Chapter 20: The Shifting Shadows
The forest was eerily silent, as if nature itself had been subdued by the tension hanging in the air. The MC stood rooted in place, the hooded figure's cryptic words echoing in his mind: "Every choice has consequences."
He clenched his fists, anger and frustration bubbling beneath his calm exterior. This wasn't the first time someone had tried to manipulate him, but this figure was different—ominous, calculating, and always one step ahead. The realization sent a shiver down his spine.
"Who are they?" he wondered, his gaze scanning the shadows as if the figure might reappear. But the forest offered no answers, only the faint rustling of leaves and the distant call of an owl.
The Tebu system broke the silence.
Host's vital signs indicate heightened stress levels. It is recommended to proceed with caution.
"I don't need your analysis right now," the MC muttered under his breath. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. The Bloodhound Alpha's corpse lay a few feet away, its dark fur still glistening under the pale moonlight. He hadn't even had time to process the fight or the spoils it had brought.
---
Harvesting the Spoils
The system chimed again.
The Bloodhound Alpha contains valuable resources. Do you wish to initiate harvesting?
The MC hesitated. Normally, he would have leaped at the chance to gather rare materials from such a powerful creature, but tonight, he felt uneasy. The hooded figure's sudden appearance had thrown him off balance. Still, he couldn't afford to waste the opportunity.
"Do it," he commanded.
A faint glow enveloped the creature's body as the system extracted its essence. The MC watched as streams of energy coalesced into shimmering orbs, which floated toward him and disappeared into his chest.
*Host has acquired:
Bloodhound Core (Rare)
Alpha Fang (Material)
Beast Essence x500*
"Not bad," he thought, his lips curling into a faint smirk. The Bloodhound Core alone was a treasure that could boost his creatures' evolution or enhance his own abilities.
But as the last of the essence was absorbed, a faint tremor rippled through the ground. The MC's smirk vanished, replaced by a wary frown.
---
A New Threat
The tremor grew stronger, shaking the trees and sending birds flapping into the night sky. The MC's instincts flared, warning him of danger.
"What now?"
The ground beneath the Bloodhound Alpha's corpse cracked, and from the fissure emerged a dark, swirling mist. It coiled like a living thing, pulsing with an ominous energy that made the MC's skin crawl.
Warning: Residual energy from the Bloodhound Alpha has activated a dormant entity.
The system's voice was calm, but the MC felt anything but. His eyes narrowed as the mist began to take shape, solidifying into a towering figure with glowing red eyes and jagged claws.
It wasn't just another beast. This was something far worse.
"A Guardian Wraith," the MC whispered, recognizing the creature from one of the academy's forbidden texts. Wraiths were rare entities that guarded ancient relics, and their appearance often meant that something of great value was nearby.
The Wraith let out a bone-chilling screech, its voice a cacophony of agony and rage. It lunged toward the MC with terrifying speed, its claws slicing through the air.
---
The Battle Begins
The MC barely had time to react. He summoned his creature—a serpentine beast with glowing scales and razor-sharp fangs. The creature hissed, coiling protectively around its master as the Wraith advanced.
"Tebu system, analyze its weaknesses!"
The system responded instantly.
Guardian Wraith: High agility, moderate defense. Weakness: Light-based attacks.
Light-based attacks? The MC cursed under his breath. His powers were rooted in shadow and darkness, the complete opposite of what he needed.
The Wraith attacked again, its claws slashing through the serpent's scales. The creature hissed in pain but retaliated with a venomous bite, sinking its fangs into the Wraith's arm. The attack slowed the Wraith momentarily, but its regenerative abilities quickly kicked in.
"This isn't working," the MC realized. He needed a new strategy—and fast.
---
A Desperate Gamble
The MC glanced around, his mind racing. The forest was dense, but moonlight filtered through the canopy in patches. He had an idea, but it was risky.
"Tebu system, amplify my creature's venom output. We need to buy time."
Acknowledged.
The serpent lunged again, its venom now glowing with an eerie green light. It struck the Wraith's chest, injecting the enhanced poison directly into its core. The Wraith screeched, its movements becoming sluggish.
The MC seized the opportunity. He positioned himself beneath a beam of moonlight, channeling his energy into a makeshift lens using the Bloodhound Core. The core began to glow, refracting the moonlight into a concentrated beam of pure light.
The Wraith sensed the danger and charged, its claws aimed at the MC's throat.
"Now or never!"
The MC released the beam, directing it straight at the Wraith's heart. The creature let out a deafening roar as the light pierced through its body, shattering its form into a million fragments.
The forest fell silent once more.
---
A Hidden Relic
The MC collapsed to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The battle had drained him, but he couldn't rest yet. Where there was a Guardian Wraith, there was always something worth guarding.
He approached the fissure where the Wraith had emerged, his hands trembling as he brushed aside the loose soil. Beneath the surface, he found a small, intricately carved box. Its surface was covered in runes that glowed faintly, pulsing with an ancient energy.
"What is this?"
The system scanned the artifact.
Unknown relic detected. Insufficient data for analysis.
The MC frowned. Even the Tebu system couldn't identify it? That only made him more curious.
He tucked the box into his satchel, resolving to study it later. For now, he needed to get out of the forest. He could feel the weight of unseen eyes watching him, and the hooded figure's parting words still lingered in his mind.
"Every choice has consequences."
---
The Road Ahead
As the MC made his way back toward the academy, his thoughts were a whirlwind of questions. Who was the hooded figure? What was the relic's purpose? And why did the Wraith appear only after he defeated the Bloodhound Alpha?
He didn't have the answers yet, but one thing was certain: his journey was far from over.
The shadows of the forest seemed to whisper secrets as he walked, their voices a constant reminder of the challenges ahead.