Beastbound: Awakening the Hunter

Oliver’s heart skipped a beat as he watched the trembling vines on the mountain wall. A memory stirred in his mind—a dangerous creature he had read about in the academy's ancient texts.

Is it the legendary Vineclaw Spriggan?!

The Vineclaw Spriggan was known for its deadly nature. This magical plant produced fruits that looked delicious and tempting, luring in both humans and animals. But once they got too close, the vines would spring to life, attacking with a vengeance. Anything that fell victim to the spriggan’s grasp was strangled to death and absorbed as nourishment for the plant.

Now, as the vines on the rock wall quivered, white bones began to reveal themselves between the gaps in the foliage—evidence of the many creatures that had fallen victim to this horror. However, Oliver noticed that there were fewer human remains. After all, this toxic fog zone was not a place most people dared to venture.

A system prompt appeared in his vision:

[Vineclaw Spriggan: A carnivorous magical plant known for its deceptive nature. It has an immense life force. Consuming it will provide you with a large amount of Life Essence.]

Estimated Life Essence Points: 300.

Three hundred points?! Oliver’s eyes widened in disbelief.

That was an incredible reward! To put it in perspective, he only needed around 150 points to fully integrate the tiger-shaped magic core, reaching a 100% fusion degree. With just about 80 more points, the tiger could evolve into a magical beast. Defeating this monster would not only make the tiger as powerful as the boar but would also leave him with a surplus of points.

And the best part? His own strength would increase dramatically once the tiger evolved.

However, dealing with this vine monster wouldn't be easy.

The Vineclaw Spriggan had recovered from the light of the boar’s horn, no longer thrashing or shrieking. But the vines remained taut, coiling like snakes ready to strike. A deep, resonating growl echoed through the air—a warning to Oliver and his companions.

It had realized that the human and the horned boar were not to be trifled with, but the warning came too late.

Without hesitation, Oliver unleashed his spell.

"Khal-dar-oth!"

A storm of earth-element stone spikes rained down, pounding toward the vines with ferocity.

Oliver’s orange magic was overwhelming. The sprawling vines, which covered the mountain like a massive blanket, were perfect targets for his spell.

It’s their bad luck to cross me, Oliver thought with a grin.

In an instant, the vines were pelted mercilessly by the stone barrage, their green fluid splattering everywhere as agonizing screams filled the air—louder than before.

The boar, ready to assist, charged up another blast from its horn, but Oliver quickly linked their minds, stopping it. The boar’s magic was better suited for single-target destruction, while Oliver’s Stone Storm was perfect for dealing with large groups.

The vines were just the outer limbs of this magical creature; its true core had not yet revealed itself. Oliver knew that once the core was exposed, the boar’s light-based magic would be most effective.

As expected, after the second round of stone rain, the Vineclaw Spriggan realized that it was on the verge of defeat. In a frantic howl, the vines began to contract violently, as though something was pulling them back into the rock itself.

The wall, once covered in thick, writhing vines, was now exposed. The ground trembled as dust filled the air, and insects that had been hiding in the shadows scattered in all directions.

As the vines shrank, a peculiar mass of roots, resembling a massive caterpillar, emerged from the rock. It slithered in the chaos, attempting to flee.

Oliver wasn’t about to let it escape.

He signaled the boar, which immediately charged up another burst of light. But the creature’s newfound armor—formed from the compressed vines—seemed to resist the magical attack, though not completely. The creature shrieked, but it sped away, disappearing into the underbrush.

The boar grunted in frustration, but Oliver remained calm.

It’s bleeding, he realized.

The bloodlust tracking skill, courtesy of the tiger’s abilities, activated. Oliver had used this before to track small animals, but now, he applied it to the magical creature.

Its blood was still fresh, and the scent gave its position away. Through the mist and dense foliage, Oliver saw a faint glow—a trail of blood that illuminated its path.

He sprinted forward, following the trail with ease.

The creature, realizing it was being pursued, suddenly recoiled and lashed out with its grotesque, insect-like jaws, aiming to bite Oliver. Its mouth was lined with circular, serrated teeth, capable of shredding anything in its path—like some monstrous alien.

But Oliver was ready. He wielded his steel longsword with surprising skill, using the blade to slice through the air.

Slash!

The flaming enchantment on the sword flared to life as it met the creature’s attack. The sword glowed brightly in the dark fog, cutting through the monster’s jaws with ease.

The creature screeched in agony, its mouth severed in half. Magic flames from the sword burned brightly on the jagged edges, and the creature writhed in pain, twisting its body on the ground.

Oliver moved quickly, placing his foot on the monster’s back, keeping it pinned down. With a swift motion, he drove the point of the sword into its head.

Thrust!

Thrust!

The insect-like creature went still, its struggles finally ceasing.

Oliver stepped back, wiping the sweat from his brow as he surveyed the strange magical beast. It was no larger than a dog, yet its power and cunning made it a formidable foe. Without his close combat skills, this encounter could have been deadly.

It almost tricked me, pretending to flee. This thing’s clever, but not clever enough.

With a sigh, Oliver muttered to himself, “Three hundred Life Essence points... that was definitely worth the trouble. But this creature’s so disgusting... should I eat it?”