It had been a week since Ren's entire world flipped on its head. A week since his first kiss had been stolen, since he'd nearly died losing an arm, since Bahamut had forcefully taken over his body and left him drifting as nothing more than a wisp in the void of the "system." A week of clawing survival, beast hunts, and the bitter realization that he no longer had a body of his own.
Now, Ren sat perched on Bahamut's shoulder, glowing faintly, watching the boy skillfully skin and cut up a green deer, a Tier 1 beast that had fallen beneath his merciless hands.
The week had been a blur of slaughter. At first, the attacks were sporadic, cautious. But by the second day, they had come endlessly, as though every beast in the forest had sniffed out a treasure worth dying for. The truth was harsher: they hadn't come for treasure. They had come for Bahamut.
Ren watched with conflicted awe as Bahamut worked. His movements lacked grace but carried a precision born of necessity. He had no sword arts, no elegant techniques. He fought like a starving wolf, like a beast that refused to bow. His brutality was unmatched, giving flesh for flesh, bone for bone. He would lose a finger if it meant taking an eye. He would break his arm if it meant crushing a heart. And when it was over, the battlefield never held corpses, only pulp, blood, and mangled remains.
Then, he ate them. Every single beast he killed.
That was Bahamut. That was the B.E.A.S.T. in motion.
"Oi, Ren! Food's ready!" Bahamut's calm, almost sweet voice, lined with that perpetual mockery, snapped Ren from his spiralling thoughts.
"Tch! Bastard!" Ren spat reflexively.
"I don't even know if I had parents," Bahamut quipped with a straight face, ripping a chunk of meat free.
"Piss off!"
Bahamut's laughter roared out, loud and unrestrained, echoing through the clearing without a hint of fear of who or what might hear. To him, it didn't matter. Unless something at Tier 2 or higher appeared, nothing here could kill him.
"This meat's insane. You sure you don't wanna try some?" Bahamut asked, smirking wide as he tilted a hunk of roasted deer toward Ren's incorporeal form. His grin only widened when the inevitable happened.
"You absolute fucking deer turd!" Ren exploded, his little wisp body flickering with agitation. "When I get a body, I'm eating every damn bite of meat you cook! Asshole!"
Bahamut burst into another fit of hearty laughter, nearly choking on the meat. The more Ren cursed, the harder he laughed.
Then...
[Notification!]
[You've reached the threshold. Do you wish to level up?]
Bahamut froze mid-bite, blinking. "...Huh? Did you just say level up? Like a damn game?"
[Close, but not the same. You will do most of the work. The system will guide you.]
Bahamut's grin widened, predatory and sharp, a flicker of crimson briefly igniting in his dull grey eyes. He took another massive bite of meat, chewing noisily.
"Fine. But let me finish my meal first," he said, tearing into the deer with the same brutality he showed his enemies.
...
Currently, Bahamut sat in a meditative position beneath a platform under the waterfall, the chilly air and water embracing his skin like a cold hand.
His eyes were closed in concentration as the aura of brutality calmed down around him, replaced with a calm, serene, and stable aura.
Ren, the initial owner of the body, although very talented, never managed to reach Tier 1- Mortal Realm. There were many factors to this, but the main ones were obviously bullying and the fact that he was blind.
But it seemed that was about to change, looking at the aura Bahamut was radiating at the moment.
Circle of Body.
The first step of the Tier 1- Mortal realm. The first to leave the realm of normal humans. The Circle of Body required one to create a full circle with the essence of the body. To reach that stage, though, one had to refine one's body.
In sects and other higher strongholds, refining the body was done with herbs and concoctions, but ultimately, the best way was battle.
Yes! Fight, battle, experience blood, and break your limits. That was the best way to reach the first step. Following that, one had to create a complete circle with the essence of his body. This circle integrated flesh and blood into one, providing the person with a boost in all physical aspects. That was the norm.
Staring at Bahamut, Ren couldn't help but imagine how strong his circle would be. After all, he could already kill beasts at the Circle of Body and even some at the Circle of Spirit, and he was not even a starter in the Tier 1- Mortal realm.
This thought was also further ascertained by the dense crimson aura radiating from Bahamut at the moment.
Drawing the circle wasn't instantaneous or a one-day thing. It could take days or even weeks, some even months. During that period, the cultivator will be so weak that even a fly could kill them (kidding...), but yeah, they would be very weak.
Thankfully, Bahamut had become something of a tyrant and a boogeyman to the beasts for the past week, so unless a Circle of Mind beast or a higher tier like Tier 2- Blessed appeared, nothing would happen to Bahamut. Hopefully.
Looking at him, Ren wondered how he would have ended up if Bahamut hadn't appeared. He'd probably be dead by now, to say the least. Worse, he would become a vegetable with no chance of survival.
But here he was, for the first time witnessing someone advancing to the Circle of Body, and he could see it.
Whatever happens next, he will just take it as it is. He didn't care anymore. Or so he thought...
Only if he knew how fate was going to screw them up.
...
In the dark forest, a pair of purple eyes glowed ominously as its owner advanced towards the place where it could sense that aura.
A delicacy!
Its tails swayed in ecstasy as it quickened in steps, crimson fur glowing slightly like a starting fire. Whatever it had sensed was surely worth it.