The Author's Viewpoint-Chapter 76 - Gaia Guardian

One month.

That was all the time that had passed since Tave arrived in this world, taking over this body. Just one month since the original owner broke through to the Gaia Apprentice stage. And already, the progress Tave had made was... unbelievable.

Insanely fast.

Even with talent, even with resources and opportunities, not just anyone could accomplish what Tave had. The leap from level 10 to level 20 in such a short span was something that rarely, if ever, happened. The conditions had to be near perfect.

And in Tave’s case? They were.

The surge from his sigil. The bloodline override. The bond with Fang. The awakening of his Relic. And, most of all, the rift expedition where he had faced down an Elite-grade Tier 3 mini-boss monster. Alone.

Technically, it was Fang who struck the killing blow. But the connection they shared meant the experience, the resonance, the energy. It had flowed into both of them.

Now, seated cross-legged on the training ground within his home, Tave was silent. Still. Locked in deep meditation. Everything outside himself faded as he focused inward, his senses drawn completely into the space of his own body.

Two cores.

That was what made his path different.

His first core, like all Gaia Force users, resided within the heart. It was why exhausting one’s core to a critical point could be fatal. Because it directly affected the heart. A single mistake could mean death.

But Tave... Tave had something else. Something more.

A second core. Spawned not in his heart, but just beside it. Nested close, yet separate. Not bound to the body’s primary life functions.

And yet, here it was.

A second source of power. A second well of energy. And as he delved deeper into it, he could feel it, growing, pulsing with potential. Theoretically, if he could master it, he might even extract it one day, make it into something that acted independently from his body.

A second life. A second soul.

Wasn’t that extraordinary?

And it was his.

What made it all the more unique was how both of Tave’s cores grew in perfect sync. Simultaneously. Their levels stayed closely matched, evolving together like twin hearts of power. But as impressive as that sounded, it wasn’t without its cost.

Because practically speaking... It meant twice the effort.

Every ounce of progress had to be split, every breakthrough earned with double the strain. Tave exhaled slowly, acknowledging that weight. It was exhausting. Unrelenting.

But the benefits were staggering.

The kind of advantages most people could only dream of. More stamina, more capacity for force manipulation, and a deeper, more stable control over elemental resonance. With time, this would set him far apart from any ordinary Gaia user.

As he sat deeper into his meditation, Tave called out gently to the elemental particles around him, focusing first on his primary core. He could feel it stir, just faintly, like a hand brushing against the surface of still water. But there was no reaction.

None.

His breath caught.

That core, drained and unresponsive, wouldn’t move unless he initiated another Bloodline Override. And for that, he would need a sacrifice.

But then. Boom.

A blast.

Another, and then another. Bursts of fire exploded from his second core, rippling outward through his veins like molten lightning. His body arched instinctively as the flames surged, and his skin prickled with raw heat.

And then...

The fire wasn’t just inside him.

It had manifested, fully, visibly. Outside his body.

A spiraling aura of flames wrapped around him, burning through the air, dancing with control rather than chaos. It was real. Physical. His elemental mastery had finally reached that threshold.

And then, a flicker in his vision.

[ You have advanced to Level 21. ]

[ You have broken through to Gaia Guardian. ]

Tave’s eyes snapped open.

And, hell yes! He did it. He really did it.

Breakthrough was achieved.

Tave could barely sit still as the realization washed over him. He knew this was coming eventually, but not this soon. It had taken every bit of momentum he’d built up, every experience crammed into the past month. But it was enough.

And now?

Now he was a Gaia Guardian.

He couldn’t help the wild grin that spread across his face. There was so much he could do now. So much more power. Control. Possibility.

This wasn’t just an upgrade.

This was a rebirth.

Fang padded over to him with his usual silent grace. Then, without hesitation, the wolf reared up slightly, placing both of his front paws onto Tave’s lap, and gently nudged his head against Tave’s cheek in a warm, familiar motion.

Tave chuckled, brushing a hand through the thick fur behind Fang’s ears. "Hey, Fang, is that your way of saying congratulations?"

Woof, woof...

"We’ll get my Dark Element back soon," Tave said, smiling faintly. "And then we’ll hunt together again... deep in the dark."

Woof, woof.

Tave rose slowly from his seated position, and as he did, the fire followed him.

It wasn’t just energy anymore. It was part of him.

He extended his right hand, and with a single breath, a stream of flame bloomed effortlessly from his palm. It licked through the air, twisting in vibrant streaks of orange and red, entirely under his control.

He could summon fire. Just like that.

And with his recent breakthrough into Gaia Guardian, it wasn’t just fire. It was Soul Fire. Unlike before, it wouldn’t drain his core into exhaustion every time he used it. Not anymore. Though he’d still need to restore his first core before he could fully take advantage of it.

"You said you’d reach Gaia Guardian inside the rift."

The voice came suddenly, like a whisper into his thoughts. It was the spirit inside his sword.

"I’m not here to make excuses," he replied calmly, his gaze focused on the dancing flame in his hand. "But I will keep my promise. I’ll reach Gaia Master within six months."

"Keep dreaming."

There it was again. The voice, dry and unimpressed.

"You’re the one who pulled me back, weren’t you? Back in the rift. When that monster’s illusion tried to consume me."

Silence.

But that silence was its own kind of answer. Not a denial. Not rejection.

And that was enough for now. A first crack in the wall.

The spirit was starting to talk to him. And that meant he had a chance. Just a little more effort, and he might be able to unlock the full potential of his relic. But to do that, to truly wield its power alongside his Soul Fire...

He had to reach Gaia Master.

Fast.

No matter the cost, no matter the trials.

Because in that next phase, he would finally have everything he needed to fight at full capacity. Soul Fire. The spirit-forged blade. And his own will, sharpened by every step he had taken to get here.

And now that Tave had officially reached Gaia Guardian, that could only mean one thing.

Another reward.

His hand twitched slightly as he issued a mental command, and in response, the air before him shimmered. With a soft hum, a floating object took form.

He reached out and grasped it, feeling the weight settle in his palm with a solid, satisfying thud.

Echelon Chest III.

Tave smirked slightly to himself. "Let’s see... will the streak of ridiculous luck continue?"

So far? A Sigil. A Relic.

And now... what else could this chest possibly offer?