Beast Hunting and Preparation

The following day, after finishing his lessons and a brief stop at the market, Elian decided it was time to put his new skills and upgrades to the test. The Beast Hunting Event was only three days away, and while it wasn't mandatory, Elian wanted to be as prepared as possible, both in terms of his strength and his skills.

With Shadow Storage now at his disposal, he set out into the wilderness of Shadowveil Forest, the home to a variety of dangerous creatures and beasts that would make excellent targets for both EXP and valuable resources. His system interface displayed an encouraging message:

"Event Countdown: 3 Days Remaining"

Elian made his way deeper into the forest, activating his Shadow Step skill to move quietly through the underbrush. He could sense the powerful creatures lurking just beyond his sight. As he neared a dense thicket, he spotted his first target—a Frost Golem, a formidable creature made entirely of ice and stone, towering over the landscape. Its blue eyes glowed menacingly as it scanned the area.

Elian immediately assessed the beast using his "Inspect" skill. The details were swiftly displayed in his mind:

[Frost Golem - Level 8]

HP: 3200/3200

Weakness: Fire

Skills: Ice Slam, Frost Shield, Glacial Grip

Elian's red eyes gleamed. The golem's fire weakness was the perfect opportunity to use his Fire Manipulation sub-skill, and without hesitation, he unleashed a powerful Firestorm, a whirlwind of raging flames that engulfed the creature. The Frost Golem roared in pain as the fire melted through its icy exterior.

It fought back with Ice Slam, sending a shockwave through the ground, but Elian deftly dodged the attack using his Agility. With a swift move, he followed up with a Phoenix Rebirth to increase the intensity of the flames, driving the creature into a defensive position. The golem's Frost Shield absorbed some of the damage, but Elian persisted, his Inferno Wave breaking through the ice and bringing the creature to its knees.

With one final blast of fire, the golem crumbled into a pile of melting ice and stone, its body dissipating into a cloud of cold vapor.

A system prompt immediately appeared:

**"Congratulations! You have defeated the Frost Golem. You have earned:

1200 EXP

2 Beast Parts

500 Gold Coins

10 System Points (5 Attribute Points & 5 Skill Points)"**

Elian smiled faintly as the EXP filled his bar, bringing him closer to his next level. The battle had been intense, but the rewards were well worth it. He used Shadow Storage to place the beast's parts into his storage pocket, leaving him with space for future hunts.

Over the next few hours, Elian hunted several more beasts—each battle honing his skills and increasing his power. A Tornado Serpent (Level 7) fell to his Lightning Speed and Thunderclap abilities. A Stone Behemoth (Level 6) was crushed beneath his Meteor Burst after a heated fight. With each battle, his skill points and gold grew.

By the end of the day, Elian had accumulated enough EXP to level up twice, along with a hefty sum of 2000 gold coins from his kills. As night fell, he returned home to the small, secluded house left to him by his late parents, the only place he could call home.

In the dim light of his room, Elian accessed his system and allocated the points he had earned:

Strength: 3 points

Agility: 4 points

Perception: 3 points (New Attribute Unlocked)

Elian's system flashed briefly as the points settled into their respective categories. A new tab appeared in his Attributes screen, showing Perception and its current value. This new attribute would give him sharper senses—allowing him to detect hidden threats or environmental changes more effectively.

He sat back, letting the information sink in. His power was steadily growing, and the Beast Hunting Event was only three days away. He could feel the weight of it—the expectation, the challenge, and the growing pressure to succeed. His mind wandered for a moment, wondering if he was truly ready to face whatever was coming. His strength was increasing, his skills were unlocking at a rapid pace, and yet something about his true potential still felt elusive.

He would find out soon enough.