The next day, he set out with a new, sharp purpose: system points.
He moved with more confidence now, his large tiger body a silent power in the undergrowth. His eyes scanned not just for prey, but for opportunities. He found one in an old, giant tree trunk, hollowed out by time and rot. An entrance to a burrow. A potential treasure trove.
Without hesitation, he slid inside. The tunnel was narrow but passable. The scent of many small animals was thick in the confined space. Deeper in, the first Rabeer appeared, startled.
He didn't give it a chance. A flash of his paw, now guided by cultivator's speed and precision. The head tumbled free before the body knew it was dead. Blood painted the earthen wall. He felt… nothing. No disgust, no visceral horror. Just a clinical satisfaction. The human who would have hesitated was gone, buried under layers of potent tiger instinct.
Good. No weakness.
Black hole. He chose [Convert to System Points] this time.
[Received: 1 System Point]
First point. Now for more.
He became a silent, efficient reaper in the dark warren. [Received: 1 System Point]… [Received: 1 System Point]… The soft chimes were a satisfying melody. He checked his status after the tenth kill.
System Points: 10
A new line appeared: Shop: unlocked
Finally.
He cleared the entire den, a relentless force of nature in a confined space. When he emerged back into the daylight, his point total stood at 75. A faint, predatory crimson glow lit his eyes for a moment. The rapid slaughter had sent a thrilling chill through him. Addictive. Will this make me a villain? The thought was fleeting, almost amused, and was quickly dismissed. Survival and growth had no room for such philosophical luxuries.
He found a small, uninhabited cave nearby to inspect his prize in peace. System Shop.
The screen that appeared was beautifully, intuitively organized.
[System Shop] -- [75 Points]
[General Search: …]
[Cultivation Techniques]
[Skills]
[Pills]
[Formations]
…
Amazing. Truly amazing. 'General Search' means I can look for anything. The categories are for browsing. This is perfect.
He navigated directly to [Skills], applying a filter for his realm and his current budget.
Three entries glowed, available for purchase:
[
[Causes +25% physical damage]
[Skill: Novice Realm Tier 1]
[
[Causes +20% increase in speed]
[Cooldown period of 15 seconds]
[
[Causes +30% increase in sharpness]
[Cooldown 4 seconds]
He had enough for all three. He selected
[Are you sure you want to spend 10 System Points to learn it?]
[Yes] -- [No]
He selected [Yes] without hesitation.
[Congratulations! You have learned
He repeated the process for the other two skills. Twin notifications chimed.
[Congratulations! You have learned
[Congratulations! You have learned
Good. Now my combat efficiency should be significantly higher. A cold smile touched his feline features. Time to find some prey that actually has cultivation. The weak ones won't give me much anymore.