Elijah woke up to a soft chime from his watch, indicating a notification. He blinked a few times, still groggy from sleep, and tapped the screen to check the message. His eyes widened slightly when he saw it: the Black Jackal Soulshard had been sold to a user named "Ripper."
"What a childish choice of a name," Elijah thought, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. But he couldn't deny the satisfaction that came with seeing his account balance increase by 10,000 Union Credits. The sale was a success, and his mind raced with possibilities.
Sitting up, Elijah took a moment to think. The realization struck him—his Avatar ability was more powerful than he initially thought. Not only did it allow him to absorb cores and gain extra Soul Energy, but it also guaranteed a Soulshard with each absorption. This advantage would allow him to rise quickly, even as a solo wanderer.
For most wanderers, teaming up was essential. They hunted stronger Daemones together, avoiding the trash-level creatures in the rookie area. Those who stayed in the rookie zone were either training or were loners, unable to find a team. Elijah knew that the Daemones he had been hunting were weak, even though he had nearly died in the Jackal's Den. The Gobels he had encountered barely gave him any Soul Energy—just 0.05 per core. The Jackals were slightly better, offering 0.1, but it was still low.
From what Elijah knew, the next area housed Forest Wolves, Daemones that provided a substantial 0.5 Soul Energy per core. It was a tempting target, but he also knew his limits. "But I can barely kill a Jackal," he thought, frowning. "If I try to hunt a Wolf, I'll die without even knowing how!"
Pushing those thoughts aside, Elijah got up and checked out of the inn. He had one last hunt in mind before he had to return to Earth. "I need to make this hunt count," he muttered to himself as he headed to a shop.
After a brief exchange with the shopkeeper, Elijah emerged with a new item—a dark, oddly engraved ring on his hand. "I finally have one, a storage ring!" he muttered, grinning like a child with a new toy. The ring was the cheapest one available, with barely enough space to hold the equivalent of a large backpack, but it was perfect for his needs. It had cost him the entire 10,000 Union Credits, but he considered it a worthy investment.
With this new acquisition, Elijah no longer needed to carry a cumbersome backpack. The ring would also help him hide his earnings. He tested it by storing a kitchen knife and what was left of the food, nodding in satisfaction. Then, without wasting any more time, he left the settlement, slipping into the cover of the surrounding trees. Once outside, he activated the Jackal's Stealth Soulshard and moved, his figure blending seamlessly into the environment.
---
"DAMN IT!" A man punched a tree in frustration, his knuckles turning white as he gritted his teeth. "That slippery bastard!" he growled.
"Michael, that guy most likely has a stealth Soulshard. We can't track him anymore," another man said, standing nearby. Elijah would have recognized them as the obnoxious group from the shop.
"We searched the Gobel zone but found no trace of him. Do you think he's hunting in another area?" a third man asked, joining the others.
Michael seethed with anger, but he knew the truth. "He's being cautious. With that stealth Soulshard, I don't think we'll be able to find him for now. Let's ignore that piece of trash. When his guard is down, we'll hunt him down again," Michael muttered, his voice cold and filled with malice.
The three of them turned and left, their plans for Elijah momentarily thwarted.
---
Elijah crouched behind a rotten tree, scanning the desolate, desert-like landscape of the Jackal's Den. The zone was littered with decayed vegetation and sun-bleached bones, the air thick with the stench of death. His eyes locked onto a lone Black Jackal, separated from its pack and wandering near the edge of the den. With his Soulshard activated, Elijah was nearly invisible, his presence barely more than a shadow in the periphery.
He moved closer, with the Soulshard, each step silent as a whisper. The Jackal, unaware of the impending danger, sniffed the air cautiously. Elijah's heart pounded in his chest, but his mind was focused, and calculating.
When he was close enough, Elijah struck. His knife sliced through the air with precision, cutting deep into the Jackal's neck. Blood sprayed out, painting the dry ground red. The Jackal howled in pain, its instincts kicking in as it tried to fight back. Despite its mortal wound, the beast lashed out with desperate ferocity, its claws swiping wildly at Elijah.
He jumped back, avoiding the Jackal's frenzied attacks. The creature's movements grew sluggish, its strength fading with each drop of blood it lost. Elijah watched it carefully, waiting for the right moment. When the Jackal finally stumbled, its legs buckling under its own weight, Elijah moved in and delivered the final blow, ending its life.
"This was so much easier than before," Elijah muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow as he retrieved the core from the Jackal's body. "It's all thanks to the Soulshard."
Elijah continued his strategy, using the stealth ability to pick off lone Jackals one by one. But finding solitary targets was rare, and by the time the sun began to sink below the horizon, he had only managed to collect 16 cores.
"After a whole day's worth of hunting, all I managed to get is 16 Cores, which is equivalent to 3.2 Soul Energy. It's not enough," he sighed, frustrated. "Breaking through to the 2nd realm is going to take too long. If I had a team and we hunted the Forest Wolves, even seven cores would be worth more than my whole day of hunting Jackals."
With that, Elijah returned to the settlement, heading straight to the Wanderer Union's base. Approaching the reception desk, he spoke to the staff. "I would like to return to Earth."
The receptionist nodded and, after taking the 1,000 Union Credits fee, led Elijah to a large room filled with small square platforms on the ground. Elijah knew the process well. These platforms were similar to spawn points for wanderers, a safety measure to prevent them from returning to Earth in dangerous locations.
He stepped onto one of the green-lit platforms, feeling the familiar hum of energy beneath his feet. "Alright, let's go back," he said, sending a surge of Soul Energy to the tattoo on his wrist.
A strange sensation washed over him, like being pulled through a tight tunnel. The world around him blurred, colors and shapes blending together before snapping back into focus. Elijah opened his eyes to find himself back in his shabby apartment. He could hear noise coming from the living room, and he sighed, grabbing his wheelchair and settling into it. The Avatar's influence still lingered, a precautionary measure to ensure his safety.
As he wheeled himself out of his room, he was startled to find his sister, Lisa, sitting at the dining table, her shoulders shaking as she cried softly.
"Lisa, are you okay?" Elijah asked, concerned.
Lisa jumped at the sound of his voice, looking up with tear-streaked cheeks and a red, puffy face. "Elijah!" she cried out, rushing to him and wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Lisa, what happened? Are you okay?" Elijah asked, his heart pounding with worry.
Through her sobs, Lisa explained. "The high school dean called me three hours ago. He said he tried to reach you but couldn't, so he contacted me. He was asking about your attendance in the exams. When I came home to check on you, you were gone. Your wheelchair was here, and I couldn't reach you. I thought those bad people came back again. I thought they did something to you!" She broke down again, tears flowing freely.
Elijah understood now. Of course, he had been offline—he wasn't even in this realm. "Lisa, I'm so sorry. Please calm down. I want to tell you something," he said gently, turning his wrist to show her the tattoo.
Lisa's eyes widened in shock. "What? You awakened?" she asked, staring at the tattoo in disbelief. "Did you go to the other world? How did you go? Why would you? With your condition, becoming a wanderer isn't even an option! And why didn't you leave a message? What did you do there?" The questions came rapid-fire, making Elijah's head spin.
"I didn't leave a message because I thought I'd be back before you got home. And I went because I discovered something," Elijah explained, backing up slightly before standing up from the wheelchair.
Lisa stared at him without saying anything before her eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of joy. "You can walk! You can walk! You can walk!" she cried, hugging him tightly once more.
"Yes, I can," Elijah replied, his voice filled with emotion as he hugged her back. He had always believed that his sister hated him, that she didn't care anymore. But seeing her worry and happiness now made his heart swell. He felt like he was about to cry himself.
"How?" Lisa asked, still in shock.
Elijah slowly explained his ability and his experiences in the other world, leaving out the details about the Avatar's ability to absorb cores and the Soulshard guarantee. He didn't want to implicate her and put her in danger by revealing too much. This kind of ability, if others found out about it, would put them both in critical danger!