Akki wore his pound-cloth outfit, its surface marked with faint burn scars left behind by repeated training with [Thunder Armor]. Leaving the wolf-hunting grounds behind, he set out toward the main city—Syncope—where his friend Megha lived.
The journey would take several hours on foot.
As he sprinted across the grasslands using his increasingly refined [Thunder Step], his body blurred like a flash of light. With every stride, memories surfaced—reflections on the true origin of his skills.
"The Tripumi system has no fixed formulas. No ready-made skills," Akki thought. "But I can synthesize the principles of power I once encountered in entertainment… and adapt them to the lightning element I possess."
What he feared most—and devoted himself to the hardest—was awakening the Lightning Heart System.
It was the only path that would allow him to wield lightning continuously while consuming the least possible energy—perfectly aligned with his frugal nature and strict resource management.
"The heart must be the core… If I can force it to beat at will, and release electrical currents through my bloodstream, I'll have a self-sustaining power source—one that doesn't rely on external energy or expensive recovery potions."
He began training [Lightning Channeling], deliberately controlling his heart rate at varying frequencies while maintaining [Thunder Armor].
After countless repetitions, something finally responded.
[Passive Skill Unlocked: Lightning Heart System]
[Stage: ⭐ Awakening — Spark Pulse]
The moment it awakened, sharp headaches and waves of dizziness struck whenever he exceeded his limits—side effects eerily connected to his real-world health condition.
Yet in exchange, every movement of his body now carried latent electrical force.
From that foundation, Akki developed new offensive skills—drawing from accumulated concepts and fusing them with lightning-based movement.
New Derived Skills:
• Thunder Knuckle — Close-range main attack. Highly compressed lightning focused into the fist.
• Bolt Impact — Attack / Crowd Control. Uses [Spark Pulse] to release an electromagnetic shockwave, stunning enemies.
• Flash Dance — Movement / Offensive Fusion. Integrates [Thunder Step] with ultra-high-speed attacks.
While passing through the sandstone mountain region, Akki noticed his surroundings carefully.
This area was a known hunting ground for mid-tier monsters—Stonehorn Bulls, creatures with exceptionally high vitality and defensive armor.
He knew immediately.
This was the perfect opportunity to test everything he had built.
[Encounter: Stonehorn Bull]
The bull charged.
Akki activated [Thunder Armor] and evaded using [Thunder Step], moving at speeds no ordinary human could achieve.
"Close combat… I have to be faster."
He triggered [Flash Dance], closing the distance in an instant.
His body transformed into streaks of blue lightning, circling the Stonehorn Bull multiple times in a single heartbeat.
His fists struck relentlessly at the same weak point.
[Thunder Knuckle] slammed into its flank — first shock.
[Bolt Impact] followed, releasing a concussive electrical pulse.
[Stun Applied: 0.5 seconds]
Seizing the opening, Akki lunged again—driving a lightning-coated elbow into the base of its leg.
The rapid combo inflicted continuous damage far beyond expectations.
[Flash Dance Proficiency increased by 0.3%]
[Skill Evolution: Bolt Impact has advanced from Low to Intermediate!]
At the end, Akki gathered every remaining ounce of power within his body.
He surged forward at maximum speed, fusing everything into one decisive strike.
[Thunder Spear – Pierce]
BOOM!!!
A violent lightning explosion erupted around the Stonehorn Bull, accompanied by sharp thunderclaps.
The massive creature collapsed.
[Stonehorn Bull defeated!]
[You obtained: 0.8 Gold]
Akki staggered back, gasping for breath.
His heart pounded violently, sharp pain stabbing through his chest—the backlash of [Spark Pulse].
But he had done it.
A solo victory against a mid-tier monster.
After resting and collecting the drops, Akki continued onward.
Before long, the towering walls of Syncope came into view.
The city overflowed with high-level players clad in gleaming armor, accompanied by exotic mounts of every shape imaginable.
Compared to them, Akki looked like nothing more than a poor beginner.
Yet within him slept a collection of unique skills that no one else had ever witnessed.
He opened his communication window and sent a message.
Akki: I'm in Syncope now. Where are you?
The reply came instantly.
Megha: Damn, that was fast! Come to the Mage Tower. I've got something to show you… get ready to be surprised.
Akki turned toward the Mage Tower—the rendezvous point Megha had named.
At last, he was about to reunite with the friend who had always supported him.
And step deeper into this virtual world—one filled with both hope and danger.