Now alone in his room within the Pathway, Ren sat in silence.
Today marked the third day since his exile, and the sting still hadn't faded.
No matter how hard he tried, his thoughts drifted back.
Three days earlier.
"Do you choose elimination… or exile?" the First Elder asked, his voice cold and impartial.
"Exile," Ren answered without hesitation.
The First Elder raised his right hand. In an instant, it transformed into a werewolf's claw and came to rest on Ren's right shoulder.
"By the decision of the six elders," he said solemnly, "you are required to swear the Oath of Anonymity."
"I swear to never disclose the secrets of the Vishun Clan to anyone outside the clan."
The moment the words left Ren's mouth, he felt something surge from the elder's claw into his chest—tightening, binding, as if an invisible chain had wrapped itself around his heart.
The First Elder withdrew his hand and switched the oath crystal to his left palm.
"Now," he continued, "receive your Vagabond Mark."
"As a vagabond of the Vishun Clan, you shall remain so until the day you are strong enough to remove this mark. Anyone within the clan caught aiding you will be eliminated."
He paused, his eyes sharp.
"But not before you can remove it."
Back to the present.
Ren raised his hand to his right cheek. Three crimson claw marks ran from the corner of his eye down to his lips, still faintly burning beneath his fingers.
They exiled me.
They forsook me.
They shamed me.
His jaw tightened.
"I'll show them," he muttered. "I'll show them I'm not weak."
His eyes hardened with resolve.
"I'll become the strongest."
Turning toward the small box Kishun had secretly sent him, Ren hesitated before opening it. Inside was only a single item—a letter.
Frowning, he broke the seal and unfolded it.
One word stared back at him.
Death.
For a moment, Ren froze.
Did the contents of the box get switched?
If not… why would my parents risk giving me something like this?
The thought lingered—but he dismissed it.
Whatever the meaning, dwelling on it wouldn't help him survive.
Instead, Ren began preparing for a hunt.
During his first few days in the Pathway, he had done nothing but gather information. He knew his limits.
Since I'm not strong enough, he thought, I'll rely on what I have.
Knowledge.
Information will be my greatest ally.
The shelter Ren stayed in was known as Green Hyde Castle. Several kilometers to the right lay the Grassy Plains, a hunting ground favored by newcomers, where ascension points could be gathered quickly.
That's my best shot.
Slipping a nylon sack over his shoulder, Ren stepped out of the castle and headed toward the plains.
His first target of the day—
The Pitch Bunny.
Several meters into the Grassy Plains, Ren slowed his steps.
There.
A Pitch Bunny.
The creature stood among the tall grass, its massive green body hunched low on all fours. Even crouched, it reached the height of an average man's torso. Its skin looked soft—almost rubbery—and its movements were sluggish, deceptive in their calm.
Fragile body, Ren recalled.
But don't get careless.
Pitch Bunnies weren't known for brute strength. Instead, they attacked by spitting a sticky, green, gummy substance at their prey—something that could bind limbs and leave a hunter helpless if caught off guard.
Ren tightened his grip on his weapon, eyes never leaving the creature.
One mistake… and this hunt would be over before it even began.
Ren didn't rush.
He crouched low, letting the tall grass swallow his presence as he observed the Pitch Bunny from a distance. Its large ears twitched occasionally, but its dull eyes showed no sign of awareness. The creature grazed lazily, unaware that it had already been marked.
Slow reactions… fragile body… but dangerous at range, Ren reminded himself.
He reached into his sack and pulled out a small stone, weighing it in his palm. With a careful flick of his wrist, he tossed it to the left.
The stone struck the ground with a soft tap.
The Pitch Bunny's ears snapped upright. Its body tensed, and its mouth opened wide.
A thick stream of green, gummy substance shot toward the sound, splattering harmlessly against the grass. The substance hissed faintly as it spread, sticky and elastic.
Good. Just like the reports.
While the creature focused on the false threat, Ren moved.
He burst from cover, sprinting in a wide arc rather than straight ahead. The moment the Pitch Bunny noticed him, it recoiled and spat again—but Ren had already changed direction.
The green slime missed by inches, slamming into the ground behind him.
Ren closed the distance.
Using the creature's bulk against it, he leapt forward and slammed his shoulder into its side. The Pitch Bunny let out a shrill screech as its fragile body rolled across the grass.
Before it could recover, Ren seized a sharpened stake from his belt and drove it into the soft flesh beneath its jaw.
The creature convulsed once.
Then went still.
Ding!
Ren staggered back, breathing heavily, heart pounding in his chest. Finally I have slained a beast, though it felt weaker than I expected Ren thought as he wiped the green residue from his sleeve, careful not to let it touch his skin, then knelt beside the corpse, placing his hand on the corpse of the beast.
[Consume activated]
Ren felt a cool chill running through his hand, spreading through every part of his body, strengthening him. At the same time, the beast's corpse shrank, its biomass fading until there was nothing left.
The Consume system allowed humans to absorb the essence of beasts through mere skin contact. While some preferred to consume it traditionally, this was faster and more efficient.
But there was a catch:
Some beasts couldn't be consumed in one go. Their biomass weight and nutritional value determined how much could be absorbed at a time.
Consuming beasts earned Ascension Points, and with 100 points, one could earn an Ascension Permit. With an Ascension Permit, anyone could choose to ascend or continue acquiring more permits for greater strength.
Creatures in the Ascension Pathways were divided into four ranks:
Feral, Primitive, Aberrant, Absolute.
Each creature was valued between one and ten Ascension Points.
Ren glanced at his point gauge.
Well, that's a start, Ren thought, feeling a small sense of accomplishment.
He continued deeper into the plains, where another Pitch Bunny appeared. The battle played out like the last: patience, distraction, and strike. The creature fell before it even realized what was happening.
again into the plains the same tactics and two points this time. Bringing his total to twenty feral points.
He placed his hand on the beast, activating the Consume function again, netting himself eight points this time. The total was now twenty Feral points.
Ren carefully packed the extra meat, preparing to head back. Just as he was about to turn, the ground beneath him trembled. Then, a creature burst through the swaying grass, landing opposite him.
Ren froze.
A Saber-toothed Panther.
What the f#ck?
Injured—and so close to the castle.
Ren recognized the creature instantly: an Aberrant beast. These were not supposed to appear in the grassy plains.
Every cell in Ren's body screamed at him to run, but he refused. No matter how fast I run, I can't outrun an Aberrant beast.
Gritting his teeth, Ren braced himself. He wasn't going to run. He'd face it head-on.
Then—slash!
Pain. Intense, excruciating pain flooded his senses as his vision darkened.
In his final moments, a thought flickered through his mind: The letter death and strength.
Then… silence.
Ding!
[Hidden Condition completed]
[Die facing death in two different lifetimes]
[Memory synchronization successful]
[Personality synchronization completed]