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Chapter 6: First Encounter

  After Azriel jumped down into the forest, half an hour slipped by as Azriel wandered through the forest, the canopy overhead filtering the sunlight into shafts of gold and green that danced across the forest floor. Leaves crunched softly underfoot, and the air was filled with the sounds of distant birds and rustling branches. Every few steps, he'd pause, taking in the sights and sounds of this strange place, his senses attuned to the vibrant, otherworldly energy that seemed to hum through the very roots of the trees.

  He ran his fingers along the rough bark of a tree, marveling at its texture and the faint, glowing veins running through it, traces of a unique mystical energy to the forest. Azriel felt there was something more to the forest; his Awareness made it a fact that was ingrained in his mind. After a moment, he activated [Eyes of Nighthawk] to gather information about the area. A window appeared in his vision with information about the strange forest.

  "Interesting," Azriel thought out loud, scanning the text. He thought of multiple reasons why the borders of the Yokai and Prime realms were so thin. But as he stood there, something prickled at the edge of his Awareness, a faint shift in the air, the soft crunch of leaves behind him. His instincts sharpened, and his body tensed, a thrill of energy coursing through him. Whatever was approaching moved with a deliberate silence as though it was testing him, waiting to see if he noticed.

  Slowly, Azriel turned, his gaze sweeping over the dense foliage until it landed on a shadow moving through the trees. He couldn't make out a distinct shape, but the presence was unmistakable. It radiated a quiet yet potent energy that pulsed in time with the forest. Whether friend or foe, it was clear this entity had a purpose and had been watching him for some time.

  "I know you're there," he said, more a statement than a question. Azriel's gaze panned over the forest, and multiple glowing red eyes were found. Azriel flicked his hand out, and with a shimmer of light, a gun blade materialized in his grip, a weapon both sleek and formidable. The barrel of the gun portion gleamed in polished silver, intricate engravings spiraling down its length, hinting at both its artistry and deadly precision. Attached to the barrel was a short, razor-edged blade forged from jet-black metal that seemed to drink in the light.

  Glowing purple lines pulsed along the blade's edge, like veins of pure energy that resonated with his touch. The weapon felt balanced, almost like an extension of himself, and Azriel couldn't help but admire the way the dark metal and vibrant glow contrasted, giving the gun blade an otherworldly presence.

  "Let's see what you can do!" he yelled out, brandishing his weapon. The monsters took Azriel's display, his weapon like a gunshot that began a race: multiple wolf-like creatures with red eyes and fur that looked like it was made from a shadow substance. Azriel activated his [Eyes of Nighthawk] to analyze the creatures that swarmed in on him.

  Azriel's heart raced as he skimmed through the system window, only half aware of the creature closing in on him. His fingers brushed over the interface, the information rushing by in a blur. Before he could even process the details, a low growl echoed from behind him. He spun around just as the first Shadow Wolf lunged from the shadows, its glowing red eyes locking onto his.

  Without hesitation, Azriel swung Myth Maker, its jet-black blade gleaming under the moonlight. The wolf jumped back to avoid his first swing, and its sharp fangs gleamed as it came at him again, but Azriel was faster. He swung the blade upward, pointing the gun's barrel at the creature. The purple lines running along the edge of the blade flickered with arcane energy as his finger squeezed the trigger.

  BANG!

  A sharp crack split the air, and a bolt of magical energy shot from the gun's barrel, slamming into the wolf's chest. The impact was devastating. The creature's body jerked back, a howl of pain escaping its throat before it crumpled to the ground. Its shadowy, wispy fur became static after its death. The first Shadow Wolf was gone, leaving only the faint scent of burnt fur lingering in the air.

  Azriel barely had time to register his victory before two more of the creatures emerged from the darkness, their glowing eyes locked onto him with predatory hunger. They closed the distance with terrifying speed, their forms twisting and warping as they prepared to strike, and both of the wolves split off from one another surrounding him. The wolves continued to circle, trying to find an opening to strike. After a few moments, one of them took a chance and lunged forward.

  Azriel's breath hitched as one of them lunged, claws extended, its mouth open wide to take a lethal bite. He moved instinctively, stepping back as the first wolf slashed at him with its claws, narrowly missing. In the same motion, Azriel fired again, his gun blade booming to life. The shot hit the second wolf in mid-air, sending it spiraling away with a yelping whine. But the remaining wolf was already upon him. Its jaws snapped shut just inches from his shoulder, and the force of its attack sent a chill down his spine. Without thinking, Azriel used his new superhuman speed and reflexes to duck the wolf's jaws, activating his new Art.

  "[Void Blade]!" Azriel yelled out as he swung the gun blade in a sweeping arc. The blade's edge rippled with dark, ethereal energy just before it connected with the wolf's side. With a guttural scream, the creature was bisected, and the halves of its body collapsed into a heap of shadowy mist.

  Ding!

  You have gained 2 Levels to the Path [Warrior]

  Attributes Points Allocated +80 Free Points

  Azriel took in a deep breath as the battle ended; he then felt his body and senses shift as his attributes grew. After gaining the levels, he felt something different, a new awareness, like a tether connecting him not only to this world but to something beyond, something alien and vast. A notification flashed in his vision, revealing the change.

  Ding!

  A Hidden Path has been revealed!

  Path [Outworlder]

  This Hidden Path grants you +20 to Willpower, Awareness, and Presence every time this Path levels up.

  Hidden Path [Outworlder] grants +30 free points every time this Path levels up.

  Outworlder Trait Revealed: Unbound +5 Willpower per Level

  New Skills Obtained: Anomalous Insight and Resonant Aura.

  Inventory Ability Detected Looting Function Restored.

  "Hidden path!?" Azriel looked at the notification, stunned. Hidden paths were like secret classes in a video game, and from what he read in his great-grandpa's books, they were incredibly rare and often came with unusual requirements. Azriel looked at the glowing window in front of him, his heart racing with a mixture of excitement and confusion. Hidden [paths] are extremely powerful; one of his great-grandpa's paths was one, but it had a weird requirement in order to level them up. Azriel opened the notification to gain more details, and a window opened up.

  The [Outworlder] path's requirements for leveling it were quite generous, and the skills and attribute point gains were amazing. Many questions were lingering in his mind. Why did he gain this [path] just now? [Paths] to Azriel's knowledge were matters of intent, action, identity, and time. Of course, he had no intent to become an "outworlder" being forcibly teleported by his great-grandpa's action. Still, it is his identity that he is a foreigner in this world, even though he knows a lot about it. According to the [path], he should have had it as soon as he finished the system integration, so time wasn't an issue.

  "Well, that's for me to deal with in the future," Azriel said as he turned the wolf bodies. "It's time to try this new looting function."

  Do you wish to loot Shadow Wolf x3?

  Yes / No

  Azriel hit yes with a mental command, and then the window disappeared. The monster corpses began turning into black vapor. It was a moment when he began to regret his extremely high Awareness. Despite Awareness being a spirit attribute, his five physical senses were also amplified, the most intense being his smell. As soon as the smell of rotted eggs combined with burnt popcorn entered his nose, he nearly vomited on the floor.

  "Jesus Christ!" He covered his nose from the smell, but it did little to protect him from the smell. After some time, the wolves' corpses disappeared completely; he checked the notification.

  3 Shadow Pelts

  3 Days Worth of Wolf Meat

  54 Shadow Wolf Claws

  3 Shadow Essences

  Azriel's eyes drift over his inventory, inspecting each item with interest. The Shadow Pelts catch his attention first, folded and dark as midnight, their silken fur faintly shimmering with a bluish tint, promising warmth and protection against the elements. Nearby are the icons for Wolf Meat, three days' worth of dark red cuts, each wrapped in sturdy cloth and gleaming with freshness, ready to sustain him on his journey. The Shadow Wolf Claws, a collection of sleek, midnight-black talons, appear sharp and curved, each claw edged with a smoky aura that hints at their magical potency, perhaps useful for crafting. Finally, his gaze lands on the Shadow Essences: dark, polished spheres holding twisting tendrils of shadow and faint glimmers of purple as if containing the spirits of the fallen wolves.

  Azriel's smile replaced his earlier disgust from the smell of looting. There are lots of worthwhile materials for a craftsman if he sells, but the best thing from the loot was the multiple essences he received. Essences can be used to upgrade a current [path] or gain a new [path] when reaching level 10 in one of the two [paths] he currently had. He wondered for a second if he could use it for himself; suddenly, the Nighthawk Codex appeared, flipped open, and shot a beam best described as a barcode scanner. After it finished, the least unusual new function was that Azriel was still not using the codex to page, and a new window appeared in his vision.

  Azriel looked at the analysis summary and was a little disappointed that, when he reached level 10, there weren't many options available for the [paths] he currently uses. When he looked at the final [Path] option, he didn't know why, but he felt excited. Even after reading the final requirement, he felt strangely okay with completing it. Shaking the feeling off, he closed both his inventory menu and the codex with a mental command. The codex shut itself close and vanished, then continued walking through the forest, pulling the hood of the jacket up.

  "Besides the looting smell problem, it is not a bad first monster encounter."

  ***

  Under the bright daylight, a small girl with striking white hair marked by tiger-like stripes darted through the forest. Her tiger ears twitched as she ran, her combat robes fluttering a dark blue top with a storm motif and black pants designed for movement. Behind her, shadows moved, and yokai of all shapes and sizes gave chase.

  Ahead, her mother, with black hair streaked with a single white stripe, turned briefly. She raised her sword, which crackled with energy. With fierce precision, she swung the blade, sending beams of lightning surging back toward the creatures.

  "Yuki, duck!" her mother shouted, her voice both urgent and reassuring. Without hesitation, Yuki dropped low just as a crackling bolt blazed over her head, scattering their pursuers with a blinding flash. When Yuki looked up, terror froze her heart. A Dodomeki, a monstrous yokai with countless black eyes dotting its clawed, elongated arms, had driven its talon into her mother's back. Her mother staggered, blood spilling from her lips as she gasped, the creature's twisted smile deepening as its myriad eyes, soulless and unblinking, fixated on Yuki.

  "NO!" Yuki cried, her fear igniting into fury. Lightning sparked to life around her small clenched fists, crackling and pulsing with raw energy. She launched herself forward, striking the Dodomeki with everything she had. Her fists erupted into bolts of electricity as she pushed against the beast, her heart roaring with every spark.

  Yuki's heart pounded as she rushed to her mother's side, her hands trembling as she reached down to help her up. Despite the wound, her mother gave a faint, determined nod, gripping Yuki's hand with surprising strength. Together, they forced themselves forward, weaving through the dense forest, dodging branches, and leaping over roots. The ominous cries of yokai echoed behind them, growing fainter with every step. Yuki's focus never wavered; her senses heightened as they ran, lightning still sparking faintly around her fists, ready to strike again if needed.

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