The forest inside the rift never truly slept.Even when the twin moons overhead faded behind clouds, faint glimmers of energy pulsed through the foliage like veins of light. Every shadow whispered movement; every breath of wind carried danger.
For the first few days, Stephen moved carefully. He fought when he had to and hid when he couldn't win. Every encounter with a beast taught him something new — the way they hunted, the signs they left behind, and the subtle rhythm of their movements.
At first, it was exhausting. The rift was vast and unpredictable. The air was thicker, charged with raw transcendent energy that made it harder to breathe but easier to cultivate. He learned to pace himself, resting when the pressure in his chest grew too heavy, meditating only in places where the natural energy felt calm and balanced.
By the fifth day, he had already slain several low-level beasts and gathered a handful of rings. His bracelet flashed faintly whenever he checked his progress.
[Stephen Stormcloud — 85 Points | Rank: 267]
He was improving, but so were the others. Some had formed groups — alliances of convenience to take down stronger beasts and steal from loners. Stephen stayed away from them. He knew better than to trust those who saw friendship as a means to an end.
Once, he came across a group of three cornering another participant. They didn't see him watching from above, hidden in the branches of a thick tree. The sound of clashing steel and frightened shouts carried through the air. When it ended, only two walked away.
Stephen looked down silently before turning and heading in the opposite direction.
"The rift isn't just about beasts," he murmured to himself. "It's about who you become inside it."
He spent his nights hunting small creatures — the nimble ones that most ignored for their low point value. They didn't give much, but they kept his senses sharp and his hands steady. During the day, he studied the movement of stronger beasts, memorizing their patrol routes and attack patterns, waiting for the perfect opportunity.
His body began to adapt to the constant strain. The flow of transcendent energy through his veins became smoother, more natural. Inside his soul sea, the blue sprout glowed brighter, its roots weaving deeper into the liquid energy pool below. And hidden within that same sea, the Azure Sparrow stirred quietly, its eyes faintly open — watching.
Every time Stephen refined a crystal, he could feel both souls shift slightly. The sprout strengthened his endurance, allowing him to recover faster between fights. The sparrow, though silent, seemed to sharpen his perception — sometimes letting him sense danger just a moment before it struck.
He didn't understand how or why, but he was grateful for it.
By the tenth day, he had learned to read the land like a map. The rustle of grass told him which direction the wind blew, the distant roars hinted at where beasts were gathering, and the faint shimmer of light in the trees warned of areas rich in transcendent energy — and therefore, danger.
When a group of five participants crossed paths with him near the riverbank, their leader, a boy wielding twin daggers, gave him a long look.
"Solo, huh?" the boy sneered. "You'll die before you reach two hundred points."
Stephen didn't reply. He only smiled faintly and walked past.
That night, he returned to the same spot to find their camp torn apart — claw marks gouged deep into the ground, the remains of their rations scattered. No sign of life. Only a faint trail of blood leading toward the deeper forest.
He didn't need to guess what had happened. The rift didn't care about pride.
By the fifteenth day, his movements had become quiet and sure. His sword no longer wavered. The hesitation that had once plagued him in battle was gone, replaced by calm precision.
Each time he struck, it was deliberate — efficient.Each time he rested, it was strategic — never too long, never too exposed.
He had become a hunter in truth.
When he sat beneath a giant, glowing fern that night, wiping the blood from his blade, his bracelet pulsed again.
[Stephen Stormcloud — 310 Points | Rank: 124]
Halfway there.
He leaned back against the roots, exhaling slowly as his muscles relaxed. The faint hum of the forest surrounded him — alive, dangerous, and oddly comforting.
The Azure Sparrow fluttered faintly inside his soul sea, its wings glowing with a subtle blue light that mingled with the sprout's aura. He felt the two souls resonate briefly, a pulse of warmth flowing through his body. It wasn't much — just a flicker — but enough to remind him that both were growing stronger alongside him.
He smiled faintly.
"Just a bit longer," he whispered to himself. "Then… I'll make it."
But somewhere in the distance, beyond the veil of mist and trees, a deep roar echoed — low, primal, and filled with killing intent.
Stephen's eyes snapped open.
The forest had gone silent again.