Beastbound: Awakening the Hunter

The forest night was growing colder, the chill of late autumn seeping through the trees. The wind whispered through the branches, and leaves fluttered to the ground, painting the world in shades of solitude. The sky was heavy with clouds, and Oliver could only hope that it wouldn't rain tonight.

Rain would wash away the traces of animals, making it harder to track them. Besides, his two pets, the big tiger and the wild boar, were far less inclined to move when it rained.

Soon, Oliver met up with his three companions. The Shatterbeast cub was the first to rush to him, excitedly leaping into his arms and rubbing its hard shell against his neck. The touch wasn’t exactly pleasant—its armor was tough and sharp, but the cub’s enthusiasm was undeniable.

After exchanging a few quiet words with the tiger, Oliver learned that the magical creature they had tracked wasn't in their usual hunting grounds, but deeper in the forest.

Deeper in the woods, magical creatures were more abundant, and the likelihood of finding something else tonight was high.

Oliver, along with his three companions, trekked for nearly half an hour before reaching the area of interest. The tiger moved with silent grace through the forest, its massive frame almost like a moving mountain. It had grown immensely since Oliver first caught it. Back then, it had been barely half the size it was now, but today, it nearly reached ten meters in length.

Ten meters! That was the height of some small buildings. It was easy to imagine how overwhelming this creature must be to anyone who hadn’t spent time with it.

Had the tiger not been captured by Oliver, it would have been nearly impossible for an ordinary tiger to grow to such a size, even with magical plants. Oliver’s powerful core didn’t just give him special abilities—it helped his pets grow too.

The wild boar, though slightly smaller than the tiger, had also grown. Now, it stood close to seven meters long. But it was the changes in its tusks that drew attention. The tusks on either side of its mouth gleamed in the moonlight, sharp as blades, capable of easily shattering metal scraps Oliver had tested.

But the Shatterbeast cub still looked the same as when Oliver first caught it. This was normal, though—Shatterbeasts were magical creatures, and evolving required an enormous amount of Life Essence. Plus, Oliver had only caught it a few days ago.

Guided by the tiger and boar, Oliver soon came upon the magical creature they had been tracking—a wind-element slime.

Wind slimes were rare, and this one was estimated to be worth about 200 silver coins.

Oliver’s heart quickened. He pulled out a capture net from his bag and quietly approached. The capture net was a special tool designed for trapping small magical creatures. It was something he had never had access to before. In the past, he’d had to eat the Aqua Bubble he encountered due to a lack of storage tools, but with the net, things were different.

The net, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand when folded, could temporarily seal the magical essence of the creature inside. It was incredibly useful, though it cost 20 silver coins—something Oliver could never afford before becoming a core apprentice and gaining access to deeper parts of the forest.

Now, with his and his pets' strength growing, capturing a small slime was no challenge. In less than ten minutes, Oliver had the wind slime completely ensnared in the capture net.

Oliver considered briefly, then decided not to sell it. Instead, he and his pets would enjoy it right there. The deeper parts of the forest were dangerous, and he felt it was better to grow stronger before venturing too far.

The wind slime had a unique taste—it was cool, like eating air itself, and reminded him of the sensation of drinking strong, fizzy water.

[Life Essence+1]

[Life Essence+1]

[Life Essence+1]

...

Oliver savored the meal. The tiger and boar were also excited, as the slime's magic and Life Essence were packed with power. It was a feast, and a good one.

This time, Oliver focused on feeding most of the slime meat to the boar. After eating, the boar’s required Life Essence dropped from 90 points to just 20—only 20 more to go before it could evolve.

That was so close!

Oliver couldn't help but feel a little regretful. He hadn’t realized the amount of Life Essence contained in the slime. Had he eaten less, he might have been able to save more for his pets. He had underestimated the power a slime could offer.

Though slimes were low-level magical creatures, their pure essence made them a potent source of power when consumed.

Oliver could have distributed his own Life Essence to help his pets evolve, but he had discovered that there was a loss in efficiency when he did so. For example, if the boar ate the slime directly, it would gain 2 points of Life Essence, but if Oliver ate it first and then transferred it, the boar would only receive 1 point.

"Well, a little loss is fine," he muttered to himself, "It's more important to get them evolved and stronger."

He looked at his panel with a hint of anticipation.

[Life Essence+1]

[Life Essence+1]

...

The slime’s magic was still digesting, and the Life Essence he had gained so far was only 11 points. He would need to wait a bit longer to reach the full 20.

Meanwhile, the tiger, who had only gotten a few bites, lay dejectedly by Oliver's feet, licking his shoes in a playful yet pitiful manner. The Shatterbeast cub, perched on his shoulder, stared longingly at the boar, which was rolling happily on the ground.

As the boar rolled, it released small whirlwinds of wind magic, sending leaves flying around in little twisters. It was a strange sight, but one that showed just how powerful its magic had become.

Oliver patted the tiger's head to comfort it. "Don't be so down. Next time, it'll be your turn."

Just as they were enjoying the moment, a sudden rumble echoed through the sky, followed by a crack of thunder. The forest darkened, and heavy rain began to pour.

The misty fog enveloped the entire forest.

"We need to head back, now."

Oliver took a deep breath, tearing a large leaf from a nearby tree to shield himself from the rain, then quickened his pace. Eccleston had peculiar weather—when it rained, it could last for days. Being stuck in the forest would be a hassle for anyone, even for someone like Oliver.

In the torrential downpour, everything became a blur, the path hard to follow. Fortunately, the boar and tiger were still able to recognize the way. They led Oliver through the mud, pushing forward at a fast pace.

Suddenly, a flash of lightning cut through the night sky, lighting up the dark forest. Oliver’s heart skipped a beat, his instincts flaring with a sense of dread. His Danger Sense skill went off, sending chills down his spine.

He wiped the rain from his face and instinctively looked up. But the sky was dark and empty, and yet the feeling of danger only intensified.

Oliver felt a wave of unease. After so many days exploring this forest, he had encountered many threats, but this... this was different.

This threat was close. Very close.

And the sheer terror it evoked made his hair stand on end, a deep sense of dread washing over him.