Beastforged World - B1 Chapter 10

Aureus froze the Bloodbath Deer? No, that couldn’t be it. The Soilback was too weak and frail to manage something like that. As intelligent as the little glutton was, that kind of feat should’ve been impossible.
Right?

Pushing the confusion aside, I reached for our connection. Aureus had always been omnipresent within me, flooding me with his emotions, but that was no longer the case. I couldn’t sense my Soulkin’s presence anymore, and it took me a moment to grasp what was happening.

Our firm, vibrant bond had weakened drastically in just seconds. Panic took over, and I hurriedly removed the tiny Soilback from my chest pocket, fearing the worst.

Did I hurt Aureus? Did I crush him by accident? I shouldn’t have allowed him to watch the fight!

Fear and despair were slowly taking hold as I held the Soilback in my empty palm. Exhaustion threatened to overwhelm me as the adrenaline pumping through my veins dispersed, but my attention remained on Aureus’ unmoving figure. My heart skipped a beat, and tears welled in my eyes. Yet, as the first drops streaked down my cheeks, I caught a movement. It was weak and strained, but Aureus was moving. He was breathing, even if it took him a tremendous amount of effort.

Ignoring the tears dripping to the ground, I let out a breath of relief and gave in to the exhaustion. The strength in my legs faded, and I slumped to the ground.
The dread receded, replaced by joy and clarity.

Aureus was not injured. Obviously, he wasn’t. I would have felt that. And he couldn’t have died either. I would’ve lost access to ether, and the soul energy aspected to the gluttonous Soilback would have become useless. While the loss of ether and soul energy was the least of my concerns right now, both were distinct signs that came with a Soulkin’s death.

A severed bond should be a lot more noticeable than the loss of ether and soul energy though…I guess.

To be fair, I didn’t even want to think about Aureus’ death, but seeing the Soilback so limp and silent was painful. A hundred times worse than I’d anticipated. Thinking about losing Aureus brought tears to my face, and the stream coursing down my cheeks only worsened as the Soilback opened its eyes. It yipped weakly, pulling on my heartstrings.

Pride surged in me as Daniel spoke, and Aureus echoed the emotion, flooding our fragile connection.

“Your Soulkin really did it, didn’t he?” Daniel’s words reached me, but my eyes never left Aureus.

“That’s ridiculous! A fucking Wild with a special trait!” my friend shouted, his voice laced with excitement. “I knew Aureus was special! There was no way such a fragile, tiny beast would consume so much soul energy without a reason!”

I reached out for my bond with Aureus and stored him in the World, then looked up to my friend.

“What are you talking about? Aureus is a Soilback, and you said they don’t have any special traits. Nothing I’ve read about Soilbacks indicates they can unlock any racial trait.” I knew Daniel was right, but it was hard to grasp the meaning behind his words, even if I probably should have.

“Aureus froze or paralyzed the adult Bloodbath Deer momentarily. I don’t know how your Soulkin did it or what exactly happened, but Aureus did it,” Daniel said, eyes gleaming. “We’ll have to research the trait to understand what exactly it does, how Aureus activates it, and how to ensure your Soulkin won’t overexert himself from a single use. Sure, that’s something we can do in the future, but it’s amazing. That’s all you need to know!”

He took a deep breath, the flame of excitement burning fiercely in his eyes, and continued to chatter. “Wilds with traits are rare. It’s uncommon for Wilds to have traits, especially one as young as Aureus. Some 5-Star Wilds can develop traits, which usually stimulate their evolution into a certain—usually rare—direction. Certain evolution serums depend on the release of specific traits to jumpstart a 5-Star Wild’s evolution, but that’s only feasible once a Wild is mature and has been pushed beyond its natural racial limit through their Blessed’s World’s influence and the serums they’ve consumed.”

Simplified, Aureus was special because he had a trait.

“What you just said is about racial traits, right? But Aureus is a Soilback, and they don’t have any traits—especially not one that paralyzes its targets... or am I mistaken?” I asked, trying—and probably failing—to hide my confusion.

“Aureus is a mutant,” Daniel reminded me, his smile widening. “And I think we just figured out what makes him different.”

He crossed the distance between us and slapped my shoulders. “Teach will definitely sponsor you! Once we’re back, I will organize the data and throw it right into his face! I will take care of your sponsorship. Don’t worry about anything.”

Daniel seemed more excited than I was. I was just … confused.

Did Aureus’ mutation mean that the Soilback would never be as strong as its peers? If that was the case, how was I supposed to fight stronger beasts? The Bloodbath Deer had already been powerful, and it was only a 3-Star Wild. Even worse, if Aureus collapsed every time he used his special trait, I would rather not use it. Seeing my Soulkin like that, struggling to take a simple breath, was not something I wanted to see again.

If our soulshare doesn’t empower me physically … I will have to find other ways to grow stronger. Freezing enemies momentarily is a powerful trait. I killed a 3-Star Wild with it!

Not only did I kill a 3-Star Wild, but a mature Bloodbath Deer!

Aureus was different from what I expected. Our bond was strong and provided a relatively high soulshare, but I couldn’t make use of it. Yet.

That would change once our bond was even stronger—firm enough to grant me access to Aureus’ special trait as well. It was just a matter of time, and I couldn’t help but feel excited about the future.

I scrambled to my feet and groaned as my legs quivered like jelly.

“Are we done hunting?”

Daniel stared at me for a moment and scoffed. “Do you want to continue? I don’t think so. Aureus is exhausted and won’t be able to help you, and you’re out of ether and too exhausted to fight either. At this point, a Frenzy Squirrel would be more than enough to finish you off.”

That was actually a good point, and I checked up on Aureus, ensuring he was recovering properly in my World. Studying the World, I noticed something curious. My core had already started to replenish ether, yet the traces of ether were siphoned and forwarded to his curled-up Soulkin.

Aureus recovered smoothly, my World and ether providing everything the Soulkin needed to be back at full health in no time.

Satisfied, I opened my eyes to Daniel staring at me. His ocean-blue eyes locked with mine, and I wondered for a moment if he was trying to stare holes into me. The moment dispersed quickly, and I cocked my head to the side as I caught something in Daniel’s eyes.

Hesitation. That was unlike Daniel. He was anything but uncertain and hesitant—especially around me, or so I thought.

“What’s bothering you?” I inquired, my words doing little to dispel the hesitation masking his face.

It took him several uncomfortably long seconds to move. He turned to the corpses and stored them, his eyes drifting back to me every few seconds. All I did was look at him inquisitively, hoping he would talk. And, at last, his lips parted, though the hesitation never left his face.

“Do you remember the invitation I told you about several months ago?” he asked.

The last few weeks had been filled with so much information—packages of compressed intel that had been forced into my head—but I would never forget about that invitation. It was far too special to forget, even if it had nothing to do with him.

“You were invited to the Camp.” I nodded slowly and smiled slyly at Daniel as I added, “How could I forget your constant whining because your parents used their connections to grant you a special decree? You cried for days because you weren’t allowed to participate in the regular exams because you were ‘overqualified’. Crying about missing an opportunity to show off is … rather pathetic, don’t you think?”

Provoking Daniel was fun, though I didn’t do it to anger—not this time, at least. I knew better than anyone that Daniel wanted nothing more than to be normal. That people would look at him for who he was, rather than the family he belonged to. Joining the Camp regularly like most talented Blessed would have been perfect. It would have been all he needed to make a name for himself, and to show others that he did not have to rely on his family for everything.

Unfortunately, his parents took that opportunity away from him. I tried to understand his desires and struggles, but to me, they appeared like the problems of the wealthy. To a certain point, at least. After all, who would complain about an all-inclusive pass to the Bastion’s Camp? I, for one, never had a chance at joining an academy, and it would be a struggle to join university given my severe lack of higher education.

With enough work, I could get into a university now that I was a Blessed. I could also join the army if I continued to grow a little, but the Camp was not within my reach. They weren’t called the Ruler’s training ground without reason. Only the best of the best were allowed to join the Camp, and only an insignificant portion would graduate from it.

As for those who graduated, they were all celebrities. The best of the best. Blessed with the potential to reach the brilliant stars everyone dreamed about.

They had the means to become Rulers.

Sure, I had only heard rumors about the Camp and what kind of training they underwent, but the prospect of becoming a Ruler and protecting humanity alongside them was enticing enough. It was exhilarating, and just imagining it made me giddy.

“Don’t be an ass, dude!” Daniel snapped, glaring at me.

The hesitation was no more.

“I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to join the Camp with me. You don’t have to be a jerk about it!” he grumbled under his breath, but I heard him. Every. Single. Word.

“What?” My heart skipped a beat, but I squashed the delusional thoughts surfacing in my mind mercilessly. “How am I supposed to prepare for the exam? I have no time to study, let alone the financial means to be tutored. I have no good techniques, bad equipment, and my education was lackluster compared to the prodigies. And… did I already mention that only prodigies, spoon-fed the best Soulkin, techniques, meals, and serums by their families, participate in the exams?”

Daniel’s lips parted for a response, but I wasn’t done yet.

“Oh, of course, I shouldn’t forget the hidden prodigies with large Worlds that were picked up by nobles, the Beast Temple, and sponsored by academies. Or the painfully obvious fact that I’m a late bloomer. In five months, I will turn sixteen, yet my World is smaller than the average World of a fucking newborn.” I could feel the anger rising within me, and I didn’t bother suppressing it. “Please don’t say something like that casually. I know you mean well, and I am, and always will be, eternally grateful for everything you have done to help me, but we both know that I don’t have what it takes to join the Camp. I am weak, my World is small, and I do not have the money to change any of that.”

It took me several deep breaths to calm down.

Was that a mistake? Maybe.

Did I do too much? Yeah.

But was I exaggerating? Definitely not.

Daniel meant well, but it had already been painful to know that we weren’t from the same world. It was a struggle when we were small, and it didn’t get better when my condition worsened—all while I had to listen to Daniel complaining about his daily struggles in a ridiculously wealthy and influential family. I nearly lost it when Daniel whined for days after his parents prepared a special decree for him to join the Camp, but I didn’t snap at him and distanced myself for a few days, hoping the distance would solve everything.

It didn’t. Although it helped me understand that our standing wasn’t the same, and that I should never try to become like Daniel. After all, I didn’t have what it took. He was a dear friend, but we would never be the same.

“Weak?” Daniel murmured, looking me straight in the eyes. Torrents of raging waves sloshed fiercely in those ocean-blue eyes. “I think you’re severely mistaken about that.”

He sighed deeply, the frustration in his eyes making space for understanding—or what I interpreted as an attempt at understanding.

“How about this? I will send this to my parents.” Daniel stepped closer and tapped on his bracelet, manifesting a holographic screen that showed… my fights with the four Wagur and both the juvenile and mature Bloodbath Deer.

Why would he want to show his parents something like that? Even I knew that my fighting style—if one could call it that in the first place—was lackluster, for lack of a better word.

“Don’t look at me like that and listen,” Daniel grumbled irritatingly. “I will show them these clips alongside a string of facts. I will tell them nothing but the truth, and we will see what they have to say.”

“And what’s that supposed to do? It won’t change anything about my—” I stopped mid-sentence and sighed when Daniel stared holes at me again.

I didn’t like depending on Daniel, let alone his parents, but it’s not like the video clips and some facts about me would change anything.

“Do as you please.”

Joining the Camp was a tremendous opportunity, and I knew I wanted to join them too. Catching up to Daniel and fighting alongside him sounded even better. Maybe if by some miracle I were to join the Camp, I could study to become a Beaster as well.

Stop daydreaming. Nothing will change.

Daniel’s face lit up, and he approached me in a hurry to slap my shoulders excitedly. He didn’t bother restraining his strength by much and nearly broke several bones.

“You won’t regret it! I promise!” he exclaimed excitedly.

“Promises mean a lot to some people. You shouldn’t–... No, forget it.” I exhaled deeply, trying to ignore the pain in my shoulders. “Anyway, are we going back now? I want to sell the beast carcasses before my legs give in a second time.”

I had no idea where to find a shop with the license to purchase and sell beast parts. Sure, there were official trading posts spread across the Bastion, but even I knew that the government paid less for beast carcasses than licensed merchants. The only goods sold to the government for a premium were those from beasts of no value. Even then, it was only profitable if the species’ population threatened to disrupt the ecosystem.

“Don’t bother,” Daniel waved dismissively. “I’ll buy the bodies. For a fair price slightly above the market value since they’re freshly killed and perfectly preserved.”

I rolled my eyes as he winked at me, but there was no reason to reject his offer. Daniel stored and preserved the carcasses, but I killed them. Selling something to a friend was still acceptable—as long as he didn’t pay way too much.

Daniel seemed satisfied with the acceptance on my face and smiled.

“For the record, I do not know how much your parents earn, but I think you will be in for a shock. Wagur meat is not the most delicious or nutritious, but it’s ether-infused and a lot more nutritious than meat from regular livestock. As for the juvenile Bloodbath Deer, it is almost as valuable as the four Wagur. The mature…”

It wasn’t the first time I tuned out Daniel’s happy chittering. I highly doubted there was a worse chatterbox than Daniel in any of the thirteen Bastions, and it only got worse when he was happy. Nonetheless, he made it a mission to sound cryptic and avoided talking about numbers until we reached the outpost.

Being so close to the barrier that protected humanity from constant attacks was still weird, and so was walking through it. However, the weirdest thing was still the change in the scenery. The untamed wilderness outside the dome—a land governed by survival, with death lurking everywhere—was replaced by peace.

I didn’t even realize how tense I had been until we phased through the dome and my body relaxed. So much that my wobbly legs caved in and I fell to the ground face-first. Or would have, if I hadn’t been caught in time.

“You will get used to this,” Daniel’s chattering reached me again as he helped me to my feet. “Either way, check your profile. Your account as a Blessed should have been verified and connected to your ID.”

Following his guide, I retrieved my phone and opened the newest notification. It led me straight to my profile, which had already been updated and expanded.

Name: Adam Savier
Blessed: Novice
Soulkins: 1
Affiliations: None
Finances: 850 Credits

The profile also contained information like age, height, eye color, where I lived, and a lot more before, but none of that seemed important anymore. All that mattered—everything that defined my status—was being a Blessed, my rank, and my affiliation. And, as always, my wealth. Or the lack thereof. At least, it was supposed to be that way.

“What in the Rulers’ names?!” I cursed aloud, drawing the attention of several Blessed walking to and from the dome.

“200 Credits for the Wagur, 150 for the juvenile Bloodbath Deer, mostly due to how small its antlers are, and 500 Credits for the adult Bloodbath Deer,” Daniel said matter-of-factly, though his facial expression was that of a fool—one with a grin that reached from one ear to the other. “Did you not listen to me when I explained the value of your kills? Should I… explain it to you again—in detail?”

My lips parted and snapped closed after a moment.

“That’s what I thought.” Daniel snickered.

“But on a serious note, you should not expect every hunt to earn that much. Wagur are more valuable than the average 1-Star Wild. Forget about the Bloodbath Deer carcasses.”

Even though I’d known Blessed could earn a fortune outside, this was far from what I’d expected. The beasts were a lot more valuable than I could have anticipated.

Did I just earn more than Mom earns in two months? In… a single day?

It was no wonder Blessed were filthy rich. That was definitely worth risking my life.

One hundred percent.