The resistance was brutal, but he pushed through, gritting his teeth as the blade tore into the flesh of the boar.
"Lyra, finish it!"
Her eyes flashed bright, her small form flaring outward. A sharp pulse of radiant energy burst from her core, piercing the boar's chest. The beast's roar broke into a wet, choking cry before it collapsed. The ground shaking beneath it's fall.
Silence followed. Dust hung in the air, and a faint shimmer of fading Aether coated the clearing.
Lucien exhaled slowly, lowering his blade. "Not bad for our first hunt."
Cael laughed breathlessly, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Not bad? You call that 'not bad'? That thing could've flattened me twice!"
Lucien gave a faint smirk. "You're still standing. So, I'd say you did fine."
Cael crouched beside the fallen Horned Boar, examining the lingering glow beneath its hide.
"That was a solid E-rank. You've got good instincts, Lucien. The way you commanded her mid-fight… that was something else."
Lucien shrugged, trying not to show the hint of pride in his eyes. "It's about trust. She reacts to what I feel, not just what I say."
Cael snorted. "Must be nice."
Before Lucien could reply, a soft shimmer crossed his vision.
▓▒░ [Quest Completed] ░▒▓
Reward Unlocked — Essence Points System Activated
▓▒░ [New System Feature: EP Tracking Enabled] ░▒▓
You may now harvest, store, and allocate Essence Points for growth.
A warm surge spread through Lucien's core. The system pulsed, alive—responsive.
Lyra drifted closer, her glow stronger than before. Her bond whispered clearly:
Proud… stronger… more to come.
Lucien tightened his grip on his weapon.
"Yeah," he whispered. "Our first kill. And obviously not the last."
Cael broke the moment as he worked on the corpse, pulling free a glowing Aether Core and two tusks.
m
"Worth something after all," he muttered. "We'll split it later, yeah?"
But Lucien didn't answer, not immediately.
As the Soulbinder Interface shimmered again.
▓▒░ [Resonance Link Increased: +2%] ░▒▓
▓▒░ [Adaptive Essence Trait Activated]
Analyzing Essence: Horned Boar (E-Rank)
Result: Compatible Trait Detected — 'Charge Burst'
Skill Variant Created:
'Phantom Rush' (Minor Echo)
Lyra can now condense energy to perform a short-range burst movement mimicking the boar's charge.
Duration: 1.8s. Cooldown: 30s.] ░▒▓
Lyra pulsed with new light. She looked at Lucien with quiet pride.
He smiled faintly.
"Good work. You pick things up fast." Clearly appreciating the unique trait of the Lesser Wisp
Soon another message unfolded, silver-edged and heavier than the rest.
▓▒░ [Congratulations, Soulbinder] ░▒▓
First successful Hunt & Essence Harvest achieved.
▓▒░ [Essence Point System — UNLOCKED] ░▒▓
The new panel opened like a blooming sigil. Symbols rearranged into readable script.
Cael didn't notice, still occupied with the tusks, while silver light flickered in Lucien's eyes.
The interface wasn't just guiding him anymore.
It was evolving with him.
Lucien stared at the fading glow. The warmth still lingered in his chest.
"So that was the key," he murmured. Essence Points, unlocked.
Something he'd seen before, buried in Stats of monster analysis interface but he couldn't access.
He focused inward.
"AI assistant… explain the Essence Point System."
There was a pause, then a faint ripple in his thoughts. The same calm, unbothered tone he had grown used to answered lazily.
▓▒░ [The Essence System is the resource core of the Soulbinder Interface. You may consider it… your fuel source.] ░▒▓
Lucien frowned slightly. "Fuel for what?"
The voice hummed softly before continuing.
▓▒░ [Every creature you slay leaves fragments of its aether and soul. Those fragments are refined into Essence Points —EP— and stored within your core. They can be used to strengthen, evolve, or temporarily empower your summons. The stronger the creature, the purer the essence.] ░▒▓
Lucien's eyes narrowed as he followed along. The words came alive in his mind like a puzzle clicking together. "So, every battle can make us stronger… if we claim what's left behind."
▓▒░ [Correct.] ░▒▓
▓▒░ [F-rank rift creatures yield between 100 and 200 EP depending on vitality. E-rank yields up to 300. D-rank —nearly 500.] ░▒▓
▓▒░ [These points can be fed into your summon to strengthen their body, refine their resonance, or enhance a skill. Each skill has levels of mastery.] ░▒▓
Lucien straightened, interest gleaming in his eyes. "Levels?"
▓▒░ [Level 1 – Novice: 100 EP (+5%)]
[Level 2 – Adept: 300 EP (+10%, reduced cooldown)]
[Level 3 – Expert: 700 EP (+15%, added flexibility)]
[Level 4 – Master: 1500 EP (complete resonance integration)] ░▒▓
The voice paused, before adding, almost smugly,
▓▒░ [The soul remembers every kill. The essence decides who survives it.] ░▒▓
Lucien couldn't help a faint chuckle.
"You sound proud."
▓▒░ [Pride is irrelevant. Efficiency matters.] ░▒▓
"Sure." Lucien muttered under his breath, but there was a small grin tugging at his lips. He now understood, every creature, every battle, could feed his growth and Lyra's. It wasn't just about fighting to live anymore. It was a path to evolve.
His gaze shifted back to the corpse of the Horned Boar. The Aether still hummed faintly.
Lyra floated beside him, soft trails of light drifting from her form.
"I can feel it, master. It calls to you." She suggested through their bond.
Lucien nodded once in response.
"Then let's not waste it."
He raised his hand, and the Soulbinder Interface pulsed to life once more. A pale light formed around his palm, gentle yet commanding. Thin threads of aether drifted from the boar's remains, coiling toward him like mist. The air vibrated faintly, and Cael, who had been busy tying up the tusks and storing the cores, froze mid-motion.
The faint glow faded moments later, and the interface flickered before Lucien's eyes.
▓▒░ [Essence Collected: +310 EP] ░▒▓
Lucien exhaled slowly, lowering his hand. His gaze lingered on the beast that had nearly crushed them minutes ago. "That's one down," he said quietly, voice steady. "No fear left to spare."
Cael stood up, wiping his hands on his trousers, still watching him with a puzzled expression. "You keep doing that thing… like you're talking to yourself. What even was that glow?"
Lucien turned slightly, meeting his eyes with a faint smirk. "Let's just say it's something that helps me grow stronger."