Second Choice Noble Son: Apparently I’m Stronger Than the Summoned Heroes Chapter 31 : Chasing a Thousand Suns

The borderlands were quiet that morning, only the wind whistling across cracked soil. Elara had gone off with her training blade, Father sat sharpening his sword, and Mother nursed the baby inside.

Which ant it was the perfect ti.

I crept behind the ruined barn, book in hand, and raised my palm.

“Fireball.”

A sphere of fla flickered into life, no bigger than an apple. The warmth licked my fingers, the orange glow reflecting in my wide eyes.

The HUD pulsed.

[Fireball – Proficiency: 1/1000]

[Evolution Path Available: Greater Fireball – Requirent: Cast Fireball 1000x]

My heart thudded. Greater Fireball. If I could reach it, then—

[Violent Spark – Potential Evolution Detected: Vermillion Spark]

[Requirent: Greater Fireball Mastery]

I grinned, teeth flashing. So that’s the link. If I grind Fireball, I can push Spark even further.

The path was clear. The goal was simple.

All I had to do… was cast Fireball.

A thousand tis.

The first hundred weren’t too bad. My mana burned quickly, but after resting a bit, I pushed again.

Each cast, each tiny sun, flickered into life and vanished into the dust.

By the two-hundredth, sweat plastered my hair to my forehead, and my chest ached like I’d swallowed fire.

“Fireball!”

Fwoosh!

“Fireball!”

Fwoosh!

The HUD ticked up slowly.

[Fireball – Proficiency: 237/1000]

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My tiny lungs heaved. My arms shook. But I refused to stop.

In my old world, I had worked myself half to death in dead-end jobs, saving every coin toward a dream I’d never reach. Here? Here I had a system that rewarded effort. If all it took was pushing myself a thousand tis, then I’d do it.

Even if I collapsed.

By the ti the sun began to sink, my head spun, my mana well nearly dry.

I sat in the dirt, my small chest rising and falling like a broken bellows.

The HUD flickered again.

[Fireball – Proficiency: 412/1000]

[Warning: Mana Overdraw Risk – Continued casting may damage vessel]

I groaned, flopping back into the dirt, a faint grin on my lips.

“Only… five hundred more…” I whispered, eyes half-closed.

Then I laughed weakly. “Greater Fireball, Vermillion Spark… you’re mine.”

I was on my knees, arms shaking, another weak “Fireball” sputtering into life when I felt it—her presence.

“Rooga.”

The fla fizzled out instantly.

Mama stood at the edge of the clearing, her silver hair gleaming in the twilight, her eyes sharp as blades.

“...Mama,” I squeaked.

She walked forward slowly, each step heavy with restrained fury. The air around her shimred faintly with mana, like the sky itself was bending to her mood.

“What,” she said, her voice low, “do you think you’re doing? I felt your magic flaring over and over, all day. Do you think your little body can take that kind of strain?”

I froze. My tiny body was trembling too much to lie smoothly. But the HUD was my secret—I couldn’t tell her the real reason. So I took a shaky breath and said the first thing that ca to mind.

“I… I felt sothing different every ti.”

Her brows furrowed. “Different?”

I nodded quickly, forcing the words out.

“When I use Fireball, it’s never the sa. Sotis the heat is sharper. Sotis the fla feels heavier. If I don’t try it again and again, I’ll never understand what it ans. That’s why… I have to keep pushing.”

A lie. A complete bluff. But one wrapped in enough truth to sound real.

Selene’s eyes narrowed. Her fury trembled on the edge of erupting—then slowly softened.

“You… felt sothing?” she repeated, her voice lower now.

I swallowed hard, nodding. “Yes, Mama. Every ti. It’s like the fire is teaching sothing new.”

She stared at for a long mont. Then, finally, she sighed, kneeling down and pulling into her arms.

“You reckless little fool,” she whispered, pressing her forehead to mine. “You’ll burn yourself hollow if you keep this up without guidance. If you truly feel sothing, then let guide you. Don’t destroy yourself chasing shadows alone.”

Her arms tightened around , her voice trembling. “I already lost too much in this Empire. I won’t lose you too.”

I blinked, then nodded quickly into her shoulder. “Okay, Mama. Teach .”

The HUD flickered faintly:

[Bond Strengthened: Selene Valemont]

[New Passive Unlocked: Mana Recovery Rate 5% (Maternal Tutelage)]

I smiled faintly against her hair. A lie got caught… but maybe it gave sothing even better