Vieran had crossed paths with several beasts on his journey. One by one, he fought them and emerged victorious. Through these battles, he acquired new traits, and his blueprint progress surged forward.

But the victories came at a cost. His supplies had dwindled faster than he'd anticipated; he was now left with little more than his trusty dagger, a worn pickaxe, and the loot he'd managed to salvage from the beasts.

Vieran’s stomach churned with hunger, while his throat felt parched. Two days had passed without a bite to eat or a drop of water to drink, and sleep had been a distant luxury he couldn’t afford. Fatigue weighed heavy on his limbs, and his vision blurred slightly from exhaustion.

Yet, he pushed on. Opening his system window, he took in the display with a faint smile. In this relentless world, the sight of his growth was the one thing that kept his spirits alive, urging him to take another step forward.

[Name: Vieran Voss

Tier: 1-B

Circuit: Lightfinder (70%)

Factors: Item Purification

Traits: Strength, Stamina, Satiety, Speed, Vitalumen Control, Endurance, Pain Resistance, Reaction, Critical Chance, Purification Bonus

Vitalumen: 11%

Nox: 9%]

For most adventurers without a strong background, reaching seventy percent blueprint progress was a grueling feat that could take months, or even stretch into a full year of relentless effort. Many lacked the rare resources or luck required to reach such milestones quickly. But Vieran’s situation was different. His factor to purify items had propelled him forward at an extraordinary pace. In only two days, he’d achieved the seventy percent progression, a leap that would have taken others far longer.

Yet, despite this advantage, his body was near its breaking point. His supplies were gone, and hunger and thirst gnawed at his strength with every step. If he wanted to keep going, he needed a source of sustenance. Somewhere out in the mist lay clusters of Luminorbs, the only nearby source that could restore his strength.

Suddenly, Vieran saw a shimmering wall of light above him. His eyes widened with hope as he recognized the radiance of a Luminorb cluster’s barrier. Relief flooded him, and a smile broke across his face as he quickened his pace.

The path ahead began to slope upward, leading him toward the source of the light. Each step brought him closer to its warmth. As he passed through, the dark mist cleared away, and before him stretched a breathtaking view.

Below, a tranquil lake mirrored the folklore sky’s deep, midnight blue, its surface so still it looked like polished glass. Above it, clusters of Luminorbs drifted gracefully. They floated like stars come to life, their gentle glow reflected in the lake’s surface. The air was cool and fresh here, the mist kept at bay by the Luminorbs’ light barrier.

In the presence of this serene radiance, his exhaustion seemed to lift, replaced by relief as he gazed upon the lake.

Vieran made his way down toward the lake, his steps slow as he savored the tranquility around him. But then, something caught his eye, a figure seated beneath a tree by the water’s edge. It was a man, seemingly in his fifties, with black hair streaked with strands of silver and a face marked by faint lines of age. Yet despite the wrinkles, lean muscles still defined beneath his worn clothing.

The man looked up and spotted Vieran, his eyes widening in surprise. Vieran halted. He was grateful to see another human here after so much time spent alone, but uncertainty gnawed at him. He couldn’t be sure if the stranger would prove to be friend or foe. His gaze lingered on the man’s posture, searching for signs of intention, his hand instinctively hovering near his dagger just in case.

The man rose to his feet and gave Vieran a slight nod. “Hello. Are you alone too?”

Vieran glanced around, noting the absence of any other presence near the lake. “You’re alone as well?” he asked cautiously.

The man gave a faint, wry smile. “As you can see.” Taking a step forward, he extended his hand. “Ah, how rude of me. My name’s Jeff.”

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As Jeff moved closer, Vieran instinctively took a few steps back, his gaze narrowing. Jeff hesitated, his hand still in midair. “Ah, I just want to introduce myself. I mean no harm.”

“Are you a Lightseeker?” Vieran asked, his tone guarded.

Jeff’s smile faded slightly. “Was supposed to be. I worked hard, saved every coin I had to buy a blueprint, but... bandits destroyed my community. They stole everything, including that blueprint.”

Vieran’s eyes sharpened. “Did those bandits have bat tattoos on their bodies?”

Jeff’s expression darkened, and he nodded knowingly. “Seems we share the same enemies. Must’ve been rough, surviving on your own, young man.”

A flicker of anger flared in Vieran’s chest, knowing those bandits had wrecked not just his life but others’ as well. He clenched his jaw, forcing the anger down, and then gave Jeff a small nod, his gaze dropping to Jeff’s outstretched hand. “I’m Vieran,” he replied without accepting the handshake.

Ignoring the man, Vieran walked past him to the lake’s edge. He crouched down, scooping handfuls of water, drinking deeply until his parched throat felt relief. The cool water soothed his raw throat, and he didn’t stop until his thirst was fully quenched.

Jeff stepped up behind Vieran, watching him fill his water pouch. “Seems you’ve been out here a while,” he remarked. “When was the last time you had any water?”

Vieran glanced back at him, saying nothing as he focused on filling the pouch. Jeff let out a small chuckle. “Not much of a talker, are you?”

Once the pouch was full, Vieran slipped it into his stash. As Jeff caught a glimpse of the items inside, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Those are a lot of items you’ve got there, young man. I might not be a Lightseeker, but I can tell those are valuable. And carrying them all alone… are you a Lightseeker?”

Vieran’s gaze hardened slightly. “I’m just here for a spot under a tree. I’ll stay until the Luminorbs move on.” With that, he turned away, heading for another tree to rest beneath.

Undeterred, Jeff walked alongside him. “Come on now, don’t be like that. Why don’t we travel together? We’d both have a better chance of survival.” He paused, then added, “Do you have a destination?”

But Vieran remained silent, his expression unreadable. He didn’t trust Jeff yet. Whether or not Jeff’s story was true, Vieran knew firsthand that surviving alone here was nearly impossible without Lightseeker abilities. His own journey to this place had been brutal, and the hardship was fresh in his mind. Jeff’s claim to be a non-Lightseeker and yet surviving out here made him all the more suspicious. He had to stay on guard, watching for any sign that Jeff’s intentions might not be what they seemed.

Vieran settled under the tree, leaning back and letting out a small sigh as Jeff continued to talk, undeterred by his silence.

“This cluster has been here for twenty-five days,” Jeff said, his voice low and a bit desperate. “I know because I was lucky enough to arrive on the first day it came to the lake. In five more days, it’ll move on again, and there’s no way I can keep up with it when it does.” He hesitated, then added, “Honestly, just thinking about surviving out there after it leaves… it’s giving me a headache. You’re my last hope, young man. Please, form a team with me, at least until we reach the next stop.”

Vieran studied the man, picking up on his urgency and the strain in his voice. Jeff didn’t seem to be lying; the weariness and desperation in his face looked real. After a moment of consideration, Vieran nodded slightly. “Give me time,” he replied.

Jeff’s face lit up with hope, and he nodded eagerly. “Alright, alright. Please, take all the time you need. If you need more convincing, I can show you I won’t be a burden.”

Vieran held up a hand, his tone firm. “We’ll talk about this later. You can go.”

Jeff gave a respectful nod, stepping back slowly. “Of course, of course. I won’t bother you.” He managed a faint smile as he turned. “Please, think about it carefully. I’m counting on you.”

As Jeff returned to his own spot beneath a distant tree, Vieran let out another sigh, feeling a sense of relief. At last, he could rest. He hugged his stash close to his chest, feeling the familiar weight of his items as he closed his eyes. His body ached with exhaustion; he hadn’t truly rested in days. But he knew better than to let his guard down entirely around a stranger.

Instead, he settled into a light doze, closing his eyes while keeping his senses sharp. Just enough rest to ease his fatigue—but not enough to let his vigilance slip.

When Vieran opened his eyes, his heart sank. His stash lay on the ground beside him, its contents scattered across the dirt. A quick scan confirmed something had been taken. Looking around, Jeff was nowhere in sight.

A surge of fury shot through Vieran, and he sprang to his feet, his gaze darting around until he spotted Jeff at the edge of a small wood near the hill. Without a second thought, he charged toward him, his anger blazing with every step.

As he closed in, he shouted, “I knew you were after my things! Give them back, or I’ll make you regret it!”

Jeff turned. “Wait, young man! You misunderstand—”

Before Jeff could finish, Vieran’s fist struck him square in the face, sending him hurtling back into a tree. Leaves and dust erupted as he hit the ground, his eyes wide with shock as he clutched his face.

Vieran loomed over Jeff, his voice cold and demanding. “Give me back what you stole.”

Jeff held up his hands defensively, wincing. “It’s… gone.”

The words struck Vieran like a spark on dry tinder, igniting his anger further. He raised his fist, ready to strike again, but Jeff scrambled back, his eyes wide with desperation. “Wait! I’m not the one who took it!”

“Liar,” Vieran spat. “There’s only the two of us here.”

“I’m telling you the truth,” Jeff insisted, pointing past Vieran toward a nearby tree. “That beast over there—it took it.”

Vieran turned, his gaze following Jeff’s outstretched finger. High on the branch, an eagle was perched, its sharp eyes fixed on them as if it sensed the attention.