Chen Yu observed the hunters carefully and searched for a low-level hunting map. After comparing several shops, he obtained a basic map covering ten kilometers around Steel Armor Shelter.
After preparing his supplies, he left the shelter to hunt ordinary creatures.
Several hours later, he discovered a single beast hiding near a rocky area.
An ordinary creature.
Black Iron Rat.
The creature suddenly rushed toward him.
Chen Yu reacted immediately and struck its head with his knife.
The Black Iron Rat struggled violently for several seconds before finally collapsing onto the ground.
Then a cold notification appeared inside his mind.
[Ordinary Creature: Black Iron Rat killed.]
[Beast soul discovered.]
A faint grey light slowly emerged from the corpse.
Chen Yu's eyes narrowed slightly.
Beast soul.
Even ordinary beast souls were valuable for beginners.
But before he could react—
the grey light suddenly disappeared.
No.
Not disappeared.
Absorbed.
Chen Yu suddenly felt a sharp pain inside his head.
His vision darkened instantly.
A strange pulling force dragged his consciousness inward.
Silence surrounded him.
Then he saw it.
An endless dark sea.
His Sea of Consciousness.
And floating silently above it…
was a grey-black orb covered in faint cracks.
The beast soul light was being absorbed directly into the orb.
Slowly.
Completely.
Chen Yu stared silently at the scene.
The orb pulsed once.
Then fragments of information suddenly appeared inside his mind.
No voice.
No system.
Only instinctive understanding.
The orb could absorb beast souls.
Not equipment.
Not flesh.
Only souls.
Chen Yu's breathing slowed gradually.
"Hōgyoku…"
The name appeared unconsciously inside his mind.
In his previous life, he had watched .
But unlike the real Hōgyoku…
this thing felt incomplete.
Dormant.
As if it had not fully awakened yet.
Moments later, Chen Yu suddenly opened his eyes again.
The dead Black Iron Rat still lay before him.
But the beast soul had completely vanished.