First Cultivator of the Philippines

The weekend had arrived, and with no classes to occupy my time, I felt the itch to test myself, to push the boundaries of what I had discovered about my newfound strength. The scroll, the cultivation techniques, and the energy I could now feel coursing through my body were all calling me to explore and grow. I decided on an isolated spot for training: the woods in Barangay San Juan, a quiet area in the municipality of Aliaga. The woods were dense with trees and sparsely populated which is a perfect place to hone my skills without prying eyes.

As I arrived at the woods, the air was fresh and alive with the faint hum of nature. The canopy of trees filtered the sunlight, casting dappled shadows on the ground. I walked deeper, following a small dirt trail until I was surrounded by the thick embrace of the forest. Here, I could be alone. Here, I could focus.

I began practicing the Phantom Prowl Steps, the movement technique gifted by the scroll. It wasn't just about moving fast; it was about moving with precision, grace, and silence. The technique made me feel like a predator stalking its prey. My steps became lighter, and with each stride, I could feel my connection to the ground sharpening. I practiced darting between trees, imagining myself evading invisible enemies. My movements became smoother as I learned to trust the energy coursing through me, letting it guide my body.

After hours of perfecting my movements, I decided to test my raw strength. Gathering energy into my right hand, I concentrated, channeling the ki into a single point. The sensation was electrifying, as though I held a small storm in my palm. I pulled back my arm and drove my fist into the trunk of a sturdy tree.

The impact was immediate. A deep dent formed in the bark, splinters flying in every direction. The tree shook, leaves falling like confetti. My hand stung from the force, but the sight of the damage filled me with exhilaration. This wasn't just fantasy anymore. I was changing and becoming something greater.

But the thrill was short-lived. A wave of fatigue washed over me. My energy reserves were nearly depleted. I was reminded of my humble position as the lowest rank in the cultivation world, barely at the Body Tempering Realm. My progress, while exciting, was just the beginning of a very long journey.

I sat cross-legged under the tree I had just punched, closing my eyes to meditate and recover my energy. The forest was quiet except for the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds. As I focused on circulating my energy back into my dantian, the world around me began to fade. I felt the energy flow through my body, warm and revitalizing, like a gentle current restoring life to a parched riverbed.

Then, the atmosphere shifted.

A cold sensation prickled the back of my neck, and the serene hum of the woods turned into an oppressive silence. My breathing hitched, and an inexplicable dread began to settle in my chest. Even with my eyes closed, I could see. No, sense the world around me. It was as if my awareness had expanded beyond my physical form, revealing the shapes of trees, the brush, and something else. Something wrong.

A sharp, stabbing pain erupted in my forehead, forcing me to wince and clutch my head. It was as though something or someone was trying to send me a warning. I stopped meditating and opened my eyes. My vision blurred momentarily, but as it cleared, I saw it: a silhouette darting among the trees.

At first, I thought it was a trick of the light. But then I heard it.

The sound of an infant's cry echoed through the woods, chilling and unnatural. It was faint at first, almost distant, but it grew louder, more piercing, as if the source was drawing closer. The hairs on my arms stood on end, and my heartbeat quickened.

My eyes darted around, searching for the source of the sound. And then I saw it, a small figure, pale and ghastly, moving with unnatural speed. It was unmistakably shaped like a baby but grotesquely wrong. Its skin was a sickly gray, and its eyes glowed faintly with a malevolent light. Its movements were jerky, almost like a marionette controlled by invisible strings.

I stood up, backing away instinctively, my body tensed and ready to run. But the creature didn't approach me immediately. It began circling, its movements erratic, like a predator sizing up its prey. The cries grew louder, overlapping into a cacophony of wails that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

I remembered the stories of the Tiyanak, creatures born from the spirits of abandoned or unborn children. In the folklore, they were said to lure victims with the cries of a baby, only to reveal their monstrous form before attacking. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

"Stay calm," I whispered to myself, though my voice trembled. I tried to remember what I had read about them. Tiyanak were fast, cunning, and relentless. If I panicked, I'd be done for.

The Tiyanak stopped its circling, tilting its head unnaturally as it stared at me. Its mouth twisted into a grotesque grin, revealing rows of sharp, needle-like teeth. Without warning, it lunged.

I barely had time to react. Instinct took over as I activated the Phantom Prowl Steps, my body moving faster than I thought possible. I sidestepped its attack, feeling the rush of air as its claws swiped past me. It hit the ground, spinning around with a guttural growl. I could feel the blood draining from my face. This wasn't just a creature, it was a predator, and I was its prey.

Gathering what little energy I had left, I prepared to defend myself. I didn't have any real combat techniques yet, but I could at least try to use the raw strength I had gained. The Tiyanak lunged again, and this time I retaliated, throwing a punch aimed at its center mass. My fist connected, and the creature was thrown back, crashing into a nearby tree.

I didn't wait to see if it would recover. My legs moved on their own as I dashed deeper into the woods, my heart pounding like a drum. The cries followed me, echoing through the trees, relentless and haunting. No matter how fast I ran, the sound seemed to grow louder.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, the cries stopped.

I froze, my chest heaving as I struggled to catch my breath. The silence was deafening, and the forest felt heavier, darker, as though the very air was conspiring against me. I turned slowly, scanning my surroundings, but the Tiyanak was nowhere to be seen.

"Is it... gone? Is it the same one from before?" I muttered, though I didn't believe it for a second.

"Hahahaha, I shouldn't have gone here. Walangyang buhay to1!" I exclaimed in my head in regret.

A rustle in the bushes to my left made me spin around, my fists raised defensively. But it wasn't the Tiyanak. A bird fluttered out, startled by my presence. I let out a shaky laugh, relief washing over me.

But deep down, I knew this wasn't over.

I could feel the pounding of my heart echoing in my ears as the Tiyanak began its assault. Its movements were a blur, darting from shadow to shadow with an unnatural speed that made it impossible to track. Fear clawed at my chest, threatening to consume me whole.

I tried to focus, to gather my thoughts, but the infant-like cries of the Tiyanak rang out again, piercing and distorted, shattering any semblance of calm I could muster. My instincts screamed at me to run, and I obeyed without hesitation. I sprinted through the forest, dodging low-hanging branches and jumping over roots that jutted out from the uneven ground.

The Tiyanak was relentless. Every time I thought I had gained some distance, it would appear just at the edge of my vision, a blur of movement that sent shivers down my spine. Its cries echoed unnaturally, sounding closer one moment and farther away the next, as though the forest itself conspired to confuse me.

My breathing grew ragged as I pushed myself to keep running. The forest, which had seemed serene and welcoming earlier, now felt like an endless maze of shadows and malice. I stumbled on a loose rock, barely managing to keep my balance, but the brief falter cost me. The Tiyanak lunged out of the darkness, its claws raking across my arm.

The pain was sharp and immediate, like a searing brand tearing through my flesh. I cried out, clutching my bleeding arm as I stumbled forward and fell to the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of me, and for a moment, I lay there gasping, my vision blurred by pain and fear.

I turned to face my attacker, my chest heaving as I struggled to catch my breath. This time, I saw it clearly.

The creature was horrifying, a grotesque parody of an infant. Its skin was a mottled brown, its texture rough and leathery like dried bark. Long, unkempt hair hung down in tangled strands, framing a face that was a nightmarish blend of human and beast. Its eyes glowed faintly, a sickly yellow light that seemed to pierce through the darkness. And its teeth is sharp, jagged things, gleamed as it grinned, a soundless mockery of joy. Its claws, coated in my blood, dripped ominously.

For a moment, I was paralyzed by the sheer terror of it. This was the monster from the myths. The Tiyanak. The stories never did it justice. Seeing it here, in the flesh, was a terror I could never have prepared for.

It circled me, its movements slow and deliberate now, as though savoring the moment. Its cries had stopped, replaced by a low, guttural growl that rumbled deep in its throat. I clutched my wounded arm, the pain burning like fire, and tried to think of a way out. But my mind was blank, consumed by the primal fear of facing something so utterly unnatural.

But then, something changed.

The sharp pain in my forehead returned, more intense this time. It was as if my body was forcing me to snap out of my fear, to act. My thoughts, once muddled, began to clear. A strange sensation coursed through me, a warmth that spread from my dantian, the center of my energy, to the rest of my body. I felt a surge of determination, an instinctive realization: If I didn't fight back now, this would be my end.

I forced myself to stand, my legs trembling but steadying as I planted my feet firmly on the ground. I wasn't ready for this and I knew that but survival demanded that I try. The scroll's teachings came flooding back to me. The Phantom Prowl Steps. The energy I could channel into my strikes. This wasn't just a fantasy anymore. This was real. And I had to use it.

The Tiyanak seemed to sense the shift in my resolve. It snarled and crouched low, readying itself to pounce. I mirrored its stance, my body tensed like a coiled spring. The forest around us seemed to hold its breath, the air heavy with tension.

When it lunged, I was ready.

With a burst of speed, I activated the Phantom Prowl Steps, dodging to the side just as its claws slashed through the air where I had been standing. The movement was instinctive, fluid, and precise. My heart raced as I realized I had evaded it. The Tiyanak snarled in frustration, spinning around for another attack.

We danced through the forest, the creature relentless in its pursuit, but my movements kept me just out of its reach. I darted between trees, using them as shields, and leapt over obstacles with a newfound agility. Each step felt more natural than the last, as though my body was finally beginning to understand the technique.

But I couldn't keep this up forever. My energy was draining fast, and the wound on my arm throbbed with every movement. I needed to end this.

I stopped abruptly, skidding to a halt in a small clearing. The Tiyanak paused too, confused by my sudden stillness. It hissed, baring its teeth, and began to circle me again. I steadied my breathing, focusing all my remaining energy into my right hand. I could feel the ki gathering there, a powerful current that made my arm feel like it was on fire.

The Tiyanak lunged once more, its claws outstretched, its monstrous face twisted in rage.

This time, I didn't dodge.

I waited until the last possible moment, then pivoted on my heel, using the Phantom Prowl Steps to sidestep its attack. The creature's momentum carried it forward, leaving it exposed. I didn't hesitate. With all the energy I had gathered, I swung my fist with everything I had.

My punch connected with the Tiyanak's chest, and the impact was explosive. A shockwave rippled outward, and the creature was sent flying, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud. It let out a final, ear-piercing wail before collapsing to the ground, motionless.

I staggered backward, my vision swimming as the last of my energy drained away. My arm throbbed, my body ached, but I was alive. The forest was silent once more, the oppressive weight in the air lifting as though the darkness had been banished.

I collapsed to my knees, gasping for breath, and looked at the creature's lifeless form. The terror was still there, lurking at the edges of my mind, but so was something else. Pride. I had faced the unimaginable and survived.

"At last, I won!" I said happily.

As I sat there, the faintest hint of dawn began to creep through the trees, bathing the forest in a soft, golden light. And for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt hope.