The wilderness wasn't forgiving, but it was honest. Every step, every rustle, every shadow carried truth. No deceit, no law, only cause and effect. Winchester City had taught me about cunning, deception, and the hunger of men, but out here, the rules were simpler: survive or die.
Zion moved beside me, scanning the forest with bright blue eyes. His soft face betrayed worry, but he had learned restraint. Every mistake could be fatal, and I wouldn't let him pay for mine. He had grown stronger in subtle ways, less hesitant, more observant, more calculated. Still, he was my responsibility, and nothing else mattered.
SYSTEM ALERT: ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS ACTIVE
RECOMMENDED ACTION: SURVIVAL TRAINING CONTINUE
I flexed my hands, feeling Void Devouring Scripture pulse faintly under my skin. The energy hummed like a coiled spring. I tested a small movement, reinforcing my limbs, muscles and bones aligning perfectly with my intent. Pain shot through me, a reminder that every bit of power demanded cost. Efficiency required sacrifice. I embraced it.
"Vash," Zion said, breaking the silence, "do you think people like us… could survive in the other empires?"
I glanced at him. "Some would. Most would die. Strength decides everything."
He frowned. "Even if they're kind?"
I shook my head. "Kindness doesn't matter. Only efficiency."
We moved through the forest carefully, following a stream that could guide us to safety or trap us. The wilderness taught you to observe. Every fallen log, every animal track, every broken branch became information. The system processed it all, feeding me probabilities, predicting threats, calculating outcomes. It was precise, indifferent. Like me.
NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: PREDATOR SENSE
EFFECT: INCREASED AWARENESS OF HOSTILE PRESENCES
Hours passed, and the forest seemed endless. Then, a subtle shift in the air caught my attention. Not animal, not natural human. Voices, faint, carried on the wind. I froze, hand tightening instinctively. Zion saw the change.
"What is it?" he whispered.
"Others. Humans. Possibly bandits. Could be scouts from the empire, or worse," I said. My eyes scanned the undergrowth. The system's data overlay highlighted heat signatures, movement patterns, potential ambush points. This was no ordinary encounter; these humans were organized, deliberate, and armed.
I crouched, drawing Zion close. "Stay quiet. Follow my lead."
The group emerged from the shadows: four adults, mid to late twenties, leather armor scuffed and worn, daggers and short swords at the ready. Their eyes scanned the area, hunger and caution in equal measure. They weren't looking for food they were hunting.
One stepped forward. "Well, what do we have here?" His voice was low, gruff. "Two kids wandering alone in the wilds. Might be easy pickings…"
I didn't flinch. Efficiency dictated my next actions. Every strike, every motion had to eliminate threat without wasting energy. I tested a small movement with Void Devouring Scripture, enough to enhance speed and reflexes without revealing full power. Pain lanced through my arms and legs, but focus sharpened.
Zion instinctively moved behind me. Good. He wasn't in the way. Not yet.
NEW SYSTEM UPDATE: COMBAT PROBABILITY ASSESSMENT
RECOMMENDED ACTION: NEUTRALIZE HOSTILES WITH MINIMAL EXPOSURE
The first man lunged. I sidestepped, twisting his wrist until a sharp snap silenced him. The second reacted, but hesitation cost him. My foot struck with precision, shattering his kneecap. The others froze. They sensed power something unnatural but had no idea how to measure it.
I didn't smile. I didn't speak. Efficiency demanded finality. Within moments, all four were incapacitated. I moved with the quiet calm of inevitability, every strike exact, every reaction preemptive. Zion watched silently, eyes wide, admiration and fear tangled in equal measure.
When it was over, I breathed slowly. Pain from overexertion coursed through me, but the outcome was clean. No chase, no mercy, only survival. Zion exhaled. "You… you're terrifying."
I shrugged. "Necessary."
Night fell, and we resumed our journey, leaving the unconscious bandits behind. Their bodies would be discovered eventually, and the story of a ruthless, violet-eyed youth would spread quietly. That was fine. I didn't care about reputation, only outcomes.
SYSTEM ALERT: ENVIRONMENT SECURE
RECOMMENDED ACTION: REST AND TRAINING
We reached a hill overlooking a valley as the moon rose. Fires of distant villages twinkled below, and I glimpsed the faint outlines of distant empires Drakoryn to the north, Lunaris to the west, Borealis stretching beyond the horizon. Each would be a battlefield, each a challenge. But for now, we survived. That was enough.
Zion sat beside me. "One day, we'll be stronger than all of them."
I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Yes. But not yet. First, mastery. First, survival. Then… everything else."
The wilderness would break some. It would test others. But it would not break us. Not while we moved together, efficient, ruthless, and relentless. The Wayward Ascendant had begun, and every shadow, every threat, every empire in the world would learn the cost of underestimating us.