Chapter 7: Uninvited guest
Through the quiet hours of the night, Yuji cultivated, drawing in spirit energy that pulsed and thrummed around him. The Basic Beast Cultivation Manual he'd obtained didn't just teach him how to form his unique beast core; it also outlined a method of cultivation that was far more refined than the crude ways most primal beasts absorbed spirit energy. Words filled his mind, intricate patterns drawn from spirit energy that seemed to pull even more energy toward him, as if the instructions themselves held some kind of hidden power.
Beside him, Rock and Saori sat with eyes closed, doing their best to mimic his cultivation process. They didn't have his manual, nor the system's guidance, so their pace was slower, yet they persisted, gathering and refining energy throughout the night.
As the sky lightened and the first sounds of morning echoed from the forest, Yuji opened his eyes. He glanced around the cave, the soft rays of dawn filtering in through the narrow cracks in the rocks they'd stacked at the entrance. Nearby, Rock and Saori stirred, waking from their own meditative state. Yuji took a deep breath, feeling spirit power coursing within him, fuller and stronger than before.
"In just a single night, I made so much progress." His eyes gleamed with excitement. "I can already feel that I'm close to a minor breakthrough."
Standing up, Yuji stretched and walked over to the entrance, eyeing the rocks blocking their way out. "Help me with these, Rock," he called.
Rock immediately came over, and together they moved the rocks aside, clearing the cave entrance. As they stepped into the morning light, Yuji squinted, taking in the scene before them. Lesser beasts and weaker primal beasts were emerging from their own caves, some heading out into the forest while others lingered nearby.
Up on a ledge above, Yuji spotted a familiar figure—a weasel-like primal beast glaring down at them with narrowed eyes, a low growl rumbling in its throat. Recognizing it from the night before, Yuji smiled, tilting his head slightly as if in mock invitation.
"Let's go, guys," he said, throwing a challenging glance toward the weasel before leading Rock and Saori down the mountain path. As they descended, the forest waited, full of possibilities—and dangers.
Yuji and his siblings wandered deeper into the forest. The massive trees, their trunks twisted and ancient, towered over them, their branches stretching out. Thick roots snaked across the forest floor, and patches of dense undergrowth crowded every corner, creating a maze of ferns, thorny bushes, and scattered wildflowers. Occasionally, a sliver of sunlight broke through, illuminating small spots on the forest floor in warm, golden light.
The air was rich with earthy scents and the faint rustling of unseen creatures. In the distance, birds and small animals chattered in warning, moving out of the path of the young spirit beasts roaming through their domain.
Yuji's gaze swept over their surroundings as he thought. "We don't just need a steady food supply. We also need to figure out a way to quickly improve our strength." He glanced down, frustrated and folding his arms. "But I don't know how. And the system still hasn't given me a quest."
As if on cue, the system notification appeared, its familiar yellow screen hovering before him.
[System Notice: New Quest]
Quest: Defeat the nearby Scarlet Fang Weasels
Progress: 0/8
Reward: Two skill books based on your tames abilities
Scarlet Fang Weasels were low-level primal beasts, known for their speed, sharp fangs, and the faint crimson markings on their sleek fur, which were rumored to contain a poison that could temporarily paralyze weaker prey.
Yuji smirked as he read the quest. "Oh, right on cue. Just what I needed." But something felt off—the system wouldn't just give him a task like this without a reason. He frowned, glancing around warily.
A sudden rustling broke the morning quiet, and his instincts sharpened. From the bushes, a sleek, familiar head emerged—the same Scarlet Fang Weasel that had tried taking there cave on the mountain last night. But this time, it wasn't alone. Several others crept out from the undergrowth, their eyes fixed hungrily on Yuji and his siblings.
"Oh, I see what's happening here," Yuji murmured, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Called your little buddies, huh? Well... we were getting hungry anyway."
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