Finally, a Hunt!

Jogging off into the forest, it took a little time but eventually Joseph found the hill with the stone piles—unnaturally placed in a slightly curving line, seemingly creating a large perimeter around the guild house. Looking down the other side he saw a plain of rocks and short grass, desolate, devoid of life.

Further into the distance, trees started appearing, littered with rocks, eventually becoming a thick wild forest. Knowing his target, he carefully kept track of his location as he moved toward the rocky forest ahead.

With stealth and range as his main advantages, he stayed along the treeline, moving with an unnatural lightness in his steps as he jumped and maneuvered branch to branch. Perhaps it was due to his stats, perhaps the faint green hue clinging to him, invisible to normal eyes.

He was channeling the nature-like spirits into his clothing, lending him strength and seemingly a natural affinity for his surroundings.

After some searching, the sound of movement reached his ears. Quietly, he closed in, adjusting his angle to keep as much distance as possible while obtaining a clear line of sight.

From his vantage, he spotted a group of ten adolescent-sized beings. Their skin was light green, their clothes ragged but functional. Large ears jutted out, their noses flat and wide. Joseph quickly positioned himself downwind.

Each one carried weapons of varying quality—mostly scavenged, scarred with rust and deformities. Knives, short swords, wooden shields, and bows were among them, along with bolas and other crude tools.

This wasn’t just a random mob—they had organization. Sword and shield bearers formed the vanguard, archers hung back, and they seemed to lack only a mage. He made a point not to underestimate them. ‘I’m assuming hobgoblins.’

Shifting position to check other angles and surroundings, he noticed their weapons bloody. Bones and strands of flesh littering the floor, with their teeth inked red. Clearly having just eaten a meal, they sat on the ground resting, the mangled hide of a possibly young deer thrown to the side.

Readying himself, he loosened the grip on the bow, since without his staff or other weapons beyond the bow and arrow, he instead had to raise a hand to cast magic.

Mana swirled invisibly into place, and though the creatures couldn’t see it, they sensed it. In an instant they leapt up from their rest, snapping to formation. Shields raised, blades forward, archers covering—their discipline caught him off guard.

With no time to hesitate, Joseph focused harder, a circular barrier of water manifesting around the creatures the next second. It wasn’t particularly tall, but wide enough to enclose the entire group. Panic flared inside the watery prison as the creatures began striking at the walls.

He exhaled, steadying his nerves. Sparks built between his fingers as a misty cloud condensed above the barrier. Droplets began to fall, soaking both the ground and the panicked captives.

The goblin-like creatures adjusted fast. What began as frantic blows shifted into coordinated strikes—bashing, stabbing, testing for weak spots. Joseph’s eyes narrowed. ‘Smarter than I expected.’

Electricity crackled across his hand. His chest tightened with nerves as the barrier thinned under the concentrated strikes. He pushed forward regardless.

With a sharp motion he brought his hands together and thrust them outward. Light flared in the shadow ridden forest. A pulse of energy snapped through the air, faster than the eye could follow. The watery cage shattered, spraying outward, and the captives convulsed violently.

Some collapsed instantly, twitching on the ground. Others locked upright, their muscles spasming as electricity coursed through them. ‘A shame to cheat using raw mana, but it was necessary.’

The creature’s skin scorched. Green and red liquid seeped from mouths, noses, and ears. Steam hissed where droplets and blood boiled off into the air.

When the spasms ended, the sounds of nature returned. Only the stench of charred flesh and a handful of twitching corpses were left of the group of monsters.

Joseph stayed hidden for a few minutes, scanning the surroundings. When nothing moved, he finally lowered his guard and opened his stat sheet.

Name: Joseph

Class: Spirit Ranger [E+] (+3 Spirit, +2 Dexterity, +2 Agility, +1 Magic)

Title: Survivor of the Unsurvivable, One Who Consumes Enemies

Level: 20

Vitality: 5
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 53
Agility: 53
Magic: 52
Spirit: 52

Available Stat Points: 0

Active Skills: Channel Spirits (D), Spirit Sight (D), Magic-Spirit Communion (D), Condensed Fireball (E), Concrete Creation (E), Bursting Shot (E), Piercing Shot (E), Mana-Spirit Shockwave (E), Rippling Water Barrier (E), Electrostatic Discharge (E)

Passive Skills: Survivor (D), Spirit’s Affection (E), Exploit Weak Point (E), Mana Control (D), Concealed Presence (E), Silent Steps (E), Focused Hearing (F), Guardian (F), Structure Master (F)

Electrostatic Discharge (E) – Generate a high-voltage discharge by manipulating mana polarity and releasing it at a targeted point.

“Ugh, finally it’s become a skill.” He clutched his head as a throbbing migraine surged. Resting a few minutes, he then dragged the corpses together, surrounding himself with a water barrier.

Activating Spirit Sight, he observed inky black fragments lingering inside the bodies. Slowly, carefully, he practiced pulling them together, weaving fragments into a near-whole shadow of a soul.

Pouring magic and spirit into the husks, he willed them into motion. From one, singular corpse, a shadowy figure emerged—taller, bulkier, amalgamating features from the group. Muscular arms from the shield bearers. Lankier proportions and taller ears from the archers. Broad feet and sturdy waists from the swordsmen.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was functional. He didn’t complain—this was knowledge gained. His curiosity burned. Skinning one of the larger corpses, he fashioned a crude covering, then tested his new summon.

“Run forward. Make noise. If attacked, defend and hold position.”

The shadowy warrior obeyed, bashing shield against stick in a rhythmic, guttural racket. Joseph stalked behind at a distance, bow ready, already impressed by the drastic difference in intelligence compared to the last.

With an open invitation for trouble, the forest soon answered.

A sudden eruption tore the earth apart, three massive leaf-like jaws snapping shut around the shadow. Jagged spines interlocked along the seams, holding fast as they snapped into place, one by one.

Joseph felt a drain on his mana—the shadow struggling to repair itself. He didn’t waste any time, wanting to preserve his mana. An arrow imbued with spirit punched through the plant’s shell, bursting out the back.

Green and pink goo oozed free as the jaws loosened and went limp.

“Move forward. Clean yourself.”

The summon stumbled forward, shaking off fluids as Joseph approached. Purple liquid hissed against the earth, corroding plants where it splattered. He poked the creature’s remains with a stick, noting the bamboo-like material under its outer lining.

Testing the acid’s potency, he reinforced a branch with spirit. The glow held, the acid only slowly eating away at the branch. ‘Useful’.

Unable to pry the monster’s core from the earth, he settled for hacking free the three hardened jaw plates, tying them with vines to dry.

From there, the hunt continued. The bait drew out beasts one after another—wolves, hobgoblins, plant monsters, and other strange creatures. Each fight tested his resource management. Each kill deepened his understanding.

By the time darkness crept into the forest, he was bloodstained and drained. Mana reserves long exhausted, he backtracked by tracing fragments of spirit energy he had left behind.

The moonlight greeted him as he stumbled back to the guild. Exhausted but alive, so alive his eyes were still full of fiery passion for hunting.