Morning activity filled the training camp.
Students moved constantly between the different buildings—some heading to training halls, others to the task hut, and many toward the massive northern gate that led outside the camp walls.
Because everyone had already realized the same thing.
Points were survival.
And the fastest way to earn them was simple.
Hunt beasts.
Bring back their corpses—or the valuable parts.
Sell them.
Get points.
Repeat.
---
Zael, Lily, and Zane walked along the stone path toward the northern exit.
Students ahead of them were already preparing weapons and gear.
Some formed teams on the spot.
Others argued about how to split rewards.
Zane cracked his knuckles.
"So the system is basically…"
He counted on his fingers.
"We go out."
"We kill monsters."
"We drag the bodies back."
"We get paid."
Zael nodded.
"More or less."
Lily added calmly,
"Or bring back the valuable parts."
She gestured toward a board posted near the gate.
It listed common materials and their values.
Ironhide Wolf Core — 25 points
Stoneback Boar Tusks — 35 points
Venomtail Stinger — 50 points
Entire corpses could also be sold if they weren't badly damaged.
Zane whistled.
"So even a single monster can pay rent."
Zael glanced at the open wilderness beyond the gate.
Forests stretched into distant hills.
That was where the real training would happen.
The guard instructor at the gate spoke loudly to the students leaving.
"Stay within the marked zones."
"If you encounter anything above your level—retreat."
"And remember."
He pointed to the mountains far away.
"Do not approach the outer mountain range."
No one questioned it.
Everyone remembered the alarm last night.
But since nothing had happened afterward—
Most students had already brushed it aside.
Just another strange event.
Nothing more.
---
The three of them stepped beyond the gate.
The wilderness air felt different immediately.
Cooler.
Sharper.
Alive with distant sounds.
Zane stretched dramatically.
"Freedom."
He grinned.
"Now where's our breakfast?"
Lily checked the map displayed on her watch.
"The Northern Ridge is this way."
She pointed.
"Twelve kilometers."
They started moving.
Not rushing.
Just a steady pace through the forest.
The deeper they went—
The quieter the camp sounds became.
Soon the only noises were wind and distant beast calls.
Zane walked ahead casually.
"Stoneback Boars, right?"
"Big. Dumb. Hard skin."
Zael nodded.
"But dangerous if you're careless."
Zane grinned.
"Good thing we're not."
They continued for nearly an hour before Lily suddenly raised a hand.
"Stop."
Both Zael and Zane froze instantly.
Lily crouched slightly and pointed toward the ground.
Tracks.
Large ones.
Fresh.
Zael knelt beside them.
The soil was still slightly disturbed.
"Stoneback Boar."
Zane rolled his shoulders.
"Perfect."
They followed the trail quietly through the trees.
The forest grew thicker.
Branches snapped faintly in the distance.
Then—
They heard it.
SNORT.
Heavy breathing.
And the sound of something tearing through bushes.
The trees ahead parted.
And a massive creature stepped into view.
Nearly two meters tall.
Thick gray hide covered in stone-like plates.
Two enormous curved tusks jutted from its mouth.
The Stoneback Boar.
It hadn't noticed them yet.
Zane grinned slowly.
"Well."
He cracked his neck.
"Dinner."
Zael rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Lily positioned herself quietly to the side.
The boar lowered its head slightly as it dug into the soil.
Still unaware.
Zane whispered.
"Same plan?"
Zael nodded once.
Then—
The boar suddenly stopped moving.
Its ears twitched.
Slowly—
The massive beast lifted its head.
And looked directly at them.
For one silent second—
Human and monster stared at each other across the clearing.
Then the boar's eyes turned red.
It let out a deafening roar—
And charged.
The ground exploded beneath its hooves.
Trees shook.
The beast barreled toward them like a living battering ram.
Zane's grin widened.
"Finally."
Zael drew his blade.
But just as the boar reached striking distance—
Something huge suddenly crashed through the trees behind it.
A second monster burst into the clearing.
Much larger.
Much faster.
And already mid-attack.
The newcomer slammed directly into the charging boar—
Sending the massive creature flying across the clearing like it weighed nothing.
Zael's eyes narrowed.
Because the monster that had just appeared—
Was not a Stoneback Boar.
And it was now turning toward them.
The second creature landed heavily in the clearing.
The impact shook the ground as the Stoneback Boar rolled violently across the dirt before crashing into a tree.
Before it could even recover—
The newcomer pounced.
Claws like curved daggers slammed into the boar's neck.
CRACK!
The sound of bone snapping echoed through the forest.
Zane blinked.
"…Well."
"That was convenient."
The new monster lifted its head from the boar's body.
A Shadow Lynx.
Sleek black fur.
Long muscular limbs.
Predatory golden eyes.
But it had already noticed them.
The lynx released the boar and slowly turned.
Its gaze fixed on the three humans.
A low growl rumbled in its throat.
Zane grinned.
"Oh good."
"Two for the price of one."
The lynx crouched.
Then launched forward like a black missile.
Fast.
But not faster than them.
Zael moved first.
Void Step.
His body vanished and reappeared directly beside the beast mid-charge.
His blade flashed.
Night Sever.
The strike carved cleanly across the lynx's flank.
The creature howled and twisted violently.
But before it could retaliate—
A ripple of distorted space appeared beside it.
Lily stepped out of the distortion.
Her dagger pierced straight into the creature's ribs.
The lynx shrieked.
Then—
Zane arrived.
"Move."
He drove his fist forward.
His gauntlet crashed into the lynx's skull with brutal force.
BOOM
The creature slammed into the ground.
It tried to rise—
Zael's blade dropped.
One clean strike.
Silence returned to the clearing.
Zane stretched his shoulders.
"…Well that was easy."
Lily exhaled slowly.
"The wilderness is unpredictable."
She glanced toward the fallen Stoneback Boar.
"That lynx ambushed it."
Zane chuckled.
"And then we ambushed the ambusher."
Zael sheathed his sword.
"Let's harvest."
---
They worked efficiently.
The most valuable parts came first.
Stoneback Boar tusks.
Lily carefully extracted both.
Boar core.
Zane cracked open the chest plate to retrieve it.
Then the Shadow Lynx.
Its core.
Its claws.
And a strip of high-grade hide.
Within minutes the valuable parts were secured inside their storage packs.
Zane wiped his hands.
"Not bad."
He held up the boar core.
"Points secured."
Lily nodded.
"Two kills already."
Zael stepped closer to the remaining bodies.
"Give me a moment."
Zane grinned knowingly.
"Oh right."
He stepped back.
Lily watched quietly.
Zael placed his hand on the carcasses.
Inside him—
The Devouring trait activated.
Dark threads of energy spread from his palm into both beasts.
The bodies trembled slightly.
Then began dissolving into faint streams of energy.
The essence of the beasts flowed into Zael.
His Qi surged.
A quiet notification appeared in his mind.
Devouring successful.
Energy flooded his body.
Strengthening.
Refining.
And then—
Another notification appeared.
Skill acquired.
Zael blinked.
Zane leaned closer.
"New toy?"
Zael opened his system panel.
---
Name: Zael
Profession: Child of Dao
Level: 20
EXP: 3,420 / 6,000
---
Attributes
Strength: 92
Agility: 88
Vitality: 90
Intelligence: 94
Perception: 89
Free Attribute Points: 0
---
Talents
Supreme Blessing (Mythical)
Ascendant Echo (Mythical)
Adaptive Evolution (Mythical)
---
Professional Traits
Devouring
Origin
Balance
Limit Break
Evolution
---
Skills
Blade Domain
Void Step
Resonance Strike
Night Sever
Phantom Split
New Skill — Highlighted
Predator Instinct
---
Zael focused on the new skill.
The description appeared.
Predator Instinct
By absorbing the instincts of hunting beasts, your senses sharpen during combat.
When facing hostile creatures or opponents, your perception of killing intent and movement increases significantly for a short period.
---
Zane whistled.
"Nice."
"That's basically monster radar."
Lily nodded thoughtfully.
"Useful for wilderness combat."
Zael closed the panel.
His body still hummed faintly from the absorbed energy.
Devouring never felt violent.
Instead it felt…
Natural.
Like energy returning to where it belonged.
Zane stretched again.
"Well."
He pointed deeper into the forest.
"We just started."
"Let's get rich."
But as the three prepared to move again—
A faint rustling came from deeper within the forest.
Not loud.
Not aggressive.
Just movement.
Lily's eyes narrowed slightly.
Because whatever was moving…
Wasn't trying to hide.
And a moment later—
A familiar voice called from the trees.
"Well."
"I was wondering how long it would take to find you."
Karl stepped into the clearing.
Sword resting on his shoulder.
Grinning.
And behind him—
His entire team emerged from the forest.
Karl looked at the two dead monsters.
Then at Zael.
"Looks like we had the same idea."
His grin widened slightly.
"Care to make the hunt… interesting?"
To be continued…