Chapter 8 – The Beast Ranking
As Edem stepped out of the cave, he couldn't help but admire the breathtaking beauty of the starry night sky. It was a rare sight—so different from the Blue Star, where the skies were often clouded by human pollution.
"…haa…" Edem let out a gentle sigh, whispering to himself, "I really wish Troy could experience this."
Just as he sank into his thoughts, the system's voice chimed in.
A rush of crimson light flooded his vision, and lines of glowing text appeared.
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> [Beast Cores are crystallized essence formed within the hearts of Demon Beasts. They are used as energy sources, cultivation boosters, and forging materials. Their strength is classified into ten ranks.]
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[Beast Core / Beast Rankings]
Rank 0 – Normal Tier
(Lowly monsters. Cores barely usable, containing fragmented essence.)
Rank 1 – Basic Tier
(The weakest true cores. Stable and usable for beginner energy absorption.)
Rank 2 – Intermediate Tier
(Often hunted by low-level warriors. Useful for skill awakening and bloodline stimulation.)
Rank 3 – Advanced Tier
(Hold strong condensed essence. Can be traded for weapons or rare materials.)
Rank 4 – King Tier
(Cores from beasts capable of ruling regions, holding vast energy pools.)
Rank 5 – Emperor Tier
(Belonging to beasts whose presence alone can destroy armies.)
Rank 6 – Legendary Tier
(Rare, almost mythical. Their cores contain ancient blood essence that can awaken hidden talents.)
Rank 7 – Demi-God Tier
(Formed from beasts that surpass mortal limits, possessing divine traits.)
Rank 8 – Demon Tier
(Extremely rare. Their cores pulse with demonic power, capable of corrupting or empowering bloodlines.)
Rank 9 – God Slayer Tier
(The ultimate core. Said to hold enough energy to slay gods themselves. A single one can change the fate of worlds.)
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> [Now, the most formidable beast in this portal—the Primordial Planet Beast. Its core ranks at King Tier. Proceed with caution. At your current level, survival will be difficult. With everything laid out, I wish you luck!]
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A chill ran down Edem's spine.
"Oh dear 😅… I feel like I'm about to embark on a real nightmare."
He muttered, half-jokingly, "If this were a game, then levels 1–10 would be Normal Tier… 11–20, Basic Tier… 21–30, Intermediate… 31–40, Advanced… and 41–50, King Tier."
His face paled.
"…And I'm only at Level 5. I need to be very careful."
Determined, Edem allocated his remaining three free attributes into Agility.
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[Current Status]
Edem Qwasi
Race: Dracula (True Dracula)
Level: 5
Crimson Evo Points: 50/500
HP: 250/250
Energy: 200/200
Attributes
Strength: 35
Vitality: 28
Agility: 26
Endurance: 22
Intelligence: 20
Perception: 25
Skills
Passive
Blood Regeneration (Lesser): Rapidly closes wounds using absorbed blood.
Night Vision: Perfect clarity in darkness.
Active
Blood Sense: Trace living blood signatures at short range.
Blood Lust: Temporarily boosts all stats when blood is present.
Creation: Construct weapons, armor, or even mecha. Requires beast cores.
Crimson Detection: Fusion of Blood Sense + Detect.
Detects living beings via blood signatures (Range: 30m).
Identifies beast cores, basic items, and materials.
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Edem stretched lightly, feeling a rush of speed and lightness. Before he could relax, a chorus of distant wolf howls reached his ears.
Curiosity burned in him. With a grin, he sprinted toward the sound.
WHOOSHHH—
WHOOOSH—
"Woohoo, this is insane!" He laughed, exhilarated. Compared to his old frail body, this speed felt otherworldly.
He leapt onto a tall tree, crouching on its branch to survey the clearing below.
A pack of black-furred wolves streaked with glowing green fur prowled beneath him—twenty in total.
He activated Crimson Detection.
> [Pack of Wind Wolves – Rank 0, Normal Tier. Specialize in speed.]
Edem cracked his neck and flexed his claws, his eyes gleaming.
"Alright then… let's begin."
With a powerful leap, he dove into the fray. His steel-like claws pierced clean through a wolf's throat—SPPLLLT! Blood sprayed as it collapsed.
SLASH—SLASH! Two more wolves were decapitated instantly.
The remaining wolves growled in unison, green eyes flashing under the moonlight. They circled him warily, claws digging into the earth.
"Sixteen of you left, huh?" Edem's lips curled into a grin. His azure eyes glowed coldly.
"Perfect. Let's see how far I can go."
WHOOSH—
A wolf lunged. Edem sidestepped fluidly, his claw slicing its neck open. Another leapt from behind—CRACK! He twisted unnaturally fast, snapping its neck with one hand.
"Too slow."
The pack beta snarled, signaling a full charge. Wolves launched themselves from all directions.
Edem crouched low—then sprang into the air, spinning mid-flight. His claws slashed in a wide arc.
SHRRRKK—!
Three wolves split apart mid-air, falling in bloody pieces. Two others slammed into a tree, dazed.
Edem landed gracefully, his silver hair fluttering.
"Ha! This speed… this body… it's perfect."
The remaining wolves hesitated. Fear flickered in their glowing eyes, but the alpha's growl forced them forward.
Edem's Crimson Detection lit their veins like glowing maps. Weak points pulsed before his eyes. He smirked.
SPPLLLSHH!
One wolf's heart was ripped straight out.
Another had its jaw shattered by a brutal kick, its body flung into a boulder.
Three more lunged—only to be cut apart in one blurred strike.
Finally, the beta wolf charged—larger, faster, its legs swirling with faint wind energy.
"Oh? Tricks of your own?" Edem licked his lips, eyes burning with excitement.
The alpha blurred forward, claws swiping at his throat.
CLANG!
Sparks flew as hardened claws clashed. The ground cracked beneath them. For a moment, predator and beast locked eyes. Then Edem laughed.
"Hmph. You're strong… but not enough!"
CRRRK! Bones shattered as he twisted the wolf's limb. His knee slammed into its skull, staggering it.
Before it could recover, Edem grabbed its throat and lifted the massive beast into the air. His claws dug deep, piercing flesh.
"Die."
With one motion, he tore the alpha's head clean off. Blood sprayed across the clearing as the corpse collapsed.
The forest fell silent. The surviving wolves whimpered and scattered, abandoning their fallen kin.
A familiar chime rang in Edem's mind.
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> [Level Up! Lv. 5 → Lv. 7]
[Crimson Evo Points +20]
[New Beast Core Acquired: Normal Tier (Wind Wolf)]
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Edem wiped blood from his claws, breathing in exhilaration instead of exhaustion. He stood among twenty corpses, the earth drenched red.
He chuckled darkly.
"This power… If this is only the beginning, how terrifying will I be at my peak?"
The moon bathed him in silver light as he stood atop the slaughter.
"Ah... when I first entered this portal I really got my ass handed by that bone gnawer huh.."
But unseen in the shadows, a giant green wolf watched with burning eyes—its killing intent locked squarely on Edem.
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