Chapter 12 – The Forge of Blood
The forest was wrapped in a silence so heavy it felt unnatural, as though every living thing held its breath. No birds sang, no insects chirped—only the faint rustle of leaves stirred by a hesitant wind. Yet even that sound seemed distant, drowned beneath the crimson glow radiating from Edem's body.
Before him lay a scattered collection of beast cores. Seven glimmered faintly with the dull sheen of standard cores, while three pulsed with a deeper, more resonant glow—the precious Basic-tier spoils earned through twenty-five relentless days of carnage.
Edem crouched down, his hand hovering just above the crystalline orbs. His fingertips tingled with hunger.
His body bore the scars of near-constant battle: ragged cuts along his arms, bruises faded into sickly purple, the dried flakes of beast blood clinging to his armor scraps. Yet none of that mattered. His gaze was fixed only on the cores—each one a crystallized fragment of life and death, humming with primal essence.
He exhaled slowly, a sharp whisper leaving his lips.
"The opportunity for showcasing [Creation Skill] has now presented itself."
The words felt heavy, echoing in the quiet forest like an oath.
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing as possibilities poured into his mind.
"Hmmm... what weapons should I forge?" His voice was soft, almost reverent, yet beneath it quivered an excitement that bordered on feverish. His imagination danced with visions: curved blades that dripped venom, towering shields that could deflect entire avalanches, spears that could pierce even the heavens.
A grin tugged at the corner of his lips.
"There are many choices of weapons over there," he murmured to himself, as though debating with some unseen presence. "Yet... instinct whispers otherwise."
He shut his eyes. His breathing slowed. When they opened again, his gaze burned crimson, resolute.
"Armor, a gauntlet, and dual guns. Protection, precision, and savagery... A balanced path for the battles to come."
His chest heaved. For a moment, he almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. But no—this was no indulgence. It was a necessity.
"A balanced approach that will serve me well. Yes... This shall be the beginning."
And with that, he activated the [Creation Skill].
---
A crimson circle blossomed beneath him, ancient and alien, carved from blood and will. The earth cracked as runes bled into existence, twisting like veins across the ground, pulsating in rhythm with Edem's heartbeat.
The beast cores quivered violently, as though resisting their fate. Then, like moths to flame, they were dragged into the heart of the circle.
Threads of blood shot from Edem's fingertips, latching onto the cores. His veins burned as though molten iron was pumping through them. Each thread writhed, constricting the cores, fracturing their shells, and drinking their essence dry.
Edem gritted his teeth, his jaw trembling. "So... this is the cost..."
The raw vitality of beasts—rage, hunger, and death—flooded his body. For a moment, he thought it might shatter him. He staggered, blood leaking from his nose, his muscles twitching with spasms. Yet he endured.
"I am the forge."
The air shuddered. The first creation formed.
A vest of black nanotech metal surfaced, liquid-like, before hardening. Crimson vein-like designs pulsated faintly across its surface, like blood flowing just beneath the skin of a predator. The vest clung to his torso, adjusting, reshaping, embracing him as though alive. When it settled, it emitted a low hum—synchronized with his heartbeat.
Next came the gauntlet.
Forged from the Basic-tier wolf core, its surface gleamed with predatory menace. Sharp, claw-like extensions sprouted, and the metal seemed to breathe, flexing as though it were the limb of a beast.
The moment Edem touched it, the forest itself seemed to pause. A chill swept down his spine as a system prompt materialized before him.
[Equipment Created: Wolf Fang Gauntlet] Basic Tier
— Passive Skill: Predator's Grasp
→ For thirty minutes, each strike reduces the stamina of the damaged enemy. (Cooldown: 1 hour)
Edem chuckled, the sound sharp and cruel.
"So, Basic-tier cores hold secrets beyond mere strength."
Finally, he turned to the most delicate creation—the twin guns.
Dozens of threads converged, merging the lesser cores with the last Basic-tier orb. Sparks of crimson lightning crackled as the process strained his body. His skin split at the fingertips, blood dripping freely into the runes below.
But at last, they crystallized—two elegant silver-white pistols streaked with glowing crimson lines. Their barrels pulsed faintly, alive, resonating with his blood. When he sealed the last rune, the guns roared, releasing a pulse of scarlet light that shook the treetops.
[Equipment Created: Crimson Howlers] Basic Tier
— Active Skill: Blood Barrage
→ Launches a barrage of explosive crimson bullets for ten seconds. (Cooldown: 30 minutes)
Edem held the weapons with reverence. The nano-vest hummed like a caged predator. The gauntlet flexed of its own accord, eager for carnage. The pistols exuded a heavy aura, promising devastation.
His lips curled into a grin that split into laughter.
"At last... the true hunt begins."
---
What followed was a massacre.
Edem became a storm of blood and steel.
The Crimson Howlers barked death with every pull of the trigger. Crimson bullets tore through beast flesh, erupting into explosions that shredded entire packs. Deer-like creatures collapsed in heaps of gore, serpentine predators burst mid-slither, their scales and innards painting the forest red.
When the bold ones lunged, his Wolf Fang Gauntlet answered. Each slash drained their vitality, leaving them limp, bones splintering under his crushing blows. The gauntlet drank their essence, feeding him vigor.
He felt it—the intoxicating rush. With every kill, strength surged through him, burning away exhaustion, filling his veins with ecstasy.
"So is this what it means... to be a predator?". Edem thought to himself.
His laughter rang across the Primordial Forest, wild and triumphant. Blood mist clung to him, painting his silhouette into something monstrous. Beasts fled before his presence, only to be cut down, torn apart, or incinerated by crimson barrages.
Hours passed. Corpses littered the earth, rivers of blood carved new paths across the soil. And yet, he did not stop. His hunger was endless.
Then—everything changed.
The ground trembled.
The trees swayed violently as if recoiling from some greater force. The very air grew heavier, thick with scorching heat.
Edem froze, his senses sharpening.
From the depths of the forest, fire bloomed. Flames erupted like an awakening volcano, painting the sky orange. A suffocating aura pressed down on him, heavier than anything he had faced.
Then it appeared.
A colossal beast strode from the flames.
Its fur burned a deep fiery orange streaked with black, each strand radiating heat. Eyes of molten gold locked onto Edem, searing him with primal dominance. Every step fractured the earth, leaving glowing embers behind. Its mane blazed like a living crown of fire, distorting the very air with unbearable heat.
[Intermediate Rank Beast Detected: Flame Tiger]
Edem's lips twisted into a smile. For the first time since his arrival, his blood boiled with genuine excitement.
"So... it has arrived."
The Flame Tiger roared, a sound that tore through the forest like thunder. Trees ignited instantly, their trunks snapping under the shockwave. The inferno spread, devouring the land.
The sheer presence of the beast dwarfed the Alpha Wolf he had slain weeks ago. This was no mere predator. This was a sovereign of flames.
Edem raised his pistols. The gauntlet glowed faint crimson. His vest tightened against his skin, syncing with his pulse. His blood raced—half dread, half exhilaration.
"Perfect..." His voice trembled with sinister glee. "A challenge befitting my advancement."
The Flame Tiger crouched low, muscles coiling like chains of molten fire. Flames spiraled around its limbs, shackles ready to snap.
Edem inhaled sharply, crimson energy flooding his veins.
And then—
Both predator and beast launched forward.
The battlefield erupted in a storm of fire and blood.
---