Chapter 2 – First Blood in a Strange World
The ground trembled with each step the Ironhide Demon Boar took. Smoke curled off its dark, metallic hide, and its tusks glowed faintly with mana inscriptions, pulsing like veins of molten steel. The beast was the size of a truck, its muscles rippling under armor-thick skin.
Chen Yue froze. Every instinct screamed run, but his legs felt like lead.
[Alert: Hostile Intent Confirmed]
[Ironhide Demon Boar – Rank: Mana Beast Elite]
Estimated Power Level: Equivalent to Mortal Rank 5 Mage
[Combat Ability: Far Beyond Current Capacity]
[System Advice: RUN IMMEDIATELY]
The boar's crimson eyes locked on him. Its breath steamed in the cool air, and when it snorted, the stench of blood and burnt earth filled his nostrils.
"Damn it…" Chen Yue whispered, gripping the short dagger from his satchel. His fingers trembled. "What kind of tutorial throws a BOSS at Level One?"
The system chimed again, calm as ever:
[Optional Sub-Quest Generated: First Blood]
Defeat the Ironhide Demon Boar.
Reward: 500 EXP | Weapon Upgrade | Cultivation Advancement
Failure: Death
Chen Yue's jaw tightened. "Thanks for the optimism."
The boar pawed at the earth, gouging deep furrows in the ground. Then—it charged.
The force of its movement shattered the soil, stones exploding in its wake. It was a living battering ram, and it was aimed straight at him.
Chen Yue dove to the side, rolling across the grass as the beast thundered past. The wind from its charge nearly ripped him off his feet.
BOOM!
The boar slammed into a tree behind him. The massive trunk cracked and splintered, toppling with a deafening crash.
Chen Yue scrambled up, heart pounding. "One hit and I'm paste. Running sounds nice right now…"
But then the system voice cut through his panic:
[Reminder: Failure to Grow = Inevitable Death in Aetherion.]
[Would you like to enable Combat Assistance? Y/N]
"Yes! Yes, activate it!" he shouted mentally.
[Combat Assistance Enabled.]
[Scanning Target… Weak Point Detected: Eyes, Jaw Joints, and Underbelly.]
[Advice: Use Agility. Do NOT block head-on.]
"Yeah, no kidding…"
The boar snorted, fury in its eyes as it turned for another charge. Chen Yue's gaze darted to his dagger. It was laughable against that armored hide—but the system said underbelly.
The beast lunged again.
This time, Chen Yue sprinted—not away, but toward the creature.
His breath roared in his ears as he closed the distance. At the last moment, he dove low, sliding across the grass. The boar thundered past, its tusks missing him by inches. Chen Yue slashed upward as he slid, aiming for its belly.
CLANG!
Sparks flew. His dagger barely scratched the beast.
"Are you kidding me?!"
The boar roared in rage and spun, its massive hoof slamming toward him like a sledgehammer. Chen Yue rolled aside, barely escaping as the ground cratered where he had just been.
[Warning: Stamina Critical – 40% Remaining.]
Chen Yue's lungs burned. His legs felt heavy already—but giving up wasn't an option.
Think, damn it! How do I kill this thing?
Then, another notification appeared:
[Special Function: Qi Enhancement Available.]
[Would you like to channel Qi into Weapon? Y/N]
"Yes!"
The dagger in his grip glowed faintly, a golden sheen coating the blade as warmth surged from his core into his arm. Power thrummed through his veins, his muscles tightening with raw strength.
The boar charged a third time.
Chen Yue steadied his breath, eyes narrowing. Timing was everything. He sprinted toward the beast, adrenaline drowning out fear. At the last second, he leaped, twisting in midair. The boar's tusk grazed his boot as he landed on its back.
"Come on, COME ON!"
He drove the dagger down with both hands, pouring every shred of Qi into the strike.
CRACK!
The blade pierced through the thick hide at the base of its skull. The boar screamed, thrashing wildly, trying to dislodge him. Chen Yue held on, teeth gritted, shoving the dagger deeper until hot blood gushed over his hands.
"DIE!" he roared, yanking hard.
The boar collapsed with an earth-shaking thud, its last breath a ragged snarl.
For a moment, silence. Only Chen Yue's ragged breathing filled the clearing. He slid off the beast's body, legs giving out as he collapsed on the grass, soaked in blood and sweat.
[Quest Complete: First Blood]
Rewards Gained:
• 500 EXP
• Weapon Upgrade: Basic Iron Dagger → Qi-Linked Fang Blade
• Bonus: Beast Core (Ironhide Boar – Rank Elite)
• Cultivation Advancement: +2 Qi Threads
Chen Yue stared at the glowing notifications, chest heaving. "I… actually killed it…"
The dagger in his hand shimmered, transforming into a sleek, curved blade etched with faint runes. It felt light yet powerful, almost alive in his grip.
[New Feature Unlocked: Weapon Bonding.]
Before he could marvel further, the system spoke again:
[Congratulations. You have taken your first step. Power demands blood, and you have spilled it.]
[Next Quest: Travel to the Nearest Settlement – Moonveil Village.]
Distance: 8 kilometers.
Objective: Gather information. Begin the path of influence.
Chen Yue sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. "Eight kilometers? Great. And I just wrestled a truck-sized boar."
Still, a smile tugged at his lips. His body ached, but deep inside, a new fire burned. He had survived his first fight. More than that—he had won.
He glanced at the beast's corpse. "Guess you're my first… sorry, big guy."
[Inventory Access: Would you like to store Beast Core and Hide? Y/N]
"Yes."
The core—a dark red gem pulsing with mana—vanished in a flash of light, along with several chunks of meat and hide. Chen Yue checked his status panel:
[STATUS]
Name: Chen Yue
Cultivation: Qi Refining – Stage 1 (3 Threads)
Energy Affinity: Primordial Qi
Weapon: Qi-Linked Fang Blade
EXP: 500/1000
"Three threads already…" He clenched his fist, excitement coursing through him. "If I keep this up, I'll leave those mana users in the dust."
But as the wind rustled through the trees, a strange sound drifted on the air—a faint whisper, like voices carried by the breeze.
Chen Yue stiffened. Slowly, he turned toward the forest's edge.
There—shapes moved between the trees. Not beasts. People.
Cloaked figures, their faces hidden beneath hoods, stepped into the clearing, their robes marked with a sigil—a black circle with three jagged lines.
[Warning: Multiple Hostiles Detected.]
[Identity: Void Cult – Low Rank Acolytes.]
"Void Cult?" Chen Yue muttered, tightening his grip on his blade.
One of the figures chuckled darkly. "Interesting… an outsider kills an Ironhide Boar? You're no ordinary traveler, are you?"
Chen Yue's heart pounded. He had barely survived the boar. Now this?
The cultists drew curved daggers, their eyes gleaming beneath the hoods.
The leader tilted his head. "The Fragment's scent clings to you. Hand it over… or die."
Chen Yue swallowed hard. The game really doesn't give you time to breathe, huh?
He raised his blade, Qi flickering along the edge. "Come and take it."
The cultists lunged.
End of Chapter 2