The seven hunters stood in formation, their weapons gleaming under the pale glow of the moon. Their leader, the spear-wielding man, studied Ezra with cold precision.
"You're a rare one," he said, voice calm yet laced with menace. "I don't know what you are, but you shouldn't exist."
Ezra's lips curled into a grin. "And yet, here I am."
The leader exhaled, unfastening his spear. "It doesn't matter. You'll be dead soon."
Ezra didn't reply. He didn't need to.
[Predator's Instinct: Enemy Analysis]
- Name: Garrik the Spearhound (Hunter Captain—Experienced, dangerous, tactical.)
- Threat Level: High
*- Weapons: Enhanced hunting spear (runed). Hidden throwing daggers.
*- Combat Style: Precision strikes, group coordination, no wasted movement.
Ezra's grin widened. Perfect prey.
The hunters moved first.
Two crossbowmen fired in sync. Bolts whistled through the air—fast, precise, aimed straight for his vitals.
But Ezra was faster.
With a single motion, he twisted his body, avoiding both projectiles as they embedded themselves into a tree behind him.
Then he moved.
A blur of motion—one step, then another.
He was already in front of the first hunter before the man could even react.
Ezra's claws flashed.
SLASH!
A spray of crimson painted the snow as the hunter's throat opened in a gurgling gasp. His body collapsed, twitching.
The others barely had time to react.
"Formation! Keep him contained!" Garrik barked, thrusting his spear forward.
Ezra dodged, but the weapon hummed with power—an enchantment. If that had hit him, it wouldn't have been just a normal wound.
Interesting.
[Analyzing Weapon...]
- Rune Type: Anti-Beast Magic (Designed to neutralize unnatural creatures.)
- Danger Level: Moderate (Avoid direct hits.)
Ezra smirked. Fine. He'd just kill them before they could land one.
---
A Dance of Death
Sylvaine moved at the same time.
Two hunters turned their weapons on her, but she was already gone—a flicker of shadow.
Her daggers flashed.
One. She slit a man's throat.
Two. A quick stab under the ribs of another.
By the time their bodies hit the ground, she was already shifting to her next target.
Ezra grinned. She's good.
But this was his hunt.
The next hunter lunged, swinging a curved sword toward Ezra's neck.
Ezra ducked, grabbed the man's wrist mid-swing, and twisted.
CRACK!
The sound of snapping bone echoed in the clearing.
The hunter screamed—only for Ezra to sink his teeth into his exposed neck.
[Devourer's Absorption Activated.]
- Partial Trait Acquired: Hunter's Agility (Slight boost to movement speed in combat.)
Ezra dropped the corpse before the others could react.
Four were dead. Three remained.
Garrik's expression darkened. "Damn monster."
Ezra chuckled, licking the blood from his lips. "You're just figuring that out now?"
---
The Final Hunt
The two remaining hunters hesitated.
Fear.
Ezra could smell it.
And he thrived on it.
"Cowards," Garrik spat, stepping forward alone.
Ezra's eyes gleamed.
Ah. So he's the real prey.
Garrik lunged.
This time, Ezra didn't dodge.
He let the spear come for him—only to move at the last second.
Instead of evading completely, he grabbed the shaft of the weapon, stopping it mid-thrust.
Garrik's eyes widened.
Too late.
Ezra's claws plunged into his stomach.
The hunter captain gasped, blood dribbling from his mouth. He tried to **pull back—**but Ezra held him firm.
"You hunt beasts," Ezra murmured, leaning in close. "But you were never the apex predator."
With a final, brutal twist, Ezra ripped out his heart.
Garrik collapsed, lifeless.
[Apex Kill Achieved.]
- Evolution Progress: 30%
- Strength & Agility Increased.
- New Trait Acquired: Combat Instincts (Reflexes sharpen further during battle.)
Ezra turned to the last two hunters.
They dropped their weapons and ran.
Ezra didn't chase them.
He had already won.
---
The Path Forward
Sylvaine sheathed her daggers, stepping beside Ezra. "That was... impressive."
Ezra didn't respond. He was already thinking ahead.
The hunters were just the beginning. If factions were looking for him now, they wouldn't stop with one squad.
More would come.
Stronger ones.
Ezra looked at the bloody battlefield.
He grinned.
Let them come.
He would devour them all.
—
A Predator's Path
Ezra stood amidst the blood-soaked clearing, his senses still sharpened from the thrill of the hunt. The bodies of the slain hunters lay scattered around him, their weapons useless against the overwhelming force of his evolving power.
Yet, this was only the beginning.
[Evolution Progress: 30%]
- Strength & Agility Increased.
- New Trait Acquired: Combat Instincts (Reflexes sharpen further during battle.)
Ezra flexed his fingers, feeling the raw energy coursing through his veins. Every battle, every kill, brought him closer to something greater. But what lay at the end of this path?
He intended to find out.
---
Sylvaine's Warning
Sylvaine crouched beside one of the fallen hunters, searching their pouches for anything useful. She pulled out a rolled-up parchment and whistled.
"Well, this is interesting."
Ezra raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
She handed him the parchment. He unrolled it, his sharp eyes scanning the detailed sketch of his own face. Beneath it, a bounty:
WANTED: NIGHT HUNTER
- Alive: 500 Gold Marks
- Dead: 300 Gold Marks
- Issued by: The Hunter's Guild & The Blackthorne Syndicate
- Status: Kill on sight
Ezra smirked. "They put a price on my head already?"
Sylvaine leaned against a tree, arms crossed. "A bounty this high means they're scared. But what's more important is who's behind it."
Ezra's fingers tightened around the parchment. "Hunter's Guild and the Blackthorne Syndicate."
"The Guild is predictable," Sylvaine continued. "They don't like things they can't control. But Blackthorne? They're worse. They don't just want you dead. They want to own you."
Ezra's eyes gleamed dangerously. "They can try."
Sylvaine grinned. "That's the spirit. But here's the thing—you can't keep fighting small fry forever. The real threats will start coming now."
Ezra rolled his shoulders. "Good. I need stronger prey."
---
A New Path: The Ruined Keep
Sylvaine tossed him a small iron insignia taken from one of the hunters' bodies. It bore a familiar crest—a black sun with a dagger piercing through it.
"Recognize this?" she asked.
Ezra narrowed his eyes. "Blackthorne?"
"Bingo. This insignia isn't just any rank—this belonged to a commander. Which means their main force isn't far."
She pointed north, toward the distant silhouette of a ruined fortress, half-swallowed by the forest.
"The Ruined Keep—Blackthorne's local outpost. If you really want to send a message, that's where you go next."
Ezra turned toward the looming structure. His instincts buzzed.
There was prey waiting for him there.
More battles. More evolution.
His grin widened.
"Then that's where we're going."
— Chapter 4 End.
---
This chapter builds up the stakes, introducing Ezra's rising bounty, his enemies' growing awareness, and a new target—the Ruined Keep.