Chapter 03: An Unbalanced Decision.
Leeward stared at the **Stone Cat** as it attempted to crush a spider the size of a fist. A question echoed within him:
*"Should I kill it? Take its Spiritual Foundation Stone and refine it along with the other one?"*
The **Stenma** he had harvested from the mother's carcass was at the **Second Level**. This meant the spiritual will within it was potent; suppressing it would be no simple task.
Beasts in this world were categorized into seven levels, ranging from the weakest at the First Level to the self-aware entities of the Seventh.
He hadn't yet planned how to refine that stone—he still had to return to the village—but a fleeting thought crossed his mind, one he had never entertained before.
*"Should I tame it?"*
He scrutinized the cub. The idea was entirely unplanned, born from a sudden, raw impulse.
However, taming it would take time. More importantly, it would create a spiritual bond; if the Stone Cat died, Leeward would suffer severe backlash from the severed connection. Taming a beast was fundamentally different from training a common animal.
*"If it grows and becomes powerful, it will accelerate my own refinement. A dual evolution for both parties. I can't take it back to the village... but I'll do it anyway."*
It was an unbalanced, risky decision for the current moment. Yet, Stone Cats were true nightmares once they reached maturity and higher levels. Having such a beast as a guardian was a logical advantage, even if the timing was abysmal.
He stepped forward. The cub turned instantly, emitting a warning howl before backing away cautiously. Leeward lunged with blinding speed, snatching the beast by its scruff in a flash.
The cub snapped its head back, sinking its fangs into Leeward's arm. The wound wasn't deep enough to make him recoil. He used his other hand to force its jaws shut, then sat abruptly, pinning the thrashing creature firmly in his lap.
His **Spiritual Field** surged outward, forming a dense aura that enveloped them both. The cub fought with everything it had, but the chasm in their power was too vast.
Leeward pushed his field directly into the depths of the cub's soul. His spirit seeped through the beast's pores, and he thrust his consciousness inward without hesitation until he reached the **Stenma** hidden in the cub's heart. He encountered a faint, translucent spiritual barrier. Leeward shattered it instantly; there was no real defense against the sheer weight of his soul.
He felt some resistance, but it was negligible. The real challenge lay in erasing the Stone Cat's will quickly.
He tried to enter the Foundation Stone but was met with violent rejection. The "Will" was far harder to extinguish than he had anticipated; it represented the core of spiritual consciousness. After several failed attempts, he began to suffocate the stone with his entire spirit, surrounding it from every side and pushing with relentless cruelty.
*"Almost there..."*
He was on the verge of subjugation. After nearly a full **Node** had passed, Leeward finally breached the cub's spiritual stone and subdued it.
He merged his soul with the beast's, until the two became one within the Stenma. From that moment on, the Stone Cat was bound to obey its master's every command.
It had been exhausting. Taming a living beast was far more complex than refining a harvested stone. While extinguishing a will usually didn't take long, the higher the stone's level, the more reinforced that will became.
Leeward let the cub stand. It looked bewildered, unaccustomed to the new sensation. It began to bite at its own skin and toss its head erratically before letting out a series of short howls.
Leeward had drained a massive portion of his energy; less than a quarter of his Spiritual Field's density remained. He either had to find a way to replenish it or wait for natural spiritual recovery.
*"I didn't think this would take so much out of me... No matter. I just hope Overd hasn't left the village yet. I have important business with him."*
He whispered softly, accepting the situation. He raised his hand, focusing his thought on the cub.
*"Come."*
The Stone Cat looked at him with wide, startled eyes, then dashed toward him, nuzzling his hand with newfound enthusiasm.
Leeward smiled faintly. It was a magnificent
sensation... but one that came with a steep price. If he failed to ensure his safety and the beast died now, the resulting spiritual backlash would leave him bedridden for days—enough to derail every plan he had meticulously crafted.
He rose from the ground and gazed at the sky above. The horizon was beginning to bleed into vibrant hues; stars and galaxies flickered from the vast, deep void. The sight was mesmerizing. Leeward scooped up the Stone Cat in his arms and sprinted toward his flock.
*"I've stayed here too long already. I've left the sheep alone for a while; I must find them immediately."*
Morgue Village lay approximately ten thousand meters west of the northern hill. This was the place Leeward called home—or rather, his station.
He finally arrived at the village entrance with his flock. He bunched the sheep together, hiding the Stone Cat in their midst. Their thick, matted wool covered the beast entirely, rendering it invisible to a casual observer.
Leeward had no intention of letting anyone discover that he had tamed a spiritual beast. Such a thing was not part of the contract that bound him—the contract that chained him as a slave.
The village's stone-paved ground was orderly, though dust filled the crevices and small potholes dotted the path. Wooden houses stood in neat rows, forming quiet, atmospheric streets.
The village night had not yet settled into silence. Deep darkness hadn't claimed the world, and light still spilled into the streets. People were scattered about—merchants with their carts and others lounging near taverns in a state of drunkenness. A sense of chaotic unrest hung over the main thoroughfare.
A commoner spotted Leeward from across the street. He was a drunk, slumped on a weathered wooden bench near a tavern. His eyes were bloodshot, his face glistening with sweat, and a ragged beard obscured his features.
*"I'm not used to seeing you back so late, Slave Kashin. What's the reason, I wonder? Did some wolves give you a scare? Hahaha!"* He erupted into a mocking, cheap laughter.
Leeward turned his head toward him without breaking his stride. "Kashin" was his mother's surname, one he had inherited from her. He whispered coldly:
*"I think you should mind your own business. I may be a slave, as you say, but I am not a pathetic, broken man like you. Or have you already forgotten the day your teenage nephew thrashed you, despite you being a full-grown man? Hahaha, what a fool you are, Vigua."*
Leeward spat the insult back, continuing on his way. The retort hit home. Vigua, fueled by drunken rage, tried to stand up violently.
*"Wait! What did you say, you slave? Who gave you the honor to even speak... I'll teach you some respect!"* he bellowed, lunging forward.
Within two steps, he tripped and slammed face-first onto the tavern's pavement. The other drunks nearby burst into raucous laughter at his expense. Vigua turned toward them, his misery deepening. His jaw clenched until the sound of grinding teeth could be heard. He scrambled up and ran in a zigzag toward Leeward.
*"Who are you to humiliate me, brat!"* he screamed, swinging a punch at Leeward.
Leeward caught the hand effortlessly. It was weak and trembling. He showed no mercy. Staring at the man with his single eye, he drove a counter-punch directly into Vigua's face.
Vigua collapsed to the ground, his nose exploding in blood, writhing and wailing as if in agony.
*"You shouldn't have messed with me. This isn't the first time you've been beaten, old man. Know your place."*
Leeward walked away without a backward glance, the sounds of mocking laughter directed at Vigua—the "old drunk" of the village—fading behind him. Vigua was over fifty, but his addiction to liquor had stripped him of any dignity.
Finally, Leeward reached a massive wooden gate. It was a farm surrounded by a high stone wall. He pushed the gate open, and it groaned with a piercing, rusted creak until it swung wide. Inside the estate, several wooden houses were distributed along the edges, alongside a stable for horses, a barn for cattle, and another for sheep, with various chicken coops scattered in an organized layout.
The sheep filed in, and Leeward stepped behind them, bolting the gate. He led them to a circular wooden pen on the side. As he ushered them in, he considered where to hide the Stone Cat.
*"I'll leave him here for now until I speak with Overd. I hope he accepts... I don't want any trouble right now."*
He walked quickly across the dirt ground, passing several sleeping dogs huddled in the corners. Near the slave quarters, Leeward noticed something unusual: a group of new slaves had been brought in by the Master.
He didn't stop to investigate, but the sight was unexpected.
*"What's the reason, I wonder? Did he buy new slaves?"*
He thought to himself that this might be the very opportunity he needed to secure his freedom from that old man...
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