Days blurred into a rhythm of survival and self-improvement. Leav continued to push himself, activating his
Sprint
skill over and over, refining his control. Each burst of speed brought him closer to mastering it. But he told no one of his abilities, keeping his advantage secret.
He observed his group closely, assessing their strengths and weaknesses.
Weal
was nervous, but sharp-eyed—his ability to spot danger was uncanny.
Yorl
lacked intelligence but had brute strength, a weapon waiting to be wielded.
Frot
was a natural scavenger, always finding hidden food and trinkets. And then there was
Bout
... silent, unreadable, but
dangerous
.
Each day, Leav experimented. He watched, learned, tested his limits. He would rise above the rest.
He had to.
One morning, a deep, guttural
roar
echoed through the village.
Leav turned his head toward the sound. From his perch near the hut, he saw
Tear, the hobgoblin warlord
, standing among a group of older goblins. The warlord pointed toward the tree line, barking orders, his gestures wild and urgent.
"Hunting party," Leav murmured to himself.
He nudged Yorl awake. "They're going hunting. We should go too."
Yorl grunted, rubbing his groggy eyes. "Too... dangerous."
"Perhaps," Leav admitted. "But also an
opportunity
. We need food. And experience."
Leav had never explained the system to them—the strange screen that tracked his growth. He hadn't told them how he was advancing faster, how his
Sprint
skill gave him an edge. Not yet. He didn't want to share that power.
Instead, he turned to Weal. "Scout ahead. Tell us what you see."
Weal's eyes widened. "I... I don't know..."
"Do it," Leav snapped, his voice firm. "Our survival depends on it."
Weal gulped, then nodded, creeping toward the edge of the village, his sharp eyes darting around.
Frot sidled up to Leav with a grin. "What about me?"
"Stay close. Keep your eyes open."
Bout, as always, said nothing. He simply
watched
.
Minutes later, Weal returned, looking pale. "I saw... tracks," he stammered. "
Big
tracks. And... and droppings. Something huge is out there."
Leav's eyes narrowed. "What kind of tracks?"
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Weal hesitated. "Hooves... claws... I don't know! They just... looked
scary
."
Leav exhaled sharply. Not enough information. "Fine. We'll see for ourselves."
They followed the trail into the
forest
.
The air turned
cooler
, the light dimming beneath the thick canopy. The ground was uneven, treacherous with tangled roots and damp leaves. Every sound felt amplified—the crunch of footsteps, the rustling of unseen creatures.
Then Frot
hissed
. "Look!"
Leav turned and saw it. A small creature crouched in the undergrowth.
A
rabbit
—but
not
a normal one.
Its fur was mottled brown, and
two curved horns
sprouted from its skull.
[Horned Rabbit] [Level 2]
"A Horned Rabbit," Leav whispered. "Weal, is it alone?"
Weal peered ahead. "I... I think so. But it's
watching us
."
Leav turned to Yorl. "You're up.
Charge!
"
Yorl grinned and
lunged
. The rabbit bolted.
Despite his strength, Yorl was
slow
, his heavy footsteps crushing leaves and twigs. The rabbit
weaved
between trees,
dodging
effortlessly.
Leav cursed. He had
underestimated
its speed. "Frot, cut it off!"
Frot darted sideways, but the rabbit
twisted
, avoiding him with ease.
"This isn't working," Leav muttered. He needed a
strategy
.
"Yorl, keep chasing it. Frot, circle around and
drive it back
to us. Weal, stay on watch."
Then, activating
Sprint
, Leav surged forward.
The
world blurred
as his speed increased. He closed the distance, reaching out—
His hands
clamped
onto the rabbit's hind legs. It
squealed
, struggling, claws
raking
at his arms.
"
Yorl, now!
"
With a grunt, Yorl brought down his fist—
CRACK.
The rabbit went
limp
.
[USER has gained 5 EXP]
Leav released the corpse, breathing heavily. They had won.
Barely.
Then—
"BEHIND YOU!"
Weal's scream sent a jolt of adrenaline through Leav's veins.
He turned.
A
massive
shape lunged from the shadows—a serpent
thicker than Yorl's torso
, its
red scales
gleaming in the dim light. Its golden eyes locked onto them, its
forked tongue flickering
.
[Red Python] [Level 4]
Leav didn't hesitate.
"Formation!" he barked. "Yorl, front! Weal, behind Yorl! Frot, left! Bout, right!
I'll support!
"
They were no longer hunters.
Now, they were
the prey.