Hunt for the first ring
Ravihiro ventured deep into the Beast Forest, its dense foliage casting long shadows under the waning light of day. His steps were steady, his aura calm yet sharp, as if the very air bent around him. He was on the hunt, not for ordinary beasts, but for a 1,000-year-old beast—a prey worthy of his first ring.
The forest grew eerily silent, and Ravihiro's Ryugan activated instinctively, scanning the surroundings. He had tracked this creature for hours, following faint traces of its energy trail. Finally, he reached a clearing where the beast awaited him.
The Kritanvra Mantis, a formidable beast with blade-like arms gleaming in the dappled sunlight, stood poised. Its emerald-green exoskeleton shimmered with a lethal sheen, and its six legs were spread in a predatory stance. The mantis moved faster than Ravihiro had anticipated, a blur of green slicing through the air as it lunged at him.
Ravihiro dodged narrowly, unsheathing his martial soul Kageha, the spectral blade glowing faintly in his grasp. The clash of steel against the mantis's razor-sharp arms echoed through the forest as Ravihiro met its strike head-on.
The mantis's speed was relentless, its attacks like a whirlwind of blades. Ravihiro relied on his precision and agility, focusing entirely on his swordsmanship. With each exchange, the predator's movements grew more calculated, forcing Ravihiro to adapt.
Summoning the energy within Kageha, Ravihiro struck with a technique called "Ecliptic Slash," a crescent-shaped sword wave slicing through the air. The mantis deflected it with one of its bladed arms, but the force pushed it back.
"I can't waste time," Ravihiro muttered, adjusting his stance.
The mantis lunged again, its blades aiming for his vital points. Ravihiro spun mid-air, avoiding the fatal strike, and drove Kageha downward in a decisive blow. The blade severed one of the mantis's bladed arms, sending the creature reeling in pain.
Seeing an opening, Ravihiro dashed forward, his sword glowing with faint energy. With a single, precise strike, he pierced the beast's core. The Kritanvra Mantis let out a high-pitched screech before collapsing to the ground, its emerald sheen dimming as its life force faded.
As its body disintegrated into motes of light, a golden-yellow ring materialized above its remains. The ring pulsed with a sharp energy, resonating with the essence of the sword. Ravihiro stepped forward and began the absorption process, sitting cross-legged and steadying his breathing.
The ring, imbued with the mantis's speed and blade-like precision, integrated into his being. A rush of energy coursed through him as the "Blade Wind Ring" became part of his cultivation. The ring shimmered faintly in hues of gold and green, signifying the mantis's agility and lethality.
Ravihiro opened his eyes, his aura slightly sharper than before. He stood, gripping Kageha, and glanced back at the clearing where the fight had taken place.
"One down," he said to himself, his voice calm but resolute. He turned and began walking deeper into the forest, ready for the next challenge.