"And the second?" Arthev asked. The concept of mere fire was now completely gone from his mind.
Matatabi's twin tails swept out, forming a perfect, blinding circle of searing white light behind her.
"And the second," she said, "is Solar Avatar. It is the art of wearing a star's mantle."
She leaned forward, her voice low and intent.
"You will wrap your body in a cloak of contained plasma. You become a being of incandescent power. Your speed, your strength, your resilience all will be amplified beyond measure. When you strike, it will be with the force of a solar flare. Your blows will burn and explode on impact."
She let the silence hang for a beat, the air vibrating with implied heat.
"The cloak is both sword and shield. It will scorch incoming attacks to nothing before they can even touch you. And when you stand beneath the sun …" Her eyes seemed to catch the light. "Your body will resonate with its light. The Avatar becomes more efficient. Your movements sharpen. Your soul power flows faster. Your instincts heighten. You will not just wield the power; you will become it."
The truth of her legacy settled on him, a heavy and brilliant weight. This was nothing like the fire tricks from the stories of his old world. Matatabi was a celestial being.
The first skill, Stellar Blaze, was not mere pyrokinesis. It was plasmokinesis, the authority to generate and command star-forged plasma. It was not merely destruction; it was absolute mastery over energy in its rawest, most volatile state.
The second, Solar Avatar, was that power turned inward. A Plasma Cloak that transformed the user into a living nexus of solar energy, a conduit for the sun's own wrath and resilience. Under the open sky, its power would be limitless.
A long silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint, imagined crackle of plasma.
Arthev's crimson Shinragan eyes remained active, their glow unwavering. Though blind to the ordinary world, his mind was anything but, he was already processing, measuring the potential output of the skills, mapping their theoretical structure, calculating the strain they would place on him. He could almost feel the heat of the stellar flame waiting for his command.
"Stellar Blaze… Solar Avatar…" he whispered quietly, testing the names. They felt solid, immense.
From behind him, Shukaku let out a low, rumbling chuckle. A cascade of sand whispered down his shoulder. "Fancy cat," the One-Tail muttered. "The kid's gonna burn the whole forest down trying that."
Matatabi's gaze shifted to the sandy beast, her expression unamused but dignified. Her voice was calm, but it carried an edge of heat. "Power is not chaos, Shukaku. It is precision. He will learn the difference."
Shukaku just snorted, the sound like grinding stones. He knew better than anyone how methodical Arthev could be.
Ignoring them, Arthev took a step forward. The mirrored sea beneath his feet rippled, and his soul form seemed to vibrate with a new, stable energy.
The soul plane dissolved around him, and Arthev opened his eyes.
The second crimson soul ring had taken its place beside the first, both circling him steadily. A new warmth pulsed from them, a sign of the power now anchored within. The soul power flowing through his meridians felt different deeper, unconstrained. He was no longer on the brink; he had stepped over it.
"Level 24."
He felt the change immediately. It was in the air itself, how it seemed to move slower against his skin. His senses were sharper, his body lighter.
He stood up. The hem of his cloak brushed against the dusty floor, stirring small motes of stone. When he stepped across a crack in the floor, his balance was perfect, his weight distributed without a single wasted motion.
"The physical enhancements are significant," he noted, his voice low. "Reaction time, agility, speed. They've outpaced the growth of my raw soul power. A clear influence from Matatabi's nature."
From the depths of his consciousness, Shukaku's gritty voice echoed, tinged with amusement. "So the cat's made you quicker on your feet. Feelin' spry, kid?"
A rare, brief smile touched Arthev's lips. "My Shinragan sees even more clearly now. The world is… slower."
A new voice resonated in his mind, serene where Shukaku's was rough. "The power does not create strength," Matatabi said, her presence a calm pool in his soulscape. "It illuminates what was already there. I merely gave it breath."
Arthev went still for a half-second, internally acknowledging her.
"You feel different from Shukaku," he observed. "More… settled."
"Balance is achieved through contrast," she replied. "Together, we will refine your path."
Shukaku let out a grating scoff. "Wonderful. Now I have to share headspace with a poet. Should've known it'd get crowded."
"You are welcome to dig your own corner, brother," Matatabi answered coolly. "Just do not trip over mine."
A faint breath that was almost a laugh escaped Arthev. The constant strain of controlling a single chaotic force was gone, replaced by a new, dynamic equilibrium. Two opposing yet complementary powers now circled within him.
He took another step forward.
A sharp crack echoed as a fracture split one of the chamber walls. The containment field above flickered wildly, and dust and small fragments of jade began to rain from the ceiling. The pendant on his chest flared with a steady golden light.
"A spatial shift," Arthev observed. "The exit mechanism is activating."
He approached the edge of the chamber.
"Time to leave." His tone was cool. "The surface awaits."
"Finally!" Shukaku barked from within. "Let's get out of this hole and into some real sunlight. I'm ready to stretch."
"Sunlight will suit us both," Matatabi added softly. "Let it remind you of the power you now carry."
Arthev nodded, his gaze fixed on the shifting runes . The boy who had once walked alone now moved with two legends at his side,one of sand and storm, the other of starfire and dusk.
To be continued...