The early light filtered down through the treetops like melted gold, casting soft beams across the damp forest floor. Arin's boots crunched over scattered leaves and roots as he left the cavern behind, body aching but spirit steady.
His clothes were torn. His arms still bore faint red lines from the Trial Guardian's flame strikes. But inside deep in his core he felt something powerful awakening.
The fire hadn't burned him.
It had purified him.
> **Status Window**
> Name: Arin
> Level: 1
> EXP: 80 / 100
> Kill Points (KP): 9
> Strength: 19
> Agility: 16
> Endurance: 13
> Intelligence: 17
> Willpower: 34
> Qi Core: Blocked (80%)
> Passives: \[Resilient Mind], \[Spiritual Resistance (Minor)]
> Skill: \[Whispered Sight I]
> Key Item: Pendant of the Hollow Eye (One Seal Broken)
His progress was steady. One more breakthrough. One more push.
He would reach Level 2.
And after that... who knew?
The world still had so many secrets.
As he climbed a ridge beyond the cavern, the Whispered Sight lines flickered around him showing traces of lingering spirit energy, the paths of recent creatures, and something else: a shimmering outline far ahead.
A structure?
> "Faint spiritual residue detected. Possible ruin ahead. Distance: 1.4 kilometers."
Arin considered it. He could explore it later.
For now, he needed to stabilize his cultivation.
He followed a shaded trail lined with thick moss and silver rooted trees until he reached a shallow stream. The water ran cold and clean, sparkling under the morning sun. He drank, washed his hands and face, then sat cross-legged on the rocks.
> "Suggestion: Begin cultivation session now. Qi Core Cleansing near final threshold."
"Agreed," he muttered.
He retrieved the last of his Spiritleaf plants and placed them around him, forming a loose circle. Their calming aura filled the air.
He closed his eyes.
Breathed in…
Held…
Guided the Qi.
It flowed smoother than ever before like a river finally breaking through a dam.
His body trembled. The air shimmered faintly.
His blocked Qi channels, once painful to guide energy through, now pulsed gently with steady warmth.
> "Qi Core Blockage reduced: 80% → 100%"
> "Qi Core status: Unlocked"
> "Cultivation Stage advanced: Body Tempering (5)"
> "+20 EXP"
> Level Up!
> You has reached Level 2
> All attributes increased slightly.
KP gained: +2.
Bonus: +1 to total Willpower for high synchronization."
> **EXP: 0 / 120**
> **KP: 11**
> **Total Combat Power: 39**
He opened his eyes.
And he felt it.
Real strength.
His Qi didn't just trickle now it flowed, like a current under the surface of his skin. Controlled. Balanced.
His senses were sharper. Every rustle in the trees, every small vibration beneath him it all connected.
> "System Notice: From Level 2 onwards, your progress will now be shown as Total Combat Power instead of individual attributes."
> "Total Combat Power: 39"
Arin grinned.
Not bad for someone who had once been powerless.
He stood, rolled his shoulders, and checked his gear. Still had dried Moss Puff meat, a few scavenged herbs, and the Hollow Eye pendant.
> "New System Shop item unlocked: Qi Reinforcement Thread – Reinforces clothes or armor with spirit-conductive thread. Cost: 8 KP."
He purchased it.
> "Item acquired: Qi Reinforcement Thread x1"
> "Remaining KP: 3"
Using the thread, he stitched quick lines along his inner shirt and trousers. The glow faded into the cloth, and when he finished, the fabric felt slightly warmer and stronger.
> "Defense increased slightly. Qi compatibility with armor: improved."
He had barely finished when the Whispered Sight flared.
A warning ripple.
He turned to the west.
Growls echoed faintly.
Leaves rustled.
Twigs snapped.
> "Warning: Pack of beasts approaching. Count: 4."
> "Beast Type: Direfang Wolves. Classification: E-Rank. Pack behavior detected. Estimated group Combat Power: 80."
Arin's eyes narrowed.
A pack.
He had been wondering when it would happen.
He slipped behind a fallen log, crouched low, and waited.
Then he saw them.
Four wolves padded into the clearing, each one half his height at the shoulder, with dark fur and long, gleaming fangs. Their eyes glowed faint yellow.
They hadn't spotted him yet.
> "Strategy Suggested: Lure and Divide. Avoid direct group engagement."
He spotted a ledge above and a hollow nearby. He had a plan.
He picked up a stone, lit a small moss patch on fire, and tossed it.
It landed near the edge of the hollow.
The fire crackled.
The wolves growled.
One separated from the others, trotting over to investigate.
Arin struck.
One leap, one knife to the neck.
> "Beast killed. +3 EXP | +1 KP"
The others howled.
Too late.
Arin darted up the ledge. From the high ground, he used another stone to trigger a rockfall, startling them.
He leapt down behind the second, slashing deep across its back.
It spun, bit his arm.
> "Minor Injury sustained. Bleeding – slowed by Qi Threading."
He gritted his teeth, stabbed again.
> "Beast killed. +3 EXP | +1 KP"
The last two wolves closed in.
He activated [Phantom Dash]—
> "Temporary Skill Activated: Phantom Dash – Speed doubled for 4 seconds."
He weaved between them, slicing and dodging.
One went down.
The last lunged he fell back, caught its mouth with his foot, and slammed the dagger home under its jaw.
> "Beast killed. +3 EXP | +1 KP"
EXP: 12 / 120
KP: 7
Total Combat Power: 41
He collapsed on the grass, breathing heavily.
His arm throbbed, but he was alive.
> "Beast Pack cleared. Combat record: efficient."
He sat in silence, staring at the sky.
He had hunted alone.
Now he had fought a pack.
He was growing.
And the forest was watching.
He didn't know what was next. What city or ruin or enemy lay ahead.
But he would walk toward it.
As himself.
No longer prey.
But rising predator.