Sunny had only just begun his journey in the Realm of Sanctuary.
At his current stage, he was nothing more than a Primal, the lowest level in the Sanctuary hierarchy. Above it were Arouse, Sword, and many other ranks that only true warriors could hope to reach.
Right now, Sunny was far from that level.
Weak.
Vulnerable.
And completely alone.
He had already walked nearly a hundred miles through the strange wilderness of the Sanctuary. The sky above glowed faintly with pale energy, and the land pulsed with unfamiliar life.
Yet something felt wrong
Too quiet.
Sunny had not seen a single creature since entering this place.
Then, near a rocky slope, he noticed a plant growing beside a cluster of twisted trees. Hanging from its branch was a fruit that looked almost exactly like a peach.
Bright.
Juicy.
Tempting.
Sunny hesitated only for a moment. Since he had not yet learned the rules of the Sanctuary, he simply plucked the fruit and ate it in one bite.
The sweetness barely touched his tongue before pain exploded inside his body.
"Cough—!"
Sunny collapsed to one knee, coughing up a mouthful of blood. His vision blurred, and his body trembled violently.
The fruit was poisonous.
Just as dizziness overwhelmed him, the ground nearby trembled.
Something had sensed his presence.
From behind the rocks emerged a terrifying creature that resembled a massive scorpion. It was at least five meters tall, its body armored in glowing blue plates that reflected the strange light of the Sanctuary.
Its claws were razor sharp, and its eyes burned with savage bloodlust.
Sunny's heart pounded as he summoned the tattoo on his body.
The tattoo flickered and attempted to assume the form of the scorpion-like creature.
But it failed.
The creature's tier was far above Sunny's.
Within the Sanctuary, creatures were divided into ordinary creatures and mutated creatures.
This one was clearly mutated.
The monster lifted its massive leg, preparing to crush Sunny instantly.
Still coughing blood, Sunny used the tattoo to delay the creature while he staggered backward, trying desperately to escape.
Then something unexpected happened.
The tattoo suddenly shattered and dismissed itself.
Sunny froze.
He had not dismissed it.
He tried summoning it again.
Nothing happened.
The tattoo refused to respond.
Without it, Sunny had become the monster's next prey.
In desperation, Sunny activated his forbidden ability.
Sacrifice.
Energy surged through his body as his internal organs began healing rapidly. But the poisonous fruit inside him fought back violently, clashing with the skill.
Then the whisper of Realm Sorcery echoed in his mind.
Your skill has been destroyed.
Sunny's eyes widened.
You have received a new skill.
Soul and Organ Attack.
Skill has evolved.
Skill Class: Exalted.
Fitness Required: 100.
Sunny's body began to cool as the poison stabilized within him. For a brief moment, relief filled his heart.
But the mutated scorpion still towered over him.
He was still far too weak.
Just as the creature prepared to crush him, a figure descended from the sky.
A man with red eyes, blonde hair, and a pair of magnificent wings spread across his back appeared like a fallen angel.
It was Han.
Several others followed behind him.
The monster attacked immediately.
But Han moved faster.
Activating his vampire power, he shot forward at terrifying speed. His mouth opened, revealing long, deadly fangs.
In a single motion, he pierced the creature's neck and began drinking its blood.
The massive scorpion trembled violently before collapsing lifelessly onto the ground.
Sunny stared in shock.
It was the first time he had seen Han use his vampire power.
It was both incredible and frightening.
A young woman stepped forward from Han's group and knelt beside Sunny. She gently placed her hand on his chest, releasing a warm healing aura.
But something strange happened.
Sunny's body instinctively absorbed the healing energy.
The woman gasped and quickly pulled her hand away.
At that moment, a whisper sounded again inside Sunny's mind.
Fitness: 34 / 100.
You have received one Soul Fragment.
Sunny was stunned.
His strength had increased.
Just then, the woman's expression suddenly changed.
Her face, which had been gentle and soft moments ago, became filled with anger.
"How dare you take a Soul Fragment from my Spirit Sea!" she shouted.
Sunny remained silent, pretending not to hear her words.
Tuma glared at him coldly.
Without another word, she lifted Sunny with both hands. Her mission here was only to help him survive the Sanctuary trial.
But before turning away, she whispered threateningly,
"If I ever find you alone again… I will deal with you myself."
Meanwhile, Han had been observing everything through his third eye.
After a moment, he dismissed his wings and deactivated the eye.
He had not sensed the force that absorbed the Soul Fragment, but he could see that Sunny's life force had increased slightly.
Han walked over to him.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
Sunny forced a weak smile.
"I'll be all right… if I can get out of this Sanctuary."
Han nodded and granted his request.
Soon after, Sunny returned home.
For the next week, he stayed inside his room.
Not to recover.
But to wait for something else.
His tattoo.
During the battle with the mutated creature, the tattoo had been heavily damaged and dismissed itself. Until it recovered, Sunny would remain completely vulnerable.
So he waited patiently.