Chapter 76: Emberfang's Memory
The morning sky was pale, streaked with the gold of a world trying to forget the darkness that had passed. The group moved swiftly through the jungled lowlands, following a beast-trampled path where the quest marker still pulsed dimly in Kael's interface.
[Quest: Blood-Bound Oath — Nysera's Vengeance]
[Objective: Track and eliminate the Crimson Fangs who sold Nysera into bondage]
[Time Remaining: 4 days, 21 hours, 36 minutes]
The timer had started the moment they exited the Sacred Pearl.
Each of Kael's wives wore veils now, their beauty too unnatural, too divine to be seen openly in this world. The fabric shimmered faintly with enchantments—moon-stitched, shadow-lined, frost-bound. Even veiled, their presence turned heads.
Selene moved beside Kael, her steps graceful and fluid. Valeria and Thalaria led the way, cutting through hanging vines. Nysera—silent and watchful—walked at the rear, her cursed blood already reacting to the latent auras ahead.
Evelyne stepped lightly near Kael. "It feels... off," she said, peering through thick canopy.
Kael nodded. "They're close."
Then, without warning, Emberfang growled.
Not a simple warning rumble—this was deeper. Raw. Uncontrolled. The cub's eyes shimmered with fractured emotion as he padded to the edge of a moss-covered ridge, tail lashing wildly.
Kael turned. "Emberfang?"
The tiger cub didn't respond.
Instead, Kael's mind was struck by a sudden surge of heat.
[Telepathic Link Activated — Target: Emberfang]
[Initiating First Cognitive Memory Stream...]
A vision bled into Kael's thoughts.
He was no longer in the jungle.
He was small. Tiny paws trembled beneath him. Hidden in a bush. The scent of crushed herbs and blood mixed in his nostrils. Ahead, two titanic beasts clashed—his mother, a radiant divine tigress glowing with celestial fire, and a rampaging wyrm-beast whose roar tore the canopy.
But this wasn't a natural battle.
Bandits. Crimson Fang. Hiding behind trees with alchemical flares and beast-luring incense. They had drawn the wyrm into his mother's domain. Forced a confrontation.
Why? Because of him.
Emberfang's memory sharpened. The wyrm charged his bush—he had cried out. His mother had no choice but to attack, to protect him.
The battle was brutal. His mother won—but only barely. The wounds were too deep. And from the shadows, the bandits laughed, documenting the bloodshed.
Like it was entertainment.
Emberfang's heart shattered again.
The memory ended.
Kael blinked rapidly, the taste of metal in his mouth. Emberfang was growling again, facing a clearing deeper within the jungle.
Valeria called out, "Movement—dense brush, forty paces!"
The foliage parted.
Bandits emerged—rugged, cruel-eyed, their faces painted with sap-based war ink. On their belts hung crimson insignias, faded and worn.
The Crimson Fang.
Their eyes fell on Kael's party—and lingered.
"Damn, look at those eyes," one sneered, licking his lips. "If the rest looks even half that pretty under the veil, I'd pay a fortune to rip 'em off."
"Guy walks with five covered goddesses and thinks no one's gonna look," another laughed.
"Maybe he rents 'em," a third mocked. "You renting, pretty boy?"
Kael said nothing.
But Emberfang growled so loud the trees trembled.
[Sin Surge Detected — Rage Thread Triggered by Bonded Pet]
[Optional Sub-Quest Unlocked: Reclaim the Flame]
[Objective: Let Emberfang strike the ones who endangered his mother. Reward: ???]
Kael stepped forward, one hand lowering to Emberfang's back.
"They caused it," Kael whispered.
The cub looked up at him.
No one moved.
And then Kael said, "They're yours."
Emberfang leapt.
STATUS WINDOW: KAEL VIREN
System Level: 46
EXP: 49,634,240,000 / 58,982,400,000
Realm: Skyshatter Realm — Tier 9/9
HP: 75,800 / 75,800
Mana: 86,200 / 86,200
Stats (with buffs):
Strength: 870 × 2.4 × 2 = 4,176
Endurance: 820 × 2.4 = 1,968
Willpower: 845 × 2.4 = 2,028
Charm: 912 × 2.4 = 2,188
Intellect: 750 × 2.4 = 1,800
Dexterity: 850 × 2.4 × 2 = 4,080
Sin Points: 263,160,000 / 100,000,000,000
Sin Tier: Warlord Rank
Trait: Nullfire Core — Passive
➤ Grants 10% resistance to nullification effects
➤ Adds Null-element to all flame-based Sin skills
Bonded Wives:
Selene — Skyshatter 9/9 (Moon/Shadow)
Evelyne — Moonglade 8/9 (Ice/Lunar Flame)
Thalaria — Sunbound 3/9 (Lightning)
Nysera — Skyshatter 1/9 (Blood/Curse)
Valeria — Skyshatter 3/9 (Nature/Wind)
Pet Panel:
Emberfang — Flame Tiger Cub (Tier 3) — Memory Triggered
Vira — Sky Serpent Hatchling (Tier 2)
Cultivation Realms:
Initiate → Essence Drawn → Veinwoven → Soulroot → Starforged → Sunbound → Moonglade → Skyshatter ← Current (9/9)
Next: Worldpiercer (Unlocks at System Level 47)
Heaven's Echo → Celestiaflame → Worldbreaker → Eternal Crown → Primordial Ascendant
Origin Flame (Locked)
Next: Chapter 77 — Reclaim the Flame