Morning arrived beneath a sky washed clean by the night’s rain.
Tiny droplets clung to every leaf of the Azure Forest, reflecting the rising sun like countless scattered jewels.
A cool breeze drifted through Ashwood Village, carrying with it the rich scent of wet soil and pine.
I stood in the center of the training ground before sunrise.
The wooden spear rested comfortably in my hands.
“Again.”
Hunter Milo folded his arms as he watched.
I inhaled deeply.
Left foot forward.
Relax the shoulders.
Twist the waist.
Thrust.
The spear shot forward.
“Recover.”
I pulled it back smoothly.
“Again.”
For nearly an hour, the only sounds were the rhythmic strikes of wood against the practice post and Milo’s occasional corrections.
Finally, he nodded.
“Good.”
Hunter Daren stepped closer, examining the marks left on the wooden target.
“Your technique is becoming stable.”
“But…”
He looked directly into my eyes.
“Technique learned on a training field isn’t the same as technique learned in battle.”
I already knew what was coming.
Hunter Milo picked up his spear.
“Today’s lesson isn’t here.”
“It’s in the forest.”
An hour later, five hunters gathered outside Ashwood’s eastern gate.
Hunter Milo.
Hunter Daren.
Hunter Bran.
Hunter Ellis, the village’s best archer.
And me.
Each carried enough supplies for a day’s hunt.
Grandma Mira adjusted the strap on my shoulder before stepping back.
“Remember what I taught you.”
“If you’re injured…”
“Clean the wound before pretending you’re fine.”
I laughed softly.
“I promise.”
She gently placed a hand on my cheek.
“And come home.”
Those simple words warmed my heart more than any encouragement about becoming stronger.
“I will.”
The heavy wooden gate slowly opened.
For the first time since the beast tide…
I walked into the Azure Forest not as a frightened survivor…
But as someone preparing to become a cultivator.
The forest was alive.
Birds called from high branches.
Small streams flowed between moss-covered stones.
Origin Sense revealed tiny strands of spiritual energy drifting through the trees like invisible mist.
Hunter Ellis noticed my curious expression.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
I nodded.
“It feels…”
“…different.”
Ellis smiled knowingly.
“The deeper you travel…”
“The more alive the forest becomes.”
Hunter Bran laughed.
“Or the more dangerous.”
Everyone chuckled.
Except Hunter Daren.
He never stopped scanning the surroundings.
His hand remained close to the sword hanging from his waist.
“Stay alert.”
“The forest changes faster than people do.”
Several hours passed without incident.
The hunters explained how to recognize claw marks, broken branches, and fresh tracks.
Every lesson came from experience rather than books.
“This scratch.”
Milo pointed toward a tree trunk.
“Made by a Forest Bear.”
“Three days old.”
Daren crouched beside another trail.
“And these footprints…”
“Moon Deer.”
“They passed this morning.”
I listened carefully.
Knowledge like this couldn’t be learned inside a cultivation sect.
It belonged to people who had survived the wilderness their entire lives.
As the sun reached its highest point, the group stopped beside a clear stream.
Hunter Bran knelt to refill the water flasks.
Without warning—
Ellis raised one hand.
Everyone froze.
No one spoke.
Even the birds had fallen silent.
Origin Sense expanded instinctively.
A faint spiritual aura approached from the north.
Weak.
But moving quickly.
Hunter Daren slowly drew his sword.
“Something’s coming.”
The bushes trembled.
A low growl echoed between the trees.
My heartbeat accelerated.
This would be my first real battle since opening the First Origin Meridian.
The undergrowth suddenly exploded outward.
A beast the size of a large wolf leapt into the clearing.
Its dark gray fur was streaked with emerald markings that glowed faintly beneath the sunlight.
Long fangs protruded from its jaws.
Its yellow eyes locked onto us with unmistakable intelligence.
The Origin Core immediately responded.
Spirit Beast Identified
Emerald Fang Wolf
Cultivation Level:
Early Body Tempering Realm
Threat Assessment:
Moderate
Recommended Host Action:
Engage.
Hunter Bran tightened his grip on his axe.
“I can kill it.”
Hunter Milo raised a hand, stopping him.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“Kael.”
“This one is yours.”
For a heartbeat…
The entire forest became silent.
I swallowed.
“Mine?”
Milo nodded calmly.
“We’ll intervene if your life is in danger.”
“But the first step…”
“…is yours alone.”
The Emerald Fang Wolf lowered its body, muscles tightening as it prepared to pounce.
I slowly raised my wooden spear.
My palms were damp.
My breathing quickened.
Every instinct screamed at me to step back.
Then I remembered the countless hours of training.
Left foot.
Balance.
Breathe.
The wolf lunged.
I moved.
Not backward…
Forward.
The Emerald Fang Wolf exploded forward.
Its claws tore through the damp earth, sending mud and leaves flying behind it.
Every instinct screamed at me to dodge.
But Hunter Milo’s voice echoed in my mind.
“Don’t fear the enemy’s strength.
Fear losing your balance.”
I planted my left foot firmly.
Twisting my waist, I thrust the spear straight toward the charging beast.
The wolf shifted in midair.
Its body twisted with surprising agility.
The spear grazed its shoulder instead of piercing its chest.
The beast landed smoothly and immediately turned to attack again.
“So fast…”
I barely had time to recover.
The wolf lunged a second time.
This time I stepped sideways just as Hunter Milo had taught me.
Its claws sliced through empty air.
I swung the spear across its ribs.
Thud!
The wooden shaft struck the beast hard enough to knock it off balance, but it wasn’t enough to stop it.
The wolf skidded across the ground before regaining its footing.
A low growl rumbled from its throat.
It had stopped underestimating me.
Several meters away, the hunters watched in silence.
Hunter Bran tightened his grip on his axe.
“Shouldn’t we help?”
Hunter Daren shook his head.
“Not yet.”
“He’s still thinking.”
Milo never took his eyes off the battle.
“If he panics…”
“…we step in.”
The wolf circled me slowly.
Its emerald markings pulsed faintly beneath its fur.
I matched its movement, keeping the spear pointed toward its head.
The forest disappeared.
The sounds of birds.
The wind.
Even the hunters.
Everything faded except the beast before me.
The Origin Core quietly displayed a notification.
Combat Analysis
Opponent Pattern:
Fast frontal attacks.
High agility.
Weak defensive recovery after landing.
Recommendation:
Counter after evasion.
“So that’s your weakness…”
The wolf roared and charged again.
At the last possible moment—
I stepped to the side.
Instead of attacking immediately, I waited.
The beast’s paws struck the ground.
For a fraction of a second…
Its weight shifted forward.
Exactly as the Origin Core had predicted.
I drove the spear toward its exposed shoulder.
Crack!
The wooden tip hit with all my strength.
The wolf cried out in pain and stumbled several steps before collapsing onto one knee.
Hunter Ellis smiled.
“He found the opening.”
But the battle wasn’t over.
The wounded wolf slowly stood again.
Blood trickled from its shoulder.
Its eyes burned with even greater ferocity.
Then something unexpected happened.
The spiritual energy surrounding its body began flowing faster. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Hunter Daren’s expression changed instantly.
“It’s enraged!”
The emerald markings across the wolf’s body glowed brightly.
Its muscles swelled.
Its breathing grew heavier.
Hunter Bran took a step forward.
“Milo!”
Milo raised a hand.
“Wait.”
He looked directly at me.
“This is the most important moment.”
My heartbeat thundered inside my chest.
The pressure coming from the beast had doubled.
Every fiber of my body warned me that one direct hit could end the fight.
The Origin Core pulsed.
Warning
Host is at a disadvantage.
Recommended Strategy:
Do not confront strength with strength.
Observe.
Adapt.
I tightened my grip on the spear.
“Observe…”
The wolf lunged once more.
This time it was much faster.
I barely managed to duck beneath its claws.
They tore through the wooden shaft, leaving deep grooves across it.
The spear wouldn’t survive many more hits.
I retreated several steps.
The wolf pursued relentlessly.
Then…
I noticed it.
Each time the beast attacked, its injured shoulder slowed it for just an instant.
Not enough for an ordinary hunter to notice.
But Origin Sense caught the tiny imbalance.
“Got you.”
Instead of retreating again…
I charged.
The wolf hesitated.
Perhaps it hadn’t expected its prey to move toward it.
I lowered my body and slipped beneath its swinging claw.
Using every ounce of strength in my legs, I drove the butt of the spear into the ground.
The shaft bent slightly.
Using it as support, I spun around the beast’s injured side and thrust the tip into the same wounded shoulder.
Thud!
The impact forced the wolf to lose its balance completely.
It rolled across the forest floor before crashing into the trunk of a large pine tree.
For several long seconds…
Neither of us moved.
Then the wolf slowly climbed to its feet.
It looked at me.
Not with hatred.
But with caution.
After a moment, it let out one final growl.
Then it turned and disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Silence returned.
I remained where I stood, breathing heavily.
My legs trembled from exhaustion.
Hunter Milo walked over with a broad smile.
“Why didn’t you finish it?”
I lowered my spear.
“It could still fight.”
“But…”
“It also chose to leave.”
Milo nodded.
“A wounded Spirit Beast is unpredictable.”
“Killing isn’t always the smartest victory.”
Hunter Daren placed a hand on my shoulder.
“You passed.”
I blinked.
“Passed?”
He smiled faintly.
“This wasn’t a hunt.”
“It was a lesson.”
Hunter Bran laughed.
“And you didn’t embarrass Ashwood.”
The others chuckled.
Even I couldn’t help laughing.
The Origin Core displayed another notification.
Combat Trial Complete
Opponent:
Emerald Fang Wolf
Result:
Victory
Synchronization:
24% → 26%
Basic Spear Technique:
34% → 39%
New Passive Skill Acquired:
Battle Instinct (Beginner)
Description:
Host gains improved awareness during combat through accumulated experience.
A warm current flowed through my body.
Not as intense as opening a meridian.
But enough to make me realize…
I had truly grown stronger.
As the group prepared to return to Ashwood, none of us noticed a figure standing silently atop a distant cliff.
Hidden beneath a dark cloak, the stranger watched the entire battle from afar.
A faint smile appeared beneath the hood.
“So…”
“The First Heir has finally taken his first step.”
With a gentle movement, the figure vanished into the forest without leaving behind a single footprint.
Far below, I looked toward the endless mountains beyond the Azure Forest.
My journey had only just begun.
But for the first time…
I no longer felt like someone merely surviving this world.
I was becoming part of it.