WebNovels

Chapter 5 - Chapter 5 Light Core Cultivation

Night settled deep over the forest, turning the cave's entrance into a jagged tear in the dark. Inside, the air hung heavy with smoke and stone dust, broken only by the soft crackle of the fire Tamara had built. Shadows danced across the uneven walls, flickering like ghosts.

John sat cross-legged beside the flames, the Spear of Revanak resting near his side. The faint light etched into its shaft pulsed slowly, like the heartbeat of something alive. In his lap lay the first manual from the ring — the Light Core Initiation Guide. Its pages glowed faintly with golden text that rippled and shifted as if breathing.

[System Notification]

You have awakened independent Light cultivation.

System assistance is no longer required.

Further guidance unavailable.

Survive, and become strong young challenger.

The message lingered for a breath, then bled away like mist at dawn.

John blinked into the emptiness it left behind, his pulse pounding. That's it? Just like that, it's gone?

He stared at his hands, remembering the first time the system's words had appeared—back when the system teleported him.

Now there was only silence.

He let out a rough breath and muttered, "Guess it finally got tired of babysitting."

Still, the emptiness that followed dug deep.

John looked down at the light cultivation book and managed a faint smile and started reading.

"The Light exists in all things.

It is what remains when life fades — memory, power, essence.

To harness it is to walk the path of rebirth."

John read the words twice, maybe three times, but they still didn't make perfect sense. And yet … he could feel them. The air around him shimmered faintly when he focused, motes of light drifting like unseen dust, drawn toward him when he breathed slowly and deliberately.

It wasn't much — barely enough to make his skin feel warm — but it was real.

Tamara approached quietly, her boots barely whispering against the cave floor. She knelt beside the fire, setting down a handful of wild mushrooms and a few thin stalks of green herbs she had gathered near the entrance.

"You're learning," she said softly, watching him with those sharp, thoughtful eyes. "The Light listens to you."

John let out a breath, opening his eyes. "Feels more like it's tolerating me."

Tamara smiled faintly. "That's still better than most. Many try for days and feel nothing at all."

He looked down at his hands. "So this … this is what powers everything here? The monsters, the weapons, people like you?"

She nodded. "The Light is everything. It's the only reason any of us survived the merging. Without it, even the strongest bodies rot in days."

He frowned, thinking back to the skeleton in the cave. "Then that knight we found — he must've been powerful once."

Tamara's gaze drifted toward the corner where the armor had turned to dust. "Yes. But power doesn't always save you."

They fell silent for a while. The fire popped softly, and the smell of cooked mushrooms filled the air. When they ate, the conversation turned quieter, more thoughtful.

After a moment, John spoke again. "You said before … that monsters and people are ranked?"

Tamara nodded, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's the simplest way to measure strength. Monsters are divided from F-tier, the weakest, up through E, D, C, B, and A. The truly powerful — those who command armies or walk between realms — are said to be Light Bearers."

John tilted his head. "Light Bearers. Like … gods?"

"Not quite." Her tone softened. "But close enough. I've never met one, only heard stories. They say their Light bends the world itself — that nature obeys them."

He stared into the fire for a long time. "And where do I start?"

Tamara smiled faintly, the firelight catching the edge of her expression. "At the very bottom, of course. F-tier."

John huffed a quiet laugh. "Figures."

Her smile faded slightly, though not from cruelty — more from memory. "Everyone starts there. The difference is who survives long enough to climb."

The wind outside moaned through the rocks, a hollow sound that reminded John how close death still lingered. He leaned back, staring at the faint trail of light that still pulsed from the spear — its glow stretching north, toward a place he'd never seen.

Return the Spear to Revanak.

The challenge glimmered faintly at the edge of his mind, a constant reminder of what lay ahead. Somewhere beyond that forest, beyond the ruined world, a fallen kingdom waited.

John flexed his hand, feeling the subtle warmth of the Light still stirring beneath his skin. "So this is where it begins," he murmured. "The first step."

Tamara tilted her head. "The first Light," she said quietly. "Dont ever let it go out"

He didn't answer — only watched the dying fire until it was little more than a faint glow, the same color as the Light drifting unseen through the cave.

Outside, the night whispered.

And far to the north, something ancient stirred in response.

More Chapters