The ground didn't welcome him.
It shifted.
Bran's foot landed on uneven stone the moment he stepped through the portal, his body adjusting instantly as loose gravel slid beneath him. Ventus flowed through his legs on instinct, stabilizing his balance before the slip could turn into a fall.
He moved.
Three steps forward.
Then stopped.
The forest closed in around him.
Dense. Uneven. Quiet in a way that didn't feel natural.
Mist drifted low across broken terrain, swallowing distance and dulling sound. The air pressed faintly against his skin—thick with mana.
Bran exhaled slowly.
Listened.
Nothing.
Good.
He moved again, controlled, deliberate.
A rustle.
Left.
He turned—
Too late.
Something lunged out of the mist.
Fast.
Low.
Sharp.
Bran shifted instantly, Ventus pushing him off-line as claws tore through empty air.
He saw it clearly now.
Lean body. Compact muscle. Predatory focus.
Target Identified
Breaker-Tier Beast — Level 5
Razorback Lynx
The beast didn't hesitate. It twisted mid-motion and lunged again.
Bran stepped in.
Ventus gathered.
Compressed.
"Ventus Secare."
The air sharpened.
The blade cut forward.
Clean.
The creature didn't dodge—too committed.
The strike landed.
Its body split through motion and collapsed before it could reach him.
Still.
A faint glow formed where it fell.
Bran stepped forward and picked it up.
A crystal.
Warm.
Dense.
A pulse followed.
+2 Runic Points
He paused.
"…Lower than I expected."
Then—
Another notification.
New Function Unlocked: Crystal Absorption
Absorbing crystals grants Runic Points equal to source value
Crystals may be retained for other purposes
Bran looked at the crystal in his hand.
Then inward.
Same value as the kill.
Which means—
Double.
His fingers tightened slightly.
He focused.
Willed it.
The crystal dissolved.
A faint pulse ran through him.
+2 Runic Points
Bran stilled.
Felt it.
Subtle.
But real.
"…So it works."
Confirmed.
He exhaled once.
Then glanced at the empty space in his palm.
Gone.
Used.
Wasted.
His gaze shifted slightly.
The test.
Crystals mattered.
Absorbing them—
Reduced his count.
Reduced his standing.
Bran nodded once, decision settling cleanly.
"…Then I keep them."
He moved.
The second beast came faster.
Another lynx.
Bran didn't wait.
Ventus surged through his legs as he stepped into its path—
"Ventus Secare."
Clean.
+2 Runic Points
The body dropped.
Crystal formed.
He picked it up.
Stored it.
Third.
From behind.
He felt it—
Turned—
Released.
+2 Runic Points
Stored.
Fourth.
Heavier.
Slower.
Required adjustment.
Still fell.
+2 Runic Points
Stored.
The rhythm built.
Move.
Sense.
Strike.
Collect.
No hesitation.
No wasted motion.
And something shifted.
Subtle.
His movements sharpened.
Ventus responded smoother.
Faster.
Like his body was aligning with the output.
Bran didn't stop.
He leaned into it.
Another beast.
Then two.
Then three.
Each one fell.
+2 RP
+2 RP
+2 RP
+2 RP
Crystals gathered.
Stored.
Not consumed.
Time blurred.
Mist parted and closed.
The forest stopped feeling empty.
It started feeling manageable.
Bran slowed slightly after the next exchange, stepping onto stable ground.
Then he checked.
Level: 7
Runic Points: 86
A pause.
"…Efficient."
From Level 5 to 7.
Without relying on crystals.
His gaze steadied.
That was enough.
For now.
He moved again.
Faster this time.
Ventus surged harder through his legs as he cut through the terrain, no longer reacting.
Now—
He was hunting.
The next encounter came in pairs.
Two beasts.
Bran stepped in without hesitation.
Left step—
Blade.
Right pivot—
Second strike.
One dropped instantly.
+2 Runic Points
The second lunged—
He slipped inside—
"Ventus Secare."
Clean.
+2 Runic Points
Both crystals collected.
Stored.
No pause.
He kept moving.
Then—
The forest changed.
The air grew heavier.
The silence deepened.
Bran slowed.
Not by choice.
By instinct.
Something stronger.
The mist ahead shifted.
Then parted.
Something stepped through.
Larger.
Heavier.
More… present.
A pulse flickered.
Target Identified
Paragon-Tier Beast — Level 2
Ironhide Fang
Traits: Reinforced hide | High strength | Moderate speed
Bran's eyes sharpened.
Paragon Tier.
A different level entirely.
The creature's gaze locked onto him.
No hesitation.
It moved.
Fast.
Too fast for its size.
Bran reacted instantly, Ventus surging as he shifted off-line—
Impact.
The ground shattered behind him.
His expression tightened slightly.
That wasn't something he could take head-on.
Not yet.
But—
He didn't step back.
Didn't run.
His breathing steadied.
Bran adjusted his stance.
Wind gathered.
This time—