Chapter 13: Beneath the Howl

It was almost dusk when Arden brought the beast down. The Gloomhide Grentor, a C -ranked magic beast, thick-skinned, and a nocturnal predator with shadow affinity. It didn't fall easy, and came fast from the shadows, heavy footsteps silent against the damp forest floor. Its hide shrugged off normal strikes, and it moved with the kind of confidence only top-tier predators had. But Arden wasn't green anymore. He didn't waste movement, and he didn't hesitate. A faint hum pulsed beneath his skin as he called on Ignition Vein Surge, letting the energy flood his limbs and sharpen his strikes. Zephyra kept to the side, circling, distracting, giving Arden the chance to slip past its defenses. When the final blow landed, it was clean and deep. The Grentor let out a low groan, then collapsed. Almost immediately, the system flickered to life in his vision. [Life Energy Absorbed] Gained Life Signature: Shadow Vein Flex: Allows brief concealment in low-light environments. Effective for ambush or escape. Current Life Signatures: Infernic Drift (evolved): Boosts evasive movement with afterimages that obscure enemy vision. Ignition Vein Surge (evolved): Temporarily doubles attack speed and power. Tremor Vein: Sends a shockwave through the target or terrain with every third consecutive attack. Keen Fang Trace: Enhances target tracking while in motion. Stonehide Shell: Slight boost to physical resistance, especially blunt force. Crimson Core: Refines fire energy usage, stabilizing internal flow and increasing efficiency. Ember Pulse Resonance: Temporarily links the user's life energy with environmental heat sources, allowing for accelerated regeneration and burst power during battle Arden exhaled, slow and steady, letting his pulse come down. "Not bad," he muttered, wiping a smear of blood from his cheek. "It's starting to come together." Zephyra limped over, her flank grazed, but her eyes shone with something fierce, like she'd enjoyed the fight. Arden crouched and ran his fingers through her fur, checking the wound but also grounding himself. "You did good," he said. "Few more battles like this and I'll be the one falling behind." She gave a short, sharp huff, then nudged his arm gently with her head, and that made him smile. They made their way back to the same spot they'd used for nights now, a tree with a thick hollowed base and roots that curled like sheltering arms. Arden sparked a fire, this time using the flame drawn from Crimson Core life signature. It flickered up naturally, responding to his will like it belonged to him. Their dinner was plain—just strips of wild meat roasted over the fire, with whatever edible fruits he'd found. Zephyra tore into her share while Arden leaned back, chewing slowly, staring into the embers. Later, as the night settled and the fire burned low, he stood and let the energy build in his veins. Not wild like before, but focused, pulsing with rhythm. He moved through his techniques, quiet and deliberate, letting his body adjust, his mind sync with each motion. He could feel it all now—the flow, the pressure, the subtle hum that hinted at something deeper. He glanced at Zephyra, curled close to the fire, breathing in time with the crackling flames. "Tomorrow," he said softly, "we find out how far we can really go." The wind outside rustled through the leaves, low and steady, like a whisper from the wild. Arden didn't flinch. He sat down beside her, closed his eyes, and let the night take him. By morning, the rhythm of the hunt picked up again. They moved deeper into the Outlands, treading paths where even beasts stepped lightly. Each encounter brought blood, but also growth. Arden wasn't just collecting life energy anymore, he was learning how to use it. The Keen Fang Trace sharpened his awareness, letting him feel shifts in the terrain, slight changes in air and movement. When he focused, he could push life energy into the ground, extending his sense like roots searching through soil. "It's starting to make sense," he murmured to himself during one lull in the action, brushing dust from his hands. "The flow, the link. it's more than just power. It's... connection." Zephyra moved ahead, ears twitching. She still fought with ferocity, but she was also learning control. Arden noticed it, how she would wait for his signal, how her strikes began to mirror his movements. After each skirmish, he'd place a hand on her, letting a current of life energy pulse gently from him to her. Most times she relaxed under his touch, with her wounds settling down, and the tension easing. He didn't know why it worked, not fully, but it did. Maybe their bond through the system ran deeper than he thought. As they made their way through a stretch of dense underbrush, he noticed signs—broken branches, scattered supplies, faint boot marks in the mud. Humans had passed through here recently. He stayed low, moving carefully. Every instinct told him to stay clear. He wasn't ready for questions, not yet. The way he was growing, the abilities he was learning... it wasn't normal. It was better they didn't see him, not while he still had more to figure out. But fate was rarely cooperative. He paused mid-step, a pulse of life energy reaching him like a tremor beneath his skin. It wasn't from a beast. He could tell now, the human life energy had a different rhythm, less wild, more fractured. This one was sharp with tension, and then hostility. It radiated from a group, maybe four or five. But what stopped him was something else, a flickering presence buried beneath the stronger ones. Weak. Fading. Angry. It wasn't just pain, it was betrayal. A deep sense of helplessness that clung to the energy like it was crying for something... or someone. Arden narrowed his eyes. His body was already moving before his mind caught up. He called on Shadow Vein Flex, letting the shadows pull across his skin as his presence thinned, barely a whisper through the trees. Zephyra trailed him, low to the ground, her form silent behind roots and brush. As they neared the clearing, he crouched and parted the leaves. Four men stood in a rough circle, dressed like bandits, each of them armed and bloodstained. One kicked at something—no, someone. A girl, not much younger than him. She was on her knees, her shoulder's trembling, with blood stains on her sleeves. A broken necklace hung from her clenched hand, her eyes burning with something between rage and despair. And yet she didn't cry out. Even as another man struck her again, she didn't make a sound. Arden clenched his fist. "That's enough," he whispered to no one in particular. Zephyra glanced at him, ears tilted, eyes waiting. She could feel it too—his anger, his intent. He stood slowly, the shadows still hugging him as his life energy began to stir. Not a reckless surge, but something focused and Controlled. "They play rough?" he muttered, voice low. "I'd show them what hunting feels like." He stood calm, ready to remind them that the Outlands had its own rules. A/N: It's time to introduce our female lead. Send Powerstones, And Engage by leaving Comments and Reviews Thanks.