You said you were going to make games, how did you become the richest man without doing anything?

A scorching wind swept across the crimson mountain ridges, flames tracing serpentine trails in the air. That was the Scorching Wind—a calamity that raged year-round only in the "Ember Ring Highlands" at the southern tip of the Haende continent. Each streak of fire pierced the rock, scorching it into charred ash.

Yet, in this deadly zone, a boy in a tattered cloak walks against the wind.

"This place... truly is my destiny."

He stopped and squinted at the horizon, where a crack that shouldn't exist in reality stretched out. It was pitch black, yet it continuously dripped silvery-white light rain. The light droplets that touched the ground transformed into shattered runes and songs, fleeting yet possessing an indescribable allure.

His name is Eller.

An orphan raised on the northern border of Carolia, said to be a fallen star infant who fell from the sky on the night of the Great Calamity ten years ago. He possesses an undecipherable incantation mark, and his body is sealed with a kind of "echo of the ash" from an ancient cursed race. In the Carolia Empire, he is known as the "Son of Calamity," but is also regarded as the "Successor of the True Flame" by some esoteric sects.

Now, fate has brought him back to the beginning of his destiny.

Eller removed a crimson crystal from his waist. It was a fragment of the Flame Whisperer's magic core, plucked from the body of a dead Crimson Flame Sorcerer when he was seven years old, now long since faded. But he knew that this crystal contained a spell, a spell about the true name of the "Ember Ring"—

—"Ignáorus".

"let's start."

Ailer murmured softly, biting his finger and dripping blood onto the crystal core. The moment the incantation appeared, the mountain ridge trembled, and scorching spiritual currents surged from the ground. The incantation transformed into a fiery serpent, soaring into the sky and crashing into the rift in the void.

At that moment, the entire Ember Ring Highlands resonated with some ancient echo.

"You finally came."

A deep yet gentle voice rang in Ailer's ear.

He turned around abruptly—behind him stood a man draped in a black battle robe, wearing a silver horn headdress, his pupils gleaming like fire crystals. His face was covered by a half-metal mask, and a massive, wheel-like "Whispering Wheel Greatsword" was slung diagonally behind him.

"Who are you?"

“My name is Thor—the Scorched Oathkeeper, a remnant of the Seventh Age.”

He slowly drew his greatsword and pointed it at the crack in the sky.

“You are the ‘Son of the Flame Lord,’ and also the one who brings about the end of this Flame Curse. Your destiny is not limited to this.”

Ayler's heart skipped a beat: "Flame Lord? Calamity Curse? What are you talking about? I just wanted to—"

“I want to unravel the echo within you and reclaim the destiny that belongs to you,” Thor calmly replied. “But destiny never gives people a choice unless you fight it with sword and flame.”

Having said that, he suddenly swung his sword, the blade slicing through the void and leaving a crimson curse mark.

The next moment, a fiery storm erupted from behind him, transforming into a three-headed fire wolf that roared out and pounced straight at Ailer.

Before Ailer could even think, the incantation within him ignited instantly—flame serpent patterns climbed up his arm, condensing into a crimson short sword. He flipped and leaped into the air, swinging the sword in a counter-attack, colliding head-on with the fire wolf!
boom! !

Flames soared into the sky, rocks crumbled, and the scorched rock ground beneath their feet instantly cracked, revealing a crimson "Ancient Abyss of Cursed Flames" below.

Eller was panting heavily, his right hand dripping with blood. But his eyes shone with an unprecedented intensity.

"You...you didn't come to kill me."

“Not bad.” Thor sneered. “I’ll test you to see if you’re qualified to enter the ‘Realm of Lingering Flames’.”

He walked slowly closer, sheathing the greatsword Yulun in his hand behind his back.

“Within the body of the true ‘Descendant of the Flame Lord’ lies a passage of ancient Flame Words. Only when you break your own curse seal can you transform from a child of calamity into a ‘Successor of the Flame Words’.”

He pointed to the gradually closing crack in the sky.

"Go, the rift will guide you to the first 'Flame Whisper Stone'. And you will face... the first true Flame Singer—Hebaru Burning Whisper."

Eller was taken aback: "Aren't you coming with me?"

Thor shook his head: "I belong to the old era, my spiritual blood has weakened, and I can no longer enter the main domain of spells. But you are different, you are the 'Core of New Flame'."

He pulled a badge from his cloak and tossed it to Eller.

"Take this and enter the trial gate of the 'Burning Floating Corridor'."

-

As night fell, the edge of the rift transformed into a floating lava corridor, with a spiral bridge of blazing flames appearing in the void. Airer stepped onto it, and fiery patterns bloomed and chanted along the soles of his feet before being swallowed by a vortex of flames.

The surrounding space was filled with radiant light, and the flames surged like ocean waves.

At that end, a tall figure stood.

He was clad in a golden-red feathered robe, and beneath his mask, faint pale incantation scars were visible, but his eyes were deep, black flames. In his right hand, he held a staff, the head of which was coiled with seven elemental fire serpents, and he murmured in a language that did not belong to this world.

"Welcome, Son of the Fallen Star, Eller."

He is Herbaru Burning Words.

The first ancient chanter to truly master the "True Flame Language Essence" was also one of the "Seven Chanting Fire Messengers" who burned down the three divine towers in the Old Era.

“If you can withstand my three incantations, I will give you the first ‘Flame Word Stone’.”

Eller took a deep breath, his gaze intense.

"bring it on!"

With a gentle flick of his staff, Hebaru uttered a burning incantation:

—"Kamurus Flame Comes"

In an instant, all the flames coalesced, transforming into a rain of blazing sun swords that rained down from the sky!

Ailer leaped up, the inscribed sword in his hand becoming even more dazzling. His body seemed to transform into a shadow of flames. He was no longer that weak orphan, but the Flame Lord's successor, who possessed the Heavenly Flame Inscription and could fight against the True Flame Singer!
In the "Burning Chant Corridor," a tapestry of flames and ash, the duel between Ailer and Herbal Burning Whisper was in full swing. Herbal's second incantation, "Flame Wheel Herka," transformed into a blazing wheel of fire, sweeping towards them. Ailer wielded his inscribed sword, struggling to defend himself, the flames within his body growing ever more intense. Just as the wheel of fire was about to engulf him, a clear female voice rang out: "Shield of the Wind, Feather of Protection!" A verdant wind shield instantly unfolded, blocking the wheel of fire.

Eller turned his head in surprise and saw a young girl standing not far away. She wore a silver-white robe, her long golden hair flowing in the wind, and held a staff inlaid with sapphires. Her eyes were firm yet gentle, as if they could pierce through all darkness.

"You are..." Before Eller could speak, the girl said softly, "I am Fufu, the guardian of the Wind Sanctuary. I sensed your battle."

Hebaru snorted coldly: "Another overconfident intruder." He waved his staff, and the third incantation, "Flame Chant - End," condensed into a fire dragon, roaring as it charged toward the two.

Fou raised her staff and chanted, "Dance of the Wind, Entangling Ropes!" Countless wind ropes bound the fire dragon, slowing its movements. Taking advantage of the moment, Eller leaped up, his cursed sword piercing the fire dragon's heart, causing it to disintegrate into fragments of flame.

Hebaru glared angrily: "You... how dare you..." His figure began to blur, and finally turned into a ball of flame and dissipated.

Fou put away her staff and smiled, "It seems we are destined partners."

Eller nodded: "Thank you, Fufu."

The wind whistled through the dense forest on the hillside, leaving a crisp crackling sound as branches and leaves snapped. The morning mist hadn't yet dissipated, and sunlight pierced through gaps in the clouds, casting its glow on the verdant grass. The carriage slowly made its way along the stone path, its wheels creaking, the horses' hooves crunching the dew, raising clouds of golden dust like the morning light. A boy sitting behind the carriage canopy peered out curiously.

"This is... Carlo Village on the border of Diroval?" he murmured, his amber eyes reflecting a dense forest in the distance and the white stone houses faintly visible at its edge. His name was Rein, an apprentice mage who had just received his graduation certificate from the Royal Magic Academy.

Not far away, a silver-white figure quietly emerged from the forest.

At first glance, Rein thought it was an illusion formed from the lingering morning mist in the forest. It wasn't until the figure nimbly leaped onto a stone platform, with long hair like clouds and eyes like stars, that he realized it was a girl—no, to be precise, an elf.

"do not move."

Her voice was soft, like a mountain spring flowing through a shallow stream, neither too loud nor too soft, yet carrying an irresistible, cool, and authoritative pressure. The arrow was already nocked, aimed at Rein's heart.

Rein immediately raised his hands. "Don't misunderstand, I was just passing by! I'm Rein, an apprentice mage from the magic academy, not a poacher, nor a member of a mercenary group!"

The young elf raised her eyebrows slightly, the arrow still raised, but the bowstring still drawn.

"Which road did you come from?"

“The entrance to the Forest of Felde to the north,” Rein quickly replied. “I received a notice from the kingdom’s border saying that ancient ruins have appeared near Carlo Village, and they hope the magic academy will send someone to investigate…”

He paused, looking at the girl's still wary expression, and added, "I really am just an apprentice."

The girl remained silent for a moment, then finally put down the bow.

“I am Fufu. A scout from Carlo Village.”

She turned around, her cloak billowing slightly in the breeze, her long ears trembling, her silver hair shimmering. "If you want to investigate the ruins, come with me. But I warn you, this woodland has been turbulent lately. If there's any unusual activity, don't blame me for being merciless with my arrows."

Rein swallowed hard and nodded quickly: "Understood! I swear, it's just for the investigation."

So the two walked side by side through the dense forest.

Sunlight dappled through the trees, and Rein occasionally stole glances at the elven girl beside him. Fou moved silently, as if she didn't even touch the ground, each step landing precisely in the silent gaps between the fallen leaves. A short sword hung at her waist, and a bow and quiver were on her back; she was clearly one of the most elite warriors among the elven rangers.

"Are you from Carlo Village?"

“No. I come from the Mirvia Forest. I was assigned here three years ago as a forest ranger.”

"Have you ever seen... the legendary ruins?"

Fufu didn't answer directly, but stopped in front of a cliff and pointed to the rock face entwined with vines.

"over there."

Rein stepped forward, parted the thick vines, and revealed a stone door inlaid with ancient inscriptions.

"This is... a sealing inscription from the Gudare clan?"

Rein exclaimed in surprise. He studied magical theory and runic literature, and although he was not good at combat, he was particularly sensitive to the ruins of such lost civilizations.

"But the seal on this door... shows signs of being broken?"

Fufu's gaze also turned serious: "Three days ago, an unidentified mercenary group sneaked into this place at night. When I tracked them down, I found that they had already broken through the sealed gate. The next day, they vanished without a trace."

Rein cursed under his breath, "These people... they don't understand the rules of the ruins and they just move around recklessly. If they trigger a magic trap... no, Fou, we have to go in and check it out."

Fou stared at him, seemingly assessing his credibility. Finally, she nodded and took a badge engraved with elven patterns from her quiver, inserting it into the groove of the rock gate.

With a slight tremor, the stone door slowly opened, and a ripple of dark blue magical energy spread out like waves, releasing the aura of the ruins within.

It was a magic that was both familiar and strange.

Intense and ancient, it seems to come from another era.

“This aura…” Rein’s expression changed instantly. “Something’s not right. There’s high-level magical energy twisted within it, and… it’s alive?”

"Living magic element?"

Fufu frowned and gripped her short sword tighter.

Rein nodded and explained in a low voice, "If the magic element still possesses life perception, then that means—"

Before he finished speaking, a tremor suddenly sounded beneath his feet, the ground cracked open, and magical runes spread rapidly, as if some kind of mechanism had been activated!
“Back off—!”

Fou grabbed Rein, and the two rolled several feet away. Suddenly, a golem covered in metal scales leaped out from where they had been standing! It was two zhang tall, with ghostly blue flames burning in its eyes. With a roar, it swung its greatsword and swept it towards them!

"Wind Barrier!" Rein swiftly swung his magic book, and a semi-transparent wind wall rose up, blocking the first attack. But the wind wall was cleaved through like paper by the greatsword, and the strong wind sent the two flying.

Fou flipped in mid-air, drew her bow and fired two arrows, which struck the golem's shoulder joint and eye socket respectively.

What is its core?

"Left chest, a crack!" Rein leaped to his feet, quickly assessing the structure. "I'll create cover, you take that shot!"

"clear."

Rein raised his magic book high: "Lightning Spirit, answer the call! — Thunder Explosion!"

Lightning converged in the air, transforming into a ball of thunder that crashed down, forcing the golem to take a half-step back. Fou lightly touched the tree trunk with her toes, leaping into the air with the speed of a shooting star, her arrow piercing the sky!

"—Destroy!"

"Om-!"

The arrow struck the crack squarely, exploding with intense light.

The golem crashed to the ground, its body rapidly disintegrating into sand and metal debris, leaving only a crystal burning with blue light rolling to the ground.

Fou picked up the crystal, stared at it for a moment, and frowned, saying, "This is not an ordinary golem, it is... an ancient tomb guardian that has been awakened."

Rein's expression was grave: "They awakened this thing when they broke the seal... Fouf, we have to go deeper and see if the core of the ruins has been damaged."

Fufu had no objection, but said softly, "From now on, I will accompany you on this journey."

Rein looked up at her, his gaze meeting her eyes, which were like stars in the night sky.

"Thank you."

“Don’t thank me too soon,” Fufu smiled slightly, her silver hair fluttering. “Let’s talk about it when we can get out of this ruins safe and sound.”

The underground staircase descended, winding like a snake, adorned with eerie blue light patterns, seemingly guiding the two to a lost ancient world. (End of Chapter)