The weeks of training produced great results. Our progress was so strong, I decided it was time to catch some beasts.
My parents had small Worlds, but they were not as malleable as mine. Their Worlds were restricted to non-attributed mammals, which was among the most common limitations.
Aureus forwarded images of my parents and their World before adding a larger World that looked just like mine.
“You think my parents’ Worlds are smaller than mine?” I asked the Soulkin, who nodded eagerly, and I had to agree it was a possibility.
My parents stopped refining their World a long time ago, saying their proficiency at controlling soul energy was atrocious. That might be true, but the real reason was their lack of time and energy. Working tirelessly, putting in dozens of hours of overtime every week, had worn them down over the years. Without the time or strength to refine their World, they neglected it, and the Worlds eventually regressed like unused muscles.
That wouldn’t happen to the Blessed, as the bonds with their Soulkins utilized the ‘muscle’ of the Blessed’s World constantly, keeping the portion they occupied well-trained.
“Even if their Worlds regressed, they’ll be able to bind 1-Star Wilds, or younger Wilds with the potential to reach 2-Star,” I pointed out to Aureus. “It’s not like I could afford to capture a pair of 2-Star Wilds in the first place. Well, maybe I could do that, but it would be a pain in the ass to stop them from killing themselves.”
Many beasts were unwilling to be bound. That was only natural—nobody wanted to be enslaved against their will. Finding a pair of 1-Star Wilds that met my parents’ requirements was one thing; it shouldn’t be too difficult. However, making them willing was something else entirely.
I read all about Hunters, the tactics they employed, and I watched a good 40 hours of videos revolving around the topic of hunting beasts. Beast eggs were frequently discussed, but they were too troublesome to procure. Most eggs of weaker Wilds were incredibly fragile and would more often than not break from a simple touch. They couldn’t be stored in storage units, had to be kept at a certain temperature at all times, and required a specific amount of ether to grow properly. There were dozens of other factors one had to monitor when hunting for Wild beast eggs—yet they remained the best option for newly Awakened Blessed.
Learning how to use ether and strengthening my bond with the beast egg for several days had helped me a lot. It allowed me to focus entirely on Aureus once the little glutton hatched.
Unfortunately, there were no Wild mammals laying eggs anywhere nearby. Not that there were many mammals that laid eggs in the first place. I only found three files on egg-laying mammals in the archives of the thirteen Bastions.
The image of a Wagur appeared in my mind, followed by a juvenile Bloodbath Deer.
“I don’t think my parents can handle a Bloodbath Deer.” Not that I was confident about capturing one in the first place.
Bloodbath Deer might not have an element, but I wanted to find something that could eventually evolve into a non-elemental Awakened beast. Something that would push my parents to work hard on refining their World—something that would enhance their physical strength. It would be best if I could motivate them to grow strong enough to become Adepts with an Awakened beast that would protect them when I wasn’t there.
Sure, the Bastion was safe, protected by the dome, but it had only been a few years since the last Collapse, and the files I read about it were… dark, for lack of a better word.
My requirements were ambitious, but I’d been patiently researching for the last few weeks. That research included visiting the Windbloom Forest when I was supposed to take breaks—which would probably result in a feisty lecture from the Zerogs if they ever found out. Fortunately, they hadn’t, and I certainly wasn’t going to tell them about it.
As it turned out, strolling through the Windbloom Forest attracted some attention. I stayed near the forest’s outskirts and was attacked occasionally even though I did my best to avoid trouble. My finances increased considerably, though they plummeted just as fast after I purchased everything needed to capture Wild beasts.
Seals, healing salves, special treats, bandages, and a lot more had been prepared and stuffed into my backpack, but I had yet to find the perfect Soulkin for my parents.
Thinking about my parents, I grimaced. Guilt bloomed in my heart when I thought about their complaints; they knew I used my free time to hunt beasts in the Windbloom Forest, though that was all they knew. They received a weekly allowance to splurge from my successful hunts, only to transfer it back, saying they would rather see me—spend time with me—than receive Credits.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Aureus showed me pictures of Daniel’s parents with shadows of beasts, accompanied by a familiar set of emotions.
“I know they offered to buy my parents a pair of 1-Star Wilds if my results improve even further in the next few weeks, but—...” A heavy sigh escaped my lips at the reminder of the Zerogs’ offer. They were satisfied with my growth and were rather nonchalant when they said they would help my parents become Blessed. While I was grateful for their generous offer, this was not something I wanted from Daniel’s parents. The Soulkins were a present I wanted to give my parents through my own hard work—to thank them for everything they had done for me, sacrificed to turn me into the person I am.
***
Two weeks later, I still hadn’t found suitable Wilds for my parents. I discovered a few Wagur piglets and considered capturing them to sell to the Beast Pagoda, but they disappeared inside the Windbloom Forest’s thicket alongside their parents long before I could approach them.
It was hard to tell how they sensed me because I was quieter than usual, but it felt like young beasts or mother beasts had a sixth sense that warned them of my presence. I tried to find them but had to give up after a few hours, reminding me once again that it wasn’t easy to be a Hunter; there was a reason juvenile beasts were hard to capture.
I even searched for beast eggs in the hope of bartering them for young Wilds with decent potential, but I was out of luck. Not that I should have expected anything. Beast eggs were never easy to find, especially not close to Bastions. The beasts near the Bastions had adapted to the hunts for their eggs and learned to hide them well—or to destroy them before they could fall into a Hunter’s preying hands.
Spending weeks’ worth of afternoons in the Windbloom Forest had given me enough familiarity with the Wild Zone to know what beasts I could expect in the outskirts. The outskirts were divided into several areas, each controlled by different ‘lords.’ Most were 3-Star Wilds, predators and the likes, but there were also less aggressive beasts.
Over the course of weeks, I encountered several beasts that ignored me entirely. At first, I was surprised. I half-expected the Owler in the Oridon Mountains to have been an anomaly, but that didn’t seem to be the case. They were still a minority and rare to encounter; however, that didn’t dampen my excitement in any way. If anything, it pushed me to search for such beasts in the hope of befriending them—or that they would like my parents and become their friends if they did not like me. I had Aureus, and it would be amazing if my parents could have something like that as well.
Aureus yipped in excitement and rubbed his head against my neck, all while his claws dug into my clothes. The little glutton had gained some weight. It wasn’t much, yet it was enough to note. He was also larger than before and looked almost like a 1-Star youngling Soilback. Almost.
Four weeks had passed since Aureus consumed his first serum, and he barely reached the standards of a weak 1-Star Wild—physically. Even then, it would be an exaggeration to say that he was as strong as a physical 1-Star Wild. His jaws and claws were fierce, to say the least, but Aureus was neither strong nor durable. It felt like all the Pith Potency serum and all the others he had consumed since then pushed his agility, flexibility, and dexterity, alongside his mind. As to how much faster Aureus was, I couldn’t quite tell. Definitely slower than a Wagur, but faster than a Herula Beetle.
Aureus yipped and forwarded more images of his testing results, which filled the Soulkin with pride. A commotion pulled our attention to a small clearing. I skulked closer and discovered a young Prouncer leaping across brown, blood-covered bundles of fur. It took me a moment to realize that the bundles weren’t beast carcasses, but that the young Prouncer was playing with live prey.
My hand reached for the refined silvernit sword dangling from my belt, yet I did not draw it right away. I remained unmoving and watched the Prouncer play a little longer, my mind racing as I categorized the beast’s playthings. It was the first time I encountered small furred beasts in the Windbloom Forest. The smallest furred beast had been the Bloodbath Deer until now, and the only smaller beast was a flock of creatures rarely seen in the Windbloom Forest. They lived in the deepest parts of the forest and excelled at hiding from Hunters.
And I found a pair of them.
Am I finally back on fortune’s good side?
Weeks of searching pushed my patience to the limit, and I regretted rejecting the Zerogs’ offer more often than I wanted to acknowledge. I even considered hunting enough beasts to purchase two 1-Star Wilds from the Beast Pagoda, but decided against it. And that was a good decision.
You’d better not kill my prey! I screamed in my mind and charged into the clearing, unsheathing my sword. The Prouncer spun around and snarled at me. Familiar bloodlust shrouded me, but it didn’t affect me any longer.
My legs carried me far across the clearing long before the young Prouncer made a move. It responded slower than anticipated and suffered the full effect of Paralyse.
Aureus triggered his special trait exactly when I wanted him to, and I reached the young Prouncer before it could escape Paralyse’s effect. The silvernit sword pierced the beast’s brain through the eye, killing it instantaneously. I swiftly removed the blade and turned away from the corpse.
Aureus leaped from my shoulders as I removed the backpack to retrieve the healing salve and bandages, my eyes lingering on the blood pooling around the Prouncer’s playthings. They were still alive, but their breathing was labored.
The bleeding had to be stopped, and they should survive. Probably.
“Perfect,” I muttered, removing everything needed to rescue my parents’ future Soulkin. “Now… Please don’t bite into my fingers. I’d love to keep them.”