Improvement is not without effort

Seven Hours Later…

The forest canopy danced with filtered sunlight, casting shifting patterns onto the moss-covered ruins below. Warm air drifted lazily through the dense foliage, carrying the scent of damp earth and old stone. Within the remains of a crumbling structure, nestled deep in the forest, Archi stirred.

A low hum pulsed around him—threads of Qi spiraling through the air like invisible veins of energy.

Suddenly, a mechanical chime rang out in his mind.

[ NOTIFICATION ][ THROUGH EFFORT, THE HOST HAS COMPACTED QI AND FORGED LIMBS ][ YOU HAVE ACQUIRED: MANA SOLIDIFICATION ][ TITLE UNLOCKED: CURSED GENIUS ]

Archi: (Finally… I can move again.)He flexed, and two massive hands made of condensed blue Qi sprouted from his back. They shimmered faintly, ethereal yet powerful.

Archi: (I've just been gathering Qi nonstop to stabilize this body… But man, I NEED MILK.)

He paused for a moment, smirking.

Archi: (This "Cursed Genius" title must be from my bloodline. Lycans are hated by the gods, vampires are adored—and I'm somewhere between both. It's just different flavors of the same cursed blood…)

Another prompt faded into view.

[ BLOOD SPECIES: SPECIES WHOSE SKILLS AND LIFESTYLE ARE INHERENTLY TIED TO BLOOD ][ EXAMPLES: SPIRITUAL SPECIES (SPIRIT USERS, ELEMENTALISTS), EARTH SPECIES (DWARVES, GOLEMS) ]

Archi: (Tch. System, show me my status.)

[ STATUS ]NAME: Archivold PeristineRACE: Half Human / Half LycanLEVEL: 1 [0 / 100]STRENGTH: —ENDURANCE: —AGILITY: —SPIRIT: 21DIVINITY CONTENT: 0%

SKILLS:• 7 Myriads Bloodpath• Wave Breathing• Mana Solidification

TITLES:• Cursed Genius

Two shimmering, spectral hands braced against the ground, lifting Archi's weakened body up like a child held by his guardian shadows. Dust fell from his clothes as he rose.

Archi: (Time to move out.)

He stepped outside the ruin's threshold and was greeted by golden sunlight piercing through the trees. It kissed his pale face, glinting off his silver hair, and illuminated his scarlet eyes like burning rubies. For the first time in hours, he smiled.

Using his summoned hands for balance, Archi moved toward the rustling of leaves nearby. Spotting a dense bush, he tucked himself behind it—though his large Qi arms stuck out awkwardly. With a thought, they shimmered and began fading into partial transparency.

His eyes narrowed.

In a clearing just ahead, a grey-furred wolf lay slumped against a tree, two cubs latched onto her belly, suckling for milk. Her breaths were slow and labored.

Archi: (Jackpot... but also, kind of sad.)

He stepped forward, deliberately letting his presence be felt. The wolf raised her head slightly, baring teeth, but the moment she tried to rise—her legs buckled.

Too weak to flee. Too tired to fight.

With careful movements, Archi conjured a third hand, smaller and more precise. A thin needle formed in its palm. He pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the wolf's thigh.

Archi: (Chained Contract.)

[ NOTIFICATION ][ HOST HAS USED A BLOOD SUBMISSION SPELL ][ NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: CHAINED CONTRACT ][ NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: TELEPATHY ]

A faint tether of energy linked them. The wolf's eyes widened, her instincts suppressed by the contract now tying her spirit to Archi's will.

Archi (telepathically):"Thy name is Archivold, but you can call me Archi. I'm your new master… so, uh, could you spare some milk?"

Fedora blinked at the child. She didn't feel threatened—only a peculiar warmth blooming in her chest.

Fedora: (Master? Even if I wanted to resist, I couldn't. But you… you smell familiar.)

Archi: (Familiar?)

Fedora: (Like kin. Like something wild, yet noble.)

Archi: (I'm half-Lycan. That's probably why.)

Fedora didn't question further. She had seen enough strange things in the Evolm Forest to know this wasn't the weirdest encounter. Still, something about Archi felt… important.

Fedora: (Then how shall I address you, young master?)

Archi: (Just Archi is fine.)

Fedora: (Very well… Archi.)

With gentle steps, Archi knelt and leaned beneath her to feed, drawing the vital sustenance he had been craving for hours.