Chapter 6: Hope for Advancement

Thus, the demon cat was subdued. Lu Ran gazed at the creature, its neck brutally torn apart, and felt an overwhelming sense of wonder. Though everything here was deemed mere projections, the sight of the demon cat's fresh blood spilling onto the ground made it appear as vivid and tangible as any living being...

Poor cat, what a tragic death.

But in the end, it was either you or me.

Hmm?

Before Lu Ran could linger in his thoughts for long, the demon cat beneath Ha Zong's paws was suddenly engulfed in a radiant white light. Its body, along with the blood it had shed, crumbled away within the glow, vanishing completely!

"Woo?"

Ha Zong's eyes widened in bewilderment as his hard-earned trophy inexplicably disappeared before him.

Yet, what startled him even more was what followed—though the demon cat had vanished, a lingering remnant of its existence remained. A speck of light, no larger than a firefly, emerged from the dissipated form and gently drifted into Ha Zong's body.

At that moment, Ha Zong felt an unmistakable surge of strength course through his limbs, as if his very being had been reinforced.

"Leveling up through combat?"

Lu Ran's eyes sharpened as he observed the transformation. However, upon checking Ha Zong's [Growth Level], he was met with a perplexing sight—Ha Zong remained at Level 1.

"That should have worked… Defeating enemies makes Ha Zong stronger. It's not a drastic change, but the enhancement is real."

"So, one enemy isn't enough to level up?"

"How many more will it take to reach Level 2?"

Then, a thought struck Lu Ran like lightning.

"Wait a minute—perhaps this is the very purpose of this Trial Realm."

Originally, Lu Ran's strategy was to complete his beginner mission as safely as possible—avoiding unnecessary conflicts, surviving for a day, and only after gaining a better understanding of his newfound situation would he consider taking on greater challenges.

But now, realizing that slaying creatures could directly bolster Ha Zong's power—and that Ha Zong was far stronger than he had anticipated—his plan wavered.

Would it be possible to raise Ha Zong's level while they were here?

After all, the final rewards of this trial likely depended on one's performance. Passively hiding until the end and actively fighting one's way through would surely yield vastly different outcomes.

Perhaps this so-called Beginner's Trial was not as terrifying as he had feared.

Perhaps it was, in truth, an opportunity—a golden chance for newcomers to temper themselves.

The miserable fate of that forum poster… Could it be that they simply weren't strong enough?

Of course, there was always the possibility that the realm harbored far deadlier foes. But at the very least, if they encountered more creatures like the demon cat, Ha Zong seemed more than capable of handling them.

Lu Ran wrestled with indecision. He wanted to seize this opportunity, sensing that the mysterious black card would play a role in reshaping the world. Yet, he also feared that his own greed might lead him into danger.

"Woof!!"

Ha Zong, meanwhile, was furiously scratching at the ground, seemingly searching for the vanished demon cat.

"Enough, stop that."

Lu Ran sighed, rubbing his temples. "That thing is long gone. For now… let's stay put. You should rest and recover your strength."

"Woof?"

Ignoring Ha Zong's quizzical head tilt, Lu Ran mulled over the abilities of his Eye of Data—and found himself unsatisfied.

If only the Eye of Data could display an experience bar for Ha Zong's level progression… At least a percentage would be helpful. But, unfortunately, neither the Eye of Data nor the Contract Card provided any indication of how many demon cats it would take for Ha Zong to level up.

However, this frustration led to an unexpected discovery—

Lu Ran realized that the Eye of Data could also inspect his own status.

[Species]: Human

[Beastmaster Level]: Apprentice

[Beastmaster Skills]: None

The information was disappointingly basic. Yet, one detail caught Lu Ran's attention—the mention of Beastmaster Skills.

Ha Zong's status page also had a skill section.

But both his and Ha Zong's skill slots were empty… How does one acquire skills?

If we could unlock skills, our combat potential would increase significantly.

Lu Ran frowned. "We caused quite the commotion during that fight… It's possible that other creatures were drawn to the noise. If so, we should simply wait here and ambush them. This area is open enough to give us some control over the battlefield."

He explained his reasoning to Ha Zong. Remaining at their starting point was undoubtedly safer than wandering blindly into the tangled underbrush.

That was his final decision. Now, he would leave it to fate.

"Grrwoo!"

Ha Zong nodded in understanding. In his mind, Lu Ran did the thinking, and he did the fighting. Simple.

"Stay alert."

As they waited for potential prey, Lu Ran continued scanning his surroundings with the Eye of Data. According to its description, it could reveal not only biological information but also resource information.

What exactly counted as a resource?

A brief search soon yielded promising results.

Ordinary grass and trees displayed no information. However, certain unusual plants caught his attention.

Beneath a tree, Lu Ran discovered a cluster of red mushrooms.

[Name]: Hemostatic Mushroom

[Grade]: Common

[Description]: A fungus that, when crushed and applied externally, promotes slow wound healing. Do not ingest—may cause vivid hallucinations of tiny dancing figures.

Nearby, he spotted green fruits growing on a tree distinct from the massive ones surrounding it.

[Name]: Woodscale Fruit

[Grade]: Common

[Description]: A juicy fruit with high satiety value. Eating it restores stamina. Highly favored by fruit insects—consumption may provide additional protein intake.

Lu Ran exhaled in relief. "Good thing we stayed. There are hidden resources here… though their descriptions are a bit absurd."

Had they left immediately, finding similar supplies elsewhere would have been uncertain at best.

Regardless of the bizarre side effects, these resources were undeniably valuable. As long as they didn't encounter an overwhelmingly powerful foe, staying put for a day seemed entirely feasible.

"These should be usable, right?"

Given that the demon cat had disappeared upon defeat, Lu Ran feared the same might happen to any harvested resources.

But his worries were unfounded—after plucking a Hemostatic Mushroom, it remained in his grasp. It seemed that only living creatures dissolved upon defeat.

"Not bad."

A flicker of excitement sparked in Lu Ran's eyes. With these supplies, he could better ensure Ha Zong's leveling progress.

Hmm?

"Grrwoo…"

Just as he felt pleased with himself, a wave of heat washed over him. Turning, he found Ha Zong panting heavily over the mushroom, drooling.

"Wait—weren't you just fed before coming here?"

"Woof!"

"You can't have burned through all your energy from a single fight. This is a medicinal herb, not food. From now on, don't eat anything without my approval."

"Woof."

"No means no."

After an internal struggle, Ha Zong finally abandoned the idea of devouring the mushroom.

Truth be told, while most huskies craved meat, Lu Ran's dog had an unusual preference for vegetables and fruits. This peculiar dietary habit had earned him the nickname "Salad Dog."

Lu Ran then focused on carefully gathering the Woodscale Fruits.

Though he and Ha Zong had eaten before arriving, that meal would only sustain them for a few more hours. Once hunger set in, their combat effectiveness would inevitably decline.

That made the Woodscale Fruits—able to restore stamina and quench thirst—invaluable.

Time passed.

Lu Ran successfully gathered every Hemostatic Mushroom and Woodscale Fruit in the area.

By then, thirty minutes had elapsed since their arrival.

Yet, despite waiting, no new enemies had appeared.

"Do we have to take the initiative?" Lu Ran frowned.

But the next moment, his expression changed.

Rustle… rustle… rustle…

Ha Zong, who had been lazily resting, suddenly snapped to attention, eyes sharp with alertness.

The sound was back.

More enemies were coming.

"XP piñatas inbound!"

"Woof woof!"

However, Lu Ran's excitement was short-lived—because this time, the rustling came from all directions.

His heart clenched.

They weren't dealing with just one creature.

Moments later, sweat dripped down Lu Ran's cheek as he watched five shadowy figures emerge from the black undergrowth.

Ha Zong: …

Lu Ran: …

Was this really the beginner-level trial?

Lu Ran suspected the realm's creator was targeting him personally.

I swear—I didn't cheat!