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Chapter 24: First Hunt, First Blood
Morning broke over the sleepy village.
But Ray was already awake, standing at the edge of his Domain.
The Frost Wolf Pup, whom he named Blizzard, padded faithfully at his side, ears twitching at every sound.
His hand brushed the smooth shaft of his worn spear.
Today wasn't for training.
Today was for the hunt.
> "You must feed your Domain, Host.
Blood. Mana. Cores.
Life must be offered to fuel growth."
Seventeen's voice hummed in his mind like a quiet drum.
Ray tightened his grip.
He stepped beyond the boundary — the grass changing from rich emerald to the dry yellow of the wilds.
Behind him, the Domain throbbed gently, almost as if watching him go.
---
The forest at the village's border was dangerous.
Not because of mighty monsters.
But because small predators hid in every shadow.
Sharpclaw Hares, Stone Turtles, Moss Snakes — all beasts ranked at F —
weak alone, deadly in packs or ambush.
Ray moved carefully.
Every step light.
Every breath controlled.
Blizzard slinked ahead, fur blending into the morning mist.
And then —
Blizzard stopped.
Ears flattened. Tail stiff.
Warning.
Ray immediately dropped low, narrowing his eyes.
Ahead, nestled between rocks, was a Sharpclaw Hare —
about the size of a dog, brown fur streaked with scars, long back claws glinting like knives.
It hadn't noticed them yet.
> "First blood will bond the beast deeper to you, Host.
Let Blizzard attack first.
Show him you trust him."
Seventeen guided.
Ray nodded silently.
He tapped Blizzard's side.
Go.
The pup tensed...
...and then launched forward with a growl.
The Hare shrieked and spun, sharp claws flashing — but Blizzard was faster.
Teeth sunk into the Hare's throat.
They tumbled, dust and fur flying, a brutal struggle of instinct and desperation.
Ray watched grimly.
This was life.
This was survival.
And his Domain demanded it.
Blizzard yelped once as a claw scraped his side, but he bit harder, shaking his head violently.
With a final shudder, the Sharpclaw Hare went limp.
---
> [Beast defeated: Sharpclaw Hare (F Rank)]
[Loot: 1 F-Rank Beast Core, Sharp Claw ×2, Hare Meat ×3]
[Domain Energy +1]
---
Blizzard limped back proudly, bloody muzzle raised high.
Ray knelt, gently touching the pup's injured side.
It wasn't deep — just a scrape.
> "Good, Blizzard. Very good."
He praised.
The Frost Wolf wagged his tail fiercely, tongue lolling out.
Ray smiled thinly and turned his gaze to the dead Hare.
It wasn't just food.
It was tribute.
He pressed a hand to the cooling body and focused.
A thin mist rose — a shimmer of mana and life force — and flowed into the invisible threads linking him to the Domain.
The earth under his feet rumbled faintly.
> "Domain absorbed life force.
Tree of Frostwolf — Growth +0.1%"
Seventeen intoned.
Ray blinked.
Only 0.1%...?
Seventeen chuckled in his mind.
> "You want a forest, boy?
Then you must drown it in blood and cores.
Grow it with sweat, claw, and fury."
Ray stood slowly, spear tapping the ground.
One beast wasn't enough.
Not by far.
---
He spent the whole day hunting.
Sharpclaw Hares.
Moss Snakes.
Even a young Stone Turtle, its shell thick but its movements clumsy.
Each kill fed the Domain.
Each kill fed his resolve.
Blizzard grew bolder with every battle — learning to dodge, to feint, to strike true.
At nightfall, Ray limped back to the Domain, clothes torn, arm bleeding from a Moss Snake's desperate bite.
He collapsed against the Frostwolf Tree, laughing hoarsely.
Tired.
Sore.
Alive.
> [Day Summary:]
Beasts Killed: 5
Beast Cores Gained: 5
Domain Growth: +2%
Current Frostwolf Capacity: 2/10
Two Frost Wolf pups now lay curled beside the tree — Blizzard, and a new sibling.
The first flickers of a pack.
A real army.
Still tiny.
Still weak.
But Ray grinned into the night.
They were his.
And he would raise them to devour the world.
---
Chapter 25: Preparation for Departure
The next morning, Ray stood at the edge of his Domain, watching the second Frost Wolf pup tumble awkwardly after Blizzard.
They yipped and snapped at each other, clumsy but growing stronger with every passing hour.
The Frostwolf Tree shimmered faintly, thin mists swirling at its roots.
> "Your army will grow steadily, Host.
But beasts alone aren't enough.
You must grow too."
Seventeen reminded him in his calm, cold voice.
Ray nodded.
He had learned that lesson yesterday.
Each hunt was a brutal, bloody reminder — he was weak.
Only a boy with a spear.
Without Blizzard, he wouldn't have survived even the Moss Snake ambush.
> "You need better skills.
Better equipment.
And… allies."
Seventeen added, almost as if tasting the word 'allies' like a strange fruit.
Ray turned back toward the village, where smoke rose lazily from chimneys.
The Academy Trials were coming.
In just a few weeks, all twelve-year-olds would be tested and selected.
And if he succeeded, he'd be sent to the nearby Greenleaf Academy, one of the better training centers in the region.
His heart pounded at the thought.
Adventure.
Training.
Missions.
Friends.
Enemies.
Everything would change.
---
He spent the day preparing.
First, he went to the village's market square — a wide dirt circle where merchants displayed simple goods.
Fruits. Cloth. Leather. Iron.
He had a few silver coins saved up — rewards from completing small tasks for the village elders over the years.
Not much.
But enough.
He needed two things:
A stronger weapon (his wooden spear was cracked)
Light armor (even a snake's bite had almost crippled him)
---
At a rough iron stall, he met Old Bram, the village blacksmith.
Bram was a huge man with arms thicker than Ray's legs, his face always covered in soot.
"Eh, boy. Looking for something?" Bram rumbled.
Ray nodded and pointed at a simple iron spear hanging behind him.
Long. Balanced.
Not too heavy — perfect for someone Ray's size.
Bram chuckled. "A warrior's heart, eh? That'll be 30 silver."
Ray winced. He only had 40 total.
Still... no choice.
He handed over the coins.
> [Purchased: Iron Spear (Basic F-rank weapon)]
[Durability: 80/80]
[Attack Power: +3]
Seventeen's cold evaluation popped up in his mind.
Not amazing.
But it was a start.
He also bought a leather chest guard and arm bracers for 8 silver coins more.
Now only 2 silver clinked in his pouch.
---
That night, Ray trained in his Domain.
Simple drills:
Stabbing. Blocking. Dodging.
Blizzard and the pups circled him, occasionally play-fighting among themselves.
Hours passed.
Sweat soaked his clothes.
Blisters formed on his palms.
But Ray didn't stop until he collapsed under the Frostwolf Tree, gasping for breath.
---
> [Progress Report:]
Spear Proficiency (Basic): 12% → 18%
Stamina: Slight Increase
Reflexes: Slight Increase
Domain Energy: Stable
Current Frost Wolf count: 3/10
Another pup had been born during the night.
Small. Wobbly.
But it opened bright blue eyes and yipped proudly.
Ray smiled tiredly.
A pack was forming.
And so was he.
Step by step.
Day by day.
Weakness would be crushed.
---
Morning came with a sharp knock on his door.
He opened it to find Village Chief Aron standing there — an old man with sharp eyes and a back straighter than steel.
"Ray," Aron said curtly, "Academy registration begins in three days. Be ready."
He handed over a sealed scroll.
Instructions. Location. Rules.
Ray took it with both hands, heart racing.
This was it.
His chance.
Not just to get stronger.
But to carve his name into the world.
> "Remember, Host.
Academy life will not be kind.
Trust no one easily.
Make allies carefully.
And above all...
Grow your army in the shadows."
Seventeen whispered like a dark wind.
Ray bowed low to the Chief.
When he straightened, there was no fear left in
---
Chapter 26: The Road to Greenleaf Academy
The sun had barely crested the horizon when Ray stood at the village gate, carrying a small leather backpack slung over one shoulder.
Inside were simple rations, a waterskin, two sets of clothes, and the iron spear he had bought with most of his savings.
The Frostwolf pups whined sadly from the distance, clustered near the Frostwolf Tree in his hidden Domain.
Blizzard, however, sat tall behind him, his silver-blue fur rippling like smoke in the morning light.
> "Beasts must remain hidden within the Domain for now, Host.
You cannot explain them to ordinary humans.
Focus on strengthening yourself first."
Seventeen advised coldly.
Ray nodded.
The Domain's entrance was invisible unless he summoned it, hidden safely in the nearby woods.
Blizzard and the other pups would guard it while he was away.
For now… it was just him.
---
At the gate, a small crowd had gathered.
About twenty other children, all around his age, some with their parents fussing over them.
Polishing armor. Adjusting cloaks. Whispering final bits of advice.
Leah, a sharp-eyed girl with twin daggers at her waist.
Torin, a broad-shouldered boy carrying a battle axe twice as wide as Ray.
Mira, a quiet mage girl clutching a simple wooden staff.
And a few others — friends, rivals, strangers.
Ray felt the energy buzzing in the air — excitement, fear, hope.
A large covered wagon waited for them, pulled by two huge Steel-Horned Bulls, their gray hides glinting in the sun.
Two escorts in simple leather armor stood nearby — guards sent by the village council to ensure the children reached the Academy safely.
One of them — a middle-aged man with a scar across his nose — barked,
"Everyone here? Good. Mount up! We have a long journey ahead."
---
The wagon creaked as they climbed in, jostling for space.
Ray took a seat near the back, spear resting across his knees.
The scarred guard leapt up front, grabbing the reins.
With a crack of the whip, the Steel-Horned Bulls lurched forward.
The village of Dawnedge shrank behind them, smoke curling lazily into the sky.
Ray watched it until it disappeared.
---
The road to Greenleaf Academy was rough and dusty.
Hours turned into miles.
Miles turned into endless trees, rivers, and hills.
Some kids chatted nervously.
Others slept.
Ray simply watched.
He memorized the surroundings — trees thick with low-hanging moss, birds darting overhead, faint trails of beasts in the undergrowth.
> "Host is wise to observe.
Danger can strike even here."
Seventeen murmured approvingly.
In fact, the region was not fully safe.
Between villages and cities, wild monsters, rogue beasts, and even bandits prowled.
Every year, some children never reached the Academy.
That was just how the world worked.
---
As the sun dipped low, the caravan stopped near a wide clearing.
The scarred guard barked, "Camp here tonight! Stay close to the fire. No wandering."
Tents were set up hurriedly.
A small bonfire blazed.
Ray sat with his back to a tree, eating hard bread and dried meat.
The forest rustled and whispered around them.
---
Later that night...
As Ray cleaned his spear, he overheard whispers.
"Did you hear?"
"One of the Tier-4 Gates opened last week."
"Another beast tide coming?"
His ears perked up.
Tier-4 Dimensional Gates — dangerous, but still manageable for cities with good armies.
Tier 1 to Tier 3 Gates were handled easily.
Tier 4 to Tier 6 Gates caused minor disasters.
Tier 7 and above... cities fell, kingdoms burned.
And once every five years, the nightmare — the Tier-12 Gate — opened.
The stories chilled him even though he had heard them before.
> "You are still a seedling, Host.
But one day, you will walk into Tier-12 storms... and not fall.
You will make others kneel instead."
Seventeen whispered, voice like a blade.
Ray clutched his spear tighter.
---
In the early hours of dawn, something woke him.
A soft, crunching sound.
A faint hiss.
His body moved on instinct — training with Blizzard sharpening his reflexes.
He rolled aside just as a Grayfang Panther pounced where he had been lying.
Screams rang out from the camp.
The guards were already moving, weapons flashing.
Ray gritted his teeth and lunged forward, spear aimed true.
The Grayfang Panther was fast — a Level 2 F-rank beast — but not fast enough.
Ray's iron spear pierced its shoulder, and he twisted brutally.
The beast shrieked, raking his arm with its claws.
Pain flared, but Ray didn't let go.
He drove the spear deeper — through muscle and bone — until the Panther collapsed with a dying whine.
---
> [Beast defeated: Grayfang Panther (Level 2 F-rank)]
[+40 EXP]
[Loot: Grayfang Panther Core (Damaged)]
Ray staggered back, breathing hard.
Blood ran down his arm, but it wasn't deep.
Other kids stared at him — some wide-eyed, others fearful.
One of the guards clapped him roughly on the back.
"Good kill, boy!" he grunted. "You'll do well at Greenleaf."
Ray just nodded silently, retrieving the damaged Beast Core.
It pulsed weakly in his palm — cracked, leaking energy.
> "Even a damaged core can be absorbed later, Host.
Waste nothing."
Seventeen advised.
Ray tucked it into his bag.
Tomorrow, they would reach Greenleaf Academy.
Tomorrow, his real journey would begin.
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(End of Chapter 26)
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