The Frozen Wildlands greeted Aria with its usual frosty silence. Snow stretched endlessly in all directions, broken only by the occasional jagged rock or stubborn patch of brittle grass.
"Yep, another gorgeous day in the frozen wasteland," she thought bitterly, her sharp claws flexing against the icy ground. "Why couldn't I have reincarnated into a warm forest? Or maybe somewhere tropical, with coconuts and sunshine? But no, I get this."
The encounter with the human lingered in her mind, filling her with a mix of unease and curiosity. She hadn't stuck around to investigate—mostly because she liked being alive—but she couldn't help but wonder what he had been doing out here.
"Probably not sightseeing," she muttered inwardly.
Shaking the thoughts away, she focused on more immediate concerns. The first week had passed, and she had survived. That was no small feat, but survival alone wouldn't be enough. She needed strength, skills, and a place to call her own.
"System," she thought. "Show me my status panel. I need to see how impressive I look now."
A glowing screen materialized in her mind.
---
[Status Panel]
Name: Aria
Species: Moonlit Stalker (Stage 1)
Level: 4 (EXP: 15/100)
Cultivation Realm: Beast Awakening Stage (Initial Phase)
Attributes:
Strength: 8
Agility: 15
Perception: 13
Endurance: 10
Spirit: 12
Skills Earned from Evolution:
Lunar Veil: Cloak the user in moonlight, enhancing stealth and evasion (Skill Progression: 10%).
Moon's Embrace: Absorb ambient moonlight to restore minor health and stamina (Unlocked, 0% Progress).
Spirit Step: Phase briefly through physical obstacles; costs stamina (Unlocked, 0% Progress).
Skills Earned from Quests:
Cold Resistance III: Enhanced resistance to freezing temperatures, reducing environmental penalties.
Survival Instinct I: Heightened awareness of danger; improves reaction speed during ambushes.
Agility II: Increases speed and precision of movements.
---
Aria scanned the panel, her tail flicking behind her.
"Not bad," she mused. "I mean, sure, my strength stat is an embarrassing eight, but agility? Fifteen. That's right—I'm basically a ninja now."
Her sharp eyes lingered on Spirit Step, the skill she had yet to master. The idea of phasing through solid objects was undeniably cool, but the stamina drain had left her wobbling like a newborn fawn the last time she used it.
"System," she thought. "Activate Spirit Step for training. Let's see if I can phase through a rock without passing out this time."
"Warning: Spirit Step consumes significant stamina. Use cautiously."
"Oh, I live for danger," she replied sarcastically.
---
She braced herself, her sharp claws digging into the icy ground. A jagged boulder stood a few feet ahead, and she fixed her gaze on it.
"Alright, rock," she thought. "Prepare to witness greatness."
The energy within her stirred, humming like a live wire.
"Skill activated: Spirit Step."
For a split second, the world shifted. Her body dissolved into a flicker of silvery light, weightless and untethered. When she reappeared on the other side of the boulder, her legs wobbled, and she immediately collapsed onto the snow.
"Skill Progression: Spirit Step 5%."
Aria groaned, her chest heaving as she lay sprawled in the snow.
"Okay," she muttered inwardly. "That was less 'greatness' and more 'graceful disaster.' But at least I didn't faceplant this time. Progress!"
---
As she caught her breath, the system chimed again.
"New Quest: Establish a Territory."
Objective: Claim an area within the Frozen Wildlands and defend it from intruders.
Reward: +25 EXP, Minor Attribute Boost.
Aria blinked, her ears perking up. A territory? The idea sparked something primal within her, a deep-seated instinct that made her claws itch.
"A territory, huh?" she mused. "Finally, a place to nap without constantly worrying about being eaten. I'm in."
Her sharp eyes scanned the landscape. The rocky outcrop she had rested under earlier was decent, but she needed something better—something defensible, with a good vantage point and access to resources.
"Basically, I'm looking for prime real estate in the middle of nowhere," she thought wryly. "How hard could that be?"
---
The search took hours.
Aria moved with careful precision, her Lunar Veil cloaking her presence as she explored the snow-covered terrain. She avoided open areas, sticking to the shadows of cliffs and trees.
Eventually, she found it—a small canyon tucked between two towering cliffs. The entrance was narrow, barely wide enough for her to squeeze through, but the space beyond opened into a sheltered hollow.
Snow piled in drifts along the edges, and a trickling stream ran through the center, its icy waters glinting faintly in the pale light.
"Potential territory detected. Defensibility: High. Resources: Moderate."
Aria's tail swished as she padded into the hollow, her sharp eyes scanning every corner.
"It's not exactly a luxury penthouse," she thought. "But at least it's got running water. I'll take it."
The system chimed softly.
"Territory established: Moonlit Hollow. Quest progress: 50%."
Her satisfaction was short-lived.
---
A low growl echoed through the hollow, freezing her in place.
Aria's fur bristled, and she crouched low, her claws flexing against the snow.
"Great," she thought. "I claim a territory for five seconds, and someone's already here to dispute it. Can't a leopard catch a break?"
The growl grew louder, and a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the shadows.
A snow leopard emerged, larger than her but clearly less evolved. Its dull fur and gaunt frame suggested it was struggling to survive—but that didn't make it any less dangerous.
"Hostile detected: Snow Leopard (Beast Awakening Stage, Initial Phase)."
The leopard growled again, lowering its body into a predatory stance.
Aria let out a low growl of her own. "Look, buddy," she thought. "I just claimed this place. If you want it, you'll have to go through me."
---
The fight was fast and brutal.
The leopard lunged, its claws slashing through the air with surprising speed. Aria dodged to the side, her Agility II skill sharpening her movements. She retaliated with a swipe of her own, her claws raking across its flank.
The creature snarled, its red eyes blazing with fury.
"Seriously?" she thought, ducking another attack. "You're still coming at me? Take a hint!"
She activated Lunar Veil, her shimmering form darting around the confused predator. Before it could react, she lunged, her claws sinking into its shoulder.
With a final, desperate yowl, the leopard broke free and fled, disappearing into the shadows.
Aria stood still, her chest heaving as adrenaline coursed through her.
"Quest Complete. +25 EXP earned. Minor Attribute Boost applied."
The system chimed again, but she barely noticed.
"Yeah, that's right," she thought, her tail flicking smugly. "Run back to whatever sad little hole you crawled out of."
---
"System," she said, her voice steady despite the ache in her body. "Show my updated stats."
The screen appeared again, the numbers shifting slightly.
---
[Status Panel]
Level: 5 (EXP: 15/150)
Cultivation Realm: Beast Awakening Stage (Initial Phase)
Attributes:
Strength: 9
Agility: 16
Perception: 14
Endurance: 11
Spirit: 13
---
Aria smirked as she studied the panel. "Stronger, faster, smarter. I'm basically unstoppable now. Well, as long as no more direwolves show up. Or humans. Or, you know, anything bigger than me."
The Moonlit Hollow was hers now. And she would defend it.