Chapter 7:

The Tiger lay there helpless. Just a few minutes before it found a tasty snack and now it seemed it had bit of more than it could chew.

It had smelled the stench of something having invaded its territory and quickly stalked upon the invader. It had waited patiently in order to ambush the two. A tall muscular man wearing a long trench coat and a small boy who's rugged and beaten appearance showed forest life wasn't suited for him.

The tiger waited till the larger human had turned his back before it sprang forward, maws wide and waiting to bite down on the targets juicy neck.

Just as it was a few feet away its face had been brutally manhandled to the ground before it received a multitude of blows to the body and head, breaking several of its bones all whilst the larger human smiled.

"Come little Xan. Its age is around 300 years making it a very suitable spirit ring for you."

The dean moved his free hand and out of nowhere a large dagger appeared. Of course, Xander was already accustomed to such miraculously appearing things. It was the result of a storage tool and another wonder within this world. Xander wanted one for himself, but the beefy price tag alluded his meagre savings.

Xander unhesitatingly strode up beside the creature, well aware that it could not hurt him under the Deans presence. Xander took the dagger from the Dean and under the dean's supervision he calmly thrust the blade into the tiger's rib cage, sliding the blade between the rib bones and firmly plunging it into the tiger heart.

The tiger's flesh and muscle provided little resistance to this unnaturally sharp knife and with a pained yelp, life retreated from its hate filled eyes.

As an Oprah's, Xander had grown accustomed to being alone, relying solely on himself and his keen intelligence to navigate the challenges that life threw his way. Despite his tender age of seven, he displayed an uncanny composure that seemed beyond the grasp of a typical child. In fact, he had already experienced a life that was far from ordinary.

Having been born an orphan in his previous life, Xander knew firsthand the haunting absence of parental warmth and guidance. Raised in the cold embrace of orphanage walls, he had learned early on to fend for himself, shaping his perspective on the world and developing a self-centred personality as a means of self-preservation.

The lack of empathy that had been cultivated in his past made him seem aloof and detached from the emotions of others. Yet, it also endowed him with a certain sharpness, enabling him to analyse situations dispassionately and make pragmatic decisions without being clouded by sentimentality.

As he grew older, Xander's intellect became his most potent weapon. He was a voracious reader, consuming knowledge from every source available to him. Books became his companions, and in the pages of literature, he discovered solace and answers to questions he couldn't ask anyone else. He became astute in observing the world, honing his ability to read people and situations with precision. Of course he enjoyed dabbling in the fictional worlds as well as they provided a respite from his day to day life.

But it was not just intelligence that set Xander apart; it was his wit and resourcefulness. Xander had learned how to read people and how to build meaningful connections to others for his own gain. Sure it was a dark way of thinking but it had allowed him to survive so long in his previous world and only aided him here as well.

Developing such a good relationship with the Dean was a simple example of it.

Re emerging from his thoughts Xander's eyes moved back over to the Tigers dead corpse as a dim yellow ring of light emerged from the body and began to hover gently over the dead beast.

"Hurry up little Xan. The spirit ring won't stay for long".

Xander had to make the killing blow, as for some reason only the person who killed the spirit beast could absorb the spirit ring.

In response to the Elders beckoning, Xander kneeled next the beast before transitioning into a meditative pose, all in one smooth motion. He summoned his spirit energy sending it out of his body to encompass the dimly rotating ring before he began to pull it into himself.

(A.N - Hey guys :). GiVe Me Ya StOnE's. Me HuNgRy.

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