Chapter 119 Generational Grizzly

Upon noticing Lyrian, the bear struggled to its feet and unleashed a fierce roar, showering him with a blizzard of saliva as he hastily fled the cave. The bear, already aggravated by the painful bite on its neck and the burden of fatigue, seethed with anger and chased after the source of its discomfort—the seemingly insignificant figure that had kicked it.

Lyrian sprinted deeper into the dense forest, leaping over large plants and bushes, and gracefully maneuvering under fallen trees suspended in the air. After a few minutes, he reached a relatively open clearing, but exhaustion gnawed at him. Sleep had eluded him for several nights, and hunger and thirst weighed heavily on his worn-out body.

As the bear approached, Lyrian turned to face it, bravely preparing to confront his pursuer. But then he noticed the bear trying to get through the same fallen tree he had effortlessly ducked under. Amusement flickered through his mind, realizing that he hadn't considered how the bear would navigate that obstacle. 'How's he gonna manage that... I didn't think that part through,' he chuckled to himself.

To his astonishment, the bear vanished right as it reached the fallen log, leaving Lyrian bewildered and scanning his surroundings for any sign of its presence. Suddenly, the foliage rustled, and a small, white bear emerged from the bushes, appearing out of thin air. "Huh?" Lyrian muttered, puzzled by the mysterious transformation.

In a matter of milliseconds, the small white bear morphed into its typical brown-bear form, standing at about 15 feet tall. But the surprises didn't end there; it then transformed once again, this time into a colossal black bear of absolute menace, three times its previous size.

Lyrian, still trying to make sense of the situation, noticed the circles on the bear's stomach and made a connection. "So... that's what the circles on your stomach meant, huh?" he quipped, realizing that these markings might have something to do with its shape-shifting abilities. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ N0vᴇlFirᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

The bear's increased size amplified its power, making it even more formidable. Lyrian, while continuing to run circles around the massive creature, decided to Scan it.

┏━━━Scan━━━┓

Name: None

Species: Generational Grizzly

Age: 60

Overall Power (OP): 7

Health: 15/78

Stamina: 12/75

Strength: 83 (-50)

Agility: 75 (-50)

Defense: 71 (-60)

Rank: Genesis: Layer 1

Special: Tier 4 (Exam Tier)

┗━━━━━━━━━┛I think you should take a look at

However, it became evident that the bear's life was nearing its end. Despite getting within mere feet of Lyrian, who continued to flee, the bear suddenly came to a halt, collapsing its jaw onto the ground.

Lyrian stopped in his tracks, rushing back to the struggling creature. Swiftly, he drew his sword and, with precise aim, delivered a fatal stab into the back of its neck, severing its spinal cord and causing instant death.

As the bear's life slipped away, Lyrian couldn't help but ponder what kind of formidable beast could effortlessly tear through the neck of a tier 7 creature like that, prompting it to flee to its lair. The thought lingered briefly before he redirected his focus to the bear's lifeless body.

'I have one extra soul slot, which I'm saving for Yang, the creature of light. However... now that I guarantee have the soul of Yin, what's the harm in fusing something with the Hobgoblin? It will only turn into an un-fusable soul, and give me two extra empty slots...' The bear's body, and its ability to change sizes so quickly, was definitely tempting to Lyrian, but he also wanted a strong creature to fuse, stronger than the bear.

'The Hobgoblin was a mistake, but it was the strongest creature at the time for me so it made sense. But now that I've seen what's capable of, I don't want to fuse or Reap anything that isn't at least boss creature level in this exam. However...' Another thought came into his mind.

'Gear, I told you to not tell me the number of unusable soul slots I have unless specifically asked.'

[Yes]

"Alright, tell me," Lyrian inquired, a slight grin forming on his face.

[Currently, you have 6 soul slots for unusable, already fused creatures]

[One of those slots is filled by Garmr]

Lyrian's grin widened as he considered the possibilities. "If that's the case," he mused, "then I might as well Reap your soul." He said, looking at the bear, "I can Reap the souls of more creatures in the future, but what I am interested in right now is the art of smithing and how that will impact my ability to create a new creature."

Determined to explore the depths of his smithing abilities during the creation process, Lyrian decided to Reap the bear's soul. Not only did the bear possess an intriguing ability, but Lyrian also sought to experiment and wield the art of smithing to its fullest potential. By taking greater control over the creation process, he aimed to produce a creature that was stronger and more useful.

Wanting to return to his cultivation, Lyrian extended his hand, pointing it below him where the bear lay. "Reap," he commanded.

As if responding to his summons, the bear's white soul orb emerged from its body and flowed into Lyrian's heart, sealing the connection between them.

Another flood of memories surged into Lyrian's mind, though this time, it felt lighter compared to the overwhelming deluge from the Kailion. From these memories, Lyrian deduced that the creature responsible for biting the bear was known as a Lightning-Mane Lion.

"I'm sure I've heard about those from Alten," Lyrian recalled, reminiscing about one of the few formidable beasts that apparently ruled the forbidden area.

As the bear's body disintegrated, Lyrian decided it was time to return to the safety of the cave. He knew he needed to conceal the scent of blood, so he hastily dug up some dirt and covered the trail of dried-up ichor with it.

Once back in the cave, he refocused on his cultivation, determined to prioritize the cultivation of the Molten Essence above all else. It was a critical task that demanded his full attention.