Krik

The tree was being forced aside, its thick roots slowly splitting and tearing free from the earth. The creature was smart enough to focus on one tree instead of both. After all, with just a little more space, it could scoop out its midday meal. Luke, of course.

Finally getting a moment to catch his breath, Luke stared at the bear and tried to think of something he could do.

It was strong, fast, and possessed monstrous durability. Trying to carve through that thick hide with any weapon he had would be nearly impossible.

’System...tell me its weak point...’

[Advanced analysis would require time and consume GP.]

[Required: 10 GP]

’Yeah, use it.’

It wasn’t like he could escape this thing without inflicting enough damage to slow it down first.

Luke had no obsession with fighting creatures far stronger than himself. However, the beast was so frenzied that he had no choice but to use every resource available to him.

[Analysing...]

Grrr!

The bear slammed its shoulder into the trunk once again, sending leaves raining down as the tree tilted even further.

Luke clicked his tongue. It was too fucking strong.

Using his last resort, Concentrated Burst, would leave him vulnerable and powerless to continue the challenge afterward. Unless it became an absolute emergency, he needed to keep that skill in reserve.

He needed a distraction and enough space to trap it.

Krik

Another slam, and the tree tilted nearly halfway to the ground.

He needed to move fast.

Enhanced Perception activated.

Planting both hands against the ground, Luke listened carefully.

Past the splintering wood, the growls of the bear, and the frantic creatures fleeing from the monster, he searched for something useful.

And soon, he found it.

A hollow space. Possibly a—

GRRREEEE!

The bear charged with all its strength, and the tree finally gave way, crashing down to the side and leaving Luke completely exposed.

The monster’s hungry red eyes locked onto him.

For a brief moment, they simply stared at each other.

Then Luke whispered,

’Elevate my speed stat by fifteen. Now!’

The instant he gave the command, he dashed forward.

Behind him came a heavy thud, followed by rapid footsteps tearing through the ground.

Luke didn’t dare stop or look back. He already knew the monster was charging at him with everything it had.

He needed to reach a place where he could trap it.

Grrrah!

The creature roared, smashing through every obstacle in its path as it pursued him with even greater fury than before. At this point, it no longer felt driven by hunger alone.

This had become a matter of pride.

From the monster’s perspective, a puny prey like Luke should have already been crushed between its jaws.

[Host, the underside of its belly and its eyes are its weak points.]

The system’s notification came suddenly, and that brief distraction cost him dearly.

Dhak

"Ah!"

Luke’s foot slammed against an overgrown root, and at that speed, he couldn’t control his momentum. His body rolled forward violently. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Fuck!"

He drove his steel claws into the soil to slow himself down. As his body twisted, he caught sight of the behemoth rushing toward him, jaws spread wide with saliva dripping from its fangs.

Panic surged through him.

The instant he focused on it for half a second, Luke snapped his fingers.

Tinnng

The wave released from the snap struck the bear instantly. Trees around it split apart and cracked under the impact as well, once again proving just how absurdly broken the skill was.

The bear staggered backward, violently shaking its head while its ears rang.

Luke used that brief opening to scramble back to his feet and sprint forward again.

Thankfully, after using the skill twice already, he had gained better control over it. This time, he didn’t feel nauseous or dizzy afterward.

The bear growled, quickly recovering its senses before charging after him once more.

Luke still wasn’t using his full speed for a reason.

He didn’t want the beast losing sight of him after dragging it this far.

He could have used that distraction to escape and hide somewhere.

However, after spending his precious Gamma Points on this thing, Luke intended to finish the hunt.

"There it is."

A grin spread across his lips, though it quickly twisted into a grimace as pain throbbed through his ribs. Fuck. Just one attack had already left such lasting damage.

Luke glanced back.

The bear was barely twenty feet behind him.

Perfect.

He rushed into the cave and immediately pulled out his Vanishing Cloak.

Grrrff!

The heavy thuds of the bear’s footsteps echoed through the cavern as it slowed slightly upon entering the darkness.

Thin strands of light slipped through cracks in the ceiling, preventing the cave from becoming completely pitch-black.

The monster advanced deeper inside, its nose constantly twitching as it searched for Luke. However, the rotting carcass of a deer nearby made it difficult to pinpoint his scent.

Luke took a slow breath and picked up a stone.

The moment the bear neared a massive boulder, Luke used <Shadow Steps> to silently reposition himself closer to the creature.

His footsteps has completely vanished in this dark and silent cave thanks to the skill.

Lowering his arm, he suddenly tossed the stone high into the air.

Thud

It landed atop the boulder, whose broad surface amplified the sound inside the cave.

The bear growled and instantly locked onto the sound.

Rising to its full height, the massive creature planted its front paws against the boulder for support, trying to look at whatever rested on top.

’My chance!’

Luke moved instantly.

Before the bear could react, he summoned the crimson-glowing dagger and drove it deep into the exposed underside of its belly.

GRRRRRROOOGH!!

The creature unleashed a deafening howl.

Luke didn’t just stab the blade in. He twisted it violently.

A sharp hissing sound filled the cave as flesh burned around the dagger, and to Luke, it sounded absolutely soothing.

However, it still wasn’t enough to kill the bear.

Grrgh!

The beast dropped its massive body without control, trying to crush Luke beneath its weight. Fortunately, his reflexes saved him at the last possible moment as he barely rolled out of the way.

The bear slowly rose again, supporting itself on all four limbs.

Now wounded, its entire presence radiated raw, terrifying bloodlust.

In the darkness, all Luke could truly see were those glowing red eyes.

For the first time, he felt genuine fear toward this creature.

And the worst part?

Behind him wasn’t the cave’s exit.

THUMP THUMP

The bear slammed its front paws against the ground in fury before charging straight at him.

Luke instantly turned and ran with all his strength.

His speed should have surpassed the beast’s, yet in its wild, rage-driven frenzy, the monster somehow caught up and slammed its head into his back.

"Aaah!"

Luke roared in pain as he was launched forward. His body rolled violently across the rocky ground before finally crashing to a stop.

His back struck a wall.

A dead end.

Fuck. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Pain tore through his body. Something had definitely broken. He could barely move his upper body anymore, and his legs were slowly turning numb.

Without hesitating, he pulled out a vial of potion.

But just as he was about to drink it—

RAAAGHHH!

Tearing through the darkness, the bear charged toward him with its jaws spread wide, desperate to finally claim its prey.

"Enhance my strength, now!" Luke roared as he thrust both arms forward and grabbed the bear’s maw with his bare hands.

A violent shock tore through his entire body.

His back slammed into the wall again, his head snapping backward from the impact, yet somehow, he managed to stop the creature from pushing any closer.

The bear tried to force its jaws shut, aiming to crush his arms between its fangs.

Its massive body trembled as every ounce of strength poured into its head while it leaned forward relentlessly.

Luke gritted his teeth and pushed back with everything he had, refusing to let the monster advance even an inch further.

Fuck! This is fucking insane!!

Hot drool splattered onto his thighs.

The jaws kept inching closer, trying to reach his head even with his arms blocking the way.

At this distance, Luke could clearly see the inside of its mouth.

And in that moment, he had only one thought left.

Survive.

He couldn’t die here. Absolutely not. His mate...she was waiting for him. He hadn’t taken this much risk to fail here.

And for that, he still had one final resort.

Concentrated Burst.

Concentration duration: 1 second... 2 seconds... 3 seconds...

[Host, no!]

Ignoring the system entirely, Luke continued.

His cheeks bulged, lips sealed tightly shut, and his eyes widened as veins swelled across his body.

Four seconds...

Five...

Six...

The instant it reached seven—

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!"

Luke roared.

And the world before him shifted.

••••••

A/N:- I put my heart into writing this Chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading.