The forest was not a sanctuary; it was a crucible. The first night was a lesson in humility. Freedom from chains did not mean freedom from hunger, from the cold, or from the predators that stalked the dark. He was an intruder in a world governed by tooth and claw.
But he was a fast learner.
Using his Mana Vein Sensitivity, he found a small, hidden cave behind a waterfall, the thunderous roar masking his presence and the constant mist providing a rich source of Water and Natural Essence. It became his base—his first true home.
The morning after his escape, as he shivered in the damp air, the System laid out his new reality.
[New Long-Term Mission: 'The Foundation of a Legend']
[Objective: Survive and thrive in the Verdant Maw for 365 days. Achieve the following milestones:]
- [ ] Raise Essence Core to Stage 2: Adept.
- [ ] Achieve 50% Stability with both Active Bloodlines.
- [ ] Achieve 25% Synchronization with the Godslayer's Edge.
- [ ] Acquire 5 Skills to Rare Rank or higher.
[Reward: 5000 EP. Unseal: Voidstar Eye (Common). Title: 'Hermit of the Green Hell'.]
[Failure: Death. The Verdant Maw shows no mercy to the weak.]
It was a year-long death sentence with a divine reward. Yrauos accepted it without question. This was his path.
His days fell into a brutal, unrelenting rhythm, dictated by the System's daily and weekly missions.
Dawn: 'Essence Harvest'. He would sit beneath the waterfall, his Verdant Carapace active, pulling vast quantities of Natural Essence from the water, the moss, the very air. His Crude Core ached and burned with the influx, but his Crimson Regeneration (Lvl. 3) constantly repaired the micro-tears in his Mana Veins, strengthening them. He learned to differentiate between types of Natural Essence—the vibrant energy of sunlight on leaves, the deep, slow pulse of ancient stone, the quick, sharp energy of prey animals.
Midday: 'Infernal Control'. This was the most dangerous part of his training. The Infernal Convergence was a wild beast that wanted to rage and destroy. The System forced him to tame it. Missions like 'Candle Flame' required him to light a single leaf on fire without scorching the one next to it. 'Plasma Sculpting' demanded he form a stable, softball-sized orb of plasma and hold it for an hour without letting it detonate. Failure was immediate, painful feedback—Mana Burn that left his hands blistered and numb, or a backlash that scorched the cave walls. But with each success, the Stability percentage crept up. He learned to feel the delicate balance between Pyroflow and Voltflow, using the grounding nature of his Verdant Carapace as a stabilizer.
Afternoon: 'Blade and Body'. This was physical conditioning and swordsmanship. He performed the Shinobi Kata until his muscles screamed, then used Crimson Regeneration to recover, and repeated. He hunted, not with traps, but with his Bone Claws and the Godslayer's Edge. The first time he drew the blade to face a giant, wolf-like predator, he felt its sentient hunger. It was not a tool; it was a partner. The 7% Synchronization allowed for little more than basic handling, but the blade was perfectly balanced, and it seemed to guide his movements, making his swings more efficient, his parries sharper. He practiced the Bone Claw Frenzy against trees, learning to switch between claw and empty hand seamlessly.
Dusk: 'Synchronization'. He would meditate with the Godslayer's Edge across his lap. He poured his Essence into it, not to activate an ability, but simply to communicate. He felt its paradoxal nature—the cold of the abyssal steel and the warmth of the celestial silver. He shared his memories with it: the neon of Neo-Kyoto, the blood of the Pit, his vow for peace. The blade offered no memories in return, only a profound, ancient understanding. The Synchronization slowly, painstakingly, increased.
The seasons turned. His body, fueled by constant Essence and hard work, began to change. He grew taller, his lean frame packing on corded muscle. His messy dark red hair grew long and wild, his green cat-like eyes becoming even sharper, more perceptive. He was no longer a boy; he was a feral creature of the woods.
The System was a relentless taskmaster. It rewarded innovation. When he used his Infernal Convergence to superheat a rock to boil water, he earned a Hidden Objective for 'Practical Application'. When he combined the explosive force of a Detonation Vein with a leaping Thunderflash Dash to escape a territorial bear-monster, the System logged it as a new, unofficial skill: 'Blast Propulsion'.
[Skill Created: Blast Propulsion - Uncommon - Lvl. 1]
[Description: Utilizes a minor detonation from Infernal Convergence for enhanced mobility.]
[Reward: 200 EP.]
He spent his EP wisely. He upgraded Crimson Regeneration to Level 5, making him incredibly resilient. He purchased Pain Suppression (Rare) from the System's shop, a mental technique that allowed him to push through injuries that would cripple a normal man. He evolved Bone Claw Frenzy into Ashen Fang Barrage (Rare), which wreathed his bone claws in superheated ash.
After six months, a pivotal mission arrived.
[Critical Mission: 'Core Refinement']
[Objective: Use a controlled overload of Infernal Convergence to 'forge' your Crude Core into a Refined Core. Survive the process.]
[Reward: Advancement to Stage 2: Adept. Unlock Willcasting.]
[Failure: Core Shattering. 100% Lethality.]
It was the most dangerous thing he had ever attempted. He prepared for days, meditating, building his reserves. Finally, deep in a stone quarry he had found, he began. He drew in Essence with his Verdant Carapace, filling his Core to bursting. Then, he ignited it with the Infernal Convergence.
Agony. His body became a battleground between creation and destruction. His veins glowed like lava. He felt his Core cracking, on the verge of exploding. He used every ounce of his will, the Pain Suppression skill at its absolute limit, to hold it together, to force the chaotic energy to compress, to crystallize.
Just as he was about to black out, there was a final, resonant CHIME from within his soul.
The pain vanished. The chaotic energy settled into a smooth, powerful, humming current. His Core was no longer a crude, leaking vessel. It was a polished, efficient engine.
[Essence Core: Refined Core (Stage 2: Adept)]
[Mana Essence: 350/350]
[Willcasting - UNLOCKED]
He collapsed, but a grin split his grimy face. He had done it.
The following months saw his power skyrocket. Willcasting allowed him to shape spells with thought alone. He could now form a Flame Lance or an Earthen Wall without a single whisper, making his combat style fluid and unpredictable. His bloodline Stabilities climbed past 50%. His Synchronization with the Godslayer's Edge reached 26%, allowing him to faintly feel its first dormant ability: Graviton Pull, a subtle manipulation of weight.
On the dawn of the 365th day, Yrauos stood at the mouth of his cave. He was nine years old, but he carried himself with the bearing of a veteran warrior. His eyes held the calm of the deep forest and the flicker of contained cataclysm.
[Long-Term Mission: 'The Foundation of a Legend' - COMPLETE]
[Rewards: 5000 EP Granted. Unsealing Voidstar Eye (Common). Title: 'Hermit of the Green Hell' - ACQUIRED.]
The world shifted.
A third, spiraling star pupil appeared within the silver halo of his green eyes. A torrent of information flooded his brain—the flow of Essence in every leaf, the latent heat in the rocks, the minute currents of the air, the life-force of every insect and animal for a hundred meters. He could see the weak points in the stone of his cave, the stress fractures in a branch. It was overwhelming, glorious.
[Voidstar Eye - ACTIVE - Rank: Common - Stability: 10%]
[Title: Hermit of the Green Hell - Equipped]
[Effect: +15% to all resource gathering and training speeds while in a wilderness environment.]
He was no longer just a survivor. He was a force. The weak slave was a distant memory. The shinobi had been forged in solitude.
He looked south, towards the distant hints of civilization he had scouted with his new sight. The Crimson Pit was behind him. His oath of a peaceful life was his guiding star. But to secure peace, he needed more than just personal power. He needed knowledge, resources, and allies.
The hermit's year was over. It was time for the shinobi to walk back into the world.