Kai stared at the glowing crystal in his palm.
It was warm.
Not burning hot, but warm enough that he could feel faint energy pulsing from it.
The floating screen remained in front of his eyes.
Beast Crystal Detected
Absorb Crystal?
YES / NO
The others were still talking nearby.
Marcus kicked the dead Fangwolf with his boot.
"Honestly, I expected more."
Victor glanced down at the corpse.
"It's a low-tier beast. What did you expect? A challenge?"
Marcus grinned.
"I was hoping."
Kairo laughed.
"You just like punching things."
"Correct."
Kai slowly stood up.
The crystal was still glowing faintly in his hand.
He looked at it carefully.
So this is what the academy meant by beast crystals…
He had seen other students extract them during training demonstrations, but this was the first time he had personally held one.
The screen still waited.
Absorb Crystal?
YES / NO
Kai thought for a moment.
Then quietly in his mind, he chose.
Yes.
The crystal reacted instantly.
White cracks spread across its surface.
The glow intensified.
Then—
The crystal shattered.
Not violently.
Instead it dissolved into glowing particles that flowed into Kai's hand like dust made of light.
Kai froze.
He felt it immediately.
Energy.
It moved through his arm, spreading through his body like warm water.
His muscles tightened slightly.
His breathing sharpened.
It wasn't overwhelming.
But it was real.
The screen appeared again.
Crystal Absorbed
+7 Evolution Points
+Minor Physical Enhancement
Kai blinked.
Then the screen vanished.
Just like before.
No sound.
No extra explanation.
Marcus noticed Kai standing still.
"You alright?"
Kai looked up.
"Yeah."
Marcus shrugged.
"Good. We're moving."
Aiden nodded toward the deeper forest.
"This area will have more beasts."
The group started walking again.
Leaves crunched under their boots as they moved deeper into the wilderness.
Kai walked quietly near the middle of the formation.
Inside his body, the energy from the crystal still lingered faintly.
It felt like his senses were slightly sharper.
Not dramatically.
But enough to notice.
Seven points…
He didn't know what the total requirement was yet.
The system hadn't shown him.
But it clearly meant something.
Victor suddenly raised his hand.
"Wait."
The group stopped.
Everyone instantly became alert.
Then they heard it.
Heavy movement.
Much heavier than the Fangwolves.
Branches snapped.
Trees rustled.
Something large was approaching.
Marcus grinned again.
"Oh, finally."
Kairo shook his head.
"You're going to get yourself killed someday."
Marcus laughed.
"Probably."
Then the creature emerged.
It was massive.
Nearly three meters tall at the shoulder.
Its body looked like a mix between a bear and a boar, with thick black fur and enormous tusks protruding from its mouth. Its claws were long enough to tear through bark with ease.
The ground trembled slightly as it stepped forward.
Several members narrowed their eyes.
Victor muttered quietly.
"…Ironhide Boar."
Kai immediately focused.
Identify.
The screen appeared again.
Beast Identified
Name: Ironhide Boar
Tier: Intermediate Beast
Traits: Extremely durable hide, powerful charge attacks
Weakness: Eyes, mouth, underbelly
Kai's eyes widened slightly.
Intermediate…
Stronger than the Fangwolves.
Marcus stepped forward anyway.
"Mine."
Lena frowned.
"Don't rush."
Too late.
The boar snorted violently.
Then it charged.
The ground shook as the massive beast rushed forward like a living battering ram.
Marcus planted his feet.
"Come on!"
The impact happened instantly.
BOOOOM
Marcus blocked the tusks with his arms.
But the sheer force pushed him backward several meters.
His boots tore through the dirt.
Marcus laughed.
"Oh, that's better!"
The boar roared and tried to gore him again.
Marcus twisted to the side and slammed his fist into its skull.
THUD
The beast barely flinched.
Marcus blinked.
"Oh."
The boar swung its head violently.
One tusk clipped Marcus across the side.
THWACK
Marcus flew sideways and crashed into a tree.
"Marcus!" Kairo shouted.
Marcus hit the ground hard.
He groaned but quickly pushed himself up.
"I'm fine!"
The boar turned toward him again.
This time Victor moved.
His spear shot forward.
THRUST
The weapon struck the beast's side—
—and bounced off its thick hide.
Victor frowned.
"Tough."
The boar charged again.
Lena dashed forward.
Her blade flashed toward its eye.
SHING
The sword barely scratched its hide before the beast slammed its body sideways.
Lena was thrown several meters across the ground.
"Agh!"
"Mira!" someone shouted.
Mira rushed forward, helping Lena up.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," Lena said through clenched teeth.
Meanwhile the boar targeted Marcus again.
It charged.
Marcus stepped forward instead of retreating.
"You want a fight?"
He grabbed one tusk as the beast lunged.
For a brief moment—
man and beast struggled.
Marcus roared and twisted the head sideways.
"NOW!"
Victor understood instantly.
His spear shot forward again.
This time directly into the beast's open mouth.
CRUNCH
The spear pierced deep into its throat.
The boar roared violently.
It thrashed wildly.
Marcus barely managed to jump back.
The beast staggered.
Blood poured from its mouth.
But it still wasn't dead.
It charged again.
Straight at Victor.
Victor braced—
—but suddenly Kai moved.
Without thinking.
He grabbed Victor's shoulder and yanked him aside.
The boar thundered past them.
It slammed into a tree so hard the trunk cracked.
Marcus sprinted forward.
"Stay down!"
He jumped.
Then drove both fists into the beast's skull.
BOOOOOOM
The impact echoed through the forest.
The Ironhide Boar collapsed.
Dead.
For a moment no one spoke.
Then Marcus wiped blood from his lip.
"That one… was better."
Victor pulled his spear free from the corpse.
He looked at Kai.
"You moved fast."
Kai shrugged slightly.
"You were about to get hit."
Victor nodded once.
"Thanks."
Marcus suddenly laughed.
"Looks like the quiet one isn't useless after all."
Kairo smirked.
"Careful. You might start liking him."
Marcus snorted.
"Don't push it."
Kai walked slowly toward the fallen boar.
His heart was still beating fast.
That fight had been far more dangerous.
The beast had nearly injured several of them.
He pulled out his knife again.
After a moment of searching—
He found the crystal.
Larger than the previous one.
The moment it touched his hand—
The screen appeared again.
Beast Crystal Detected
Absorb Crystal?
YES / NO
Kai stared at it quietly.
Another choice.
Another step.
He wondered what would happen when enough points gathered.