Chapitre 28: Killing Intent
As Silas walked, he noticed a distinct spring in his step. The massive raspberries had acted like a natural energy drink, leaving him feeling invigorated and sharp. He rolled his shoulders, appreciating the subtle boost they had given him.
The good mood didn't last long. His instincts flared, and he dodged to the side just in time as a snake lunged at him from the bushes. Its sleek body, mottled with black and green patterns, slithered aggressively, its fangs glinting in the light.
Silas didn't hesitate. He reached into his ring and retrieved his bo staff, spinning it instinctively in his hands. Ever since the fight with the salamander, something about the staff felt more natural—like his body and mind had aligned in their use. Hunting had become smoother, his strikes more precise, and he'd even developed a new move during his training.
Sliding the staff through his hands, Silas extended the tip with a sharp burst of spiritual energy, aiming for the snake's head. The blow connected with a disorienting crack, sending the snake recoiling backward. Without losing momentum, Silas leaped into the air, bringing the staff down in a second enhanced strike. The staff crushed the snake's skull with a sickening crunch, its body collapsing in a heap.
Panting slightly, Silas straightened, inspecting the now-limp creature. "Not bad," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. He stored the snake's body into his ring, figuring it might be useful later for energy or materials.
As the day stretched on, Silas continued traveling toward the Main Pagoda. Despite the berries' boost, the journey was longer and more grueling than he expected. The trees remained dense and imposing, their trunks far thicker than they had been before the awakening. A thick pine loomed ahead, its branches sprawling high above.
Silas stopped, glancing up at the towering tree. Everything's growing, he thought, not for the first time. It wasn't just him—the world itself seemed to be adapting, evolving alongside its inhabitants. Beasts, plants, and even the terrain had changed drastically since the awakening.
With night approaching, Silas decided it was time to stop. The beasts that roamed after dark had far superior night vision compared to his own. While his sight was better than it had been before the awakening, it was nowhere near enough to give him an edge over the predators out here.
He scaled the pine tree with ease, finding a high, sturdy branch covered by a thick canopy of needles. The tree provided excellent concealment and a vantage point. Before settling in, Silas scouted the area, climbing higher to ensure there were no nests or hidden dangers among the branches. Satisfied the spot was safe, he returned to his perch and settled in.
Drawing his amulet close, Silas covered its faint red glow with a strip of cloth to avoid drawing attention. He began cultivating—not the deep, trance-like focus he used in safer conditions, but a semi-aware state that allowed him to remain alert. It was slow progress compared to proper cultivation, but it was better than nothing.
The energy from the day's hunt and the berries churned within him as he carefully refined his body and spirit. The sounds of the awakened forest drifted around him—distant howls, rustling leaves, and the occasional eerie call of an unseen predator. Silas stayed vigilant, his semi-aware cultivation allowing him to remain in tune with his surroundings as he worked to strengthen his foundation, high above the dangerous world below.
Silas pressed forward through the dense forest, his focus sharp on the path ahead. The towering Main Pagoda loomed somewhere in the distance, its imposing presence still hidden by the thick trees. His goal wasn't the pagoda itself—not yet. He was heading toward the rocky, geothermal areas surrounding it to find the Inferno Bloom, one of the herbs the system had insisted he needed to unlock the full potential of the fruit.
At the same time, he kept his senses tuned for the Azure Stabilia, the second herb the system said might be found near a lake or still water. The search wasn't straightforward. The forest seemed to shift and stretch, distances feeling longer than they should.
The earth must be changing, Silas thought as he adjusted his pace, the faint rumble of the ground beneath him barely registering anymore. It had been so frequent in recent days that he'd stopped paying it much attention. Maybe that's what all the shaking is about. The world's growing, or moving, or whatever.
His movements were efficient, his focus primarily on traveling, but something under the surface gnawed at him. He wasn't just tired from the journey—he was tired of the monotony. Every so often, a weak beast would cross his path, and he'd deal with it quickly. Yet these encounters were growing more tedious by the hour.
The final straw came when a small deer stumbled out of the underbrush ahead of him. Its thin legs wobbled slightly as it took a step toward him, completely unbothered by his presence. Silas stopped, narrowing his eyes at the creature.
He wasn't even sure why it annoyed him so much. Perhaps it was the accumulation of frustrations—the weak, pointless interruptions, the lack of a real challenge. Without meaning to, he let out a pulse of killing intent.
The reaction was immediate. The deer froze in place, its wide eyes trembling with panic. A second later, it staggered backward, tripping over its own legs before bolting into the forest with a panicked snort.
Silas blinked, momentarily surprised. "What the…?" He hadn't moved a muscle, yet the deer had fled as though death itself was breathing down its neck.
Thinking about it, Silas realized what had happened. His irritation had seeped into his aura, manifesting as killing intent. He'd done it instinctively, without even meaning to.
"Huh," he muttered, a faint smirk pulling at his lips. "Didn't know I could do that."
He continued walking, his focus returning to the task at hand, but the incident lingered in his mind. The system hadn't rewarded him for killing weak beasts in days, and even the few strong ones he had encountered hadn't posed much of a challenge. It was clear to him now: The system only rewards effort that matches the merit.
The system, of course, couldn't resist chiming in. Ding! Host is absolutely correct. Effort equals reward! Truly, a revelation worthy of note. Would you like a merit for discovering the obvious?
Silas rolled his eyes, gripping his staff tighter. "You're about as subtle as a hammer," he muttered under his breath.
He wasn't actively looking for trouble, but something inside him itched for a challenge. The beasts he'd faced recently weren't worth his time—they were distractions, nothing more. A part of him hoped for something stronger, something that could actually push him.
As he moved through the forest, he flared his killing intent subtly, letting it ripple outward. He wasn't entirely sure why—it wasn't like he wanted to attract every predator in the area—but it felt satisfying. A release for the frustration building inside him.
Still, Silas knew better than to let his thoughts wander too far. His goal was clear: find the herbs. The Inferno Bloom was likely near the geothermal areas surrounding the Main Pagoda, but the Azure Stabilia was trickier. He hadn't remembered any lakes or still water in this direction before, but the forest had changed so much since the awakening that he wouldn't be surprised if new features had appeared.
Keep moving, he reminded himself. Find the lake, find the herb, and get this done.
Despite his resolve, the itch for a real challenge lingered under the surface.
As Silas neared the small lake, the clearing opened up around him, revealing the still, reflective water bordered by jagged rocks and sparse vegetation. The air here was cooler, and the silence was broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the faint lap of water against the shore. The lake wasn't large—he could see the opposite side clearly—but its tranquility felt deceptive, a quiet veil over something lurking beneath.
He stepped closer to the shoreline, scanning the area carefully. The rocks around the lake jutted out in uneven formations, and Silas could already spot a few places where the terrain seemed to dip or hollow. It was a promising start for finding the cave the system had mentioned.
"What now?" Silas asked aloud, his voice low and cautious.
The system responded almost immediately, its tone as flippant as ever. Oh, such a proactive Host! Look for a cave. This lake sits within a mountain range, after all. Plenty of rocky shoreline to explore—happy spelunking!
Silas sighed, muttering under his breath, "Why do I even ask?"
Shaking his head, he started making his way along the edge of the lake, his steps cautious and deliberate. The ground underfoot was uneven, a mix of damp earth and loose stones that made every step a calculated effort. His eyes flicked between the jagged rocks and the water, searching for any sign of an opening that might lead to a cave.
As he rounded a particularly steep bend, the water's surface suddenly exploded with a violent splash. Silas froze as a massive creature burst from the lake, its scaled body glinting in the sunlight. At first glance, it looked like an oversized fish, but as it arced through the air, Silas caught sight of its front limbs—thick, muscular paws tipped with sharp claws.
The creature lunged at him with shocking speed, its maw wide open, revealing rows of jagged teeth. Silas tried to move, but the beast was faster. It clamped its powerful jaws down on his shoulder, its weight driving him back a step.
"Fuck!" Silas growled, pain flaring as blood immediately began to seep through his shirt.
The creature thrashed violently, its claws digging into his side for better leverage. Gritting his teeth, Silas curled his free hand into a fist and drove it into one of the fish's bulbous, glassy eyes. The beast shrieked, its grip loosening slightly, but it wasn't enough. Snarling, Silas jabbed his fingers into the soft tissue of its eye, twisting hard.
The creature let out a hideous, guttural scream and released him, thrashing in pain. Silas staggered back, flipping to gain some distance as blood poured from his shoulder. He reached into his ring and retrieved his bo staff, twirling it in one hand as he prepared for the next strike.
But the creature, perhaps realizing it was outmatched, hissed once before retreating. Its massive body slipped back into the water, vanishing beneath the surface with a ripple that soon faded into stillness.
Panting, Silas clutched his shoulder, his fingers slick with blood. The wound was deep, and the pain sharp, but it didn't feel like anything vital had been hit. Still, he grimaced as he tested his arm. "Damn thing," he muttered, glaring at the calm water.
Realizing he couldn't continue like this, Silas turned back toward the treeline, scanning for somewhere safe to rest. The forest had thinned out near the lake, but one particularly tall tree stood out—a sturdy pine with thick branches high above the ground. It was an ideal spot, offering both cover and elevation.
Climbing was slow and agonizing, each pull sending sharp stabs of pain through his shoulder. Blood streaked the bark as he ascended, but Silas gritted his teeth and pushed through, finally reaching a wide branch that could support his weight. He leaned back against the trunk, breathing heavily as he assessed the damage.
His jacket and shirt were shredded, doing little to protect him, and were now more hindrance than help. With a groan, he peeled them off, tossing the torn cloth to the ground below. Looking down at his bare torso, he noted the bite marks on his shoulder—ugly, but already starting to close thanks to his body's enhanced healing.
He flexed his arm cautiously, wincing at the stiffness. As he adjusted his position, his gaze fell to his boots, the once-sturdy leather now cracked and worn. The soles were thinning dangerously, and Silas sighed. "Great," he muttered. "Next thing to fall apart."
Taking a moment to center himself, Silas retrieved his amulet from under the rag he used to cover its glow. He paused, considering an experiment he had tried before. Holding the amulet up, he pressed it toward his ring, willing it to enter the storage space.
Nothing happened.
The amulet seemed to resist entirely, as if it wasn't compatible with the ring. Silas frowned, trying again, but the result was the same.
"Figures," he muttered, slipping the amulet back around his neck and tucking it under the cloth. "You're just as stubborn as everything else in this world."
Closing his eyes, he began meditating, focusing on his Diamond Furnace Body Refinement technique to accelerate his healing. The process was slow and painful, but the familiar burn of the technique felt almost comforting. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the wound had closed, leaving only a faint stiffness in his shoulder.
Silas flexed experimentally, satisfied with his progress. He glanced down at the calm lake below, narrowing his eyes. "Next time," he muttered, his voice low and firm, "you're mine."
With that, he leaned back against the trunk, letting the night envelop him as he continued to cultivate.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone