Grey raised his weapon and struck the weakened root several times, causing the wood to split further while Ruk watched with growing understanding.
The Hobgoblin quickly joined him, driving the metal tip of his spear into the damaged section until the remaining fibers finally snapped.
The enormous trunk shifted.
Grey grabbed Ruk’s arm and pulled him backward just as the fallen tree collapsed into the narrow passage, sending a shower of dirt and broken branches across the forest floor.
A furious snarl erupted from the opposite side almost immediately.
Grey watched as a Redfang attempted to force its head through the remaining opening, only to discover that the collapsed trunk had blocked most of the passage.
"That should buy us some time."
Ruk released a rough laugh and struck the trapped creature across the muzzle with the flat of his spear, forcing it to retreat before the two goblins continued moving.
Grey knew the obstacle wouldn’t stop the pack for long, but even a few additional minutes could make the difference between escaping and being torn apart.
They had barely traveled another hundred meters when [Predatory Instinct] suddenly activated again, sending a warning through Grey’s mind that was considerably stronger than the ones he had experienced during the chase.
He immediately stopped.
Ruk nearly collided with him before noticing the change in his expression.
Something was ahead.
Grey slowly lowered his stance and searched the surrounding vegetation, eventually noticing a large shadow moving between the trees several meters away.
The creature emerged into a narrow patch of sunlight.
Grey’s expression changed immediately.
[Target detected.]
[Ironback Ravager]
[Level: 8]
[Threat Assessment: Extreme.]
The monster resembled an enormous bear, although thick plates of dark armor covered its shoulders and back, while several jagged protrusions extended from its forelegs. Its broad head remained lowered as it sniffed the ground, and each step caused its massive claws to sink into the soft soil.
Grey felt his stomach tighten.
’You’ve got to be kidding me.’
He had spent the last several minutes trying to escape a pack of Level 5 and Level 6 predators, only to discover that their chosen route had brought them directly into the territory of something even stronger.
The Ironback Ravager raised its head.
Its eyes settled on Grey.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then the creature released a deep growl that vibrated through the surrounding trees.
Grey slowly glanced toward Ruk, who looked just as alarmed as he felt.
"Well, this is getting ridiculous."
The Ironback Ravager took a step toward them, its enormous shoulders shifting beneath the armored plates covering its body.
Grey immediately began backing away, keeping his movements slow enough that the creature wouldn’t interpret them as an invitation to chase. He had no intention of fighting a Level 8 monster when he was barely capable of defeating Level 6 creatures without assistance.
Unfortunately, the sounds of approaching Redfangs were growing louder behind them.
Grey looked toward the direction they had come from, then back toward the enormous monster standing ahead.
A dangerous idea gradually formed in his mind.
He couldn’t defeat the Redfang pack either.
But perhaps he didn’t need to.
Grey’s eyes narrowed as he examined the armored creature, remembering how the Redfangs had deliberately controlled their movements throughout the chase.
If the predators wanted to decide where he ran, then perhaps it was time to make them regret that decision.
"Ruk," Grey whispered while slowly moving closer to the Hobgoblin, "when I start running, follow me and don’t stop."
Ruk glanced toward the Ironback Ravager before giving a hesitant nod.
Grey tightened his grip around his weapon and waited until the sounds of the pursuing Redfangs became close enough that he could distinguish individual movements through the vegetation.
Then he picked up a stone.
The Ironback Ravager watched him carefully.
Grey smiled faintly.
"Sorry about this."
He threw the stone directly toward the creature’s face.
The Ironback Ravager reacted with an enraged roar as the rock struck its armored forehead, and Grey immediately turned around and sprinted toward the approaching Redfangs with Ruk following close behind.
The enormous monster charged after them.
Grey could hear its massive body crashing through the vegetation, breaking branches and crushing smaller plants beneath its weight as it accelerated.
His Predatory Instinct screamed at him to run faster.
He didn’t need the encouragement.
The first Redfang emerged from the trees ahead just as Grey reached the narrow passage between two large trunks.
The predator immediately lunged toward him, apparently expecting its prey to continue fleeing, but Grey twisted sideways and slipped past its jaws with barely enough room to avoid being bitten.
Ruk followed a moment later, using his spear to force the creature away from the opening before continuing after Grey.
The Redfang attempted to turn.
It never got the chance.
The Ironback Ravager crashed through the vegetation behind them and slammed directly into the predator, sending the smaller creature flying across the forest floor with enough force to break several branches.
Grey glanced over his shoulder just long enough to see the Redfang tumble into the undergrowth.
The Ironback Ravager released another furious roar.
Several Redfangs immediately emerged from the surrounding trees, their glowing eyes shifting from Grey toward the enormous armored monster now standing among them.
For a brief moment, the entire forest seemed to freeze.
Then the Ironback Ravager charged.
Its massive foreleg struck the nearest Redfang with enough force to send the creature crashing against a tree, while another predator attempted to attack from behind only for its teeth to scrape uselessly against the armored plates covering the monster’s back.
The Ravager twisted around and slammed its shoulder into the second attacker, forcing it backward with an enraged snarl.
Grey watched the chaos unfold while continuing to retreat, barely able to believe that his desperate idea had actually worked.
"Well, that’s one way to solve a problem."
Ruk glanced toward him with an expression that suggested he was beginning to question whether Grey was brilliant or completely insane.
Grey couldn’t blame him.
The Redfang Pack Leader finally appeared at the edge of the clearing, its crimson fur bristling as it surveyed the enormous monster attacking its subordinates. Rather than immediately joining the fight, it released a series of sharp growls that caused several Redfangs to retreat and reposition themselves around the Ravager.
The Pack Leader wasn’t panicking.
It was adapting.
Within seconds, the remaining Redfangs began circling the Ironback Ravager, carefully avoiding its massive forelegs while searching for weaknesses in the armored plates covering its body.
The Ravager roared and charged toward one of them, but the creature immediately retreated while another Redfang attacked from the opposite side.
Grey recognized the strategy almost immediately.
The pack was attempting to exhaust the larger monster through repeated attacks, relying on its numbers and coordination to compensate for the difference in individual strength.
Unfortunately for them, the Ironback Ravager possessed enough raw power that a single successful strike could kill one of its attackers.
Grey watched as another Redfang was struck across the chest and thrown several meters through the air, landing heavily against the ground before struggling to rise.
The system suddenly appeared.
[Nearby hostile entities engaged in combat.]
[Opportunity detected.]
[Potential Evolution Energy available.]
Grey stared at the notification.
Then he looked toward the fighting monsters.
His expression gradually changed.
’Wait a minute.’
The creatures were occupied with one another.
Several Redfangs had already been injured.
And if the fight continued, more of them would probably die.
Grey slowly turned toward Ruk.
The Hobgoblin was watching the battle with obvious disbelief, apparently having never witnessed anything quite like the situation Grey had created.
Grey pointed toward the fighting monsters before gesturing toward the surrounding trees.
"Let’s find somewhere to watch."
Ruk stared at him.
Grey smiled.
"Why waste a perfectly good opportunity?"
The Hobgoblin looked toward the Ironback Ravager, then toward the Redfang Pack Leader, before finally returning his attention to Grey with an expression that could only be described as disbelief.
Grey ignored it and began moving toward a large tree overlooking the clearing, carefully choosing a position where the battling creatures would have difficulty noticing them.
He wasn’t stupid enough to join the fight directly.
But if the Redfangs and the Ironback Ravager were determined to tear each other apart, he certainly wasn’t going to complain.
After all, Evolution Energy didn’t grow on trees.
And for the first time since entering the forest, Grey had discovered something even better than hunting stronger monsters.
Letting them hunt each other.