire
“Yeah, I heard the nickname part.” Damien smirked, shaking his head. “That’s… not bad.”
“You should be proud,” Arielle continued, her voice softening slightly. “What you did saved a lot of lives.”
Her words carried weight, and for a moment, Damien felt a flicker of pride. Still, he knew the battle had been far from easy, and the cost of victory lingered in the ache of his muscles and the exhaustion pressing down on him. He’d almost met the gods before he carried out that which he had planned out.
After recounting the events, Arielle stood, brushing imaginary dust from her pants. “Well, I’ve got work to do. If you need anything, just ask.”
She headed toward the door, but before leaving, she paused and turned back to him. “Do you need anything?”
Damien hesitated, his gaze drifting to the mirror opposite the bed. His reflection stared back at him, clad in tattered, bloodstained clothes from the battle.
“Yeah,” he said finally. “I could use a change of clothes.”
Arielle nodded, a small smile playing at her lips. “I’ll see what I can find.”
She left the room, leaving Damien alone once more.
With Arielle gone, Damien refocused on the second system notification. He dismissed the mission summary and opened the detailed description of his newly unlocked skill.
«Skill Unlocked: Elemental Integration»
«Description: Fuse multiple elemental skills to create a unified attack or defense. The strength of the fusion depends on the user’s mastery of each element.»
«Cost: Variable (Based on elements combined and power output)»
Damien’s eyes lit up with interest. The possibilities of combining his flame, wind, and earth manipulation skills were endless. He could already imagine creating devastating attacks or impenetrable defenses.
“Now this,” he muttered, “is something worth testing.”
His excitement was tempered by the need for rest, but the thought of experimenting with his new skill lingered in the back of his mind.
Minutes later, Arielle returned, carrying a neatly folded set of clothes. She placed them on the edge of the bed, her sharp eyes studying him.
“You look like you’re scheming something,” she said, arching a brow.
“Always,” Damien replied with a playful smile.
Arielle shook her head, though her lips twitched with amusement. “Get changed. You’ve got an image to maintain now, Silver Flame.”
Damien chuckled, grabbing the clothes and heading to the small washroom attached to the room. When he emerged a few minutes later, he looked refreshed, the new outfit fitting him perfectly.
Arielle had returned to her seat behind the counter when Damien stepped into the main room of the guild. He leaned casually against the counter, watching as she scribbled notes into a ledger.
“What do you plan on doing now? More sleep?” she asked without looking up.
“Not sure yet,” Damien admitted. “But I have a feeling I’ll find out soon enough. Concerning sleep, I don’t think I’ll be having any for a while.”
Arielle was curious as to what Damien meant by the last statement and with he brows raised, she asked him. “What the will you be doing if you won’t be sleeping?”
“Working.” Damien answered, matter-of-factly.
Arielle glanced up, her expression curious but not probing. She’d learned not to pry into the mysteries surrounding Damien, though her curiosity lingered.
“Well, whatever it is,” she said, “try not to destroy half the town again.”
“No promises,” Damien said with a grin.
As he left the guild, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the town. Damien’s steps were lighter, his resolve stronger.