First Hunt
That night, he finally gave himself a well-deserved break.
The intense practice had drained his energy and nearly emptied his spirit reserves. So he washed and dressed in a clean training robe, and he felt sleep claim him gently.
His room was quiet, save for the faint rustle of wind against the windows.
By dawn, the first light of the sun filtered into his chamber.
Robert's eyes snapped open.
His entire body felt… light. Alive. Strength surged through his limbs like a river untapped. The exhaustion from the previous day had vanished without a trace.
He sat up slowly, breathing in deeply.
"My mana's recovered," he murmured. "And my control feels sharper than ever."
But recovery wasn't enough. If he wanted to grow—truly grow—he needed more than training. He needed resources.
Spirit stones. Beast cores. Medicines. Anything that could feed his cultivation.
And to gain those, he needed one thing first: Gold notes.
His current supply of spirit stones, earned through his father's last favor, would barely last the day if he pushed himself at full pace. From here on, he had to earn his path.
That meant facing the wilderness.
He turned toward the weapons rack and reached for the twin swords.
Their weight felt right in his hands. Familiar now.
"Dark Forest", he whispered.
A dangerous place bordering the outer limits of the Orsban Clan's territory. Few dared venture deep within without reaching at least Body Tempering Level 5 or 6.
But Robert wasn't like most.
He quickly packed his essentials: a small sack of dried rations, a flask of purified water, ten spirit stones, and basic healing medicines, and stored them in the system store.
He strapped the twin swords across his back, tying them with leather ropes to keep the blades from clanging together as he moved.
Then, he stepped out of the room.
The clan was just beginning to shift. Morning fog clung to the flagstones, and servants swept the courtyard paths with hushed discipline.
He passed them silently, nodding once when they bowed, but saying nothing.
At the gates, the guards didn't question him. His aura, though restrained, held clarity now. He was no longer the crippled son people pitied.
He was a cultivator.
And he had a goal.
As soon as Robert stepped beyond the Osborn Clan's main gate, he didn't waste a breath.
"Shadow Step," he whispered.
His figure blurred, vanishing in a rush of wind and flickering motion.
Trees raced past him as he fled across winding roads and low hills.
The familiar world fell behind, swallowed by speed and silence. In just half an hour, he arrived at the edge of the Dark Forest.
The air shifted.
Colder. Wilder. Charged with natural energy.
The tall, black-wood trees loomed like old sentinels, branches gnarled and twisted. The forest was alive with energy... and a hint of danger.
Robert halted just before the treeline, eyes scanning the shadowed expanse. He took a deep breath one last time before stepping into the shadows.
The moment his foot touched the mossy ground, a low rustle sounded from ahead.
Bushes trembled. Leaves scattered.
Something was watching him.
He immediately unsheathed his twin blades, sinking slightly into a guarded stance. "System," he whispered, "scan the creature."
The moment his foot touched the mossy forest ground, a sharp rustle echoed from the nearby brush.
The system responded immediately:
[Scan Initiated…]
[Beast Identified: Ironhide Wolf]
[Level: Medium-1 | Classification: Wild Beast]
[Equivalent Cultivation: Body Tempering Level 5]
[Traits: Reinforced Hide, Agile Movement, Razor Fangs]
[Threat Level: Moderately Dangerous]
A low growl followed as the beast emerged—a wolf nearly the size of a bullhound, its silver-gray fur layered with a faint metallic shine.
Muscles rippled under its hide with every step, and its sharp fangs gleamed beneath curled lips.
Robert's gaze sharpened.
Body Tempering Level 5, the system said.
Stronger than him—he was only at Body Tempering Level 4.
But he didn't flinch.
Instead, a gentle flame danced in his eyes.
"So this is the kind of challenge that stands one level above me," he muttered under his breath, tightening his grip on the twin swords. "Let's see how far a Level 4 swordsman can go."
The Ironhide Wolf—its strength above his—let out a sharp bark and charged.
The moment the Ironhide Wolf bared its fangs and lowered into a crouch, the system's voice chimed in, clear and crisp in Robert's mind:
[New Quest Available!]
Objective: Defeat the Ironhide Wolf (Level: Medium-1 | Equivalent: Body Tempering Level 5)
Reward: 1,000 System Points
Failure Penalty: -50 System Reputation.
[Do you accept?]
Robert's pulse quickened with excitement.
"Absolutely," he said without hesitation, a mischievous smile playing at the edges of his mouth.
Good. Let's see how far I've come.
The Ironhide Wolf leaped.
In a flash, Robert activated Shadow Step. His body blurred, reappearing five feet to the left. The wolf's claws sliced through the air with a fierce intensity, making a sound that echoed like bark.
Its golden eyes enlarged in surprise—but only for a moment.
The beast twisted midair and pounced again with blistering speed.
This time, Robert didn't dodge.
He stepped forward.
Twin swords flashed.
Mirror Fang—First Sequence.
His blades moved as one, left and right curving in perfect synchrony, like mirrored fangs snapping in unison. Steel clanged against the beast's reinforced hide. Sparks flew.
Robert gritted his teeth. "Its pelt is tougher than I thought!"
The wolf's claws whipped through the air, producing a noise that almost sounded like bark. It swung its massive head and lunged, jaws aiming straight for Robert's throat.
Robert dropped low, one foot skimming across the ground as he spun beneath the snapping jaws.
The thinnest part of the creature's armor was its belly, where its right blade sliced upward. Blood sprayed—hot and fast.
The Ironhide Wolf howled and stumbled back.
Robert didn't let up.
He vanished again—Shadow Step—and appeared behind the wolf's
His left sword parried the wolf's tail swipe, while his right plunged straight toward its rear leg tendon.
A solid hit. The beast yelped and limped—but it wasn't done yet.
It turned sharply and let out an intense surge of power.
Robert barely had time to roll aside, its claws grazing his shoulder. Pain flared, but it wasn't deep.
Breathing hard, Robert readjusted his stance.
But this was his path.
And he would carve it with steel and determination.
He circled the beast slowly, twin swords humming with his pulse.
When the wolf lunged again, fangs ready to rip, Robert launched into the final strike.
Mirror Fang.
He jumped, both swords arcing from opposite directions—one up, one down—intersecting over the beast's skull.
The noise of the impact echoed through the forest.
A heartbeat of silence followed.
Then the Ironhide Wolf collapsed to the ground—twitching once, twice—before falling still.
Its breath ceased.
And so did the battle.
The system's voice returned, calm and triumphant:
[Quest Complete: Ironhide Wolf Defeated]
+1,000 Points Earned
Total: 1500 System Points]
[Beast Core Retrieved: Rank – Medium]
[New Resources Available: Use convert for medicine]
Robert dropped to one knee, trying to catch his breath for a moment.
Blood dripped from his arms.
But he smiled.