Chapter 6: Nightfall
A familiar yellow screen appeared before Yuji, signaling his latest achievement.
[System Notice]
Quest Cleared: Demonstrate Your Power
Reward: Mid-Stage Infant Grade Skill (sent to Inventory)
"Yes!" Yuji grinned, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Not only did I gain allies, but I've been given something more to increase my power."
As the message faded, Yuji's gaze shifted to his surroundings, scanning the dimming forest. The sun was already dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows that stretched across the ground. He knew that nighttime was when predator spirit beasts prowled for prey, and newborn spirit beasts like him and his siblings would make easy targets.
"This is bad. We need to find somewhere safe to hide out for the night." His gaze flickered toward the empty stretch of forest. "It doesn't seem like our unknown mother is returning anytime soon."
He turned to his siblings, an idea forming. "Alright," he said, focusing on his brother. "You'll be called Rock, for your brute-like physique." Rock nodded in approval, his face lighting up at his new name.
Then, Yuji's gaze fell on his sister. "And you…" He paused, memories flooding his mind: his little sister's innocent smile, the way she'd call him "brother" with such warmth, the soft tone of her voice. Then came the image he couldn't shake—the sight of her body amidst the flames.
He clenched his jaw, swallowing hard. "You will be called Saori, after someone very important to me."
Saori looked up at him, her expression softening, as though sensing the weight of his words. Rock and Saori exchanged glances, a quiet understanding passing between them.
Yuji took a steadying breath, pushing the memories aside. "Alright, we don't have much time." He pointed toward a nearby mountain in the distance, its silhouette cutting sharply against the twilight sky. "There should be some kind of hole or cave in that mountain about ten miles from here. If we're fast, we can find shelter before nightfall."
Without another word, the three of them set off, weaving through bushes and ducking under branches as they raced against the fading light. The forest thickened around them, shadows growing deeper, but with each step, they moved closer to the safety of the mountain.
They reached the mountain with barely half an hour to spare before nightfall. Yuji's eyes scanned the rugged terrain, quickly assessing the nearby primal spirit beasts also making their way to the mountain for shelter. If they weren't quick, their best hope for survival would be stolen before they even had a chance to hide.
He narrowed his focus, eyes darting over every shadow and crevice, searching for something, anything, that could shield them. After a few tense minutes, he spotted a small hole nestled between two jagged rocks just large enough for the three of them. Relief surged through him as he shouted, "There! Move, now!"
They bolted toward the hole, Saori lagging behind as her lower agility stat truggled to keep up. Rock immediately slowed to help, nudging her forward with his hand as they closed in on the entrance. But just as they reached it, a weasel-looking primal beast leapt into their path, its eyes gleaming with territorial intent.
"Rock!" Yuji's voice rang out.
Without hesitation, Rock launched himself forward,his fist colliding with the beast in a powerful, resounding BOOM! The impact sent the primal creature skidding off to the side, dazed by the force of Rock's charge.
With the path cleared, Yuji and his siblings scrambled into the small cave, barely squeezing inside as night's shadow finally crept over the land. Once safely inside, Yuji caught his breath and glanced at his brother with a grin. "Nice one, Rock. You really know how to make an entrance."
Rock puffed up his chest with a proud chattering sound, his eyes gleaming with pride. They were safe, for now.
"Don't get too comfortable yet," Yuji said, casting a wary glance at his siblings. "We don't know if this open cave can keep us safe."
He glanced over his shoulder and noticed a pile of loose rocks stacked at the back of the cave. "Perfect," he murmured, "but we'll need some light." Moving to the cave entrance, he looked out at the darkening sky. "About twelve minutes till sunset, which means about twenty minutes until any predators come looking for easy prey." He turned back to Rock. "Get those big stones and start piling them here. I'll get a few branches—be back soon."
Rock nodded, already moving toward the rocks in the back, while Yuji made his way down the mountainside to a patch of nearby trees. The ground was littered with branches. He quickly gathered as many as he could find, stashing them in his inventory. With his task complete, he climbed back up the slope, slipping into the cave just as Rock finished moving the last of the stones.
"Great," Yuji said, placing the branches in a small pile near the cave's entrance. He grabbed a pair of rocks and struck them together until a spark finally ignited, setting the branches aflame. Within minutes, the cave was lit, casting flickering shadows on the walls and sealing them in against the wild chaos that occurred outside only a few minutes later. The sounds of distant growls and snapping branches could be heard through the night—beasts roaming, hunting.
Yuji noticed Rock and Saori glancing at the fire, then at him, their stomachs rumbling audibly. He smirked, opening his inventory and pulling out a pile of mixed berries he'd collected. "Here," he said, handing them the food. "Dig in, but make sure to leave some for me."
They both grinned, eagerly digging into the pile of berries. "Good thing I grabbed those while I was getting branches," Yuji thought to himself. While they ate, Yuji moved a few feet back from the fire, finding a quiet corner to sit. He called up his inventory and pulled out the prize from his last quest—a Mid-Stage primal Skill Book. Examining it, he noticed the title: Spirit Surge Strike.
Curious, he opened it, and as he did, the information seemed to flow directly into his mind. Diagrams and instructions filled his head as though he'd known them all along. Channel spirit energy into your fist, condensing it into a single point before releasing it in a powerful punch. The system's notification appeared, confirming his success.
[System Notice]
Skill Acquired: Spirit Surge Strike
Channel your spirit power into your fist to deliver a devastating blow to your target. Effectiveness increases with spirit power level.
The system notification faded, and Yuji smirked. From what had just happened—from simply glancing over the manual and instantly knowing how to use the skill—he felt a thrill of certainty. With the system's help, he could achieve so much more, reach levels of power he'd only dreamed of.
He clenched his fist, channeling his spirit power. A warm, golden glow ignited around his hand, pulsing with energy that felt alive.
"This…" he whispered, a fierce grin spreading across his face, "this is only the beginning."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone