Ascension System: Evolution Through Bond

The Bloodfang's body was already cooling by the time Ryn and the Spirit Fox moved on, leaving the clearing behind. Its glowing red eyes had faded to dull orbs, and the silence of the Wildlands crept back in. The only sound was the soft crunch of Ryn's boots against the dirt as he made his way deeper into the wilderness.

The Spirit Fox trotted beside him, its glowing tail swaying like a tiny lantern in the dark. Despite its small size, it moved with an air of confidence, as if the victory over the Bloodfang had reinforced its pride.

Ryn adjusted the straps of his pack, glancing at the fox. "You know," he said, his voice breaking the silence, "if we keep running into things like that, we're going to need a plan. I can't keep relying on you to do all the work."

The fox glanced up at him, its glowing blue eyes narrowing slightly, as if to say, Well, whose fault is that?

Ryn laughed under his breath. "Fair enough. I'll figure it out."

They reached the edge of a small grove of trees, the moonlight filtering through the branches to illuminate the ground in patches of silver. Ryn stopped and looked around, his instincts sharpening. It was quiet—too quiet. The kind of quiet that made the back of his neck prickle.

"We should stop here," he said softly, lowering his pack to the ground. The Spirit Fox sniffed the air, its ears swiveling before giving a faint chirp of approval.

Ryn began gathering what little he could for a fire—a few dry branches, some brittle grass, and a handful of stones to form a crude pit. It wasn't much, but it would keep the cold at bay. He struck the flint he carried, watching as tiny sparks caught the grass, until a small, flickering flame began to grow.

As the fire crackled to life, Ryn sat back on his heels and looked at the fox. It had curled up near the fire, its soft glow blending with the orange light of the flames. The faint warmth of their bond pulsed in his chest, steady and comforting.

"So," he said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "What do we do now? We've got no supplies, no allies, and no clue where to start."

The fox tilted its head, its tail swishing thoughtfully.

Ryn sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I figured you wouldn't have any answers either. Guess that makes two of us."

He stared into the fire, his mind racing. The fight with the Bloodfang had proven one thing: his Spirit Fox wasn't useless. In fact, it was more capable than anyone back at the village would have believed. But it wasn't enough. If they were going to survive out here—let alone challenge the Tamer's Guild—they needed to grow stronger.

"I need to figure out how this works," Ryn muttered, his hand instinctively reaching for the faint warmth of the bond. He closed his eyes, focusing on the connection between himself and the fox.

The bond pulsed faintly in response, like the flicker of a heartbeat. Images began to form in his mind—faint, blurry shapes that he couldn't quite grasp. He felt the fox's presence, distant yet close, like a shadow overlapping his own.

And then he felt something else: a flicker of text, faint and fleeting, but unmistakable.

Bond Status: Stable

Tamer Level: 1

Beast Evolution Path: Error – Undefined.

Ryn's eyes snapped open, his breath catching in his throat. "What the hell was that?" he whispered.

The fox chirped softly, its eyes fixed on him.

Ryn sat up straighter, his heart pounding. That had been the Codex—or something like it. But why had it appeared in his mind, and why was the fox's evolution path marked as "undefined"?

"Whatever this is," Ryn said, looking at the fox, "it's tied to you, isn't it? The bond, the error, all of it."

The fox gave a soft yip, as if agreeing.

Ryn leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "Great. I have no idea what I'm doing, no idea what this 'error' means, and no idea where to start." He paused, then looked at the fox again. "But you're not normal, that's for sure. And if this bond is connected to the Codex, maybe we can use it to our advantage."

The fox's tail swished, its glow brightening slightly.

Ryn nodded, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Alright, then. Let's make a deal. I'll do whatever it takes to help you grow stronger, and in return, you keep pulling off those crazy moves like you did with the Bloodfang. Deal?"

The fox chirped, leaping onto his lap and nuzzling his chest.

"I'll take that as a yes," Ryn said, laughing softly.

The fire crackled, casting dancing shadows across the trees. For the first time since leaving the village, Ryn felt a flicker of purpose—a direction, however vague. He didn't know where the Wildlands would take him or what dangers they'd face, but one thing was certain: he and the fox were in this together.

Tomorrow, they would start their journey in earnest.

But tonight, under the watchful stars and the glow of their bond, Ryn allowed himself to rest.