Brama stepped out of the hut cautiously.
The evening sky welcomed him with a faded orange hue hanging over the tips of tall branches. The humid air felt colder than before, and the night wind began to creep through the leaves. But that wasn't what disturbed his mind.
He stood still, staring at the stretch of land where he had once been drenched in blood.
No trace.
No damage.
No crater from an energy explosion.
No footprints, no splatters of blood—not even the tree trunks that had been scorched showed any signs. Everything had returned to how it was, as if untouched by fire.
"…As if it never happened," he muttered softly.
He observed more carefully, sweeping his gaze like a soldier. But there was nothing.
The system had erased all traces. Or something more powerful than the system itself had done it.
He had one hope: to find the dagger. The weapon he had seized from the mutated soul beast. The only real tool he had to survive.
But there was nothing. Even the makeshift spear he had crafted was gone. If it could be found at all, perhaps it was just brittle debris now.
He took a long breath, then looked up at the sky.
"Is this place really just an empty hut? Or… is it some sort of base guarded by something?"
The wind answered with silence.
---
Time crept by slowly. Dusk turned into night. Darkness came gently, like a thin mist slipping between the folds of the soul. The shadows of trees danced softly in the night wind.
Brama was still standing in front of the hut. Upright. Alert.
Though his body had healed, his heart remained in trauma. Every rustle of wind felt like the sign of a new trial. His eyes scanned the surroundings, his shoulders tense.
"I hope there won't be another sudden trial like yesterday…" he whispered.
That trial had come without warning. It couldn't be rejected. Couldn't be avoided. As if the world was forcing him to survive—or vanish. That wasn't training. That was a slaughter.
Brama still harbored a little fear—not of death, but of having no choice.
"Alright," he finally sighed. "I'd better spend the night here."
---
He returned to the hut.
And once again, awe flooded him.
From the outside, the structure looked like a rickety wooden shack ready to collapse. But inside... it felt like stepping into a spiritual space designed by celestial architects. Smooth obsidian walls, soft light from an unseen ceiling, and an airflow that felt controlled by formation arrays.
He walked to the center of the room and sat cross-legged.
The Initial Symbiosis Technique manual was still in his hand.
"It's time for me to truly merge with this technique."
---
[Joint Cultivation Process]
"Sistem... does Ruda also need to cultivate using this technique?"
> Ding!
Cultivation can be done individually. However, if Host and spirit beast cultivate simultaneously, growth rate increases by 3× compared to solo cultivation.
Brama nodded. "How much EXP per minute?"
> If Brama alone: 2 EXP/min
If Ruda alone: 2 EXP/min
If together: 6 EXP/min each
This value may increase based on harmony and synchronization resonance.
"How do I teach this technique to Ruda?"
> Ding!
Once the Host understands a technique, channel spiritual energy along with the technique's structure through the soul bond. The Host's spirit beast will receive the knowledge visually within their soul.
---
Brama took a deep breath.
He closed his eyes and absorbed the pages of the Initial Symbiosis Technique. He didn't read with his mind, but absorbed it into the structure of his energy.
The technique patterns weren't mere incantations. They were frequencies. Rhythms. Vibrational patterns flowing through his energy system and blood.
He then touched his left chest, where Ruda usually perched.
"Ruda… this is for you."
A thin flash of blue light flowed from his hand. It shot inward, through his chest, merging into the soul bond directly connected to Ruda's energy center.
---
Ruda opened his eyes.
He flapped gently, then sat before Brama.
A thin aura began to emanate from both of them—same color, same rhythm, as if they were not two separate beings but two notes from the same song.
Brama and Ruda sat facing each other.
An energy circle began to form on the obsidian floor. Like fine fire lines, it spiraled around them. The walls reflected a soft orange glow.
The cultivation process had begun.
---
Brama inhaled slowly. The air entering his lungs was not just oxygen—it was energy flow. He felt it sink to his lower abdomen, then rise through his spine, branching through his body's meridians.
In front of him, Ruda trembled. His small wings glowed faintly.
From his eyes, golden-blue sparks emerged like unseen vapor.
> +6 EXP Cultivation (Brama)
+6 EXP Cultivation (Ruda)
+6 EXP...
+6 EXP...
+6 EXP...
Each breath cycle gave rise to a small energy burst moving in a harmonious pattern. On the ceiling, a beam of vertical light appeared as if spotlighting them from a sky that wasn't there.
Brama's body felt light.
His bones vibrated softly.
His head felt filled with fresh air.
His thoughts were sharp and clear. No sleepiness. No fatigue. No stray thoughts. He simply existed. Present. Calm.
He didn't realize hours had passed.
---
> Ding!
Congratulations! Host has reached:
Initial Symbiosis Stage – Level 1
Stat Bonus: +50% +5% of base values.
Brama slowly opened his eyes.
The aura around him still swirled, though beginning to fade.
He immediately opened his status window.
A faint blue light formed a screen in front of him, showing the numbers that had long defined his strength.
---
🔹 Brama – Level 9 (Before Symbiosis)
STR (Strength): 44
AGI (Agility): 71
VIT (Vitality): 40
INT (Intelligence): 35
DEF (Defense): 45
🔸 After (+1%+2%+3%+4%-2%-5%+5%+55%+5%):
STR: 77.25 → 77
AGI: 124.66 → 125
VIT: 70.23 → 70
INT: 61.45 → 61
DEF: 79.01 → 79
---
🔹 Ruda – Level 9 (Before Symbiosis)
STR: 45
AGI: 70
VIT: 50
INT: 70
DEF: 40
🔸 After (+55%+5%):
STR: 73.24 → 73
AGI: 113.93 → 114
VIT: 81.38 → 81
INT: 113.93 → 114
DEF: 65.1 → 65
---
Brama looked at the numbers with awe.
His whole body felt different. Lighter. Denser. Stronger.
But before he could fully comprehend it, his body began to react.
---
Suddenly—
From every pore, black liquid began to ooze out. Thick. Metallic-smelling. Vibrating with energy. Slowly, it covered his body like living sludge.
Brama jolted. He stood up abruptly. His arms and chest were coated in sticky black matter. He gasped. His face was nearly unrecognizable under the gunk.
"What… is this…"
The stench made him gag.
Quickly, he ran out of the hut.
Behind the building was an old well—one he hadn't noticed before. Without thinking, he scooped water with his hands and poured it over himself.
The black liquid washed away with the water, settling into the soil.
He kept washing. Again and again.
Until finally… he could see his skin again.
---
Brama stared at his reflection in the well water.
And in that moment, he froze.
That face… was no longer his old one.
It wasn't the face of a 45-year-old man who had fought, lost, and been scarred by time.
What looked back at him was a young man—perhaps 20 to 22 years old. Clear, taut skin. Sharp eyes brimming with vitality. A jawline once slack now strong again.
His hands trembled.
He touched his cheek. "Is this… me?"
His body had changed too.
Muscles once stiff were now supple and compact. Not excessive, but perfectly proportional. His reflexes reminded him of his days as an elite soldier—when his body moved without thought.
He pulled off his upper shirt. His skin was clean. No old scars.
Even the wounds from his last battle... were gone without a trace.
"Sistem… what happened to my body?"
> Ding!
Upon entering the cultivation path via Initial Symbiosis Technique, the body began cellular and spiritual adjustments.
This includes:
Total detoxification
Tissue restoration
Young cell regeneration
Suppression of aging pathways
Additional effect: body rejuvenated to peak biological vitality.
"In other words… I've become young again?"
> Ding!
Correct. This is an early-stage effect.
At advanced stages, the body can become more than just 'young'.
Its potential will adjust to the highest energy path.
---
Brama sat at the edge of the well.
Water still dripped from his hair. But his heart churned more than before.
He gripped the grass beneath his feet.
"…So this is what it means to be a cultivator.
Not just to live longer. But to become new."
"If I could change this much… what about Ruda? Will he also evolve?"
> Ding!
Spirit beasts require certain conditions to evolve:
Minimum level
Perfect synchronization
Evolution material or environment
Currently, Ruda does not meet evolution criteria.
However, his stats have increased, and his body is adjusting to new strength.
---
Brama nodded slowly.
His eyes sharpened—not just from improved sight, but newfound resolve.
This world offers opportunities.
And now, he was ready to walk its path.
---
🛌 Return to the Hut
Once his body was clean and calm, Brama returned to the hut.
Ruda was still cultivating. His wings folded, but from his body, fine aura lines spread across the room. As if he was absorbing and reorganizing himself.
Brama sat down. He closed his eyes too.
But this time, not just to cultivate.
He simply wanted... to feel.
The flowing energy. The light breath. The steady heartbeat.
The clear mind.
A world that… felt new.
Night became a dark, calm blanket.
The hut was silent. Only Brama's heartbeat and Ruda's humming energy could be heard.
The wind dared not enter. Only a hush and chill crept through the wall's cracks.
Brama sat cross-legged. Eyes half-open.
Mind calm, yet still alert.
He felt peace. But strangely… something in his chest began to feel heavy.
---
> Ding!
The system's voice was sharp.
Brama sat upright instantly.
> Living entity detected: 250 meters from Host.
Type: Human.
Speed: Slow. Severely wounded.
But contains a signal of extreme power.
Brama narrowed his eyes. "Threat level?"
> System cannot assess threat.
Target's level exceeds 80.
Currently in critical condition. Heartbeat weak. Energy structure unstable.
Estimate: death within 1 hour without aid.
Brama remained silent.
Level 80.
That… was far beyond his grasp. Even imagining such power was beyond his current understanding at Level 9.
But the system detected no aggression. And the steps were slow. Maybe… this person wasn't an enemy.
Still, Brama couldn't take chances.
---
He stood, slowly.
Ruda opened his eyes, flapped softly, and perched on the table. The two exchanged a glance. No words—just instinctive understanding.
Be alert. But don't be reckless.
Brama stood behind the hut door.
Footsteps echoed outside.
Slow. Heavy. Dragging.
Then… they stopped.
Brama held his breath.
The sound of a collapsing body shattered the silence:
> Thud!
Brama flung the door open.
Moonlight lit the damp ground before the hut.
A young man lay there. Clothes torn. Chest bleeding. Face pale and scarred.
But his eyes—though holding the last of his strength—stared directly at Brama.
"…Master…" his voice was weak, trembling. "Sorry… to intrude…"
Brama said nothing.
"My name… is Amon…"
"Can you… help me…"
His voice was barely audible.
And before Brama could respond, the young man collapsed completely.
Unconscious.