Jack didn’t move immediately after the Stalker dropped.
His breathing was still controlled, but heavier than before. His grip on the blade remained steady, though his forearm carried a faint tremor from the sustained pressure of the fight.
This one had been close.
Not out of control.
But close enough to matter.
He stepped back another pace, creating space before opening his status.
[STATUS]
Name: Jack Reed
Level: 4
Race: Human (F-Grade)
Class: Bloodborne Warrior (F-Grade)
Profession: None
Titles: None
Health (HP): 98 / 140
Stamina (SP): 112 / 140
Energy (MP): 14 / 14
Attributes:
Strength: 16
Agility: 14
Vitality: 13
Endurance: 12
Perception: 11
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 10
Luck: 10
Free Attribute Points: 3
Jack’s eyes paused briefly on his health.
Lower than expected.
He looked down.
The damage wasn’t from a single clean hit.
It was cumulative.
Scrapes across his side. A deeper cut along his leg. One claw mark that had slipped past the armor entirely and torn through skin.
Blood loss.
Not enough to stop him.
Enough to matter.
He exhaled once and shifted his focus back to the interface.
Three points.
Same decision process.
Strength had already proven its value. Agility kept him alive. Vitality was starting to matter more than before.
He adjusted slightly this time.
Two points into Vitality.
One into Agility.
The interface updated.
Vitality: 15
Agility: 15
The change was immediate, but not dramatic. The bleeding didn’t stop, but his body stabilized faster. The light dizziness at the edge of his awareness faded.
Better.
Still not enough to ignore.
Jack closed the interface and reached for one of the vials at his side.
Health potion.
He hesitated for half a second.
Then used it.
The effect wasn’t explosive. No sudden surge of energy. The bleeding slowed first, then stopped. The deeper wound along his leg closed partially—not perfect, but functional.
His health ticked upward.
Enough to continue.
He secured the empty vial and stood still for a moment longer.
Not resting.
Resetting.
Blood Sense pulsed outward again.
Stronger now.
Or maybe he was just paying more attention.
Three ahead.
One behind them.
But the one behind—
Felt different.
Denser.
He turned his head slightly.
Then focused.
“Identify.”
[Burrow Stalker — Lv.6]
Type: Apex Predator (F-Grade)
Traits: Reinforced hide, burst aggression, tracking
Weakness: Rear joints, throat
Jack stared at the line for a second.
Apex.
“…Right.”
That explained the difference.
He didn’t move immediately.
Running wasn’t an option.
Fighting head-on—
Also not ideal.
Which meant positioning mattered more than anything else.
He shifted his stance slightly, angling toward a narrower section of the tunnel behind him. If it followed, it would have less room to use its full weight and speed.
The decision came just in time.
The creature moved.
Fast.
Faster than anything before.
It didn’t circle. Didn’t test.
It committed.
Jack activated Sanguine Surge immediately.
The effect hit harder this time.
Not just sharper movement—pressure. His body pushed further than before, muscles tightening under strain that wasn’t entirely comfortable.
The Stalker closed the distance instantly.
Jack stepped in at an angle, blade driving toward the rear joint.
The strike landed.
Shallow.
Not enough.
The creature didn’t slow.
It slammed into him.
Hard.
Jack hit the ground, air forced from his lungs as the weight drove into him. Claws tore across his side, deeper than before, armor partially deflecting but not stopping the full force.
Pain registered.
Sharp.
Real.
He didn’t stop.
The blade came up immediately, driving into the throat at close range.
This time—
It bit.
The creature recoiled violently, giving him space.
Jack rolled out from under it and pushed himself up, blood already running down his side.
Too much.
Too fast.
He didn’t check it.
No time.
The Stalker turned again.
Still moving.
Still fighting.
Jack adjusted.
No more trading.
He shifted left, forcing it to turn, then cut low again—same joint, same point of failure.
This time the blade drove deeper.
The leg gave.
The creature faltered.
Jack didn’t hesitate.
He pressed forward, ignoring the blood loss, ignoring the strain building in his body from the ability. Short, controlled strikes, each one targeting weakness instead of trying to overpower.
The fight ended abruptly.
One moment it was still resisting—
The next, it collapsed.
Jack stepped back immediately.
Breathing heavier now.
Blood still running.
He looked down briefly.
More than before.
Enough to matter.
A lot.
“…Yeah. That’s a problem.”
The notification appeared.
[You have defeated: Burrow Stalker (Lv.6)]
[Experience Gained]
[Level Up]
Level 5.
Jack didn’t open the interface immediately.
Instead, he reached for the second vial.
Used it without hesitation.
The bleeding slowed again, then stopped. The deeper damage closed partially, leaving behind stiffness and residual pain but restoring function.
His breathing steadied.
Then he opened his status.