Awakening Flame
In my previous life, I had longed for freedom.
I wanted to live a life governed by my own will, rather than one dictated by meaningless obligations.
Back then, I might have chosen to extend my life by becoming a demon myself, but had I known how much I would regret that choice, I would have ended it all without hesitation.
Yet I hadn't. And now, I had to live a life where even suicide was no longer an option.
How bitterly I rued that fact.
And how much I had learned from it.
I had been foolish, too proud to admit my lack of talent, yet desperate to be a star without exerting effort.
The days I unleashed my anger on others, blaming my own failures on everyone around me…
By the time I realized that venting my wrath did nothing to hide my incompetence, it was already too late.
So, when fate granted me a second chance, I knew exactly what I had to do.
I had to live differently this time.
A crude atonement, yes—but the only path I could understand.
And so, the first thought that struck me after the family gathering was:
'Can I kill the Night Lotus Demon?'
An absurd, almost blasphemous notion.
'How dare I even consider killing one of the three strongest beings in existence?'
'How could I possibly slay the monster that burned two clans of the Alliance of the Ten Clans?'
Any rational person hearing this thought would dismiss it instantly.
It was, by all measures, futile.
The Night Lotus Demon would fall to the Divine Sword, wielded by Isabella, and the remaining demons would be wiped out in short order.
If I'm being honest, my desire wasn't heroism. I simply wanted to live a little longer.
But inevitably, a confrontation with the demons would come.
Even in my current form, I am a child of the Fireheart clan. My blood ties bind me to the fate of Emberhold City.
Could I possibly hold off demons alone, when even the four great clans struggled to contain them?
Perhaps I should flee… hide in the mountains where they could never find me—
"…How foolish I am, to even think of running away, after being granted a second chance," I muttered, shivering at my own cowardice.
I wanted to slap myself awake, but feared I might fall.
I banished the fear from my mind.
How long had I been committed to this new life, only to squander it with cowardice?
I clenched my teeth and hardened my resolve.
Time slipped by unnoticed; the night had long since deepened past midnight.
I drew a deep, shuddering breath until my lungs ached, then exhaled.
A wisp of Mana escaped with it.
'Pathetic…' I thought. Such a minuscule amount. My Mana could not even compare to what Mio had achieved at her age.
Then again, I had not devoted myself to training, unlike her.
Even with so little Mana, I had something to build on.
The Fireheart bloodline carried the legacy of flame martial arts.
Similar to channeling ki into fire, the art's mastery formed gradually with discipline, until a warrior's aura blazed like living fire.
Years of practice had birthed the first generation of Fireheart flame techniques. Loret had earned the nickname The Fire Beast, for the tiger-like aura of flames around him when punishing evil.
Mio, too, would one day earn the title Phoenix Saber, her sword blazing with fire as a reflection of her skill.
I, too, carried the spark of flame within me.
To wield the fire arts, one must reach the 4th rank; to envelop oneself fully in flames, the 7th. I was only at the 1st.
Compared to Loret at the 7th, and even Mio, I was nothing.
Yet the night held its purpose. Though it seemed foolish, training now was necessary. I had to reach the 2nd rank before time ran out.
I could no longer indulge in past life regrets. I had to become stronger to survive.
The memory of my demonic existence haunted me—but I used it as fuel, as motivation to push forward.
The problem now was this:
"…I could seriously hurt myself if I push too far."
Summoning every scrap of Mana, I concentrated it into a single point.
The effort was immense; my body trembled under the strain. Sweat slicked my skin, but I persisted.
Even this small success, given my pitiful Mana reserves, was impressive. Anything beyond this would invite serious injury.
"…Whew."
I exhaled, a smile breaking over my face. Satisfaction mingled with lingering disappointment—I wished I could have done more, yet it was a beginning.
"Not bad," I murmured, feeling my body warm with newly awakened strength.
This confirmed it: I had reached the 2nd rank in the flame arts. My limited training had inadvertently spread my Mana more efficiently than I expected.
"Although… can I really thank my lack of training?" I muttered to myself, shaking my head.
Hours may have passed, but reaching the 2nd rank brought renewed energy.
'Step by step, slowly climbing… this will help me survive in the future.'
Unable to bathe fully, I washed my face, changed into clean clothes, and collapsed onto my bed.
A decent start, I thought. Let's keep this pace…
One step at a time—but not too slowly.
I would overcome every obstacle ahead, solely because I refused to relive the misery of my previous life.
'Do the bare minimum… stay out of trouble… live quietly until the path is clear.'
This was my plan: live peacefully until the Night Lotus Demon's eventual demise.
But then…
"He-Hello! I-I'm I-Isabella!"
Why was she here, appearing so suddenly…?