Rise of Lihas RAYZADA

Rise of Lihas Rayzada

Author: Grandmaster Wolf 🐺

Chapter 2: The Whisper of PowerThe dawn broke over Elderoot Village with a chill that seeped into the bones, the mist curling like ghostly fingers around the thatched roofs. Lihas Rayzada woke with a start, his silver eyes snapping open as the faint pulse of the Soul Rune Pendant thrummed against his chest. The straw mat beneath him felt harder than usual, but his heart raced with a fire he hadn't known before. The Starforge System was real. The Mana Sense tingling in his veins was real. And for the first time in his sixteen years, Lihas felt like he was more than just a village boy.He sat up, the pendant's glow dimming in the morning light. The translucent screen flickered before his eyes, unbidden, as if eager to guide him:Host StatusName: Lihas RayzadaCultivation: Tier 1, Level 1 (Beginner)Skills: Mana SenseQuest: [Daily Training – Run 5 miles, swing hammer 100 times]Reward: 10 EXP, 1 Attribute Point"Attribute Point?" Lihas muttered, squinting at the screen. The system hadn't mentioned those yesterday. He willed it to explain, and new text appeared:[Attribute Points: Enhance Strength, Agility, Endurance, or Mana. Allocate wisely to forge your path.]A grin tugged at his lips. "This just keeps getting better." He imagined himself wielding power like the cultivators in Garen's old tales—leaping mountains, shattering steel with a glance. But as the screen vanished, a pang of doubt crept in. Could a nobody like him really become something more?Lihas shook off the thought and slipped out of the hut, careful not to wake Garen, whose snores rumbled like a forge bellows. The village was still asleep, its dirt paths empty save for a stray dog sniffing at a fence. Lihas broke into a run, his boots pounding the earth as he circled Elderoot's outskirts, the system's quest ticking in his mind. The air buzzed with mana, faint but vivid through his Mana Sense, like a melody only he could hear. Each step felt lighter, as if the pendant was pushing him forward.By the time he returned to the forge, sweat-soaked and panting, the sun had climbed higher. Garen was already stoking the flames, his burly frame silhouetted against the glow. "Up early, eh?" the blacksmith said, raising an eyebrow. "What's got you so spry?""Just… feeling good," Lihas said, grabbing his hammer. He swung it a hundred times, each strike sharper than the last, the system's counter ticking in his vision. When he finished, the screen flared:[Quest Complete: Daily Training. Reward: 10 EXP, 1 Attribute Point. Progress to Level 2: 10/100 EXP.]Lihas's breath hitched. He was growing. He allocated the Attribute Point to Strength, feeling a subtle warmth spread through his muscles. The hammer felt lighter in his grip, and he couldn't help but grin."Stop daydreamin', lad," Garen called, tossing him a slab of iron. "We've got swords to forge for the market."Lihas nodded, diving into the work, but his mind raced. The system, the pendant, the mana—it was all a key to something bigger. He just needed to unlock it.Midday brought a bustle to Elderoot as villagers gathered in the square, bartering eggs, cloth, and gossip. Lihas delivered a bundle of swords to a merchant, his thoughts drifting to the Whisperpine Forest. He wanted to test his Mana Sense there, to feel the mana's pulse again. But as he crossed the square, a scream shattered the air."Beasts!" a woman shrieked, pointing toward the village's edge. "They're coming from the forest!"Lihas's blood ran cold. A low growl rumbled, and three Ironclaw Wolves prowled into view, their gray fur bristling, eyes glowing with feral hunger. Each was as tall as a man, their claws glinting like steel. Villagers scattered, clutching children and wares, while Garen grabbed a hammer from the forge."Stay back, Lihas!" Garen barked, stepping forward. But Lihas's heart pounded with a different instinct—not fear, but defiance. The pendant pulsed, and the system's voice rang in his mind:[Emergency Quest: Defend Elderoot. Defeat 3 Ironclaw Wolves. Reward: 50 EXP, Skill [Iron Rune Strike]. Failure: Death or village destruction.]Lihas gripped his hammer, his Mana Sense flaring. He could feel the wolves' mana—wild, jagged, like a storm trapped in flesh. "Garen, I can help," he said, voice steady despite the tremor in his hands.The blacksmith shot him a look. "Don't be a fool, lad!"But Lihas was already moving, darting toward the nearest wolf. The beast snarled, lunging with claws that could rend stone. Lihas rolled aside, his Mana Sense guiding him, the world slowing as he felt the mana's flow. He swung his hammer, aiming for the wolf's flank, but the blow glanced off its hide, sending a jolt up his arm."Too weak," he muttered, dodging another swipe. The system's screen flashed:[Tip: Channel mana through your weapon to enhance strikes.]Lihas focused, willing the mana he sensed into his hammer. The pendant glowed, and a faint silver light coated the weapon. He swung again, this time striking the wolf's leg with a crack that echoed across the square. The beast howled, stumbling, and Lihas pressed the attack, landing a blow to its skull. The wolf collapsed, its mana fading like a dying ember.The villagers gasped, but there was no time to celebrate. The second wolf charged, and Lihas barely ducked its jaws. Garen roared, slamming his hammer into the third wolf's side, drawing its attention. "Lihas, get out of here!" he shouted."No way," Lihas growled, his silver eyes blazing. He channeled mana again, striking the second wolf's shoulder. The beast staggered, and he finished it with a crushing blow to its head. Pain shot through his arms—he was pushing his body too hard—but the system's voice spurred him on:[2/3 Ironclaw Wolves defeated. EXP Gained: 30.]The final wolf lunged at Garen, pinning the blacksmith to the ground. Lihas sprinted forward, heart hammering, and leaped onto the beast's back. He drove his mana-charged hammer into its spine, the impact reverberating through his bones. The wolf collapsed, lifeless, and Lihas rolled off, gasping for air.The square fell silent, save for Garen's ragged breaths. The blacksmith stared at Lihas, eyes wide with disbelief. "How… how did you do that, lad?"Lihas managed a weak grin, clutching the pendant beneath his shirt. The system's screen flared:[Emergency Quest Complete: Defend Elderoot. Reward: 50 EXP, Skill [Iron Rune Strike]. Progress to Level 2: 90/100 EXP.]A new sensation surged through him—knowledge, instinct, as if the system had etched the Iron Rune Strike into his soul. He could feel its power, a technique that fused mana and runes into a devastating blow.Villagers emerged from hiding, whispering in awe. "Did you see that?" one said. "The boy took down wolves!" another murmured. But their words barely reached Lihas. His body ached, his vision swam, but the pendant's warmth anchored him. He'd protected Elderoot. He'd won.Garen clapped a hand on his shoulder, his voice thick with pride. "You're somethin' else, Lihas. Somethin' special."As the villagers began clearing the wolves' bodies, Lihas slipped away, his gaze drifting to the Whisperpine Forest. The system, the pendant, the mana—it was all real, and it was his. But the wolves' attack felt like a warning, a whisper of greater dangers lurking beyond Elderoot's borders.He tightened his grip on the hammer, silver eyes burning with resolve. Whatever lay ahead, he'd face it. The Starforge System had chosen him, and Lihas Rayzada was ready to forge his own path.Upcoming Chapter Following Grandmaster Wolf: