SSS Awakening: I Can Create Skills By Will-Chapter 113: The Price of Fire II

Arthur needed something that won’t break down over time.

As he made it to the merchant clearly.

The merchant studied him carefully, his eyes sharp with curiosity. He had seen many customers, many fighters, many elemental users, but something about Arthur’s tone carried a quiet certainty.

"Young man," the merchant said slowly, "a dagger suited for elemental conduction, especially fire, is not something common."

Arthur expected that answer.

"But," the man continued, a small smile forming, "you are extremely lucky today."

Arthur’s brows lifted slightly.

The merchant turned and walked deeper into his stall, moving toward a locked section where higher quality items were displayed. After a moment, he returned with a single dagger.

It wasn’t flashy.

No glowing runes. No decorative gems or elaborate design.

Its blade was dark with faint crimson veins running through the metal, like cooled magma trapped beneath the surface. The handle was wrapped in firm, heat resistant material, simple but practical.

"This," the merchant said, presenting it carefully, "was crafted from a monster part known for natural fire affinity. The material absorbs and conducts heat smoothly. It resists elemental strain and maintains structural stability."

Arthur listened closely as the merchant continued. Arthur could not sense any exaggeration or unnecessary boasting while he spoke.

"It is not a noble weapon," the merchant added, "but it is reliable. Built for function."

That was exactly what Arthur wanted.

He took the dagger and held it.

The moment his fingers wrapped around the grip, he felt the difference. The weapon seemed to welcome the warmth in his body rather than resist it.

Slowly, he channeled a trace of fire through it.

The reaction was immediate.

The heat flowed cleanly along the blade, smooth and controlled, without the usual resistance he had grown used to fighting against. The output was steady, the balance perfect.

Even the merchant flinched slightly at the intensity that flickered along the edge.

Arthur noticed.

His control and output had improved with his dagger.

A small realization, but an important one.

"How much?" he asked.

"Twenty yen."

The number struck him harder than expected.

He had prepared himself for a high price, yet hearing it still caused a sharp sting in his chest. The coins in his pouch suddenly felt lighter in his mind.

But as he looked at the dagger, that resistance faded.

Strength required sacrifice.

He had always known that.

He nodded.

"I’ll take it."

He paid without bargaining. The merchant accepted the coins with satisfaction, and the dagger became Arthur’s.

As he secured it at his side, he felt a quiet sense of progress. A small step forward, but a real one.

Then he turned, ready to return to his dorm.

But he had barely taken a few steps when someone called out.

"Arthur!"

He stopped.

A squad member approached him quickly, posture straight, expression serious.

Arthur’s chest tightened.

He already knew.

The moment their eyes met, he understood the reason.

"The commander is waiting for you," the man said. "Private training hall."

No explanation. No delay.

Just the message.

The squad member left immediately after delivering it, leaving Arthur standing alone among the noise of the market.

His heartbeat quickened.

So it had come.

He had expected this. There was no way the events of the mission would remain unnoticed. The sudden display of power, the abnormal results, and most of all...

The fire element he had grasped in mere hours.

No commander would ignore that. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Arthur exhaled slowly, trying to steady himself.

Was he not going to get even a short rest this time?

A faint, tired laugh escaped him.

"I knew this would happen," he murmured to himself.

And strangely, accepting that truth made his steps lighter.

Arthur adjusted his breathing, calmed his racing thoughts, and began walking toward the private training hall.

Arthur reached the training hall sooner than he expected. The walk there had done little to calm the restless energy in his chest. When he stepped forward and handed over his badge, the same male clerk from before received it.

The man’s eyes lingered on him, sharp and heavy, filled with that familiar malice.

Arthur almost laughed.

He had never understood what he did to deserve such attention, but strangely enough, he found it amusing. It felt like some strange privilege. Many would wish to stand out this much, even if the attention came wrapped in hostility.

Still, the humor did not completely wash away the tension building inside him.

He wasn’t just meeting a superior.

He was meeting her.

And that thought alone stirred a different kind of nervousness.

Arthur walked into the training hall, his steps steady but his thoughts anything but. The wide chamber looked the same as before, its polished floors reflecting the bright overhead lights, the scent of metal and sweat hanging faintly in the air.

Then he saw her.

She stood at one side of the hall.

She wasn’t dressed as casually as the last time, yet she wasn’t in full armor either. A fitted training outfit hugged her frame, practical yet impossible to ignore. The fabric traced the firm lines of her waist and the smooth curve of her hips, clinging slightly where sweat dampened it. Her sleeves were rolled just enough to reveal toned arms, and the rise and fall of her breathing gave her presence a quiet intensity.

She looked like someone carved for battle.

Strong. Graceful. Dangerously attractive.

Strands of hair stuck lightly to her skin, and beads of sweat slid down her neck, disappearing beneath the collar of her clothes. The heat of training had flushed her cheeks, adding a raw vitality that made her even harder to look away from.

Making Arthur swallow loudly..

Before he knew it, he had licked his lips, eyes unconsciously tracing every outline, every movement.

A sudden cough shattered the moment.

The commander stood, arms folded, clearly used to such reactions. This was probably far from the first time someone had lost their focus at the sight of her.

As she coughed lightly making Arthur snap back to reality.