Baby steps

Yuji took another shaky step forward, his limbs finally finding balance. Each small movement brought a growing sense of control—still awkward but stable. The past two hours of stumbling and flopping onto his siblings had been frustrating, but now, as he moved without falling, a feeling of satisfaction bubbled up inside him.

Finally, he thought, taking another careful step, feeling a small sense of pride. It wasn't much, but it was a start.He was... happy, at least a little. He had been given a second chance, and this time, even the smallest progress felt like something to hold onto.

He turned, glancing behind him to see his siblings in a clumsy huddle. They were watching him with curious eyes, heads tilted as though trying to understand what he was doing. And then, without warning, one of them took a sudden leap, followed by the other, their tiny limbs moving with perfect ease as they started running and hopping around as if they'd been doing it their whole lives.

Yuji sighed, watching the two of them bounce and dart through the forest floor as if mocking his hard-won accomplishment. Great, he thought, a hint of sarcasm slipping in, I struggle for hours to learn how to walk, and they're already out here training for the Monkey Olympics.

He chuckled, shaking his head at the irony, but a soft chime interrupted his thoughts. The familiar yellow box flashed into view, signaling a new system notification.

[System Notice]

Quest Complete: First Steps

Objective: Adapt to your surroundings and learn to move in your new form.

Reward: Basic Cultivation Manual (Beast Adaptation)

Congratulations, Host! You've taken your first steps on the path to survival.

With his first quest complete, Yuji couldn't help but feel a spark of curiosity about what else the system might contain. He hadn't gotten far, but he was progressing. He was adapting. If the system gave me a quest and rewards, he thought, maybe it also has an inventory.

He closed his eyes, focusing. "System… open inventory?" His voice was still a squeak, but the mental command did the trick. Another rectangular yellow box appeared before him, this time labeled Inventory, with a single item glowing in a small square box faintly within it.

[Inventory]

Basic Beast Core Forming Manual (Origin Beast System Edition)

Yuji blinked, reading the title twice to make sure he hadn't misread it. Basic Beast Core Forming Manual? He focused on the item, wondering how to retrieve it, and suddenly, the manual materialized in his tiny hands.

So thinking about it makes it appear, he mused, a little impressed at the system's ease of use. He opened the manual, scanning the contents, his excitement growing as he read the introduction.

Basic Beast Core Forming Manual (Origin Beast System Edition)

Beast cultivation begins with forming and refining the beast core. The beast core is the foundation of a beast's strength, capable of growing more potent through continuous cultivation and refinement.

Core Formation: A beast must first create its initial core. This process begins by gathering energy within and forging it into a concentrated sphere—the beast core.Core Refinement: Once the core has formed, the beast cultivates, gradually refining the core through steady cultivation. As the beast core reaches the maximum level of refinement for its realm, its outer layers will shatter, leaving a smaller yet stronger core.

Unique Aspect (Origin Beast System Edition): Unlike standard cultivation methods, the Origin Beast System allows you to create a unique beast core, one with characteristics that reflect your individuality and inner potential. This unique core will grow alongside you, allowing for advanced techniques and customized abilities that are yours alone.

Yuji's eyes widened as he processed the information. Forming a core, refining it, and making it uniquely his… This was exactly the path he needed. A sense of determination filled him as he absorbed every word. If he could make this core powerful, then even as a lowly Red Monkey, he would have a chance. A chance to become something more, something no one would see coming.

He closed the manual, a faint smile on his face. His path had just been laid out before him, and he wasn't about to waste it. Watch out, he thought, recalling the dragon and everything it had taken from him. No matter how long it takes, I'm coming for you.

With that, Yuji stored the manual back into his inventory. Taking a deep breath, he found a high rock which seemed perfect for his cultivation and crawled on top of it, which was a great struggle for Yuji but he didn't fallter, as he sat in a lotus position, preparing to form a beast core. This was only the beginning, but he could feel it—he had taken his first real step toward power.