Alaric stirred from his slumber as his little sister Alya gently shook him. "Big brother, wake up! It's your birthday today! You're finally ten!"
For a moment, Alaric lay still, memories of past birthdays flooding his mind. They had always been quiet, forgotten in the bustle of his parents' work. But today felt different.
Freya's soft voice echoed in his mind. "Happy birthday, Master Alaric."
A smile broke across his face. "Thank you, Freya."
As he descended the stairs, his parents and companions, Lyra and Edran, awaited him with smiles. "Happy birthday, Alaric!" they cheered.
A tear rolled down Alaric's cheek as he smiled. "Thank you, everyone."
After breakfast, they headed to the guild. The receptionist greeted them enthusiastically. "Welcome back! Alaric, achieving Rank A in two years is extraordinary. Lyra, Edran, your progress to Rank C is impressive."
She handed them a quest. "A goblin camp with a C+ hobgoblin leader awaits."
At that moment, Freya's voice chimed in. "Master Alaric, a system mission has been assigned: eliminate the goblins and their leader. Rewards: +1 Strength, +1 HP, +1 Agility."
Alaric nodded, accepting both quests.
In the forest, the goblin camp loomed. As Lyra and Edran prepared to fight, Alaric stopped them. "Stay back. Watch me."
The hobgoblin charged. Alaric calmly raised his hands, merging water and fire to form electricity. Infusing it with darkness, he created a crackling black lightning bolt.
"Watch closely," Alaric said. The bolt shot forward, obliterating the hobgoblin and smashing into a distant mountain, which exploded with a deafening roar. The shockwave reached Alaric's village.
Lyra whispered, "We'll never catch up to him."
Edran nodded in silent agreement.
At the guild, adventurers were on high alert.
"What happened?" Alaric asked.
The receptionist stammered, "An explosion… we thought it was an S-rank monster."
Alaric admitted, "That was me."
Shock rippled through the guild. The guild master summoned Alaric. "Learn to control your power. It could cause trouble for everyone."
Alaric promised to be cautious.
As they left, Lyra and Edran apologized. "We were stunned by your strength."
Alaric smiled warmly. "It's okay. We're friends for life."
Together, they moved forward, ready for whatever lay ahead.