Steady growth
Elijah sat on the bed in his inn room, eyes fixed on the stats displayed before him. After absorbing the eight Cores he'd gathered, he felt a surge of power coursing through him.
---
Name: Elijah
Status: Awakened
Physical Condition: Crippled
Realm: 1st Realm of the Apprentice Stage
Ability: Avatar (Level 1)
Soulshards: Jackal's Stealth (Basic)
Soul Level: 8.29% (+1.6)
Strength: 14
Agility: 11
Endurance: 12
---
"The feeling of growing stronger is addictive," Elijah murmured, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He opened the Union market, scrolling through the available Soulshards. "I need more if I want to compete with those people. Relying on the Soulshards absorbed by the Avatar alone will limit me to just one per monster."
As he browsed, his eyes widened, and a curse escaped his lips. "Damn it! My Black Jackal's Stealth Soulshards are worth 20k, not 10k. I should have researched before blindly setting the price." Elijah quickly realized the value of Soulshards was tiered: low, intermediate, high, and peak level basic Soulshards. His Black Jackal's Stealth, even as a low-level shard, was worth around 20k due to its special effects.
"Lesson learned," he muttered, adjusting the prices of the remaining eight Soulshards to 20k each. He resumed his search for new shards, determined to strengthen his arsenal.
After an hour of browsing, Elijah made his selections:
- Bumble Bee's Sting: Short Ranged Attack | Intermediate Basic Level Soulshard - 25k Union Credits
- Agility of the Wolf: Agility Boost | Low Basic Level Soulshard - 15k Union Credits
He quickly purchased the two. The Bumble Bee's Sting would generate a stinger the size of a person's palm, capable of piercing targets at close range. Though the range was limited, it was effective as a combo attack, allowing Elijah to strike alongside the stinger. The only drawback was the one-minute cooldown after each use.
The Agility of the Wolf Soulshard would boost his agility by five points for five minutes, with a cooldown of an hour. "One for strategic attacks, the other for support," Elijah mused, satisfied with his choices.
He made his way to the Union's Base to collect his order. The sight of the grey wolf and bumblebee Soulshards rotating around his core filled him with a sense of accomplishment. Smiling, he returned to the inn and rented a room for the night, ready to rest and prepare for the challenges ahead.
---
Elijah awoke early, the dim light of dawn filtering through the small window of his room at the inn. After a quick breakfast, he prepared himself, feeling the strength coursing through his veins from the previous day's progress. The hunt had been fruitful, but today he aimed to do even better.
Returning to the Jackal's den, he noticed a change from yesterday. While there were still hunters scattered around, their numbers had dwindled significantly. The frantic energy that had filled the den before was now subdued.
"I knew it, they're losing patience," Elijah murmured with a sly smile. He slipped into the shadows, activating his stealth Soulshard as he entered the den.
The hunt was on.
This time, the prey was easier to find. Elijah moved silently through the trees, his senses heightened. The first pair of Jackals came into view, unaware of his presence. He approached them slowly, timing his attack with precision. As he drew close, he struck with a lethal blow, his knife finding its mark in the first Jackal's throat.
A pained wail erupted from the wounded Jackal, alerting its companion. The second Jackal turned, its eyes locked onto Elijah as it lunged. Elijah sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the attack. As he leaned back to dodge, a translucent stinger materialized beside him, striking the Jackal's abdomen with deadly accuracy. Blood gushed from the wound as the Jackal staggered back, but Elijah was relentless. With a swift motion, he ended its suffering with a clean slice to the throat.
The first Jackal, despite its grievous injury, attempted to retaliate. But weakened and disoriented, it was no match for Elijah's speed and precision. He moved like a shadow, delivering a final, fatal strike.
Elijah straightened, wiping the blood from his blade. The thrill of the hunt surged through him, a fierce satisfaction in his chest. He repeated this process throughout the day—finding, stalking, and eliminating his prey with ruthless efficiency. Each successful kill added another Core to his growing collection, stored safely in his ring.
"The hunt is a lot easier now," Elijah observed, his voice barely a whisper as he watched a group of hunters in the distance. "With fewer people around, they're drawing the attention of the packs. Meanwhile, I can pick off the stragglers—those that escape or wander alone."
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the den in an eerie twilight, Elijah had amassed a significant haul.
---
Back in his room at the inn, Elijah laid out the Cores on his bed, a grin spreading across his face as he counted them. "This is the most I've hunted so far," he mused, running his fingers over the smooth surfaces of the Cores. "37 in one day. Not bad at all."
After an hour of careful absorption, he checked his stats.
---
Name: Elijah
Status: Awakened
Physical Condition: Crippled
Realm: 1st realm of the Apprentice stage
Ability: Avatar (Level 1)
Soulshards: Jackal's Stealth (Basic)
Soul Level: 15.69% (+7.4)
Strength: 16 (+2)
Agility: 13 (+2)
Endurance: 14 (+2)
---
"I keep advancing by leaps every day. It won't be long before I break through to the 2nd realm" Elijah said, his excitement barely contained.
Satisfied with his progress, Elijah listed the 37 Soulshards on the Union market under his alias, "Shadow Avatar." As the Soulshards hit the market, a ripple of shock spread through the community. People were talking, and even some companies started investigating the identity of the mysterious seller. But Elijah's precautions held strong—his anonymity was secure, for now.