Under the afternoon sun, Ajis sat cross-legged on the snow-covered ground at the western border of the practice field, beneath the shade of a towering tree. His eyes remained closed, his breath steady, and his body draped in a thick fur pelt, yet he paid no attention to the biting cold or the distant shouts of other tribe members training nearby.
Today, for the first time in days, the sun had shone brightly from dawn, with no snowfall. Taking advantage of the clear weather, tribe members stepped out of their homes, eager to move about. Like them, Ajis and Al had begun their morning training together after a hearty breakfast.
However, as chief hunter of the tribe, Al had other duties. The clear skies meant an ideal opportunity for a hunting expedition beyond the valley. Before long, he had set out with a hunting party, hoping to track and slay a magic beast. But Ajis knew how difficult that would be—magic beasts were elusive.
Unlike ordinary creatures, magic beasts, upon advancing, gained the intelligence of a ten-year-old child. They understood danger and instinctively avoided strong hunters. Every hunting party sent by the tribe was formidable, consisting of:
- Three Spirit Blood Hunters
- One Great Shaman
- Ten Blood Awakening Hunters
- Thirty Ordinary Hunters
But even this formidable force often failed to find magic beasts in the vast, snow-covered forest.
Thinking of magic beasts reminded Ajis of last night's meal—the meat of a Bronze Rank snake magic beast.
The memory made his mouth water.
The snake soup prepared from it had been the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. It was unlike any ordinary meal—just one bowl had left him completely full, thanks to the immense energy contained within the meat.
Ajis was a Spirit Blood Hunter, the strongest among the tribe's hunters. Yet, just one bowl of that snake soup had been enough to fill his stomach completely.
He had heard rumors—a single sip of the soup had been enough to satiate ordinary tribe members, and more astonishingly, many had advanced to the Blood Awakening Hunter realm after consuming just a mouthful. Even more shocking, four tribe members had broken through directly into the Spirit Blood Hunter realm.
Ajis himself had felt the change. Though he had not yet advanced to the Intermediate Spirit Blood Realm, the nourishment from the soup had strengthened his body and, more importantly, fortified the hidden spirit within him. This made it easier to sense and awaken the spirit required for advancement.
His thoughts raced.
"If I drink another bowl tonight and train through the night… by tomorrow, I will definitely advance to the Intermediate Spirit Blood Realm."
Just two months ago, he would have never dared to dream of reaching Spirit Blood Realm—it had felt like an unreachable goal. But now, standing on the precipice of power, an even greater ambition took root.
"Even if I never reach Bronze Rank… I will surely push myself to the very peak of the Spirit Blood Realm."
As these thoughts lingered in his mind, Ajis couldn't help but sigh.
"If the totem had awakened just two or three years earlier… maybe I would have had a real chance to reach Bronze Rank Hunter."
But time was against him. Only three years remained before he turned forty, and after that, his blood power would begin to decline. If he wanted to advance, he needed continuous nourishment, something as potent as the snake soup he had consumed the night before—at least once a month.
But that was wishful thinking.
The soup had been made from the meat of a Bronze Rank Magic Beast. And in the tribe, no one could hunt such a beast—except for Lord Lycan.
And Lord Lycan only obeyed the Totem's will.
Ajis clenched his fists. He couldn't ask the Totem for help. They existed to serve the Totem, not the other way around.
Yet, after awakening, the Totem had already granted them so much—a training method to reach the limit of the Spirit Blood Realm, knowledge of how shamans could advance to the Great Shaman Realm, and even an order that had led Lord Lycan to slay the Snake Tribe's Totem.
With another deep sigh, Ajis pushed the thoughts aside.
No use dwelling on it. No use longing for what cannot be.
Clearing his mind, he refocused on his training—searching for the hidden spirits within him, preparing to merge them with his blood.
Elsewhere, on the western side of the lake, a majestic tree stood tall, defying winter's grip. Unlike the other trees, which had shed their leaves, this one remained evergreen, its vibrant green foliage untouched by the cold. Among its branches, small, crimson fruits glistened like drops of blood against the frost-laced air.
This was the Blood Tree—the very one Via had helped advance into a magic plant just two days ago.
Now, she sat cross-legged beneath another, ordinary Blood Tree, her eyes closed in deep concentration. Her goal? To help this tree reach the Magic Plant Realm as well.
Around her, a circle of tribe shamans watched with eager anticipation, their gazes fixed on Via as they whispered among themselves.
Standing nearby, Kais cradled a silver-eyed fox in his arms, its soft grey fur blending with his cloak. He spoke in a hushed voice,
"If Via receives feedback from this tree, she could reach the Intermediate Great Shaman Realm in no time."
Beside him, Jion folded his arms, his own expression one of measured anticipation.
"That depends," Jion replied, his eyes never leaving Via. "Even if she receives feedback, the real question is—how much energy will she gain from it?"
His gaze drifted toward the remaining dozen or so Blood Trees still awaiting their turn.
The gathered shamans nodded in agreement, understanding the uncertainty of the process.
After a brief silence, Kais turned to Jion, his expression thoughtful.
"Jion, have you given any thought to my proposal?"
Jion met Kais' gaze, his mind weighed down by the decision. Yesterday, Kais had proposed launching an attack on the nearby tribes before winter ended and spring arrived. But such an important decision was not his to make—only the Totem had the authority to decide something of this scale.
Before he could answer, Ferice spoke up.
"Jion, I think Kais' proposal has merit."
The statement shocked everyone. Even Kais turned to Ferice with wide eyes—no one had expected him to agree with anything Kais said.
Ferice had once been an elder of the Wild Cat Tribe, until the Snake Tribe destroyed their Totem and forced him into submission. But now, he stood among the Statue Tribe, having switched allegiance after their victory over the Snake Tribe.
Noticing the astonishment in everyone's expressions, Ferice continued,
"For a small tribe to grow stronger quickly, there is no other choice but to attack other tribes."
Another Great Shaman, Sepa, formerly of the Spring Fairy Tribe, nodded.
"We've met all the requirements for the ceremony."
Everyone present knew exactly what he meant—the ceremony that would inform the Eyed Council, more than a thousand miles away, that the Statue Tribe had reached the status of a Middle-Rank Tribe.
Kais smirked. "Why do you think I brought up attacking other tribes? Once spring arrives, we won't be able to make a move, even if we want to."
Jion's expression darkened. "Then the Dark Panther Tribe will start targeting us to maintain its dominance over this region."
Jion exhaled deeply. "I will discuss this with the Totem after Via transforms the remaining Blood Trees."
Kais pressed further, "With Lord Lycan on our side, we can begin the attack tomorrow."
Jion shook his head. "I don't want to ask Lord Lycan for help. If he attacks smaller tribes, the Dark Panther Tribe could use that as an excuse to retaliate against us."
Sepa spoke with conviction, "With all of us working together, the Totems of the smaller tribes won't be able to stand against us."
Before the discussion could continue, the Blood Tree before them reacted—the same way the previous one had when it advanced into a Magic Plant.
As they stood in silent anticipation, Jion suddenly received a message from the Totem.
A smile broke across his face.
The elder turned to the others. "You all stay here."
Without another word, he spun around and strode toward the main training field.