Three Points To Breakthrough

Chapter 44 — Three Points To Breakthrough

The roar faded into the forest.

For several seconds, none of them moved.

Aether kept his attention fixed on the trees ahead.

The presence was still there.

Heavy.

Powerful.

But it wasn't moving toward them.

That made him more cautious, not less.

Aether activated Origin Detection again.

The system struggled to lock onto the signature.

[Target Analysis...]

[Species: Unknown]

[Estimated Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 5]

[Exact cultivation: Unable to determine]

[Threat Level: Moderate]

[Hostility: Undetermined]

Aether lowered his sword slightly.

“It's not attacking.”

Aria glanced toward the forest.

“Then what is it doing?”

“Watching.”

Lyra's lightning faded from her fingers.

“Could it be another cultivator?”

“Possible.”

Aether didn't advance.

He had no reason to fight something that wasn't hostile.

The presence remained for another few seconds.

Then it disappeared.

Completely.

Aether frowned.

“It's gone.”

Aria looked at him.

“You're not going after it?”

“No.”

She smiled.

“Good.”

Aether glanced at her.

“What?”

“You're finally learning when not to fight.”

“I've always known.”

Lyra quietly laughed.

“No, you haven't.”

Aether ignored both of them.

“Let's keep moving.”

They continued through the forest.

The terrain gradually changed.

The trees became larger.

Their roots twisted across the ground like ancient serpents, and faint blue crystals grew from the bark.

Aether stopped beside one.

“Origin Crystal Tree.”

Aria touched the crystal carefully.

“Is it valuable?”

“Very.”

Aether cut several crystals from the tree without damaging its core.

The system immediately registered them.

[Origin Crystal obtained.]

[Origin Crystal obtained.]

[Origin Crystal obtained.]

Aether placed them into his storage ring.

“These will help strengthen the formation.”

Aria looked toward him.

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“So we're gathering materials for the base while hunting.”

“Exactly.”

Lyra smiled.

“You really are serious about building this place.”

Aether looked back toward the direction of the cave.

“I don't want to keep starting from nothing.”

His voice was calm, but the meaning was clear.

He had already lost too much time simply surviving.

The next stage of his journey needed a foundation.

By late afternoon, they reached a rocky valley.

Aether stopped at the entrance.

There were traces of battle everywhere.

Deep claw marks covered several boulders.

Trees had been shattered.

The ground was stained with old blood.

But there were no corpses.

Aria crouched beside one of the marks.

“These aren't old.”

Aether nodded.

“Less than a day.”

Nyx suddenly growled.

Aether looked toward the valley.

Something moved between the rocks.

Then another.

Three pairs of golden eyes appeared.

Aether's system activated.

[Species: Stonehide Direwolf]

[Rank: C]

[Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 3]

[Quantity: 3]

[Ability: Stonehide]

[Potential: C+]

[Threat Level: Moderate]

The wolves emerged.

Unlike ordinary wolves, their bodies were covered with thick gray plates resembling stone.

One of them bared its teeth.

Aether didn't draw his sword.

He simply watched.

The wolves didn't attack.

Instead, the largest one moved between Aether and a narrow passage.

Protecting something.

Aether looked past it.

A small wolf pup was lying inside the passage.

Its hind leg was badly injured.

Aria lowered her spear.

“They're protecting the pup.”

Aether nodded.

The situation was different.

They weren't hunting.

They weren't attacking.

They were guarding their own.

Aether took a small healing herb from his storage ring and placed it on the ground.

The wolves immediately became tense.

He stepped back.

“I won't harm it.”

The largest wolf stared at him.

After several seconds, it cautiously approached the herb.

It sniffed it.

Then picked it up and carried it toward the pup.

Aria watched quietly.

“You're helping them?”

Aether shook his head.

“I'm helping because there's no reason not to.”

Lyra smiled.

“You're kinder than you pretend.”

Aether looked at her.

“Don't confuse kindness with weakness.”

Lyra's smile faded slightly.

Aether continued.

“Helping someone who isn't threatening you costs me almost nothing.”

His gaze moved toward the forest.

“But if something becomes a genuine enemy, I won't keep giving it chances to hurt me.”

Aria nodded.

“That makes sense.”

The wolves remained defensive, but the tension gradually faded.

Aether turned away.

“We're leaving.”

They walked past the valley without fighting.

No Origin Points.

No rewards.

But Aether didn't regret it.

Not every encounter needed to become a battle.

They hadn't gone far when a tremendous impact shook the valley behind them.

BOOM!

Aether turned.

A wave of Origin Energy swept through the forest.

The three wolves howled.

The earth trembled again.

Then came another roar.

This time, Aether recognized the signature.

The Stage 5 presence from earlier.

It had entered the valley.

Aether's expression changed.

The wolf pack was in danger.

Aria looked at him.

“We're going back?”

Aether considered it.

He remembered the injured pup.

The wolves had not attacked him.

They had not threatened him.

And now something stronger had entered their territory.

Aether turned around.

“Let's see what's happening.”

They returned to the valley.

The Stonehide wolves were fighting desperately.

Their opponent was enormous.

A black-scaled bear stood nearly four meters tall.

Its arms were covered in thick armor-like scales, and crimson lines pulsed beneath its skin.

[System Analysis]

[Species: Crimson Iron Bear]

[Rank: C+]

[Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 5]

[Ability: Crimson Iron Body]

[Physique: Ironblood Physique]

[Potential: B]

[Threat Level: High]

The bear slammed its fist into the ground.

BOOM!

A shockwave threw two wolves aside.

The third wolf tried to protect the injured pup.

The bear raised its massive arm.

Aether moved.

The Executioner's Blade flashed.

CLANG!

The bear's fist collided with the sword.

Aether's feet dug into the earth.

The force pushed him backward several meters.

The bear stared at him.

Aether looked back.

“Stage 5.”

His grip tightened.

“Perfect.”

The bear roared and charged.

Aether didn't retreat.

He stepped forward.

The Executioner's Blade met the bear's fist.

The impact exploded through the valley.

Aria moved to the side.

“Lyra!”

Lightning erupted.

Lyra struck the bear's flank, forcing it to turn.

Aria followed immediately.

“Azure Pierce!”

Her spear pierced through one of the gaps between its scales.

The bear roared.

Aether saw the opening.

He stepped inside its reach.

The blade descended.

Slash!

The crimson lines across the bear's chest split apart.

Blood sprayed.

The bear stumbled.

But it didn't fall.

Its Ironblood Physique activated.

The wounds began closing.

Aether's eyes sharpened.

“Regeneration.”

The Executioner's Blade vibrated.

[Adaptive Resonance activated.]

[Analyzing Crimson Iron Body...]

[Understanding: 12%]

Aether felt the information flow through his Origin Energy.

The bear's defense wasn't simply physical.

Its Origin Energy reinforced the body from within.

Aether changed his approach.

Instead of attacking the outer armor, he targeted the energy flow.

One strike.

The bear's reinforcement weakened.

Second strike.

Another section collapsed.

Third—

The bear roared and swung both arms.

Aether ducked beneath them.

His blade moved upward.

SHING!

The strike cut deeply through the bear's chest.

The regeneration slowed.

Aether immediately followed with another slash.

The bear collapsed.

The forest became silent.

[Target eliminated.]

[Origin Energy absorbed.]

[Origin Points +3]

[Origin Points: 200/200]

Aether stood still.

The system appeared before him.

[Origin Point Requirement Reached.]

[Current Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 3]

[Next Stage Requirement: 200 Origin Points]

[Breakthrough available.]

Aether looked at the notification.

Three points.

Exactly three.

He had reached the threshold.

But he didn't immediately advance.

The system gave him another message.

[Warning: Breakthrough should be performed after sufficient stabilization.]

Aether nodded.

“Not here.”

Aria approached.

“You're not breaking through?”

“Not in the middle of a forest.”

Lyra looked at the defeated bear.

“Then we go home.”

Aether glanced at the wolves.

The three Stonehide wolves were alive.

The injured pup was still breathing.

The largest wolf lowered its head toward Aether.

Not submission.

Not obedience.

Recognition.

Aether simply nodded.

“Take care of your own.”

Then he turned away.

He, Lyra, Aria, and Nyx began walking back toward their cave.

For the first time since entering this world, Aether had reached a cultivation threshold without immediately chasing the next enemy.

Now came the harder part.

Making sure the power belonged to him completely.

Behind them, the wounded wolf watched until they disappeared between the trees.

And somewhere much deeper in the B-grade Origin Zone...

A pair of silver eyes opened.

The same presence that had watched Aether earlier had not truly left.

It had simply been waiting.