The forest seemed quieter today, the chirping of insects muted by the thick canopy overhead. I adjusted the makeshift straps on my bag, tightening them as I checked my traps one last time. The past few days of working with Shadow had boosted my confidence. With each hunt, our coordination improved, his swift strikes complementing the traps I'd set. His ability to target the vital points of his prey was nothing short of remarkable. It was as if the sparrow had been born with an innate understanding of battle, honed by instincts far sharper than anything I could have imagined.
Today, I had decided to push our boundaries. The area five kilometers north, with its dense forests and rugged terrain, was notorious. Even before my transmigration, the old memories told me it was a dangerous place, a place marked by signs of ferocious beasts. Yet, with Shadow by my side, I felt ready. I couldn't afford to remain stagnant forever. The world would not wait for me to grow strong. I packed my essential herbs—simple, but sufficient for first aid—and bundled together some basic traps and tools, things I had learned to fashion in my short time here: vine nets, ropes, sharpened stakes.
The journey north was silent, save for the rhythmic rustling of leaves underfoot. As we neared the foot of the mountain, a strange tension settled in my gut. Shadow flitted silently through the trees above me, his dark wings casting fleeting shadows over the forest floor.
It wasn't long before we spotted the first trail—a series of deep scratches carved into the bark of a nearby tree. I knelt down, running my fingers along the jagged edges. This was no ordinary mark. Something big had passed through here recently, its claws raking the tree as if to warn off others. Shadow's feathers bristled in anticipation.
Continuing deeper into the forest, I used the system to appraise several beasts along the way. My eyes gleamed with interest as I scanned a creature that looked like a variant of the horned rabbit I'd grown so familiar with.
[Appraisal: Twin-Horned Rabbit, Rank: Iron (Mid)]
[Trait: Enhanced Stamina, Double Horns]
[Skills: Charge, Reinforced Hide]
[Description: A sturdier and more aggressive variant of the common horned rabbit, sporting two sharp horns for ramming prey.]
This one was a step above the ones I'd previously hunted, but nothing Shadow and I couldn't handle. A few well-placed traps, combined with Shadow's precision strikes, and the Twin-Horned Rabbit soon lay defeated. I couldn't help but smile as we collected its horns, which would make for useful crafting materials later.
Further in, we encountered a Dark Pigeon. It looked harmless enough at first glance, but when I used the system to check it, my heart skipped a beat.
[Appraisal: Dark Pigeon, Rank: Iron (High)]
[Trait: Shadow Flight, Quick Evasion]
[Skills: Shadow Dive, Vanish]
[Description: A swift and elusive creature, adept at using shadows to evade predators and strike from unexpected angles. Height: 0.4 meters, Wingspan: 0.8 meters.]
[Evolution: Night Raven]
Shadow immediately took interest, the two birds circling each other in an eerie dance. It was clear that this pigeon wasn't going down without a fight. Its abilities were similar to Shadow's, allowing it to vanish into the shadows and reappear at will. However, through our honed teamwork, we outmaneuvered it. A final strike from Shadow, sharp and true, brought the pigeon down.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. The fight had been exhilarating, a test of our coordination. Shadow's skill was beyond what I'd expected for a beast of his rank. It wasn't just his peak Iron-level power—it was his intelligence, his ability to predict the enemy's movements.
With each successful hunt, I could feel the bond between us growing, and the quality of meat from these beasts far surpassed what I had been living off before.
After days of this routine, I decided it was time to push further. The deeper we ventured into the forest, the scarcer the lower-ranked beasts became. Instead, we found more territorial marks—clawed trees, scattered bones, and the unmistakable stench of something far more dangerous.
As we cautiously navigated through the underbrush, the trees thinned out, opening into a small clearing bathed in faint moonlight. And there, at the center, stood something I hadn't expected to find: a massive rodent, the size of a medium dog, prowling near a cluster of flowers. Its fur was matted, and its eyes gleamed with a feral intelligence.
[Appraisal: Dire Rat, Rank: Silver (Low)]
[Trait: High Endurance, Frenzy]
[Skills: Bite, Endurance Boost]
[Description: A large, aggressive rodent capable of withstanding severe damage. Its frenzied attacks become more dangerous the longer it fights.]
I swallowed, feeling a chill run down my spine. This was a Silver-ranked beast, and by the feel of its spiritual energy, it was on the verge of a breakthrough to Mid-Silver.
But it wasn't the rat that held my gaze. Beyond it, glowing softly under the moonlight, was the most exquisite flower I had ever seen. Its petals shimmered like starlight, delicate veins of silver running through them, as if the moon itself had imbued the plant with its essence.
[Appraisal: Moonshadow Lotus, Rank: Uncommon (High)]
[Appearance: A silver flower that blooms only under the full moon, emitting a soft, ethereal glow. Its petals are known to absorb lunar energy, making it a prized material for crafting elixirs that boost spiritual energy.]
[Effects: Can accelerate the breakthrough of spiritual beasts when consumed during the full moon. Bestows temporary enhancements to moon-aligned abilities.]
My heart raced. This was no ordinary flower. The Moonshadow Lotus was exactly what the Dire Rat was waiting for. Once the flower matured, it would consume it and use the energy to push itself into Mid-Silver rank.
I bit my lip, torn. Taking the flower would undoubtedly trigger a fight with the Dire Rat, but if I could secure it for Shadow, it might just be the key to his evolution. A chance like this wouldn't come again.
The decision weighed heavily on my mind as I crouched low, my fingers brushing the hilt of the knife at my side.
I glanced up at Shadow, who perched silently on a branch, his eyes fixed on the clearing.