About twenty meters ahead, hidden within the shadows of the underbrush, a pair of glowing red eyes stared at him. The beast was crouched low, blending seamlessly with its surroundings. If not for his enhanced perception, he might've missed it entirely.
It was an F-Rank Howler, a wolf-like creature with jet-black fur and elongated fangs that dripped with saliva. Its body was lean, built for speed, with razor-sharp claws that gleamed under the dim light.
Jayden's fingers curled into fists. "Finally,"
The Howler let out a snarl, its muscles tensing. It was testing him, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Jayden exhaled slowly. He could feel his pulse quicken, his instincts sharpening. "Alright, let's see if I got it," he muttered to himself and prepared for defence.
The Howler lunged, a black blur slicing through the underbrush, its fangs glinting in the morning light. Jayden barely had time to react as it closed the distance, swiping at his chest with claws sharp enough to tear through steel.
He twisted his body at the last second, narrowly dodging the attack. The beast skidded past him, its claws raking deep into the dirt. It was Fast.
Before Jayden could counter, the Howler pivoted sharply, using its hind legs to launch itself at him again. This time, it went for his throat.
Jayden ducked, rolling to the side just as the beast soared over him. He popped back to his feet, only to be met with another attack... a vicious backhand swipe aimed at his head.
He raised his arm to block.
Pain exploded through his forearm as the impact sent him stumbling backward.
[-5 Hp]
"Not bad," he muttered, shaking out his stinging arm. He had underestimated it. Even at F-Rank, these beasts weren't pushovers.
The Howler didn't let up. It charged again, weaving through the trees with unnatural agility.
Jayden exhaled sharply, centering himself. This wasn't like fighting a human. The Howler didn't hesitate, didn't second-guess itself. It attacked with pure instinct.
Which meant he had to do the same.
The beast leaped... But Jayden stepped into its attack.
The sudden move caught the Howler off guard. It had expected him to dodge, not close the gap.
Jayden ducked under its snapping jaws and drove his elbow into its ribs with a force that sent a crack rippling through the air. The Howler yelped, crashing into the dirt.
But there was no time to celebrate. Jayden pressed the attack, rushing forward before it could recover.
The beast lashed out wildly, swiping at his legs.
Jayden leaped over the attack and came down hard, slamming his heel into the Howler's skull.
THUD!
The impact sent a shudder through the ground. The Howler staggered, its legs wobbling beneath it.
Jayden didn't give it a chance to regain balance.
He moved in, fists blurring as he rained down a flurry of blows, each one more precise than the last. His strikes found weak points: the jaw, the ribs, the nerve clusters along its spine.
The Howler snarled, snapping its jaws, but Jayden slipped around the attack, quickly stepping behind it.. to its blind side. He wrapped his arms around its thick neck and twisted.
A sickening crack echoed through the trees.
The Howler collapsed. Dead.
Jayden exhaled, his breath heavy. His arms were sore, his legs burned, and his forearm was bleeding from where the beast's claws had clipped him. But he had won, and the arm began healing.
[F-Rank Beast Defeated]
[+20 Exp received]
*Hidden Quest Complete
[A true Beastlord doesn't use weapons: Kill a Galactic beast with your bare hands]
[You have received a reward of:
+20 Strength
+15 Stamina
+10 Speed
+1 Agility]
Jayden grinned, he looked like he could explode with excitement. "Wow! All these for defeating an F-Rank beast? I didn't know the system was this generous," he muttered, already feeling a massive increase in strength.
[Told ya, all you have to do is kill beasts] Luna chuckled
Jayden smirked. "Well, if that's the case. Get ready for a massacre," he chuckled
[Just don't go feeling all invincible... And that reminds me. Are you sure you haven't killed a beast before? Cause killing that wolf with your bare hands, that was too daring... As though you are a professional]
Jayden smiled wrly. "Okay fine, I lied," he sighed
"I have gone hunting a couple of times as a kid, but my mother never lets me kill. Just engage, tackle and subdue," he continued, walking up to a thick tree. "She would teach me a beast weak spots and ways to kill them... barehanded,"
[Wow! Your mother sounds like quite the huntress] Luna muttered in admiration
Jayden chuckled. "She was. She told me, a true hunter never use weapons. Neither do they plan. Because to hunt a beast, you have to think like one... Follow your instinct," he stated, a nostalgic smile forming on his face.
[Hm, I guess that is true] Luna agreed. [And the system rewarded you for it]
Jayden nodded. "And it makes me wonder why the remark in the hidden quest, is the same as my mother's words," he muttered
"Also, let's not forget that on the day I woke up, this system said something like me being the protege to the huntress," he continued. "Luna, Is my mother the huntress?"
Luna sighed. [You really are a smart one, Jayden] she said. [But I'm afraid I can't tell you anything for now. You're not strong enough yet]
Jayden frowned, he had put all the pieces together. All he needed was confirmation but Luna still refused to give him that. Not even a simple yes or no.
"Luna, I need to know if my mum's involved in this," he protested. "It might give me clues on who... What I am,"
But Luna didn't reply, and it made Jayden furious. He wanted to say something but before he could utter a word, the air shifted and his senses flared.
A low, menacing growl rumbled through the forest. Jayden's head snapped up.
Rustle. Snap.
Something was moving through the trees. And after a few seconds, it... they appeared.
Emerging from the shadows of the dense foliage, two more Howlers stepped into view, their glowing red eyes locked onto him with murderous intent.
Jayden exhaled sharply. "Of course," he muttered. "I'm in wolf territory, which means... A pack,"
The duo were there to get retribution for their fallen member, but Jayden wasn't fazed. He had received a boost in strength, one he was itching to try out.
But then, one of them threw its head back and let out a long, eerie howl. The sound echoed through the forest, sending a shiver down Jayden's spine.
It wasn't just a battle cry. It was a call. A call to the other pack members.
Jayden's jaw tightened. He could handle two, but if more showed up, things would get ugly real fast.
Jayden cracked his knuckles. "I'll have to take them down before their friends arrive." he thought, and then he engaged the duo wolves.
The first Howler lunged... fangs bared, claws extended, a blur of muscle and speed.
But Jayden was faster. His body felt lighter and the surrounding became much still, much calm... Much slower. He moved from the spot like a blur.
Before the beast could even fully commit to its attack, Jayden's foot shot forward like a missile.
BAM!
The impact sent the Howler flying backward, its body crashing into a thick tree trunk with a sickening crack. The tree shook from the force, leaves raining down like a mini storm.
The second Howler hesitated. Jayden's aura, coupled with his incredible strength were giving it mixed feelings. But it still didn't fear him.
Jayden looked down at his own leg, blinking in mild disbelief.
"Whoa..." he muttered. He knew he had gotten stronger, but this was something else. It hadn't felt like he kicked a wolf... it felt like he kicked a car. He flexed his fingers, feeling the raw power coursing through his muscles. Exhilarating!
The second Howler, seeing that Jayden was distracted, decided to engage. It snarled and darted toward him, zigzagging at high speed. It was trying to disorient him... typical predator tactics.
Jayden exhaled, planting his feet firmly into the dirt.
It lunged, but Jayden didn't dodge. Instead, he stepped forward and swung his fist.
BOOM!
The punch connected squarely with the Howler's skull.
For a brief moment, there was silence... then, with a grotesque CRACK, the beast's head whipped to the side, its entire body twisting midair before slamming into the ground with a heavy thud.
Jayden stood there, fist still clenched, staring down at the now, unmoving body. A system notification appeared, but he was too stunned to even check it.
"What the...?" he gasped, his mouth wide open. This was even more terrifying than the kick. Just how much strength had he received?
Jayden's breathing was steady. His body felt light, yet solid. The power in his limbs wasn't just strength.. it was something else.
"Is this my strength? he pondered, wondering how he got so much stronger with just the addition of a few points. It felt too surreal.
The first Howler, dazed but still conscious, tried to struggle to its feet. It let out a weak growl, baring its teeth despite its trembling legs.
Jayden turned toward it, rolling his shoulders. "Okay, let's end this," he smirked
Before the beast could react, he grabbed it by the head... literally. He grabbed its entire head with one hand.
The Howler's eyes widened in shock.
Jayden lifted and with no effort whatsoever, hoisted the massive beast above his head.
Its legs kicked helplessly in the air.
Then, without hesitation...
BOOM!
He slammed it into the ground.
The impact left a crater.
The Howler didn't get up.
Jayden straightened, rolling his neck with a smirk. "I could get used to this." he muttered, the system notification confirming his kill.
[2 F-Rank Beasts Defeated]
[+40 Exp received]
[Congratulations, you have leveled up]
Jayden almost cackled, he had managed to level up once with just three kills. Imagine what more could do.
But he didn't have time to check his levelling up perks, as he sensed the presence of yet another set of beasts.
He turned, and two more Howlers emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing menacingly.
But there was something different about these two, they were bigger, and more conscious of their... prey.
Unlike the first two, these beasts weren't just throwing themselves at him. They prowled forward, fangs bared, circling him like vultures sizing up a fresh kill.
Jayden smirked. "These are E-Rank. Finally, some real challenge," he muttered
[Uh, Jayden?] Luna's voice rang in his mind. [These two are different. I'm picking up a slight energy signature from them... meaning they might be just strong enough to give you actual trouble. Be careful]
Jayden cracked his knuckles. "It's never a successful hunt without the actual trouble," he replied with a smirk and moved forward.