10,000x Rebate System: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

Amon stared at Sidney, who stood in the middle of the volcanic landscape with flames covering her entire body.

”Sidney! Hey! Sidney!?”

He rushed toward her, then stopped just short of touching the flames.

His instincts screamed at him to do something, but he had never encountered a situation like this before.

The last thing he wanted was to make things worse by acting recklessly. ’Shit! What am I supposed to do now?’

Amon raised both hands and began manipulating the surrounding mana, drawing out the heat with his ice affinity.

Frost spread across the blackened ground beneath Sidney’s feet.

A thin layer of ice formed around the nearby rocks as he gradually lowered the temperature in the immediate area.

”Sidney, can you hear me? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Amon leaned closer, trying to examine her condition without touching the fire.

That was when he noticed that her eyes were tightly closed, and her expression remained strangely peaceful.

She looked as though she were concentrating on something deep inside herself.

’Wait a minute. Is the fire coming from inside her?’

”Sidney!”

She didn’t respond.

Amon called her name several more times, but she remained motionless, apparently unaware of everything happening around her.

He clenched his jaw before calling upon the system. ’System, what’s happening to her?’

A notification appeared before his eyes almost immediately.

[Target is undergoing Metamorphosis.]

Amon blinked and read the message twice before looking at Sidney again.

’Metamorphosis? What the hell does that mean?’

[The target is awakening a unique physique.]

Amon stared at the notification, then slowly turned his attention back to the girl surrounded by flames.

’She’s awakening a physique?’

He rubbed his face, struggling to decide whether he should be relieved or even more worried.

’Is this because of her fire affinity? Or is there something else going on?’

The system offered no further explanation, leaving him with little choice but to wait.

Amon maintained the cooling spell around Sidney while carefully monitoring the flames.

Half an hour passed before the flames finally began to change.

The orange and yellow fire gradually shifted into a brilliant crimson, its light illuminating the dark rocks around Sidney.

The flames rose above her head and curled inward, forming two pointed shapes resembling the ears of a cat, while two long tails of fire emerged behind her.

Amon’s eyes widened as he watched the transformation complete.

A moment later, the fire disappeared entirely, leaving the girl standing in the middle of the clearing.

Her skin was flushed from the heat with body riddled with sweat that made every soft curve catch the dim volcanic light.

Her breasts rose and fell with each breath, nipples still slightly tight from the sudden change in temperature.

Amon immediately rushed forward to check on her. ”Sidney! Are you alright? Can you hear me?”

Her eyelids slowly lifted, revealing eyes that seemed brighter than before.

She looked at him for several seconds, her expression gradually changing from confusion to curiosity.

She tilted her head. ”Big Brother, why are you looking so handsome?”

He stared at her with a completely blank expression before instinctively raising his hand and attempting to chop the top of her head.

”Have you lost your mind, you little—”

Before his hand could reach her, one of the fiery tails whipped around and snapped at his fingers.

Amon immediately pulled his hand back as the crimson flames flashed between them.

”Oi! What the hell was that?”

Sidney blinked innocently, seemingly unaware that her own tail had just tried to bite him.

Amon slowly lowered his hand and examined the strange ears and tails attached to her body.

’What kind of physique did this girl awaken?’

Before he could investigate further, the system notification appeared.

[Unique Physique Awakened!]

[Name: Vermilion Flame Spirit Physique]

\[Grade: Mythical]

[Description: A rare physique born from the traces of primordial flame. Its bearer possesses an extraordinary affinity for fire]

Amon read the description carefully, ’Mythical Grade?’

Before he could continue thinking, Sidney suddenly shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.

”Big Brother, something feels really weird.”

Amon looked at her for a moment before sighing. ”Of course it feels weird. You’re standing there naked.”

Sidney froze.

Her eyes slowly dropped toward her body, and the silence lasted barely a second before she let out a shrill yelp and immediately crouched down, covering herself with both arms.

”AHHH! WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME EARLIER?”

”It’s not like I haven’t seen you naked before.”

”It’s different this time!”

Amon shook his head and opened his spatial bracelet, retrieving a set of clothes he had brought along for emergencies.

”Here. Put these on before you start complaining again.”

”Wanna look while I change?”

”Nope.”

Amon waited until he heard the rustling of fabric before turning back around.

Sidney had changed into his spare clothes, although the oversized shirt hung loosely around her shoulders and the trousers were far too long for her legs.

She tugged at the sleeves and frowned. ”Big Brother, your clothes are too big!”

”That’s the only thing I have right now.”

It was a complete lie.

Sidney continued adjusting the sleeves while Amon examined her new ears and tails.

The fiery appendages swayed behind her, responding to her movements almost as naturally as ordinary limbs.

”Do you remember what happened?” he asked.

Sidney thought for a moment, then shook her head. ”Not really. I felt warm when we entered the dungeon, and then something started moving inside me. After that, everything became blurry, and I couldn’t hear you anymore.”

Amon nodded thoughtfully.

”You underwent a metamorphosis and awakened a unique physique. It’s called the Vermilion Flame Spirit Physique.”

Sidney’s eyes widened. ”Is that good?”

Amon stared at her before giving her forehead a gentle flick. ”Of course it’s good!”

Her face immediately brightened, and the fiery ears on her head perked up while both tails swished happily behind her.

”Then I’m amazing!”

”Don’t let it go to your head. You still need to learn how to fight.”

Sidney stuck her tongue out at him, clearly pleased with herself despite the insult.

Amon glanced toward the path leading deeper into the volcanic landscape before turning back to Sidney.

”Do you want to return home, or do you want to continue exploring?”

”I want to see the end of the dungeon!”

Amon nodded, having expected that answer. ”Alright, but stay behind me until you understand how to use your new abilities.”

Sidney immediately nodded and moved closer to him. ”I promise I’ll listen!”

”Good. Let’s keep going.”

The two continued deeper into the dungeon, following a narrow path that wound between towering rocks and pools of glowing magma.

Several monsters emerged along the way, but Amon dealt with them.

Sidney watched attentively, occasionally asking questions about his techniques while trying to imitate his footwork.

Her new ears twitched whenever she heard something moving nearby, and her fiery tails occasionally flickered whenever she became excited.

Amon noticed the changes but decided to investigate them later, preferring to focus on getting them through the dungeon safely.

After clearing several more chambers, they finally reached an enormous pair of stone doors embedded in the side of a volcanic cliff.

Heat poured through the narrow gaps, and a deep rumbling sound echoed from somewhere beyond them.

Amon stopped before the entrance and examined the massive doors. ”Well, this should be the boss room.”

Sidney stepped beside him, her expression filled with anticipation despite the oppressive heat radiating from the entrance.

Amon turned toward her and gave a small nod. ”Ready?”

Sidney nodded back, her fiery tails curling behind her.

Together, they got inside the room.