The Trickster’s Return

The forest around Floki was a battlefield of shadows and blood.

The heavy scent of death hung thick in the air.

The Alpha Beast, a towering creature with glowing red eyes, snarled as it circled him.

Muscles rippled beneath its dark fur, every movement predatory.

"You think you're the apex here?" Floki taunted.

His grin was sharp and cold. "Let's see who really rules."

The Alpha lunged, its claws slicing through the air with deadly precision.

Floki ducked, rolling to the side and slashing at the creature's exposed flank.

His blade bit deep, and the beast roared, the sound shaking the forest.

Blood sprayed, black and steaming, as the wound hissed against the cold air.

Floki darted forward, pressing his advantage. "Bleed, beast. Show me you're mortal."

The Alpha's massive paw swung toward him, but Floki anticipated the move.

He ducked low and drove his blade into its underbelly.

The beast howled, its cries echoing through the forest as it staggered back.

Its glowing eyes began to dim, fury still etched on its face.

"Done already?" Floki jeered, wiping blood from his face.

"I expected more."

The Alpha lunged in a final act of desperation, its jaws snapping at Floki's neck.

He sidestepped, spinning and driving his blade deep into the back of the beast's neck.

The Alpha let out one last, deafening roar before collapsing to the ground.

Its body convulsed as life drained away.

Floki stood over the fallen creature, his chest heaving.

Blood dripped from his sword as he sneered. "Looks like I'm the apex after all."

From the Alpha's corpse rose a faint glow, its spirit core floating into the air.

Floki grabbed it, feeling the pulsing energy radiating from the core.

He searched the battlefield, collecting smaller cores and cultivation resources from the fallen beasts.

Herbs, stones, and shimmering fragments of energy lay scattered among the carnage.

"A treasure trove," Floki muttered, tucking the resources into his pouch.

"Let's see what this world's currency can do for me."

Floki returned to the garrison, his presence drawing wary glances from the soldiers.

His bloodied clothes and sharp grin made him look more predator than man.

He approached the quartermaster, dropping a heavy pouch of spirit cores and resources onto the counter.

"What can you give me for these?" Floki asked.

The quartermaster's eyes widened as he inspected the haul. "This... this is worth a fortune. Where did you—"

Floki cut him off with a wave. "Does it matter? Just give me what I need."

The quartermaster nodded quickly, gathering refined spirit stones and a few rare items.

Floki pocketed a handful of Mid-Tier Spirit Shards, the currency gleaned from the refined resources he sold.

He kept only the highest-grade spirit cores and essences for his cultivation.

Each shard glowed faintly, a representation of power that this world revolved around.

He left the lower-tier resources and items behind without a second glance.

After finishing with the quartermaster, Floki walked deeper into the garrison market, he had his plans, he just needed supplies and a decent weapon.

The air was thick with the scent of incense and heated metal.

The noise of merchants calling out their wares created a constant hum.

A grizzled merchant with a patch over one eye waved him over. "You there, warrior! You look like you've seen a fight."

"Need weapons to match that spirit?" the merchant asked.

Floki raised an eyebrow, glancing at the assortment of weapons. "Anything sharper than your sales pitch?"

The merchant barked a laugh. "Good tongue on you, I'll give you that. This here's a Spirit-Infused Saber."

"Perfect balance, cuts through armor like butter," the merchant added.

Floki picked up the blade, feeling its weight. "Nice, but not for me. I prefer my own tricks."

He set it down, moving on to a stall selling cultivation herbs and pills.

A young woman behind the counter smiled nervously as he approached.

"Do you have anything to replenish energy quickly?" Floki asked, scanning the colorful jars.

The woman nodded, holding up a small vial of shimmering liquid.

"This is a High-Spirit Elixir," she said. "It restores energy and stabilizes the spirit well during breakthroughs."

Floki considered it, then placed a few Spirit Shards on the counter. "I'll take it."

As he walked away, he muttered, "Might need this when I'm outsmarting whoever comes next."

That night, Floki sat cross-legged in a quiet corner of the garrison.

He spread the cultivation resources before him, their energies glowing faintly in the dim light.

He began to meditate, drawing the energy from the resources into his spirit well.

The process was slow and excruciating, his mortal body barely able to handle the surge of power.

Sweat dripped down his face as he pushed through the pain.

His spirit well expanded with each passing moment.

The faint flicker within him grew stronger, more stable.

Hours passed, and Floki opened his eyes, the faint glow of his spirit well illuminating his face.

"Normal capacity, finally," he muttered, his grin triumphant. "Step one complete."

As he rose, a sudden pulse of energy coursed through him.

Floki froze, his eyes widening as a strange sensation spread across his body.

He raised his hand, watching as faint tendrils of light flickered around his fingers.

A menu-like interface appeared before his eyes, glowing faintly with symbols he couldn't immediately decipher.

"What in Hell's name is this?" Floki murmured, waving his hand experimentally.

The interface shifted, responding to his thoughts.

Memories of the borrowed body surfaced, but none mentioned anything like this.

"This shouldn't exist," Floki said, a sinister grin creeping across his face.

"Looks like I've got a cheat code in this world."

He explored the interface, discovering that it allowed him to track his cultivation progress.

It could also analyze resources and highlight paths of energy within his spirit well.

It was an ability far beyond anything the memories of this world described.

"This changes everything," Floki said, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement.

"A system that no one else has? Oh, this will be fun."

Floki returned to the market the next morning, his newfound energy and confidence drawing stares.

He approached a blacksmith's stall, the heat of the forge warming his skin.

"You look like you've got something special," Floki said, gesturing to a row of staffs carved with intricate runes.

The blacksmith grunted. "These are Spirit-Channeled Staffs. Perfect for precise strikes."

"But they're not cheap," the blacksmith warned.

Floki examined the staffs, feeling the faint hum of spiritual energy coursing through them.

"I'll take that staff," he said, tossing a few Spirit Shards onto the counter.

Gripping the staff, Floki felt its energy pulse in his hands.

"No need to bargain," he added. "This one speaks to me."

The blacksmith's eyes widened, but he nodded. "Wise choice."

With his new weapon secured, Floki felt ready for the next phase of his journey.

He left the market, his mind racing with plans.

"They have no idea what's coming," he muttered, his grin returning.