Twelve Points

Chapter 43 — Twelve Points

Morning arrived quietly.

Aether stood at the entrance of the cave, watching the B-grade Origin Zone wake beneath a pale sky.

Mist drifted between the trees.

Distant beast roars echoed through the forest.

The atmosphere was dense with Origin Energy, but something else had changed.

Aether could feel it.

The beasts in this zone were stronger than those outside the Bloodline Shrine.

Some were weak enough to ignore.

Others were powerful enough to threaten Origin Awakening cultivators.

And somewhere deeper within the zone, there were signatures that even Aether couldn't clearly identify.

He smiled faintly.

“Good.”

Lyra stepped beside him.

“You're enjoying this.”

“I've been cultivating for days.”

“That isn't an answer.”

Aether glanced at her.

“I need twelve points.”

Lyra sighed.

“Of course.”

Aria approached from behind, her new spear resting against her shoulder.

“Then let's get your twelve points.”

Aether looked at her.

“You don't have to come.”

Aria raised an eyebrow.

“You really haven't changed.”

“What?”

“You still think you have to handle everything yourself.”

Aether shook his head.

“That's not what I said.”

“Then stop trying to send me back every time something dangerous appears.”

Lyra smiled.

“She has a point.”

Aether looked between them.

“Fine.”

He turned toward the forest.

“But we hunt intelligently.”

Aria's smile widened.

“Agreed.”

Nyx jumped onto Aether's shoulder.

The four of them entered the forest.

They didn't travel far before Aether raised his hand.

Everyone stopped.

A faint sound came from ahead.

Not a roar.

Footsteps.

Several creatures.

Aether focused.

[Origin Detection]

[Target: Ironback Horned Boar]

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[Rank: D]

[Quantity: 5]

[Estimated Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 1–2]

[Threat: Low]

Aria lowered her spear.

“Five.”

“I'll take two.”

Lyra's fingers crackled with lightning.

“I'll take two.”

Aria looked at Aether.

“And the last one?”

Aether glanced at Nyx.

Nyx's ears immediately flattened.

“No.”

Nyx made an offended sound.

Aether almost smiled.

“Later.”

The boars emerged from the trees.

Their bodies were covered in dark iron-like plates, with thick horns extending from their heads.

The first one charged.

Aria moved.

Her spear flashed.

Bang!

The spearhead struck directly between the creature's eyes.

The boar was thrown backward.

It crashed through a tree.

Aria didn't wait.

She followed.

One thrust.

Two.

Three.

The third strike pierced its defensive plates.

The beast collapsed.

[Origin Energy absorbed.]

[Origin Points +1]

Aria looked toward Aether.

“Did that count for you?”

“No.”

She laughed.

“Then you're still at 188.”

Aether shook his head.

“Exactly.”

Lyra released a bolt of lightning.

The second boar collapsed instantly.

The remaining three charged toward Aether.

He drew the Executioner's Blade.

The moment the weapon appeared, the atmosphere changed.

Aether stepped forward.

One slash.

The first beast fell.

Second slash.

The second collapsed.

The final boar tried to turn.

Aether's blade passed through its neck.

It dropped without another sound.

[Three hostile targets eliminated.]

[Origin Points +3]

[Origin Points: 191/200]

Aether wiped the blade against the grass before sheathing it.

Aria stared at him.

“You've gotten much stronger.”

“So have you.”

She smiled.

“I know.”

They continued deeper.

This time, Aether didn't rush toward every beast.

He searched.

The system continuously analyzed the surroundings.

[Low-grade Origin Herb detected.]

[Origin Crystal deposit detected.]

[Unknown mineral detected.]

Aether collected everything useful.

By midday, they had gathered several herbs, a small amount of Origin Crystals, and enough materials to expand the cave's defensive formation.

Then Nyx suddenly stopped.

Her golden eyes focused on the trees.

Aether immediately noticed.

“What is it?”

Nyx growled softly.

Aether activated Origin Detection.

Nothing.

He expanded the range.

Still nothing.

Then—

A faint distortion appeared in the air.

Aether's expression changed.

“Something is hiding.”

Aria tightened her grip on the spear.

Lyra gathered lightning around her fingers.

Aether raised his hand.

“Don't attack yet.”

The distortion moved.

Fast.

Aether turned.

A black blur crossed between the trees.

He disappeared.

BOOM!

Aether reappeared several meters away, his blade blocking a massive claw.

The creature finally revealed itself.

A black panther-like beast stood before him.

Its body was covered in dark scales.

Two curved horns grew from its forehead.

Its eyes were pale silver.

[System Analysis]

[Species: Shadowhorn Panther]

[Rank: C]

[Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 4]

[Ability: Shadow Movement]

[Physique: Shadowbone Physique]

[Potential: B+]

[Threat Level: Moderate]

Aether's eyes sharpened.

Stage 4.

This was exactly the kind of opponent he wanted.

Not overwhelmingly strong.

Not weak enough to be useless.

The panther vanished.

Aether immediately felt movement behind him.

He turned.

The Executioner's Blade met the creature's claws.

Clang!

The impact pushed Aether several meters backward.

His feet carved lines through the ground.

Aria moved to attack.

“Don't.”

Aether stopped her.

“This one's mine.”

The panther disappeared again.

Aether closed his eyes.

He didn't follow its body.

He followed the disturbance in the surrounding Origin Energy.

Left.

No.

Above.

He moved.

The panther appeared exactly where he expected.

Aether's blade struck its shoulder.

Blood splashed across the ground.

The beast roared.

Its shadow suddenly expanded.

Darkness swallowed the surrounding trees.

Aether's vision disappeared.

[Warning.]

[Shadow Movement Field detected.]

Aether remained still.

He could hear movement.

But sound wasn't enough.

The creature was using the shadows to distort its position.

Aether's grip tightened around the blade.

His Origin Energy flowed into the Executioner's Blade.

The weapon responded.

[Adaptive Resonance activated.]

[Analyzing Shadow Movement...]

[Understanding: 7%]

The panther attacked.

Aether turned at the last possible moment.

Claws passed beside his neck.

His blade followed the movement.

Slash!

The panther's side was cut open.

It stumbled.

Aether didn't give it another opportunity.

One final strike severed its neck.

The massive body collapsed.

[Target eliminated.]

[Origin Energy absorbed.]

[Origin Points +6]

[Origin Points: 197/200]

Aether stared at the system.

Three points remained.

He looked down at the dead Shadowhorn Panther.

Its body still contained traces of Shadow Movement and Shadowbone Physique.

His Infinite Origin Physique reacted faintly.

But nothing happened.

[Ability Assimilation unavailable.]

[Infinite Origin Physique: 0.34%]

[Origin Copy remains locked.]

Aether's eyes narrowed slightly.

He already knew.

One percent.

Until then, he could only analyze what he encountered.

Still...

The battle had taught him something.

The Executioner's Blade wasn't merely a weapon.

It was learning.

[Adaptive Resonance: 25% → 29%]

Aether looked at the blade.

“Interesting.”

Aria approached.

“You alright?”

“I'm fine.”

Lyra looked at the dead panther.

“That was Stage 4.”

Aether nodded.

“And three more points.”

Aria smiled.

“So we're almost there.”

Aether looked toward the deeper forest.

“Almost.”

A faint roar echoed from far away.

It was much louder than the previous beasts.

The ground trembled.

Aether's expression became serious.

His system immediately reacted.

[Warning.]

[High-level Origin Signature detected.]

[Estimated cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 5+]

Aether slowly raised his sword.

Three points.

Only three.

But perhaps the forest had decided to make him work for them.