“Eric, what happened? Wow, you look… intense, my friend.”

A smiling Sam measured him with a concerned gaze as Eric wordlessly handed the now full storage pouch, brimming with the choicest cuts from their kills and plenty of organ meat for his friend’s super nutritious sauces, Eric keeping all the rest, perfect for zombified future cannon batteries and bulwarks, in his own ES Space storage. He presented his friend as well with some sprigs of lemon grass, shallots, and several other wild herbs he thought he recognized, knowing his friend had a knack for both gardening and cookery, no Profession needed.

Eric flashed a rueful smile when Sam’s eyes lit up at his final gift, taking the time to carefully plant and water all Eric’s cuttings before preparing their lunch.

“I think I might have made another mistake,” Eric admitted. “My arrogance was replaced with caution, which is good. But I felt so embarrassed at the folly in my earlier daring, that I surrendered all initiative, all experimentation, as if I were a clueless disciple who didn’t dare do anything but walk in the footsteps of his masters and that, my young friend, was bad.”

Sam gazed at Eric for long moments. “Please tell me you’re not going to do something stupid and threaten your cultivation base, all over again?”

Eric laughed, feeling his cheeks heat up with those words. “A fair point. Let’s just say, I’ll do my best?”

And before his friend could say anything to that, Eric had already assumed a cross-legged stance under one of the golden shafts of light from the cavern ventilation holes that they both liked to cultivate under, smiling at his friends exasperated snort, hiding as well as he could the surge of anxiety twisting his stomach in knots as he tried to coax himself into doing that which he would have eagerly embraced without a thought, just a couple of weeks ago.

Because now he knew all too painfully well, the cost of failure.

“And it’s not like I have to do anything,” he thought to himself. “I could cultivate just like always. Sam is always up for a joke.” Yet even as he said the words, comforting himself with a metaphoric pat on the back, and gentle permission to take the safer path… he felt his cycling speed up. Yet this time, it was free of any plaque-searing Essence of Flame, containing only the rich spiritual energy saturating this cultivation paradise as a whole. He felt the warmth it gave off with its affinity, of course, but as the gentlest of balms to his soul. He started out slow. Cautious. Determined not to play the fool. Only when he was confident that his meridians were experiencing absolutely no strain did he speed it up, one tiny degree at a time as he slowly and with exquisite care, tapped into his own potency reserves, doing his utmost to measure their slow depletion as his cycling continued to speed up, paying as careful attention as any clinician, measuring his psyche, meridian gateways, and channels for any sign of strain, even the tiniest symptom that he was playing the fool once more.

Yet he found absolutely no trace of anything but a recently injured gateway whose scars were fading with surprising speed, the structure itself slowly, almost painfully slowly, gaining resilience the equal of its eleven mirror images.

A part of Eric was beyond exhilarated at the wondrous revelation, and wanted nothing more than to continue blazing away with ever greater intensity as his rich sweet Potency pool of an hour ago ran to nothing, sweet bubbly potency just a single clenched impulse away.

With a terrified cry Eric stopped himself, surprised by how hard it was to let go of ecstasy's promise, realizing anew just how dangerous a game he was playing as cold sweat covered his features.

And he noted Sam giving him the strangest look before catching a glimpse of the horrified expression on his own face… before it eased to a grateful sigh.

He had managed to pull back in time.

With greater control, and desperation, perhaps, than he had ever managed with Rica, who always forgave him with her teasing smile, whispering words in his ear that would make him flush with happiness, their romance blossoming so quickly that he would have felt nothing but joy had he actually had the opportunity to forge a family with her by his side.

But surrendering to rapture now would see him a shriveled corpse dying with a stupid grin on his emaciated features, a thought that made Eric shudder with a certain amount of horror.

Before steeling himself with a fierce smile as he stretched and headed for the tunnel entrance once more, earning a surprised look from Samuel.

“Eric? I know you were injured recently, so you don’t have to push yourself. We have plenty of food. Honestly, we’re good for a month. At least.”

Eric nodded. “I know,” he said, before flashing a Cheshire grin. “But I’m damn close to finally hitting Journeyman rank with Javelin, and I’m almost positive there’s a fresh title right around the corner for me so… yeah. I’m going to keep hunting.” He laughed at Sam’s mock glare.

“You’re fucking absurd, with all your stat bonuses and titles. Of course you’re on the cusp of yet another fucking System breakthrough.” Sam’s mock glare turned to a pleased grin. “Go kick ass, hero. Remember, though, as soon as I get a class, you’re teaching me all the secrets to ‘leet character progression.”

Eric laughed. “Deal,” he said before making his way back into the woods… but not before checking, as he always did, the blood wards around their cavern clearing, assuring that they were intact and that his friend was forever safe. Because after all the times he had risked his life playing the fool, he refused to let a moment’s carelessness risk his friend’s life as well.

And maybe he did keep the real reason for his fresh hunt close to his vest, for all that he truly did revel in stalking his prey, feeling genuine excitement at the sound of porcine squeals a good mile up fresh trails he had yet to explore. Because he didn’t really think Sam needed or wanted to know that Eric was determined to dance with peril multiple times in a single day, having to push aside the growing rapture he felt with crimson magics that maybe did echo a Succubus’s path in some convoluted way. Yet still somehow synergized so damned well with cultivation, even if the target was his own potency reserves, and he must always pull out and slip free of ecstacy’s bliss before he ever dipped into the red again.

Because thirty two years of his life was more than enough, and he’d be damned if he wouldn’t at least get a chance to savor for himself, each and every day he had left.

It was enough that Sam know that Eric was eager to enhance his Javelin Throwing skill, which was true, even if he had already hit the Rank 10 mark weeks ago. And he really was on the cusp of a title, all but tasting it’s inevitability as one kill followed another and he sensed himself cresting to a breakthrough of an entirely different sort when he cast his javelin for the final time that night, as golden lights turned to the warm crimson shafts of a setting sun as his fiery shaft flashed like liquid flame before plunging into the base of the skull of a massive bull of a spirit boar, Eric having deliberately avoided several sows and their litters, eager only for the largest kills that wouldn’t threaten future generations to come.

You have critically struck Spirit Boar Alpha!

Superheated shank has penetrated brain-pan!

Instant Fatality!

Javelin Throwing is now Rank 12!

Additional Perk options are now available to you!!

And before Eric could fully process that statement, he was hit with a second revelation, this one filling his body and soul with an odd spiritual fire, somehow reforming and strengthening his flesh, familiar, yet strikingly different in the potency infusions he earned from titles claimed back on Earth.

Congratulations! You have gained the Title: Alpha Hunter!

Your tribe is lucky indeed to claim such a hunter able to kill over 200 spirit beasts for the sake of his people!

You have earned +2 to all primary physical stats and +2 to Perception with your magnificent feat! For you are a true hunter, with the eyes of a Hawk and the body of a lion. The women of your tribe need only look at you to sense the potency of your blood and your suitability as a mate!

Eric blanched at that, more than a little alarmed at the almost gleeful declaration, terrified he’d find himself transformed to a chimera. But when trembling and very human hands pulled out the silvered plate he was using as a mirror, he sighed with relief, seeing the features he had grown long familiar with.

Though he was a bit surprised at the startled expression as he gazed upon features that had, in fact, changed. The longer he studied it, the more chilled he was to find a face utterly flawless, without a single blemish, and with such symmetrically balanced features that it looked more photo-shopped than real. Additionally, his essence tattoos were now more subdued than ever, for all that they radiated an unmistakable potency perhaps greater than what had radiated before, their flashing fire now highlighting eyes sparkling like jewels in ways that weren’t entirely human, and Eric realized that something had definitely changed.

With a quick glance all around making sure he was in no danger of being any other predator’s prey, he pulled up his abbreviated character sheet, ignoring the skills and flood of sweet titles, focusing only on the stats, daring to glimpse for the first time the changes that had occurred since the last time he had checked, exactly 4 cultivation Ranks ago.

_____________________________________

Eric Silver Level 9 Conscript (You are 100% of the way to level 10!)

Rank 10 Basic Fire Cultivator

Physical Characteristics

Strength – 69 (91%)

Vitality – 49

Finesse – 73

Quickness – 62

Appearance – 19 (Congratulations! You have achieved Apha genetic compatibility! You have won the genetic battle from within! Countless defective genes and adverse mutations have been destroyed and replaced by their genetic counterparts. And it shows! Almost any compatible partner will find you captivating at first glance, and for those able to smell pheromones or otherwise sense biological fitness, you will come off as absolutely irresistible. Best to expect plenty of marriage and alliance offers in the near future!)

Mental Characteristics

Scholarship – 16

Perception – 51

Willpower – 34

Charisma – 13

Potency Pools

Arcane Potential – 17

(Mana Pool = 204)

Spiritual Energy – 31

Soul Reserves – 58 (5.9 Points reserved = 52)

Stamina – 510 Points

Health – 648 Points.

Resistances & Recovery

Physical Resistance – 6

Physical Regeneration – 4.9/second

Elemental Resistance – 0

Qi Resistance – 3

Mental Resistance – 10

______________________________