CHAPTER 9 BLOOD AND SURVIVAL
973 Words
The towering trees of Black Pine Forest blocked out most of the morning sunlight.
Only thin rays of light slipped through the thick canopy, illuminating patches of damp earth.
Raizen led the way.
Jin Wu followed close behind.
Su Ziling silently guarded the rear.
No one spoke.
The deeper they ventured...
The heavier the atmosphere became.
Crunch.
Raizen suddenly stopped.
His eyes narrowed toward a set of claw marks carved into the trunk of a nearby tree.
The marks were fresh.
Very fresh.
He slowly crouched beside them.
"The beast passed here recently."
Jin Wu looked around nervously.
"How can you tell?"
Raizen pointed at the splintered bark.
"The sap hasn't dried."
"And..."
He touched the ground.
"...the footprints haven't filled with dust."
Jin Wu blinked.
"You actually know how to track?"
"I've spent years reading survival records in the library."
Su Ziling smiled faintly.
"So that's why you always borrowed history books."
Raizen nodded.
"Knowledge is useful everywhere."
Observation complete.
Target passed within the last fifteen minutes.
Probability of encounter: 87%.
The Origin System's voice echoed calmly.
Raizen's expression remained unchanged.
"Eighty-seven percent..."
He murmured.
Jin Wu tilted his head.
"What?"
"Nothing."
A low growl suddenly echoed through the forest.
Grrrr...
The three immediately froze.
Leaves rustled.
Branches snapped.
Something was approaching.
Boom!
A massive wolf leaped from the bushes.
Its silver fur shimmered beneath the sunlight.
Its crimson eyes burned with killing intent.
Two sharp fangs protruded from its mouth.
Spirit Qi surrounded its muscular body.
Jin Wu inhaled sharply.
"A Silver Fang Wolf!"
Su Ziling immediately drew her sword.
"It's an Early Spirit Beast."
"We can't underestimate it."
The wolf lowered its body.
Then—
It lunged.
"Scatter!"
Raizen shouted.
The three split apart just as the wolf crashed into the ground.
BOOM!
Earth exploded beneath its claws.
The impact alone was enough to leave a small crater.
Jin Wu swallowed hard.
"...That's stronger than I expected."
The wolf immediately turned toward the nearest target.
Su Ziling.
It sprinted forward with astonishing speed.
She calmly sidestepped.
Her sword flashed.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
The blade barely cut through the beast's thick fur.
"So tough..."
She whispered.
Jin Wu attacked from behind.
"Haa!"
His spear thrust toward the wolf's ribs.
The beast twisted unexpectedly.
Its tail slammed into Jin Wu's chest.
Bang!
He was thrown several meters backward.
"Ugh!"
He rolled across the ground before crashing into a tree.
"Jin Wu!"
Raizen rushed toward him.
"I'm okay..."
Jin Wu coughed.
"...Just hurts."
The wolf growled again.
Its eyes shifted toward Raizen.
For a brief moment...
Neither moved.
Both observed each other.
Appraisal activated.
Silver Fang Wolf
Realm: Early Spirit Beast
Strengths:
• Exceptional speed.
• Powerful bite.
• Reinforced forelegs.
Weaknesses:
• Left hind leg (old injury).
• Sensitive eyes.
• Soft throat.
Raizen's eyes brightened.
"So that's it..."
He quietly picked up a broken branch from the ground.
Su Ziling looked confused.
"What are you doing?"
"Buying us an opening."
The wolf charged.
Raizen didn't move.
Ten meters.
Five.
Three.
At the last possible instant—
He threw the branch.
Whoosh!
The wolf instinctively bit down on it.
Its vision shifted for a fraction of a second.
"Now!"
Su Ziling understood instantly.
She dashed forward.
Her sword slashed toward the beast's left hind leg.
Slash!
Blood splashed onto the grass.
The wolf howled in pain.
ROOOOAR!
Its balance faltered.
"Jin Wu!"
Raizen shouted.
"The right side!"
Jin Wu forced himself to his feet.
Ignoring the pain in his chest...
He charged with his spear.
"Haaaa!"
The spear struck the wolf's shoulder.
Although it didn't pierce deeply...
It pushed the beast sideways.
Exactly where Raizen wanted it.
Raizen tightened his grip around his iron sword.
"This ends now."
He sprinted forward.
Every movement was calm.
Precise.
The wolf turned to bite him.
Too late.
Raizen ducked beneath its jaws.
His sword flashed upward.
Slash!
The blade cut cleanly across the beast's throat.
Blood sprayed through the air.
The wolf staggered.
It took two more unsteady steps.
Then...
Collapsed.
Silence returned to the forest.
Heavy breathing filled the air.
Jin Wu sat on the ground.
"I..."
"...never want to fight one of those alone."
Su Ziling sheathed her sword.
"We won because we worked together."
Raizen nodded.
"If any one of us had fought it alone..."
"We would've lost."
First Spirit Beast defeated.
Reward: None.
Raizen blinked.
"No reward?"
Victory is expected.
Growth is its own reward.
He couldn't help smiling.
"This System really is strict."
Su Ziling knelt beside the wolf.
Using a small dagger...
She carefully removed a glowing crystal from its chest.
"The Beast Core."
She held it up.
Soft silver light shone from within.
"Our first one."
Jin Wu grinned.
"We're finally on the scoreboard."
Suddenly...
Raizen noticed something unusual.
The wolf's body was covered in tiny black veins.
He frowned.
"Have Spirit Beasts always looked like this?"
Su Ziling leaned closer.
"...No."
"I've never seen markings like these."
Jin Wu's smile slowly faded.
"What do you think it means?"
Before anyone could answer...
The Origin System spoke.
Warning.
Unknown corruption detected.
Source cannot be identified.
Raizen's heart sank.
Unknown again.
A cold wind swept through the forest.
The trees began swaying violently.
Far in the distance...
A deafening roar shook the entire mountain range.
ROOOOOOOOOAR!!
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
Birds exploded into the sky.
Even the surrounding Spirit Beasts fled in terror.
Jin Wu's face turned pale.
"...That..."
"...wasn't a Silver Fang Wolf."
Raizen slowly looked toward the darkest part of Black Pine Forest.
Somewhere...
Something ancient had awakened.
And for the first time since entering the forest...
He felt genuine danger.
Far beneath the earth...
Behind countless ancient chains...
A colossal crimson eye slowly opened.
It stared upward.
Toward Raizen.
"...Found you..."
The chains rattled.
The mountain trembled.
And deep within the darkness...
Something smiled.
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