- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Carl trudged through the dense forest, Bouncy jiggling cheerfully beside him. For once, things were quiet. No monsters, no ominous rustling in the underbrush, no existential threats looming over his head—just him and his newly adopted gelatinous sidekick making their way back to his temporary home.
It felt weird. Too peaceful. Too easy.
"Alright, Bouncy. Almost there. Then I can finally sit my ass down and—"
He stopped mid-step.
The cave entrance was right in front of him, just as he left it. Except now, the ground was marked with a deep, clawed footprint. One too large to belong to him.
Oh, and it had blood in it.
Carl felt his stomach drop. "Oh, great. Someone broke into my murder cave. Fantastic."
Bouncy jiggled uncertainly.
Carl crouched down, inspecting the footprint. The blood was still fresh—deep red, seeping into the dirt. Whatever this thing was, it was injured. Which, honestly, should've made him feel better. It did not.
Slowly, he moved toward the cave's entrance. "Alright, let's see what lovely surprise is waiting for me this time. If it's another multi-eyed hellbeast, I'm gonna scream."
He peered inside.
And there, lying against the cave wall, was a beast.
It looked like a giant feline, sleek black fur marred with deep gashes along its side. Its breathing was shallow, each exhale wheezing out in visible pain. And despite being injured, Carl could tell—if this thing were at full strength, he'd have zero chance against it.
Carl swallowed. "Okay, yeah. That's a big boy."
[Scanning…]
[Species: Duskfang Panther]
[Rank: D+]
[Status: Injured - Severely Weakened]
[Threat Level: Moderate (Currently)]
Carl exhaled. "Moderate. 'Currently.' Love that for me."
For the first time, the system actually elaborated on something without his usual threats.
[The Duskfang Panther is a nocturnal predator known for its speed, stealth, and deadly ambush tactics. Normally, it would be highly dangerous, but due to its injuries, its combat effectiveness is severely reduced. Estimated time to full recovery: 2-3 days.]
Carl scratched his chin. "So, what you're saying is… I have a window."
[Affirmative.]
He took a step closer. The panther's ears twitched, and its three eyes flickered open—oh, great, another multi-eyed horror—fixing him with a weak but warning glare. Even injured, it still had enough fight in it to maul him if he got careless.
Carl ran a hand through his hair. "Alright, real talk—how does this thing compare to that wolf that tried to eat me earlier?"
[Analyzing…]
[Comparison: The Three-Eyed Shadowfang you encountered previously was a C-Rank predator, naturally stronger and more aggressive than a Duskfang Panther. However, this particular panther, if fully healed, would be at the peak of D+, nearly reaching C-Rank itself.]
Carl let out a low whistle. "So, basically, if this thing wasn't half-dead, I'd be the one bleeding out in that corner."
[Correct!]
Carl frowned. His immediate instinct screamed at him to leave it alone. But another part of him—the reckless, probably concussed part—was seriously considering taking it down.
He rubbed his chin. "So, if I kill it now… I could actually win. Right?"
The system went silent for a moment. Then—
[Are you… asking for battle recommendations?]
Carl hesitated. "Uh. Yeah?"
For the first time since arriving in this world, he swore he felt the system… perk up.
[Oh. OH.]
Carl narrowed his eyes. "You sound way too excited about this."
[Accessing Combat Strategy Module! Generating Personalized Battle Plan!]
Carl's stomach twisted. "Okay, wait, hold on—"
[Ding!]
[NEW MISSION: The Hunter's First Kill]
[Objective: Defeat the injured Duskfang Panther.]
[Reward: ???]
[Bonus Reward: Secret Ability Unlock - Appraisal]
Carl blinked. "Wait. Secret ability?"
[Correct! Complete this mission, and you will unlock an exclusive ability: Appraisal!]
Carl mulled it over. Appraisal… From the hundreds of anime's his watched, It should be a skill that able's one to see details about enemies, items—maybe even other people? That could be insanely useful.
But… he'd have to fight the damn thing first.
He exhaled, gripping his knife. "Alright, Carl. This is your chance. You either go for it, or you chicken out and risk this thing coming back at full strength later."
His pulse quickened. He looked at Bouncy, who wobbled uncertainly, then back at the panther, which was watching him with weak, but wary eyes.
Carl took a deep breath.
"Screw it. Let's dance."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To Be Continued…