The deeper Ryker ventured into the Wryn Forest, the more the atmosphere changed around him. The cheerful chirping of birds near the entrance gave way to an ominous silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves and distant growls that echoed through the thick canopy above. Ancient trees towered overhead, their massive trunks creating a natural labyrinth that blocked out most of the morning sunlight.
Ryker moved through the familiar paths with practiced ease, his previous expeditions having mapped out most of the safer routes through this section of the forest. But today, he wasn't staying on the safe paths. His destination lay much deeper in the woods, where the legendary [Infinite Seed] was said to grow.
According to his knowledge from the novel, the [Infinite Seed] was a miraculous fruit that could permanently enhance a person's bloodline potential. For someone like him, who needed every advantage possible before entering the academy, it was an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss. The fruit only ripened once every few years, and this was supposedly the year.
But finding it wouldn't be easy. The [Infinite Seed] grew in the deepest, most dangerous parts of the forest, protected by high-tier beasts that treated the area as their sacred territory. To reach it, he'd need to fight his way through increasingly powerful opponents - which, fortunately, aligned perfectly with his need for combat training and beast cores.
His encounter with Ronnie had revealed both his growing strength and his current limitations. While his bloodbound abilities had proven effective through direct contact and blood exposure, he still lacked the precision and power to manipulate blood while it remained inside another being's body. That level of control would require advancing beyond the red core stage entirely.
For now, he had to rely on external blood manipulation - controlling blood that had already been spilled, using it as a weapon, and drawing power from direct contact with open wounds.
The first sign of danger came as a low, rumbling growl that seemed to emanate from the earth itself. Ryker's enhanced senses immediately picked up the rapid heartbeat approaching from his left - something large, predatory, and very much alive.
A massive Thornback Bear emerged from behind a cluster of twisted trees, its dark brown fur bristling with the sharp, spike-like protrusions that gave the species its name. The beast stood nearly eight feet tall on its hind legs, with claws longer than daggers and small, intelligent eyes that marked it as far more dangerous than a common forest animal.
Ryker had not encountered these creatures before on his previous hunts, but it was larger than most creatures he had faced- probably an alpha specimen guarding territory closer to the forest's heart.
'Good,' Ryker thought, drawing his sword with fluid precision. 'I need the practice, and that core will help strengthen mine.'
The Thornback Bear charged with surprising speed for its massive size, covering the distance between them in three powerful bounds. Its claws swept through the air in a devastating arc that would have disemboweled a normal human.
Ryker sidestepped the first swipe, his enhanced reflexes allowing him to track the beast's movements clearly. His blade flashed out in a precise counter-attack, scoring a deep cut along the bear's exposed flank.
Dark blood sprayed from the wound, splattering across the forest floor and Ryker's sword arm. The moment the warm liquid made contact with his skin, his bloodbound abilities surged to life. He couldn't control the blood still flowing through the bear's veins, but the spilled blood became an extension of his will.
The crimson droplets on his arm began to move, flowing upward and coalescing into thin, razor-sharp tendrils. Ryker lashed out with these blood whips, the hardened crimson striking the bear's eyes and nose with surgical precision.
The Thornback roared in pain and fury, pawing at its face as the blood weapons continued their assault. But the creature was far from finished. With a massive paw, it swept aside the blood tendrils and lunged forward again, this time aiming to crush Ryker beneath its enormous weight.
Ryker rolled to the side, but not quite fast enough. The bear's claws raked across his shoulder, tearing through cloth and flesh alike. More blood flowed - his own this time - but rather than weakening him, it only increased his available ammunition.
Now he had access to both his blood and the bear's. The crimson liquid from both sources swirled around him like a macabre dance, forming into various weapons as needed. A spear of hardened blood pierced the bear's hind leg, while a net of crimson threads entangled its front paws.
The battle became a test of endurance and creativity. Each wound Ryker inflicted gave him more blood to work with, while each injury he sustained added to his arsenal. The Thornback Bear was powerful, but it had no defense against an opponent who turned its own life force into weapons.
Finally, after several minutes of brutal combat, Ryker managed to wrap thick coils of hardened blood around the creature's throat. The bear thrashed desperately, but the blood-rope tightened with each movement until the massive predator finally collapsed, unconscious from lack of air.
Ryker maintained the pressure for a few more seconds to ensure the creature was truly down, then released his control. The blood weapons dissolved back into ordinary liquid, leaving crimson stains across the forest floor.
Kneeling beside the fallen bear, he placed his hands on its chest and began the delicate process of extracting its beast core. The orb of concentrated essence glowed with a deep red light, pulsing with power that called to his own bloodline.
As he absorbed the core's energy, Ryker felt his red core grow denser and more stable. Each beast core brought him closer to the breakthrough he needed, but more importantly, it strengthened his ability to manipulate external blood with greater precision and volume.
A rustling in the nearby undergrowth caught his attention. Three pairs of gleaming eyes watched him from the shadows - Razorfang Wolves, their metallic teeth catching what little sunlight penetrated the canopy. These pack hunters were smaller than the Thornback Bear but far more cunning, known for their coordinated attacks and relentless pursuit of wounded prey.
The scent of spilled blood had drawn them here, and now they saw an opportunity to take down what they perceived as an injured human.
They were about to learn just how wrong that perception was.
The lead wolf, a scarred veteran with one missing ear, signaled its packmates with a barely audible growl. The three creatures spread out, preparing to attack from multiple angles simultaneously.
Ryker smiled grimly, gathering the spilled blood from his previous fight into floating orbs around his body. He had enough crimson ammunition for what came next.
The wolves struck as one, leaping from three different directions with perfect coordination. But Ryker was ready for them.
The blood orbs exploded outward, forming a barrier of razor-sharp crimson spikes. The first wolf impaled itself on these bloody spears, while the second was caught in a net of hardened blood threads that sent it crashing to the ground.
The alpha wolf was more cunning. It had seen what happened to its packmates and adjusted its attack at the last second, passing beneath the blood weapons and going for Ryker's legs.
Its teeth found their mark, sinking deep into Ryker's calf. Pain shot through his leg, but more importantly, the wolf's saliva mixed with his blood, giving him a direct connection to the creature.
Ryker couldn't control the blood flowing through the wolf's body, but he could influence the blood where their wounds connected. The sensation was like having a thin wire linking him to the predator, allowing him to sense its heartbeat, its intentions, even its emotional state.
Using this connection, he predicted the wolf's next move and countered it perfectly. As the alpha tried to tear away more flesh, Ryker's hand clamped down on its snout, his own blood flowing over his fingers to create an unbreakable crimson glove.
The wolf found itself trapped, unable to release its grip or pull away. Ryker used his free hand to extract a small blade and, with clinical precision, ended the creature's struggles.
Within minutes, all three wolves were down. Ryker collected their beast cores, each one adding to his growing power. But more importantly, each fight was teaching him new applications for his bloodbound abilities.
He was learning to use spilled blood as armor, weapons, and binding agents. He was developing the precision needed to form complex shapes and maintain multiple blood constructs simultaneously. Most critically, he was growing more efficient with his core energy expenditure, able to maintain his abilities for longer periods without exhaustion.
But these were still just the outer guardians of the forest. To reach the [Infinite Seed], he would need to venture much deeper, where creatures that could challenge even orange core warriors made their homes.
Ryker cleaned his weapons and tended to his wounds with strips of cloth soaked in healing herbs he'd brought from town. The injuries weren't severe, but they served as reminders that he still had limits. His bloodbound abilities were growing stronger, but he was still fundamentally a red core warrior facing increasingly dangerous opponents.
As he prepared to continue deeper into the forest, a new scent caught his attention - something sweet and intoxicating that seemed to call to his very soul. It was faint, carried on the wind from somewhere far ahead, but unmistakable.
The [Infinite Seed] was close.
But between him and his prize, Ryker could sense other presences. Larger heartbeats, slower and more powerful, belonging to creatures that had claimed the deepest parts of this forest as their domain.
"Time to see what the real guardians look like," he murmured, gathering his remaining blood into portable containers and securing his equipment.
The journey to claim the [Infinite Seed] was about to enter its most dangerous phase.
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