Daemonium

Elijah's eyes fluttered open, and a soft, mystical glow surrounded him, remnants of the powerful Soul Energy still lingering in the air. He could feel the warmth coursing through his veins, a sensation unlike anything he had ever experienced. The room around him seemed to pulse with life, and the air was thick with the energy he had spent hours absorbing. 

He took a deep breath, inhaling the rich, vibrant energy that filled the room. A smile crept across his face as he felt the profound change within him. This was his first breakthrough, the beginning of his cultivation journey. The energy resonated with his soul, a symphony of power and potential that seemed to echo through every fiber of his being.

He glanced to the side at his open bag and sighed. "I spent all this time cultivating, even used all the... enhancements I bought, and finally managed to enter the first level of the Apprentice realm." His voice was filled with both satisfaction and exhaustion.

It was now 6 PM of the next day. Elijah had been so engrossed in his cultivation that time had slipped away unnoticed. He decided to check his stats:

Name: Elijah

Status: Awakened

Physical Condition: Crippled

Realm: 1st realm of the Apprentice stage

Ability: Avatar (Level 1)

Soul Level: 1%

Strength: 13 (+4)

Agility: 10 (+4)

Endurance: 11 (+3)

"My stats increased by a good amount, and they're my own personal stats, not just the boost I'm getting from the Avatar," Elijah noted, feeling a surge of pride. Without the Avatar's support, his strength was at 7, agility at 6, and endurance at 7. This was a significant improvement for him—especially considering his physical condition.

A thought struck him, and suddenly, the Avatar materialized before him, detaching from his body. Elijah hesitated for a moment before attempting to stand on his own. To his surprise, unlike before when his lower half was completely unresponsive, he could now slightly shake his legs. He even stood for a brief moment before his strength gave out and he collapsed onto the bed.

"The increase in my stats means I have more strength in my legs, even though I'm crippled," Elijah said, a hopeful smile playing on his lips. "At some point, the higher my stats, the more I'll be able to stand on my own, at least perform basic tasks without relying on the Avatar."

The Avatar swiftly merged with him again, and Elijah stood up, grabbing his belongings. He made his way out of the room, feeling a new sense of determination.

As he entered the lobby, a man approached him with a polite smile. "Sir, please pay for the extra time you spent."

Elijah realized he had only paid for a night, but had ended up staying the entire day without noticing. He smiled back and paid the man before walking out.

"It's time to go on my first hunt," Elijah murmured, excitement bubbling within him as he headed towards the settlement's giant gate.

***

A whistling sound pierced the dense forest, followed by a silvery arc slicing through the jelly-like flesh of a grotesque, rabbit-like monster. The creature, deformed and twisted with tumors sprouting from every part of its body, let out a shrill cry before part of its flesh evaporated into a white mist. Elijah stood there, breathing heavily, his hands trembling slightly as he stared at the monster's silvery orb, the only thing left behind.

He reached down, picked up the orb, and wiped it clean with a towel from his backpack. He popped it into his mouth without hesitation, chewing briefly before grimacing at the bitter taste and forcing it down. He could feel a warm sensation spreading through his stomach as the Soul Energy within the orb was absorbed, and he quickly checked his watch.

- Soul Level: 1.05%

This was the first orb he consumed today, barely increasing his Soul Level. The Union had advised him on this method, explaining that monsters, known as daemonium, cultivated Soul Energy differently from humans, and their orbs were consumable, providing a more efficient way to progress than meditation alone.

"If I cultivate using the meditation method, I can progress consistently and safely, but fighting these things..." Elijah trailed off, looking at the twisted remains of the rabbit-like creature, known as a Gobel. The creature had blood-red eyes and jagged teeth. "..would earn me more Soul Energy, but I could get killed if I'm careless."

Elijah had chosen to hunt alone, refusing to join any of the many groups forming at the settlement's entrance. His low realm and his reluctance to share details about his ability made him an outcast. "In their eyes, I'm just a weak rookie with a useless ability," he thought. "Since I can't use the Avatar normally, as it should be, and even its boost barely compensates for my crippled self, I'm just a normal person at best."

The Gobel, a basic daemonium creature, was perfect for rookies to start with, offering a chance to gain experience and refine their skills. But Elijah's first encounter had been anything but smooth. "Killing that one took me nearly half an hour," he muttered, shaking his head. Fear had dominated his emotions, leading to countless mistakes and missed opportunities.

"Hah, I win!" A voice suddenly echoed from behind some trees, startling Elijah. He turned to see three people around his age standing there, watching him with mocking smiles. 'I was too distracted by the fight to even notice them,' Elijah berated himself.

"Pay up," one of the kids demanded, holding out his hand to the other. "Do you think I carry cash here? I'll transfer the money to you later," the other retorted, before glaring at Elijah with annoyance. "You fucker, I lost because of you! Why did you win that fight? I made a bet that you'd get messed up by the Gobes."

Elijah stared at the kid in bewilderment. "What?" was all he could manage.

"You deaf? We saw you fighting, and from the looks of it, that faint black veil covering you is your ability. From what we saw, it's a very trashy boost ability, so I've bet you'd lose the fight," the guy sneered. "You have no prior training, your style was all over the place, you barely dodged the monster's attacks, and won with a lucky strike... Trash like you should just get a job with the Union and stop leaving the settlement."

The group's laughter rang in Elijah's ears as they walked away, leaving him stunned. "What the hell just happened?" he muttered, shaking his head. "That was the most outrageous and out-of-pocket bullshit I've ever heard."

Elijah was too shocked to respond, his mind reeling from the encounter. "How far are their heads up their asses?" he wondered, before deciding to head in the opposite direction, away from the group. 'I'm no coward, but I was too distracted and didn't even notice them. If it happens again and someone bears malice toward me, I'd be a dead man,' Elijah thought grimly as he began searching for another Gobel to kill.