Chapter 47: As If It Just Ended…
Reon was stunned. With just a sip of the Shadow Claw Bear's blood, he'd broken through two stages of the Qi Refinement Realm in a flash. And the taste—it was intoxicating, richer than anything he could've imagined.
"How could blood taste this good?" he wondered, a blend of shock and curiosity sparking through him. But the allure was undeniable, and with little hesitation, he raised the glass and drank deeply.
Suddenly, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding! The Host has consumed the blood of a Mid-Ranked Demonic Soldier Beast for the first time. Blood potency is amplifying the effects on the Host's cultivation.]
An immense energy surged through Reon's body once more, a vibrant warmth unfurling from his core, spreading to every limb. He felt lighter, his senses sharper, as though his entire being was coming alive with power.
His hair lifted in a subtle wave as if caught in an unseen breeze, his skin tingling with newfound vitality.
It was as if he'd consumed an elixir crafted by the heavens, rejuvenating him from within."Another breakthrough," he murmured in disbelief, feeling the solidification of his cultivation reach yet another level. "Three breakthroughs in one day… just a bit more, and I'll be at the Peak Stage of the Qi Refinement Realm."
He set down the glass, feeling the power settle within him. Across from him, Cloudia was also visibly strengthened from the meal.
The Shadow Claw Bear's meat had fortified her as well, and she appeared even more resilient, her aura stronger, her gaze sharper.
They finished their meal in a comfortable silence, each feeling the afterglow of transformation. Reon's body hummed with the blood's energy, a newfound strength woven into his bones and veins.
Cloudia stretched, her muscles visibly tauter, exuding a raw strength that made her presence even more imposing.
"Hey, Cloudia, do you know how many days have passed?" Reon asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
Although he guessed it had only been a few days, he had no way of knowing for certain; the dense forest around them offered no measure of time.
Cloudia, understanding his question, nodded and began tracing something on the ground with her claw. Reon leaned closer, noticing the strange, elegant symbols she was creating in the soil.
He blinked, half-expecting to struggle with the foreign characters, but to his astonishment, he could read the script with ease, as though the language had always been familiar.
His eyes widened.
"Whaaaat…?" he exclaimed, the revelation dawning on him. Not only could he understand and speak the language of this world, but he could also read and comprehend it as if it were his own.
But his shock only deepened when he read what Cloudia had written: Ten days. It had been ten full days since he'd fallen unconscious after their battle with the Shadow Claw Bear.
"Ten days?!" he nearly shouted, a wave of disbelief rushing over him. "I was out for ten whole days?"
He tried to recall the final moments of the fight, and the vivid memory of the battle against the Shadow Claw Bear flashed before him, fresh and intense as if it had happened only yesterday.
He shook his head, feeling slightly disoriented by the passage of time.
"How could I have slept so long? I remember every detail of that fight as if it just ended…" he murmured, the words half to himself.
But with a sigh, he let go of the disbelief. What was done was done, and lingering on lost time wouldn't help him now.
Turning his attention back to Cloudia, Reon steeled his gaze. "No matter—I'll use this time to push myself even further. We've got a lot of ground to cover."
A newfound resolve sparked within him. Ten days of lost time, ten days that could have been used to grow stronger—he would make up for it with focus and determination.
Cloudia watched him, her eyes reflecting his resolve, as though understanding his thoughts completely.
Reon stood up, gripping his sword firmly in hand. His gaze shifted to Cloudia, who had just finished her meal and was licking her paws, already showing renewed strength.
"Cloudia, head into the cave and focus on absorbing the Primal Core of the Shadow Claw Bear—it's time for you to advance to Demonic Soldier Rank," he instructed gently. "I'll stand guard outside."
Cloudia looked at him, her eyes reflecting a quiet understanding. With a small nod, she turned and padded into the cave, finding a secluded corner where she curled herself into a comfortable position.
The Primal Core glimmered faintly in her claws, its energy swirling within like a miniature storm. She closed her eyes, beginning to draw out the dense, raw power of the core, letting it flow slowly into her body.
She absorbed the potent energy carefully, allowing it to strengthen her core and expand her inner strength bit by bit, every pulse bringing her closer to a new level of power.
With a wave of his hand, Reon stored the remains of the beasts Cloudia had defeated over the past ten days into his spatial ring, each one a testament to her unwavering protection. He then rose his sword towards sky.
"Time to solidify my Sword Aura," he murmured, a spark of determination in his eyes.