The Ashwood Forest was alive.
Leaves rustled with whispers of unseen predators, branches creaked under the weight of lurking threats, and somewhere in the distance, a beast howled, low and guttural… But through it all, Davi charged forward atop Gravilis, the Duskwisp Drake who knew these woods better than any map ever could.
For Davi, blind and burdened, there was no turning back.
"All of this… rides on you, Gravilis," he murmured.
And she responded with a guttural roar, as though to say: I understand. And I will not fail you master!
Just then, a sharp chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Time Remaining: 65 hours 48 minutes 33 seconds]
[Due to host's visual impairment, the system has granted a supplementary feature to assist in completion of mission.]
[Ding!]
[Skill Unlocked: Treasure Mapping]
[Effect: Allows host to trace the source of a marked treasure.]
[Cost: 10 Asura Points per activation. Duration: 30 minutes per use]
Before he could express gratitude for the new ability, a sharp whistle cut through the air.
It was the sound of claws slicing wind.
Davi's instincts flared.
A blur of motion. A shriek. Then…
Boom!
A monstrous green-spined monkey descended from the canopy above, its twisted body and razor-laced back hurtling toward Gravilis like a missile.
This was no ordinary forest dweller.
A Rank D mutant species, the green-spined monkey was born of cruel experiments… Its back riddled with venomous spines, each tipped with a paralytic compound that could render mages unconscious.
"Gravilis, evade!" Davi shouted, but it was too late.
Gravilis countered with a tail strike, aiming for the creature's glowing eyes… its weakest point.
CRASH!
But the beast was fast.
Too fast and Gravilis, despite being a rank c beast lacked combat experience.
The monkey twisted mid-air, somersaulting between branches. In the blink of an eye, it was behind them.
Swoosh!
Spines erupted from its back in a barrage.
Pweesh!
Pweesh!
Pweesh!
Gravilis snarled, twisting, but five of the spines buried into her hide… two of them puncturing her hind legs.
One grazed Davi's upper arm, and the venom surged through his bloodstream like wildfire.
"Gahhh!!"
Pain rippled through his body as his senses began to blur.
His thoughts grew heavy, his vision… already absent… turned blacker still.
The last thing he heard before the darkness swallowed him was the mocking laughter of the beast and the heavy thud of Gravilis collapsing beside him.
BANG!
His body hit the ground. A sharp crack echoed as his head smacked a rock, stunning him just enough to remain semi-conscious.
No… not like this… not here!
***
Mage Platform… Observation Tower
Far above the forest, within the Mage Observation Tower, the Grandmasters and Knight Commanders stared into the scrying mirror.
"Hoh? A green-spined monkey already?" chuckled Zi Kai, Knight Commander of the Crimson Blade Division of Nightwood Knight Academy.
"Not even ten minutes in, and that blind boy's already courting death."
"Didn't someone say he's blind?" Zi Mou raised a brow. "How does he even function in combat?"
Lady Stacy's eyes narrowed. "Normally, he would be disqualified. But that boy, Davi has a rare awakened ability that allows him to devour nen."
Several commanders gasped.
"Devour nen? That's absurd," Gustave scoffed. "Even among elite abilities, that's unheard of."
"Say what you will," Archon Alzerath said calmly, "But it's the truth. His body absorbs pure nen, refining his own strength at an astonishing rate."
"It's a shame, really," Grandmaster Halvar added. "Such potential. But blind, reckless, and now separated from his team? I don't see him surviving this."
Lady Clare nodded. "He broke the rules. The test requires teamwork, and he abandoned his companions. That should count as disqualification."
Archon Draith, who had remained silent till now, spoke coldly.
"The green-spined monkey isn't natural. The original Earth Monkey species barely reach Rank E in their lifetime. But this one? A mutated Rank D. Created by the Rashar Clan's illegal bio-experiments in the southern badlands."
Her gaze stayed fixed on the scrying mirror. "He may be blind, but he's far from helpless."
"As you all know," Archon Draith began, her voice calm but commanding, "beasts are classified by both rank and potential. Their rank defines their current power, but their aptitude… low, mid, high, or in rare cases, peak, determines how far they can grow."
The others listened, though not all with patience.
"That boy's beast… his Duskwisp Drake is likely Rank C," she continued, "but it possesses high aptitude. Based on its energy signatures, its current strength places it at Class 1 Level 3. To put it in perspective, that's equivalent to three mid-level Magic Acolytes, or nine mid-tier Magic Novices who've only recently awakened."
She let that sink in before continuing.
"Now, the green-spined monkey, despite being a Rank D beast was mutated. It's far more dangerous than its rank suggests. It sits comfortably at Class 1 Level 6, even surpassing the Roaring Black Mamba in raw strength. Its poison may be inferior, but its speed, agility and reaction time are exceptional."
"Alright, alright," Zi Mou interrupted with a huff, arms crossed. "What's your point? You think we don't know the basics of beast classification? Spare us the lecture."
Archon Draith's gaze snapped toward him. Cold. Merciless.
A thin vein pulsed in her temple. "And what makes you think I couldn't crush your bones where you stand, Knight Commander?"
Zi Mou blinked. "H-Haha… I was only joking. You really don't have a sense of humor, do you?"
"Do not mistake tolerance for weakness." Her voice dropped low, and the temperature in the observation tower plunged like a cliff. "You are not even qualified to speak on the same level as me. Know your place, Knight."
Zi Mou took two cautious steps backward, sweat glistening on his brow.
Archon Alzerath chuckled dryly and stepped in to ease the tension.
"I believe he understands your… clarification, Draith," he said, before turning to her. "But really, what was the point of that breakdown? We all understand the system."
Draith clicked her tongue. "You've all forgotten far too quickly just what that blind boy is capable of. Don't be too quick to write him off. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned the tables and killed that mutated monkey."
Lady Stacy leaned forward on her staff, eyes glinting. "Ooh, Auntie Draith. Rare to see you showing interest in someone. Don't go trying to steal him for the ICM, He's mine I'm taking him back to my academy."
Before Archon Draith could shoot a reply…
BOOM!
A blast of nen erupted in the mirror.
***
Forest Floor… Ashwood Forest
Davi's head cracked against the forest floor, blood trickling down his temple.
Everything was fading his thoughts disjointed, muscles trembling.
The green-spined monkey crept closer, confused, its claws twitching in anticipation.
Why hasn't he collapsed completely? it wondered. My venom should've knocked him out.
But something was wrong.
Instead of surrendering to sleep, Davi gritted his teeth and roared internally.
No. I refuse.
His hand trembled as he activated his cultivation technique.
[Hell of Torment: Activated]
[Nen Absorption in Progress]
As nen poured into his body, Davi didn't channel it the usual way. He did something reckless like the time he fought the earth fanged rats.
He focused the condensed Asura Qi not only on his skin, but on the muscles surrounding his brain. He couldn't reach the organ itself… not yet; his body wasn't strong enough for internal organ tempering. But if he could reinforce the muscles and nerves around it, he might suppress the effects of the toxin.
Agony surged through his skull.
But then clarity.
His thoughts realigned.
His breathing steadied.
His focus returned.
Next, he diverted nen into the muscles of his ears and legs. Unlike his previous tempering, this wasn't superficial. This was deep, direct, muscular reinforcement.
His ears twitched… hyper-sensitive, now able to detect even the faintest movement of air.
His legs pulsed with raw force.
Now!
The monkey didn't expect it.
WOOSH!
Davi vanished from the forest floor.
CRACK!!
He reappeared behind the monkey in a blur, windcaller staff clenched in both hands. With his eyes shut, his feline-tuned hearing guided the blow precisely to the creature's jaw.
BANG!!!
The monkey screeched in shock as its body flew through the air, colliding with a branch before slamming to the ground.
***
Moments Earlier...
As the monkey stared at Davi absorbing nen, it hesitated.
Why isn't the poison working?
It tried to summon another barrage of spines, but before it could,
Too late.
Davi had moved.
And when the monkey crashed to the ground, dazed, it panicked.
It scrambled upright, hissing, and darted back into the shadows of the trees. It had lost its confidence and when green-spined monkeys sensed uncertainty, their survival instinct took over.
Davi was no longer prey.
He was a freaking predator!
He rushed to Gravilis, his hand trembling as he touched her scaly hide. Through their bond, he felt her pulse—slow, heavy, sedated.
"Hang in there…" he whispered. "I'll remove them."
He pulled each of the five spines from her body, careful to avoid breaking any part of them. But despite his effort, her breathing remained shallow.
He gritted his teeth.
"If I had Russell's healing ability, I could wake you now… Damn it… You'll have to rest here. Just wait for me, Gravilis."
As he stood, his head snapped slightly to the side.
Footsteps.
Light and quick.
He didn't need his eyes to know who they belonged to.
Russell and Priscilla.
"Not now," he muttered.
"I can't let them follow me… not where I'm going."
[Treasure Mapping: Activated – 10 AP Deducted]
[Target: Rune Key]
[Time Remaining: 29:42 minutes]
A golden thread burned across his consciousness, pointing toward the Bonecradle Range.
Without a word, he turned and disappeared into the depths of Ashwood Forest.
To any onlooker, it would have appeared as if Davi could see.
He weaved through roots, branches, and uneven terrain with shocking precision.
But it wasn't sight that guided him.
It was the system.
It was instinct.
It was survival.
"Ahh... my precious 10 Asura points," he sighed internally. "Let's hope it was worth it."