Chapter 3: The First Hunt
The forest grew denser as he moved deeper, trees crowding together like silent witnesses. Shadows clung to the ground even under the rising sun, and every rustle of leaves set his nerves on edge. His steps were slow but deliberate, guided by instinct sharpened through years of survival.
Pain still lingered, but it no longer ruled him.
The faint warmth of qi circulated through his body in uneven pulses, fragile yet persistent. Each breath fed it. Each step tested it. He could feel how crude it was, how easily it could shatter if he pushed too hard.
But stopping was not an option.
The system's presence hovered at the edge of his awareness, silent now, observing. It did not guide his path or warn him of danger. It merely waited, like a judge expecting either progress or failure.
He paused beside a fallen log, crouching low as his gaze swept the surroundings. Broken branches. Disturbed soil. Claw marks etched into bark.
A beast's territory.
The organization often used the border forest as a testing ground, sending low-ranking assassins here to harden them or dispose of them quietly. He had completed dozens of such missions before. This place was soaked in blood, human and otherwise.
His hand tightened around the dagger he had taken from the dead man. The balance was off, unfamiliar, but it would do.
A low growl echoed ahead.
He shifted his weight, melting into the undergrowth. Years of training took over, suppressing breath, slowing heartbeat. His presence faded as if swallowed by the forest itself.
The growl came again, closer now.
Leaves parted.
A massive wolf emerged, its fur dark and matted, eyes glowing faintly red with feral qi. Foam dripped from its jaws, each breath steaming faintly in the cool air. Its body was scarred, thick with muscle, far stronger than ordinary beasts.
A qi beast.
His pupils contracted.
In his current state, fighting it head-on was suicide.
The wolf sniffed the air, head lowering, gaze snapping toward his hiding place. Its lips peeled back, revealing yellowed fangs.
So much for stealth.
The beast lunged.
He rolled aside just as claws tore through the space where his head had been. Dirt exploded upward. He sprang to his feet, legs screaming, and ran.
The forest blurred around him as he sprinted, branches whipping past his face. Behind him, heavy impacts shook the ground. The wolf was faster. Too fast.
He veered sharply, darting between closely packed trees. One misstep and he would fall. One mistake and he would die.
His lungs burned.
[Mission condition ongoing.]
"I know," he muttered, vaulting over a root.
The wolf snapped at his heel, teeth grazing cloth. He felt fabric tear, skin sting. Blood splashed onto the ground.
The warmth inside him surged violently, responding to the danger. His vision sharpened again, the world slowing by a hair's breadth.
Not enough.
He spotted it then.
A narrow ravine ahead, half-hidden by brush. Steep, jagged rocks lined its sides, sharp enough to shred flesh.
He altered his path slightly, pretending to stumble.
The wolf took the bait.
It leaped.
At the last second, he twisted, dropping low and rolling forward. The wolf soared past him, momentum carrying it straight into the ravine. It slammed into the rocks with a deafening crack, howling in pain as blood sprayed across stone.
He did not hesitate.
He rushed forward, dagger raised, and plunged it down into the beast's eye. The wolf thrashed wildly, claws raking the ground, its howl breaking into choking gasps.
He stabbed again.
And again.
Finally, the body went still.
He collapsed backward, chest heaving, dagger slipping from his blood-slick fingers. His arms shook uncontrollably as the aftermath crashed over him.
Alive.
Barely.
[Qi beast defeated.]
[Combat evaluation: Efficient under disadvantage.]
A strange sensation spread through his body, sharper than before. The qi inside him reacted, pulling inward, condensing slightly.
[Qi absorption initiated.]
The warmth flared, almost painful, as faint threads of energy were drawn from the beast's corpse into his body. He gritted his teeth, riding the surge.
His wounds throbbed, then eased.
Not healed.
But steadier.
He pushed himself upright, staring down at the dead wolf. Its red glow had faded, eyes dull and lifeless.
So beasts could strengthen him too.
"Good," he said quietly.
The system did not respond.
He skinned the wolf with practiced efficiency, ignoring the tremor in his hands. The hide could be sold. The fangs, too. Resources meant survival.
As he worked, a memory surfaced uninvited.
A younger version of himself, standing in another forest, holding his first blade. His instructor's cold voice cutting through the air.
"A real assassin doesn't fight fair. He survives."
He wiped blood from his hands.
"I survived," he whispered.
The forest answered only with wind.
He moved on as the sun climbed higher, senses stretched thin. Hunger gnawed at his stomach, but he ignored it. Stopping meant dying.
By dusk, he reached the forest's outer edge. The trees thinned, giving way to uneven ground and distant hills. A dirt path cut through the land, marked by wagon tracks and footprints.
Civilization.
He slowed, crouching behind a boulder as he observed.
Three figures approached along the path, armored lightly, weapons at their sides. Not assassins. Mercenaries, by the look of them. One carried a spear, another a curved blade. The third laughed loudly, careless.
Weak.
Yet even weak enemies could kill him in his current state.
He watched them pass, noting their direction, their pace. Only when they vanished did he step onto the path.
The air felt different here. Less oppressive. Less alive.
[Mission update.]
[Border forest exit: 80% complete.]
"So close," he murmured.
Night fell quickly. He kept moving, guided by moonlight, every shadow familiar and comforting. Darkness had always been his ally.
As he walked, anger simmered beneath the surface, no longer wild but focused. The organization's faces rose in his mind, one by one.
They thought him dead.
They were wrong.
He reached a small rise overlooking the forest and stopped, turning back for one last look. The trees stood silent, concealing blood, death, and his rebirth.
"I'll come back," he said softly. "Stronger."
The qi within him pulsed in response, steadier now, sharper.
Behind him, the road stretched onward, leading toward cities, sects, and enemies yet unknown.
He stepped forward.
[Beginner Task nearing completion.]
[Warning: New threats detected beyond forest boundary.]
A thin smile crossed his lips.
"Good."
And with that, he vanished into the night, leaving the forest behind as the legend took its first deliberate step into the wider world.