An unresolved Dimensional Rift in Blackburn Forest.
Just five kilometers from his apartment.
In this world, thick forests still sprawled across the land like ancient scars—untamed, unpredictable, and dangerous. Cities had long given up the idea of full control, learning instead to coexist with the unknown. Beyond the concrete and glass, wild zones thrived—home to monsters, soul beasts, and things that didn't belong in any natural ecosystem.
But what really caught Ronan's attention wasn't the distance.
It was the classification.
—Skeletons.
He leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing.
"Skeletons, huh?" he muttered, fingers drumming softly against the wooden table.
The kind of enemy that most awakened avoided. Not because they were strong, but because they were… annoying. Endless hordes. Fragile but relentless. And if not handled properly, they'd overwhelm even experienced teams.
He read a bit more.
Reports mentioned flickering blue flames inside the Rift. Low visibility. High density.
No confirmed boss yet.
He set the paper down and exhaled slowly through his nose.
A faint grin touched his lips.
"Sounds like a warm-up."
He stood from the couch, the quiet creak of old floorboards trailing his steps. With a slow stretch and a roll of his shoulders, he made his way toward the bathroom.
Time to clean up.
Time to gear up.
Today's plan was already chosen.
—Blackburn Forest.
---
Ronan didn't head to the forest right away. First, he stopped by a small roadside store. As soon as he entered, the air was filled with the scent of spices and light chemicals—a typical mix in stores that sold various household supplies.
A middle-aged woman, likely the shop owner, looked at him kindly from behind the counter.
"Can I help you with something?" she asked.
"Yeah, I need five liters of vinegar," Ronan replied without hesitation.
The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the unusual request. "Five liters of vinegar? Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Oh, and if you have them, I also need small balloons. Around a hundred," he added casually.
The woman still looked confused, but eventually nodded. "Alright, give me a moment."
But before she could turn around to get the items, another voice chimed in from behind.
"Do you sell thermal blankets?"
Her voice was soft and calm, yet there was a hint of firmness to it. Ronan instinctively turned toward it.
A girl stood there. Her silver hair fell elegantly past her shoulders. Her bluish eyes looked calm yet sharp, radiating an aura that was hard to ignore. She seemed to be around his age, and Ronan recognized her immediately.
Helen Celestina.
His classmate. One of the talented Awakeners who had awakened an S-Class ability.
"Yes, we do," the woman replied, her tone suddenly a little more attentive.
"I need four," Helen said.
"Coming right up."
While waiting, Ronan stole a few glances her way. Helen was well-known as one of the most beautiful girls at school. Her face was flawless, with a cold expression that made her seem untouchable.
That indifferent expression—as if he didn't exist—kept Ronan from bothering to greet her or even say hi. Besides, she didn't show the slightest interest in him either.
The shopkeeper returned moments later with five bulky vinegar bottles and a plastic bag full of colorful balloons.
"Here you go," she said, placing them on the counter with a light thud. "Thirty dollars total."
Ronan pulled the exact amount from his wallet and handed it over. "Thanks."
Just as he was about to leave, his eyes flicked toward Helen—just a passing glance.
But unexpectedly, their gazes met.
Crimson met deep blue.
Sharp and quiet.
For a heartbeat, time seemed to pause.
Then, without breaking stride, Ronan turned and walked out of the store.
Behind him, Helen glanced briefly at his departing figure. She had never really paid much attention to Ronan before, but for some reason, something about him felt different now.
Still, her thoughts quickly returned to her own matters as the shopkeeper called out her total.
"That'll be 8 dollars."
Helen pulled out her money and handed it over.
"Keep the change."
---
Ronan slipped into the alleyway between two buildings—narrow, but a perfect spot for what he needed. He immediately started pouring the vinegar into the small balloons—exactly a hundred and more—and this was exactly what he wanted to prepare before entering the forest.
Around forty minutes passed, and now everything was packed and ready in his backpack.
"Time to go," he said with a grin.
---
Another ten minutes passed. Ronan stepped out of the taxi, his steps light but his eyes sharp as he took in the view that always managed to stir something inside him.
On one side of the bridge stretched the towering metropolis—bustling, bright, full of noise and life. But on the other side, Blackburn Forest awaited like the gaping jaws of a giant, dark and wild. The border between these two contrasting worlds always made him feel like he was standing between dimensions.
It wasn't his first time here. And yet… it still felt strange. Soul Beasts occasionally emerged from the forest and rampaged into the city. Experts said it was due to the fluctuations from the Dimensional Rift. Something within the Rift corrupted their minds, like alcohol to a human brain.
At the edge of the bridge's railing, Ronan stood, looking down. Fifty meters? Maybe more.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
His body fell.
And then—FWOOOSH!
Red flames ignited from both of his feet, forming a controlled burst that slowed his descent. The air around him sizzled with heat, the grass below started to wilt before he finally landed smoothly.
Ronan nodded in satisfaction. Starflame was truly special. Not only could it burn, but it could choose what to burn and what not to. Ronan's clothes remained intact, and even his hair only fluttered slightly, not scorched.
But one question still lingered: was he immune to other sources of fire?
His gaze turned to the forest—Blackburn. It looked no different from any other forest: dense.
"And now," he said with a smirk, "let the hunt begin!"
He stepped into the underbrush.
---
As usual, the outer edge of the forest was eerily silent. Not even birds could be heard.
Szzzz!
A hiss shattered the silence. Ronan turned quickly and saw a cobra—large, its dark gray scales glinting as its tongue flicked through the air—hissing in his direction.
Strangely, though, the snake turned away and slithered off.
"Heh," Ronan smirked, flames blooming in the palm of his hand. "You're not getting away that easily."
He hurled the fireball at the creature. Flames devoured it in an instant.
But the smell of burning flesh never came. Instead, the snake's body trembled… then turned to mist and vanished like a mirage touched by reality.
Ronan approached, a confused expression on his face. "What the hell…"
Starflame was hot—very hot. But to instantly vaporize a living creature? Impossible… unless it wasn't a living creature in the first place.
His eyes scanned the scorched ground. A realization began to creep into his mind. Someone else was here. Another Awakener. And that illusion… it was too clean for a common monster.
He sharpened his senses, staying alert. This might not be a friend. It could be an enemy far more dangerous than a Soul Beast.
Then—click!
Something stood before him. A humanoid figure, made entirely of bones, with deep violet light glowing from its hollow eyes.
A skeleton.
Ronan only smiled. "Finally."
He reached into his backpack and pulled out a small balloon filled with a clear, slightly yellowish liquid.
As soon as the skeleton stepped into throwing range, he hurled the balloon swiftly.
Splash!
Vinegar splashed across the white bones, but the skeleton showed no reaction. It raised its rusty sword and attacked.
Its movements were clumsy, easy to dodge. Ronan danced around it, deliberately not fighting back, waiting.
Because he knew. That balloon wasn't for nothing.
Minutes passed. As the skeleton prepared to attack again, its body began to stagger. Its knees wobbled. The bones seemed to lose their cohesion, and—crack!—its form collapsed into a pile of skeleton remains.
"It works!"
Ronan stepped closer, chuckling softly.
He'd read about this in the Awakener Library back in the capital. Vinegar, or any acidic substance with low pH, could disrupt the magical bonds that held undead together. Scientifically, acetic acid could soften bones with enough exposure. But for creatures from the Dimensional Rift, the effect worked like a poison that corroded their very foundation.
The skeleton's glowing eyes were still lit, but dim. There was no power behind that gaze anymore.
Without hesitation, Ronan raised his hand.
Starflame!
Flames roared forth, reducing the bones to black ash. Nothing remained.
"There are many ways to kill you," he muttered. "But I prefer the efficient ones."
[Starless-creature eliminated. +1 Skill Point]
Ronan nodded. Not bad. Even a creature without a rank gave him a reward.
"Let's keep going," he whispered.
He dashed deeper into the forest, the wind tousling his hair and cloak. On his back, his backpack full of vinegar balloons bounced with each step.
It might seem pointless to bring so many vinegar balloons when he had Starflame, which could simply burn anything.
But this was a forest filled with death and mystery. And in a war against the unknown—one extra variable might be the only thing that saves your life.