Two months had passed since Tristan managed to escape from his dungeon prison and decided to travel to the Eastern region. The continent he lived on was divided into five regions, and the region he was currently in was the Central region, the second most dangerous one.

In the first few weeks, he was severely injured, which meant he couldn't do much, so he just kept walking through the dense forest at the pace he could manage.

When he felt better, he began using his Light and Darkness cultivation technique. Slowly, his body was altered, and he started acquiring new physical characteristics. Now, he had the vitality and stamina of Light and the agility and flexibility of Darkness.

However, he also acquired their negative effects, such as the accelerated metabolism of Light. This had its advantages, but now he needed to eat much more frequently. Darkness made his eyes more precise, allowing him to see in the dark more easily, but it also made his eyes sensitive to light.

Based on his progress with his cultivation technique, he estimated that he would have a new advance in about a year. He wasn't slow, but he also wasn't very fast. After all, he was using a technique he had developed himself, which couldn't compare to the millennia-old techniques of the Great Clans.

His body also didn't have a powerful lineage; his only advantage over others his age was his mind.

Name: Tristan

Species: Human

Age: 11

Realm: Mortal

Core: Mist Orange

Talents:

Abilities: [Tyrannical Eye] [Dark Blade] [Fallen Grace] [Shadow Aura]

Artifacts: [Fragment of the Book The Tales of the Creation of Heaven and Earth] [Obsidian Axe]

Red Fragments: 4

Tristan analyzed his abilities. There was an obvious lack of movement abilities for dashing and dodging. He also didn't have any defensive abilities and only had one attack ability.

'Maybe it's better to find a sect that specializes in Light and Darkness to learn some techniques. This journey will be very dangerous. I've heard many stories about how powerful the monsters in the Central region can be. My chances of surviving until I reach my mother's family's refuge aren't very good.'

After considering these things, he began trying to learn the art of combat on his own. With his orange core, killing the forest animals to get food wasn't very difficult, thanks to which he was able to gain a bit of body mass. He was still much shorter and thinner than he should have been, but he was infinitely better off than before.

Another change that occurred was with his Shadow Aura ability. There were many dangerous creatures in the forest. Because of this, he had to use this ability constantly, until he reached a point where he realized that the current rank of this ability wouldn't be enough for him to survive.

Even when he walked through the shadows, more and more strange creatures turned their heads towards him, making his only chance of survival to run as fast as he could.

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So he paused his journey and spent three weeks trying to improve Shadow Aura. Luckily, thanks to his knowledge of Physics and Chemistry, he could understand how sound, smell, and light manifested, so affecting these with Darkness wasn't very difficult.

The hardest part was affecting his vital energy. He had no choice but to read countless Tales and spend a lot of time trying to understand the philosophy of being an existence hidden from everything. He needed to reduce the impact his existence had on the world.

After many attempts, he finally managed to gain insight to evolve his ability to rank 2.

After that, he continued his journey eastward. His new power did indeed reduce the danger he had to face, but not as much as he had hoped.

Time passed, and Tristan finally managed to leave the forest. What awaited him were several mountain ranges. The closer he got to the east, the more mountainous the region became.

image [https://i.imgur.com/CJALaUN.png]

Tristan walked along a narrow mountain ledge. He looked out into the distance and saw the dawn light appearing on the horizon. He kept walking, the ledge becoming narrower and narrower until he saw that there was no more path ahead. He looked up and down, deciding whether he would climb or try to find another way down the mountain.

He raised his head and saw that a bit further up the mountain, there was a path he could use to walk.

Tristan looked at it and thought, 'About 70m (229.6ft) up and 120m (393.7ft) to the right. I think I can climb up there.'

He began climbing the mountain. A few minutes had passed, and he felt a bit tired, but his orange core and the bit of mass he had gained over the last two months seemed like it would be enough to complete this task.

He used Dark Blade to pierce the mountain from time to time to help him move.

After some more time, Tristan finally managed to reach where he wanted. He let out a sigh and looked around. The path was about 2m (6.6ft) wide and seemed to stretch out for a while.

'What's that?'

Tristan looked ahead and saw a dark cave.

'Could there be something in there?'

He wondered whether he should inspect the cave or if it would be better to continue on his way. But before he could decide, he saw something move, a tall figure was inside the cave.

Tristan froze, his heart beating faster. In front of him, he saw a humanoid creature covered in gray fur, nearly 2m (6.6ft) tall. Its body was slender, its arms were long, and sharp claws were at the tips of its fingers. The creature had bull-like horns on its head. Its ape-like face turned towards Tristan, and its yellow eyes gleamed with savagery.

Only one thought crossed Tristan's mind.

'A magical beast!'

The creature lunged at Tristan, propelled by its four limbs.

'Damn, why can't I just have a peaceful life?'

He began summoning the Obsidian Axe to his left hand.

Tristan didn't hesitate, his coal-black eyes glowing with as much fury and killing intent as the creature before him.

He straightened the fingers of his right hand.

[Dark Blade]

Within seconds, they were face to face. The creature tried to strike Tristan's head with its right arm, its sharp claws almost grazing Tristan's cheek, but he managed to dodge by ducking.

'Damn'

The creature's arms were too long, giving it a great reach advantage. Tristan's Dark Blade was only 3cm (1.18in) longer than his hand, so it didn't help much.

'Three more seconds,' that's all he needed to finish summoning the Axe.

The creature adjusted its position and tried to impale Tristan with its horns. He managed to save his abdomen, but the creature pierced his left arm.

"Ahhhh," Tristan groaned, his pierced arm trapped on the creature's horn. With his right hand, covered in a blade-shaped mist, he cut off the creature's horn.

The beast grunted in indignation.

Tristan's Axe finally appeared, but now he could only use his right hand.

'Heavy,' he complained in his mind.

Tristan now had to be more careful, the lack of experience using the axe with only one hand could cause him to lose balance and make a fatal mistake.

Tristan advanced. He spun his body and struck the creature's left knee with his axe.

The creature's left arm lashed through the air, hitting Tristan's abdomen and sending him near the edge of the ledge.

The creature leaped towards Tristan.

Tristan was injured, that last blow he received nearly broke his ribs. He saw the massive creature's body hurtling towards him. It was getting too close; just a few more seconds, and it would reach him.

He gathered all the vital energy he could and threw the axe upward with all his strength.

The axe struck the creature's chest!

The creature fell to the ground, stumbling as its heavy body moved towards Tristan!

Tristan tried to dodge, but he wasn't fast enough.

He and the wounded creature plunged down the mountain.