Kael didn't move.
The creature didn't either.
For several seconds, the ruined street was completely silent.
Then the system displayed another warning.
[Target Analysis Complete.]
[BLACKSCALE PANTHER]
Level: 9
Classification: Elite Beast
Evolution Stage: Stage 1 — Awakened
Strength: 67
Agility: 81
Vitality: 72
Endurance: 69
Perception: 88
[Skills]
Predatory Instinct — Level 4
Shadow Step — Level 2
Blackscale Defense — Level 3
[Ability]
Nightmare Prowl
[Title]
Night Hunter
Kael's smile disappeared.
The numbers were absurd.
His strongest attribute was only 16.
This creature had 81 Agility.
Its Perception was almost six times his.
There was no comparison.
The system gave him one final message.
[Estimated survival probability in direct combat: 3%.]
Kael slowly exhaled.
"So that's what Level 9 looks like."
The panther lowered its body.
Kael immediately activated Threat Detection.
[Predatory movement detected.]
The creature disappeared.
Kael's eyes widened.
Shadow Step.
He jumped sideways.
A black blur passed through the space where his head had been.
BOOM!
The panther landed behind him.
Kael rolled.
Its claws struck the pavement.
Three deep marks appeared.
Kael didn't hesitate.
He ran.
Not because he was afraid.
Because he understood the difference between courage and stupidity.
Behind him—
BOOM!
The panther chased.
Kael jumped over a car.
The creature cleared it effortlessly.
Kael turned into an alley.
Too narrow for the panther to use its full speed.
He pulled out his metal rod.
The panther entered.
Kael swung.
CLANG!
The rod struck its side.
Nothing happened.
Kael's expression changed.
"Blackscale Defense."
The creature turned.
Its eyes locked onto him.
Kael activated Blackhide.
The panther attacked.
Kael blocked.
BOOM!
He was thrown backward.
He crashed through a wooden door.
Pain spread through his body.
The system appeared.
[Heavy impact detected.]
[Adaptive Evolution activated.]
[Analyzing physical damage...]
[Impact Resistance adaptation progressing.]
[Adaptation: 0.31% → 0.35%]
Kael slowly stood.
His body hurt.
But he was still standing.
He smiled.
"Again."
The panther charged.
Kael activated Web Control.
He fired several strands.
One wrapped around the creature's leg.
Another around a broken streetlight.
Kael pulled.
For half a second, the panther's movement slowed.
That was enough.
Kael rushed forward.
He struck the creature's head.
CLANG!
The metal rod bent.
The panther didn't even flinch.
Kael stared at the weapon.
"Seriously?"
The panther swung its paw.
Kael ducked.
The wall behind him exploded.
Kael rolled away.
His mind raced.
He couldn't damage it.
His attacks were useless.
His skills weren't strong enough.
His attributes weren't high enough.
But he had one thing the panther didn't.
Adaptation.
Kael looked at the creature.
His eyes sharpened.
"If I can't beat you..."
He dodged another attack.
"...I'll learn from you."
The panther lunged.
Kael ran deeper into the city.
He wasn't escaping randomly.
He was looking for something.
A construction site.
A narrow passage.
Anything he could use.
The panther followed relentlessly.
Kael suddenly stopped.
Ahead was a collapsed building.
Only a narrow opening remained.
Kael squeezed through.
The panther tried to follow.
Its body was too large.
It stopped.
Kael smiled.
"Got you."
He grabbed a piece of broken metal.
Then he noticed something.
The panther's eyes were glowing.
A strange darkness spread beneath its feet.
Kael's smile vanished.
[Ability detected.]
[Nightmare Prowl activated.]
The shadows around the panther expanded.
The creature's body blurred.
Kael's Threat Detection screamed.
[EXTREME DANGER.]
He moved.
Too slow.
The panther emerged from the shadow inside the building.
Kael raised his arms.
BOOM!
He was launched backward.
He crashed into the floor.
For a moment, his vision blurred.
The panther approached.
Kael struggled to stand.
His body was screaming at him to run.
Then—
[Critical survival condition detected.]
[Adaptive Evolution acceleration activated.]
[Emergency adaptation beginning.]
Kael's heart began pounding.
His senses sharpened.
The creature's movements became slightly clearer.
His muscles responded faster.
His breathing changed.
The system flooded his vision.
[Perception adaptation developing.]
[Reaction adaptation developing.]
[Impact Resistance adaptation developing.]
[Predatory Movement Analysis developing.]
[Adaptive Evolution: 0.35% → 0.48%]
Kael stared.
Almost half a percent.
In a single battle.
He understood.
The stronger the threat—
the greater the evolutionary pressure.
The panther attacked again.
This time Kael saw it.
Not perfectly.
Not fast enough to counter.
But enough to move.
He dodged the claws by a few centimeters.
The panther's attack missed.
Kael smiled.
"You're teaching me."
He turned and ran.
The panther followed.
Kael escaped through the collapsed building and sprinted into the streets.
He didn't stop until the creature disappeared into the distance.
Only then did he collapse against a wall.
His entire body was exhausted.
But he was alive.
The system appeared.
[Major Threat Survived.]
[Achievement Completed.]
[Survivor of the Night Hunter]
Requirement: Survive an encounter with a superior Elite Beast.
Reward: 3 Attribute Points
Kael stared at the reward.
Then another notification appeared.
[Title acquired.]
[Night Hunter's Prey]
Effect: Slightly increases perception when facing stronger enemies.
Kael laughed quietly.
"Night Hunter's prey?"
He looked back toward the street.
The Level 9 Blackscale Panther was gone.
For now.
Kael opened his status.
[KAEL]
Level: 4
Strength: 14
Agility: 16
Vitality: 10
Endurance: 11
Perception: 12
Unassigned Attribute Points: 3
[Skills]
Enhanced Hearing — 48%
Threat Detection — 46%
Blackhide — 39%
Web Control — 25%
Blood Scent — 11%
[Titles]
Solo Hunter
Night Hunter's Prey
[Unique Trait]
Adaptive Evolution
Adaptation: 0.48%
Kael assigned all three points to Perception.
Perception: 12 → 15
He closed his status.
The battle had taught him something more valuable than experience.
There were creatures in this world so powerful that he couldn't defeat them yet.
And that was fine.
Kael didn't need to defeat everything today.
He only needed to survive long enough to become strong enough tomorrow.
He looked toward the red zone on his map.
The evolutionary resource was still there.
And now he knew exactly where he was going.
Kael picked up his bent metal rod.
He looked at it for a moment.
Then threw it aside.
"It served its purpose."
He pulled a long piece of sharpened metal from the ruins.
It was heavier.
Longer.
More suited to his fighting style.
Kael tested its weight.
A faint smile appeared.
"Much better."
Then he walked toward the red zone.
Alone.