Chương 75: Chapter 73: Solo Hunt

Thorwald was out hunting alone. The solitary expeditions had become necessary. His influence in Steven's base had waned somewhat, though many still revered him for having baptized them. At first, the ritual had seemed like a ploy to gain more followers, a strategic move to cement his power. But it had become something much greater. The blessing he bestowed was transformative. Those who received it gained far more strength than anyone.

Nearly everyone in Steven's base was now over Level 40, and they hunted beasts with relentless efficiency, their rapid progression bringing them dangerously close to his own level. To maintain his edge, Thorwald resorted to solo hunts. The experience gain from killing beasts alone far outstripped that of group endeavors, and he needed every advantage to stay ahead. Steven, ever the strategist, had foreseen this necessity. He had started solo hunting long before Thorwald, and his level now approached 50.

Thorwald was determined to catch up. He hadn't encountered a beast yet that could pierce his armor, nor one strong enough to withstand the devastating power of his spirit tool. His axe—a weapon that seemed almost alive—grew in strength daily, fed by enchanted materials and elixirs crafted by the base's artisans. Thorwald's physical strength was unmatched; it allowed him to shred most beasts with ease, and the combination of his skills and his growing arsenal made him a formidable force. But challenges loomed.

The alliance with Kael and the water princess was on the horizon—a precarious balancing act for Thorwald. He had to resist his instincts, no matter how tempting it might be to take out Kael, Kai, Sylas, and Thalion all at once. Thorwald suspected this was exactly what Steven was counting on—a test of patience, a game of restraint. For now, Thorwald would play along. They needed to deal with the undead in the next stage first. After that, all hell would break loose.

<-- Seraphina stepped into her throne room, droplets of water trailing from her still-damp hair as she emerged from her latest underwater hunt. The ocean had grown more perilous with each passing day. Though most of its creatures were relatively weak, exceptions prowled its depths—monstrous outliers with strength that could rival her own.

"Princess Seraphina," her adviser greeted her with a deep bow.

"A message has arrived from Kael. He wishes to discuss the specifics of the alliance and the ascension to the fourth stage, shortly after the system shop arrives in a few days."

"That's fine. Anything else?" Seraphina asked, waving her hand dismissively as she moved toward her throne.

"Yes, I met with Lady Nerissa today. She is opposed to allowing the girl from Kael's base to remain here." Seraphina's gaze sharpened, her tone dropping to an icy coldness.

"This is a direct order from my patron. The girl will have my full support. If Lady Nerissa makes a move against her, she will face my wrath."

"As you command," her adviser replied, bowing deeply before retreating from the throne room. Left alone, Seraphina turned her attention to the grand window behind her throne. The vast expanse of ocean stretched endlessly before her, its clarity unmatched. She could see down to depths of over a hundred meters, where shimmering light danced on the water's surface. Her homeworld's oceans had been different. Life clustered near the surface, close to coral reefs teeming with color and motion.

Her family had long labored to preserve and expand these reefs, even experimenting with floating ones in the open ocean. But success had been fleeting. This ocean, though—this was a world apart. Life thrived at every level. Hovering reefs floated at various depths, glowing plants with bioluminescent hues illuminated the shadows of the deep, and treasures ripe for cultivation were scattered throughout its vastness. This was her haven. The ocean had accelerated her cultivation, fortifying both her body and soul.

She had become the most powerful cultivator her kingdom had ever known, and she wasn't about to let petty disputes disrupt her path. The order from her patron to support the girl didn't trouble her. What could a mere human from Earth do to challenge her power? The alliance with Kael's base was a temporary necessity—a means to an end to defeat the undead faction in the next stage. After that, things would shift. Seraphina cast a glance at the ornate walls of her floating castle.

The space had grown cramped with the influx of survivors teleporting to the third stage. Upgrades were overdue, but priorities had shifted. Her cultivation materials would have to wait. Her thoughts turned to Kael's people. Without a clear ruler, their base was chaotic at best—a disorder she would gladly bring to heel once the struggle with the undead was done. For now, patience was her weapon. But soon, the tides would turn.

<-- Thalion returned to his quarters, the exhilaration from the earlier activities atop the tower fading into a calm focus. His room was dimly lit, the faint glow of magical circles casting eerie shadows on the walls. He carefully collected the blood vials that had been sitting within the magic circles for days, their power simmering with latent energy. Replacing them with fresh vials of newly gathered blood, he worked with precision, his movements methodical and deliberate.

With a satisfied nod, Thalion turned his attention to Zyra. He had recently granted her unrestricted access to the gathering hall, where plants with dark affinity were stored. This arrangement spared him the effort of constant delivery trips while giving Zyra more opportunities to purify and empower the materials. She seemed pleased with the freedom, as the work provided her valuable experience in alchemical refinement.

Today, Thalion intended to absorb the blood stored in the vials and continue his blood empowerment ritual until midday. After that, he planned to head to the training hall, where he would endure yet another round of lightning strikes—a grueling yet effective method of tempering his body. If time allowed, he hoped to consume some enchanted plants to further his progress as an umbral predator, though that task might have to wait. His schedule was tight.

Annie and Jakob were counting on him to join their hunt for the ant hive later in the day, so there was no time to waste. Without hesitation, Thalion opened the vials and activated crimson harvest, letting its power surge through him. The sanguine thorn eagerly consumed the blood, its presence within him growing stronger with every passing moment. He could feel its dormant power simmering just beneath the surface, tantalizingly close to awakening. But not yet.

How much blood would it take to fully rouse this ancient force? Pushing the question aside, Thalion transitioned into his blood empowerment ritual. He sank into a meditative trance, his heartbeat reverberating like a drum in his ears. The rhythm of his pulse became his entire world, its steady cadence driving the energy deeper into his being. Hours passed in what felt like moments, and when he finally emerged from the trance, midday had arrived.

Every session of blood cultivation left Thalion feeling reborn, his body buzzing with newfound vitality. Yet a sliver of apprehension lingered. How could he keep pace with the others when he would eventually have to juggle four forms, especially if he gained one attuned to water? He resolved that if he did acquire such a form, it would need to be of the highest rarity. He couldn't afford to expend the same effort empowering a weaker form as he had with Eagly. For now, that was a concern for the future.

His next purchase from the system shop would be a soul cultivation manual. If the voice's promises were true, the benefits of such a manual would surpass even the best body-tempering methods. But that was for later. For now, it was time for lightning. The training hall was eerily pristine, not a trace remaining of the slaughter it had once hosted. Thalion entered the space, the metallic tang of ozone faintly present in the air. The guards greeted him with deference, their respect for him having grown significantly.

He couldn't say he was comfortable with it, but he had more pressing matters to address. Soon, five guards were blasting him with lightning, their combined efforts crashing against his form like waves against an unyielding cliff. Thalion's body absorbed the energy effortlessly, the raw power seeping into his muscles, invigorating him rather than causing harm. He stood firm, unflinching as the electricity coursed through him, his body now so attuned to lightning that it felt refreshing rather than painful.

"Increase the output," he instructed, his voice calm and steady. The number of guards rose to ten, their attacks converging into a storm of lightning bolts. Thalion absorbed it all, his body hungrily drinking in the power. Weak bolts of lightning occasionally flickered from his feathers, but even these carried a potency that rivaled the charged attacks he had used in battle just days before. The efficiency of his body-tempering method was staggering. After hours of enduring the storm, he called for a pause.

The guards, emboldened by his progress, attempted to replicate his method. Their efforts were met with painful screams as they electrocuted themselves. Thalion smirked but said nothing. The difference lay in the foundation and the bodytempering manual. His passive skill, granted by the manta, attuned his body to lightning. Without that advantage, this level of tempering was beyond their reach. After his session, Thalion made his way to Zyra's shop.

Her workspace was cluttered yet organized, a controlled chaos of ingredients and glowing crystals.

"How's the work on the crystal coming along?" he asked as he stepped inside. Zyra looked up from her work, her fingers still busy weaving threads of magic around a shimmering shard.

"Good, good," she replied, her voice distant with concentration.

"I think I'm close to finding a way to let you store them in your spatial ring."

"Great. On another note, what elixirs do you have for me?" Zyra straightened, her demeanor shifting to one of business.

"Ah, yes. You missed out on the last batch," she said, pulling several bottles from her spatial ring.

"My best ones are vitality elixirs. I also have strength and intelligence elixirs, but for those, I'd recommend visiting the other alchemist. Their specialty is better suited for those."

"Vitality is exactly what I need," Thalion said after a moment of thought. The elixirs would likely benefit all his forms simultaneously, and vitality was a universally useful stat.

"Here you go," Zyra said, placing four more bottles on the counter.

"These should bring you to your limit." Thalion downed the elixirs without hesitation. They tasted faintly of wood and earth, an oddly natural flavor that wasn't unpleasant. When he checked his status screen, the results were impressive. His vitality had increased by 48 points across all forms, translating to an additional 480 life points for Eagly alone—more than doubling his life pool.

"That was incredible. Thanks, Zyra. See you tomorrow," Thalion said, turning to leave.

"Anytime. Let me know if you hear more about Vorlok, the Worldshatterer," Zyra replied with a laugh. Thalion transformed into Eagly and flew over the base to one of the outer towers, to meet with Jakob and Annie. Both were already waiting for him, and soon after, they were out searching for the ant hive. As Eagly, he soared over the forest, scanning the canopy for signs of the ant hive. The dense foliage obscured much of the ground, but he hoped to spot a clearing that might reveal the hive's location.

While flying, he charged whirlwinds to continue his body tempering. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. When they reached the last marked area on the map, Thalion descended and shifted back to his human form. The forest was alive with sounds, each rustle and chirp a potential clue to their quarry. Jakob had felt vibrations in the earth earlier, and his earth magic would likely be crucial to locating the hive.

Thalion activated his blood sense, attempting to trace the faint trails left by prey dragged back to the hive. Before he could pinpoint anything, Jakob raised a hand, his expression sharp.

"I've found something."

"I felt it again. We need to head in that direction," Jakob said, his voice steady, as he pointed slightly to the right, his sharp gaze unwavering. After trudging through the dense jungle for what felt like kilometers, Jakob raised a hand, signaling them to halt.

"We're close now," he said, his tone laced with certainty.

"It should be about five hundred meters ahead." Annie squinted into the underbrush.

"Shouldn't there be ants crawling all over the place by now?" she asked, her brow furrowed. Jakob shook his head.

"I doubt the hive is their only stronghold underground. If I'm interpreting this correctly, they've constructed a network of tunnels stretching for kilometers. We've likely been following one of those."

"So, there might not even be an entrance nearby," he added, tapping the ground with his hands.

"But I can feel the vibrations. There's significant movement down below." Thalion nodded and adjusted the straps of his gear.

"Let's keep moving." They pressed on cautiously, the jungle closing in tighter around them. Eventually, they stumbled upon a gnarled, ancient tree, its base hollow and ominous. Yet, curiously, there wasn't a single ant in sight.

"This tree must be the entrance," Jakob whispered, crouching low.

"It's probably the queen's original entry point before she began laying eggs." Thalion's form shimmered as he shifted into the umbral predator, his senses sharpening as shadows seemed to cling to him like a second skin. Using his heightened instincts, he probed ahead and spotted a massive ant stationed just beneath the tree, its size dwarfing any he had seen before. Its glossy exoskeleton gleamed faintly in the dim light, and its mandibles twitched as if sensing something amiss.

The creature's sheer size—a match for a small car—was daunting, but it hadn't noticed him yet. Unfortunately, the dense earth muted his skill, preventing him from detecting the swarm below. Time to strike. Thalion leaped into the tree with predatory precision, descending on the unsuspecting ant like a shadow with claws. The creature barely had time to twitch in surprise before he tore through its head, silencing it in a single, brutal motion. Its lifeless body slumped, blocking part of the tunnel below.

Jakob's voice was a sharp whisper from above.

"Holy shit, what are you doing? There are probably way too many of them down there!" Thalion glanced upward, his expression unreadable.

"Then stay here. I didn't come all this way to let the queen live." Without another word, he vanished into the dark tunnel. Annie called after him.

"Fine! We'll wait up here until it's safer. Don't get yourself killed!" The tunnel opened into an enormous underground chamber, dimly lit by bioluminescent fungi clinging to the walls. Below him stretched a platform teeming with activity. Over thirty ants scurried about, some hauling the mangled remains of prey, while others carried vibrantly colored crystals that shimmered faintly in the gloom. Thalion's sharp eyes caught sight of a wide tunnel at the far end of the cavern, guarded by two larger ants.

The rest seemed to be a mix of worker and miner ants, their smaller frames scuttling to and fro. None had noticed him yet; his shadow-blending ability rendered him nearly invisible in the dim light. Patience. Wait for the right moment. For twenty tense minutes, Thalion remained motionless, allowing most of the workers to filter out through various smaller tunnels, leaving only four ants behind: the two guards and a pair of miners. When the time came, he struck with blinding speed, a blur of claws and fury.

The ants barely registered his presence before collapsing under his assault, their thick carapaces no match for his raw strength. With the immediate threats eliminated, Thalion descended further into the hive. The tunnel sloped downward steeply before ending in another cavern. This one was vast, dominated by five grotesquely massive forms—the queens. Their bloated abdomens, each as large as a school bus, anchored them to the floor, while their comparatively tiny heads and spindly limbs twitched lazily.

Their presence exuded raw power, their auras oppressive and almost suffocating. So, there are five of them, not just one, Thalion thought grimly, his gaze sweeping the room. Six guard ants flanked the queens, their movements deliberate and watchful. Over a dozen workers scuttled about, tending to eggs or carrying even more crystals to what seemed to be nests. They're lopsided, he realized, observing the scene carefully.

Some of the worker ants seemed to bite at one queen, stopping only when a guard lumbered over to investigate. Time to end this. Thalion crept forward, merging seamlessly with the shadows as he closed the distance between himself and the guards. When the first two lumbered close, he struck with ruthless efficiency, ripping through their defenses like parchment. The remaining guards surged toward him, empowered by an energy radiating from the queens. The hive had finally noticed the predator in their midst.

But it wasn't enough. The ants' empowered strikes glanced off Thalion's skin, his regenerative abilities mending any damage almost instantaneously. Their poison-tipped stingers dripped with venom, each drop sizzling as it hit the ground, but he deftly avoided their attempts to pin him down. One by one, he dismantled the hive's defenders, his movements a blur of lethal precision. The workers scrambled to assist, but they too fell swiftly.

Within minutes, the chamber was littered with shattered exoskeletons and the remnants of the swarm. Only the queens remained. Most of the hive must be out hunting at the moment, which left the queens almost with no protection. Thalion advanced on the nearest queen, but as he did, he felt an overwhelming wave of emotion—love, care, and a desperate plea for mercy. The sensation froze him in place, tears unexpectedly welling in his eyes. Why?

Why would these creatures care for him after he'd slaughtered their offspring? The feeling intensified, almost suffocating in its intensity. But then he saw it—a young girl's lifeless form clenched in one queen's mandibles, her small frame savaged beyond recognition. The fleeting pity evaporated in an instant, replaced by cold resolve. Thalion lunged, ready to end it, but before he could strike, the queens began to radiate an unbearable heat.

Their bodies turned to ash as raw energy burst from their forms, flooding the room and overwhelming his senses. He crumpled to the ground, darkness consuming him. Thalion woke up with the feeling of danger. He had never felt something like it before, but it was there. When his eyes opened, he saw why: above his face, were giant pincers about to close around him. Thalion's hands shot up faster than he had ever moved and ripped both of the pincers to the side, tearing them out.

With a swipe of his claws, the ant died. Thalion looked around. The ant queens were still dead. There were some workers staying at the entrance, but they fled when they spotted him. He could feel every bit of life in the eggs radiating with the beats of their hearts. That was not the only thing he felt; it was like he had a deep connection to nature itself. He could also feel the power in the crystal that slowly entered the eggs after it left the crystals.

He had also gotten a message between all the kill notifications. You have obtained the Title Guardian's Remnant This title is exceptionally rare and highly sought-after, signifying an unbreakable bond with a fallen comrade.

"What the hell just happened?" Thalion thought, checking the title on his status screen. To his surprise, it appeared not only under the umbral predator form but on every single one of his classes. The power of a fallen ally lives on within you, greatly enhancing your senses and perception. Regeneration from all sources is significantly increased, allowing you to recover faster from wounds, fatigue, or mana depletion.

Additionally, you can sense hidden threats or opportunities with extraordinary clarity, making you a vigilant and resilient force in the face of danger. So that explained why he felt so much better now. But the question remained—why would those ants sacrifice themselves to give him such a powerful title? He had killed their children; why would a mother kill herself to make him stronger? And not just by a little—this title was a massive boost.

He could feel energy flowing around him, like he had been blind his whole life. Was this a gift to stop him from destroying their eggs? Though, to be fair, why should he kill ant babies anyway? They wouldn't give him any experience. As he sneaked out of the hive, his mind swirled with questions, doubts, and a growing sense of unease. Something about this gift felt wrong.

"Uh... how did it go?" Annie and Jakob asked as he emerged from the tree.

"I killed the queens; we should leave in case they follow me up," Thalion said, though he sensed it was best not to tell them what happened in the egg chamber.

"Wait, you did it? That's awesome!" Annie exclaimed.

"Kael will be thrilled to hear this!" Thalion didn't return with the two. Instead, he transformed into an eagly and took to the sky. Something nagged at him, but he couldn't figure out what. Now over five kilometers in the air, he circled while summoning whirlwinds to empower his flight. Infusing skills with extra mana felt so natural he barely had to think about it anymore. He also activated Eye of the Storm and Skybolt Barrage to test how long he could sustain them with the enhanced recovery.

To his delight, he realized he was almost regaining as much mana as he used. Thalion ended the skills, feeling uneasy. Nothing this good came without a catch. Then it struck him: he hadn't leveled up, even after killing so many ants while sneaking out of the anthive, some even above his level. In a panic, he checked the status screen of his eagle form, as it required the least experience to level up. But to his horror, the experience required to level up hadn't change much. That was strange.

Thalion sped to the river, hoping to kill something and check his experience gain. Could he be unable to level up? But if that was the case, why would this title be so highly coveted? Soon he spotted a herd of vine horses, familiar creatures at Level 44, which was quite high for beasts. He dived, charging up a lightning bolt so powerful it made the air ripple. On impact, the two horses he struck died instantly.

You have killed Vinehorse Level 46 You have killed Vinehorse Level 44 Ordinarily, this would have pushed him to Level 41 as eagly. He had already been over eighty percent of the way there. Now he was only at about eighty-two percent. Damn it, that confirmed it—he could hardly level up anymore. But why? Nothing on his status screen indicated any change. He needed a solution, and soon. Maybe the system shop could help when it arrived.

Without a fix, he'd struggle in the fourth stage, where others could easily reach Level 70 in three weeks maybe even higher. Thalion calmed himself as he flew back to Kael's base. At least he now had a partial solution. He'd been weighing the decision to join Annie in meeting the Blue Robes to acquire a water-attuned form. Before this curse, he'd been against it. But now, he had no choice.

Why would the princess or her generals help him take down a strong beast if he was a weakling who brought nothing to the negotiation table? The boost from the title was great, but his future was looking blank right now.