Velris City was a marvel—a grand fusion of ancient stonework and modern design, surrounded by looming walls carved with runes of old. It was not only one of the first cities ever established but also a historical nexus—the birthplace of many renowned powerhouses.
As Adriel stepped away from the teleportation platform, the buzz of activity hit him immediately. Cultivators, cloaked in robes, armored in rare metals, or adorned with strange talismans, roamed the streets with purpose. Conversations filled the air.
"There's been an increase in Ascendants here lately."
"Yeah, those energy fluctuations near the outskirts must be drawing them in."
"They think there are treasures waiting to be unearthed. It's going to get chaotic."
Adriel's gaze swept across the crowd, his thoughts mirroring their speculations.
'It seems like I'm not the only one chasing after the phenomenon...'
These events were often signs of something ancient stirring—artifacts, lost ruins, remnants of the Old World, important plants or even slumbering beasts. Of course, there was always danger, but opportunities like these were what legends were made of.
He sighed.
The travel had drained him more than expected.
After checking around a bit, he mused and headed toward a nearby hotel. Booking a room for the night, he immersed himself in a hot bath, letting his muscles relax and his mind settle. Afterward, he collapsed into the bed and surrendered to sleep.
The next morning, he awoke feeling slightly more refreshed. After completing his routine and checking out, he did something he always wanted to do on earth — summoning a hovercar. Using his spectraband, he booked a hovercar. The booking process was quite easy, it was like calling an Uber on earth.
Stepping out of the hotel, he froze just a few meters ahead—staring at what could only be described as an insanely futuristic vehicle. To anyone on Earth, it would still resemble a car in shape, but something was strikingly different: there were no tires. At least, none he could see. The sleek frame hovered silently about three inches above the ground, gliding as if the laws of physics no longer applied.
There were no visible thrusters, no mechanical parts betraying the secret of its levitation. It simply floated—weightless, effortless. He suspected that whatever kept it airborne was hidden beneath the chassis, but even that felt like an inadequate explanation.
A thrill surged through him. A hovercar. Real. Tangible. Like a fragment torn from a dream and placed in front of him.
He stepped inside, barely containing his excitement. The interior was pristine and empty—fully automated, just as he'd hoped. The door closed with a soft hiss, and the car emitted a gentle hum as it lifted into the air.
In seconds, they were off—cutting through the sky with smooth, uncanny speed. Within minutes, they arrived at his destination. The hovercar descended in a soft, controlled glide before lightly settling on the ground.
"Stay safe, sir," said a smooth, synthetic voice as the door opened. Without another word, the vehicle lifted again and vanished into the sky.
The energy fluctuations were not actually located in Velris City, contrary to what he had initially thought.After some research, he discovered that they originated from a place called the Myriad Spirit Forest, situated to the west of Velris City. It was part of a vast expanse of land that stretched across numerous nations. Even Nexoria, the country he was currently in, occupied only a small portion of it. Yet, this "small portion" was still large enough to cover a fourth of Nexoria.
The forest was frequented by students, mercenaries, adventurers, rogues, hunters, soldiers—people from all walks of life.
Countless beasts resided within the Myriad Spirit Forest, and demon beasts could be found if one ventured too far. Unlike ordinary beasts, demon beasts were creatures that had mutated through the absorption of aether.
In this world, demon beasts were ranked from Tier 1 to Tier 9, just like humans. Every part of their bodies was valuable, but the monster cores were the true prize. Located at the center of their foreheads, these cores functioned similarly to the human Aetherix—serving as their energy reservoirs. These cores had countless uses: pill crafting, potion brewing, energy refinement, inscription materials, and more.
Beasts of all tiers could be found within the Myriad Spirit Forest, as it served as their primary domain.
Adriel took a deep breath and stepped into the forest.
He immediately sensed the change in the atmosphere.
The aether here was thick—palpable even. His body tingled in response. He muttered, "System."
---
*DING*
[ ENERGY SOURCE DETECTED ]
[ REQUESTING PERMISSION TO ABSORB ]
---
Sure, you can absorb... he thought.
---
[ PERMISSION GRANTED ]
[ ABSORBING ENERGY... ]
[ CALCULATING TIME REMAINING... ]
[ 2 YEARS, 8 MONTHS, 23 DAYS, 7 HOURS, 32 MINUTES AND 16 SECONDS UNTIL COMPLETION... ]
[ SYSTEM HAS NOTICED A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE HOST AND THE ENERGY SOURCE... ]
[ SYSTEM RECOMMENDS THAT THE HOST MOVES CLOSER TO THE ENERGY SOURCE... ]
---
Adriel stood in silence.
His mind echoed only two words:
'The fuck?'
---
*DING*
[ SYSTEM HAS PINPOINTED THE LOCATION OF THE ENERGY SOURCE ]
[ SYSTEM HAS TEMPORARILY UNLOCKED THE NAVIGATION FEATURE ]
[ ENERGY ABSORBED WILL BE USED TO SUSTAIN THE NAVIGATION FEATURE ]
[ SYSTEM HAS DETECTED SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO HOST...]
[ HOST ADVISED TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION... ]
---
Adriel focused. No arrow appeared, no holographic map. Instead, a pull—a strange instinct—guided him.
He advanced deeper, his senses sharp, heart steady. The forest grew denser. Aether thickened. Leaves rustled overhead. Small creatures scattered at his approach. Checking the system, he noticed the absorption time had reduced drastically—down to just over a year.
This area has at least double the aether concentration...
Up ahead, the path narrowed. A steep slope rose to his right, and a moss-covered rock wall flanked his left. The only way forward was a natural corridor between them.
That's when he saw it.
A hulking, slumbering beast lay across the path—an Ironback Rhino. Its skin was like armor, dark gray and glinting with metallic sheen. Its breathing was deep and slow, the rhythm of a creature unbothered by threats. Its horn was cracked slightly at the tip, a sign of past battles.
Adriel froze.
He glanced around, mind racing.
' If I hug the slope to the right, I might slip by. The space is wide enough... barely.'
With careful, silent steps, he tiptoed along the edge, heart hammering. His fingers tightly gripped the Celestial Fang Sword, just in case. Four steps passed and luckily, the beast didn't stir.
'Five more steps and it'll be behind me...' he thought, muscles tense.
Four steps.
Three.
Two...
One—
*CRUNCH*
"Type shi..."
His foot landed on a brittle stone, the sound far too loud in the silence.
Adriel's face paled. He turned slowly, furiously hoping that his worst fear hadn't come to pass.
But he wasn't lucky...
He had a short two seconds of eye contact with the monster.
The Ironback Rhino's eyes were open—burning red and brimming with rage. Their eyes locked. An oppressive aura fell upon him like a boulder. The beast's breath quickened.
Then...
"Rooaaarrrrr!!!"
It was a sound that tore through trees and struck the soul. Birds scattered, and the ground seemed to tremble.
It slowly rose, towering over Adriel—massive, over two meters of muscle, armor, and raw killing intent.
Adriel didn't think.
He channeled all the aether he had, pouring it into his legs, into movement, into survival.
One word resonating with everything in his being...
RUN