The stairwell leading beneath the Lord's Mansion was narrow, steep, and cold. Each step echoed like a whisper of the past. Torch sconces flickered to life one by one as Rayan descended deeper into the mountain, the air turning warm and metallic with the scent of old steel and magic residue.
[Welcome to the Anima Forge.][Core Initialization: 23%... 47%... 100%.][Cheat Skill Activated: Anima Forge — Level 1 Unlocked.]
A sudden pulse of blue fire erupted in a vast circular chamber, illuminating a central anvil surrounded by floating glyphs, gears, and ethereal runic strands. The Anima Forge Core hovered above the anvil, spinning like a miniature sun.
Rayan stepped forward, awestruck. This was his cheat skill. This was his power.
[Anima Forge: Create • Command • Ascend]You may now forge your first summon. Choose a base affinity:
Flame
Stone
Beast
Shadow
Metal
Ether
His instincts screamed one thing: Flame.
[Flame Affinity Chosen.]Please provide a Soul Name for your first summon.
He hesitated, then whispered, "Ignis."
[Processing...][Summon Created: Ignis — Emberborn Whelp (Tier 0).][Command Imprint Linked.]
A burst of fire swirled over the anvil, coalescing into a creature the size of a small dog—scaled, crimson, and with molten eyes. The Emberborn Whelp gave a chirping growl, then rubbed against Rayan's leg like a loyal hound.
He blinked. It's… adorable. But it feels alive.
[Ignis: Level 1]Class: EmberbornType: Flame FamiliarLoyalty: 100%Command Slot: 1/5]
"Is this what it means to be a summoner here?" he murmured. "I create the life I command…"
He knelt and stroked Ignis's warm scales. "You're going to help me protect her."
A voice rang from above. "Raaaayan! You okay down there?"
His heart jumped. "Lina!"
He rushed back up the stairs and found her kneeling in the main hall, peering over the stone slab, eyes wide with curiosity. Ignis bounded past him and yipped at her.
Lina gasped. "You made a fire puppy!"
Rayan scooped her up. "I told you to wait outside!"
"But it was cold…" she mumbled, clinging to his neck.
He sighed, hugging her close. "Next time, tell me first."
Suddenly, the system chimed again—this time not for him.
[Class Awakening Detected: Lina Khael][Unique Class: Dreamweaver — Child of Threads][Skill Unlocked: Echo Stitch][Status: Protected Soul — Cannot be targeted by hostile entities below Tier 2.]
Rayan's breath caught.
"Lina… you got a class."
She blinked up at him. "What's a Dreamweaver?"
He gently set her down and focused, bringing up her system panel.
[Lina Khael — Age 5]Class: Dreamweaver — Child of Threads (Unique)Level: 1Skill: Echo Stitch (Active) — Weave a temporary echo of an ally's memory, allowing them to relive a past moment or skill insight. Duration scales with emotional connection.Status: Protected Soul — Immune to direct harm from low-tier monsters and traps.]
Rayan read it again, stunned.
"Your class... it lets you echo memories and experiences," he muttered. "You're a support class, but one I've never seen in any RPG before."
Lina smiled proudly. "I'm special too, like you?"
He chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. "More than you know."
He stood, mind racing.
Two Earthlings brought to a hostile world, and both had been granted rare powers. His own was likely system-forged due to his cheat. But Lina?
She hadn't even awakened through combat or choice. It was like the world had given her that class from the start.
[Leveling and Class Dynamics Unlocked]
As if responding to his thoughts, a glowing panel of knowledge filled his mind.
[World System Overview: Levels and Classes]
Every human begins with a latent core. Combat, exploration, or high-stress experiences unlock their class.
Classes are categorized:
Common (75%)
Uncommon (20%)
Rare (4%)
Unique (0.9%)
Legendary (0.1%)
Leveling occurs via combat, quest completion, and class-specific feats.
Lords gain bonus EXP through village growth and summon victories.
Children under 10 are rarely assigned combat classes—Lina is an exception.
Rayan's heart pounded.
He wasn't alone anymore in this. Lina wasn't a liability—she was a miracle.
But with her presence and her class… she'd draw attention. Lords from Earth with high-tier skills would want to exploit such rarity. He had to hide her talent for now.
"Lina," he said gently, kneeling again, "don't tell anyone about your class, okay?"
"Okay," she said, pouting. "But only if I can keep the fire puppy."
He smiled. "Deal."
[Village Core Linking in Progress…][New Title Earned: Lord of Flamebound Stone][Summoner Lord Tree Unlocked.]
More paths opened before him—each one a challenge, a promise, and a threat.
Rayan stood tall.
Mountainshade Village might be weak now. But with the Anima Forge burning beneath his mansion… with Ignis at his side… and with Lina's light to protect…
He would turn this lonely valley into a stronghold.
And he would burn down anything that tried to take it from him.