The elders seated around the table very well know that the Giant Carbon-Scaled Lizard was not a simple target and that it was not the largest fish in the lake. Once they defeat the beast, a larger and much stronger one will emerge and it would spew demise with each step.
"Prince, the lizard is an S-rank beast. It can only be overwhelmed through brawl. We have very limited info regarding its mental and analytical capabilities. A head-on battle is the only feasible way."
The bald man in his fifties was correct. The S rank beast was unique to the Prime Celestial Preserve and its abilities and endurance simply outrun the capabilities of humans on a large scale.
"Well...there must be something we can use at a time like this." The prince was persistent in obtaining the right to the throne and thus he pushed the elders to brainstorm their peanut heads.
To make them efficient, the prince promised more resources and rewards and snatched their loyalty.
"Prince, we can only proceed bit by bit through the forest. The information regarding the interiors of the outer section of the Prime Celestial Preserve is too vague and contaminated with rumours. We will have to wait for the scouts to come back."
The grey-haired tall man seated at the furthest point from the prince gave his opinion and the many fellow elders supported his point with an agreeing nod.
But unbeknownst to them, their scouts were pale and limp under the threatening aura exuded from the depths of the forest.
***
Meanwhile...
A figure was dashing through the dense woods with great precision as if it was his home turf. The silhouette leapt into the air and drifted for a few metres before striking down a Black Lion under the combined force of his limbs and gravity.
'37.'
Before the beast could fall with a thud, Adam's hands extended and caught the beast powerless body. He silently laid down the corpse and pulled out its Beast Core with ease, from its thorax.
A sound resembling a stone grinding on another stone could be heard with the backdrop of eerie silence.
'As expected, these beasts have powerful crystals.'
Adam had entered the outer section of the Prime Celestial Preserve a few hours ago, but he was fortunate to encounter vicious beasts now and then.
Initially, Adam retreated when he almost collided with a Fire-Tail Deer. Though the beast was munching down a mouthful of leaves, it charged at him at the very moment he was in its sight.
After a troublesome chase, Adam was exposed to a Golden Striped Rhinoceres before he could recuperate. Shortly after that, he almost died under the stings of a colony of Savage Hornets.
All these incidents lead Adam to a crossroad - kill or be killed. The sudden emergence of hunger with a throbbing hurried Adam to accept the path.
And his first prey, a Wild Hound entered the scene at its most unfortunate moment.
The burgundy fur was highlighted in the dark as the beast mistakenly entered Adam's sight. One of its hind limbs was hurt and it could only walk around limping.
But that didn't dissolve its innate savage attitude. It dashed at Adam baring its fangs with all its might but its prey was faster.
A quick sidestep and Adam avoided the fatal bite. Before the beast could redirect its trajectory, an open fist came down on the back of its neck, knocking the hound unconscious.
'Phew...that was dangerous.'
Adam had to constantly channel the energy stored in his body to shake off the beast that chased him like a heatseeker. The quick strike that dealt a blow to the hound almost dried his entire reserve.
Without dwelling over the past, Adam's hands choked the unconscious beast's neck and it fell dead after almost a minute of struggling. Quickly, he tore the beast skin and consumed its delicate flesh before plucking out the crystal.
Since then, Adam killed 36 more beasts and extracted their Beast Cores. They varied in size, colour, turbidity and fragility. There was a peculiar silver-striped python that had a large crystal, as big as his palm, but was very fragile. It shattered into pieces when Adam applied a bit of force into his hands to test its sturdiness.
"My strength has increased."
Adam spoke to himself while tearing the skin of the Black Lion to let the blood out of its body. As the trap was set, the bipedal predator climbed the nearest tree and hid under the curtain of leaves and darkness.
There was a surprised expression as Adam scanned his body with his fingers. He could tell that there was a significant change in his physique. But he was unable to pinpoint the reason behind this unprecedented event.
Unbuttoning the shirt, Adam almost gasped at his chiselled torso. To be honest, he was a typical 26-years-old with a thin population of facial hair. His muscles were not developed to his age while he was living on Earth, but a few days spent on this unnatural world had granted him with an alluring figure.
Adam was an average 5 feet 10 inches tall earthling with no distinct feature or charisma that made him stand out. Due to insufficient physical labour and exercise, his body was relatively weak.
The ages he spent in isolation spanned over decades, yet his struggle to survive in the wild barely produced any development in his physical capabilities. Adam can clearly perceive that his body had stagnated since his resurrection. Though there are conjectures in his heart, he couldn't burden himself with those matters of the past.
Pondering over miscellaneous thoughts, Adam failed to detect the almost silent, rhythmic steps pacing towards the lion's corpse. The gentle taps barely made any noise as a bipedal beast walked out of the shadow of a tree.
A chilly breeze swept past Adam and succeeded in pulling him from his train of thoughts. Just as his eyes casually wandered to check the status of the lion's corpse, his eyes formed perfect circles when he spotted an abnormally large humanoid being standing next to the carcass.
'What in the...'
Adam was absolutely flabbergasted as he saw the smooth, yet pitch-black fur caressed by the gentle breeze. One of its hind-limbs placed over the corpse as if it was a foothold, gently rocked it. As if anger took over its consciousness, a powerful forelimb rose into the air and hacked the lion's lifeless body into slices.
'...'
If Adam had a soul, it would have escaped from its vessel by now. He was pale to that extent and his limbs were trembling. The beast didn't have a threatening aura but its action instilled a seed of apprehension in Adam's consciousness.
This world had a very mystifying peculiarity. That is, the moon, its satellite didn't wax or wane like on the Earth. Thus every night was a full moon night.
And when a beam of moonlight fell over the vicinity as the celestial body came out of the veil of clouds, Adam's heart almost ceased to beat.
'...werewolf?'
Under the dull illumination, the race of the beast was revealed to Adam. As an Earthling, he was well versed in the myths and fictional stories of his home planet, and werewolves could be listed in the top ten easily.
Though there have only been rumours about this species, the sight of a live werewolf enveloped him in dizziness. The gander of a truly magnificent beast with an elegantly savage exterior coupled with an infamous attitude stunned him to the core and he almost fell from the branch.
Rustle!
The imbalance caused by his momentary ignorance attracted the attention of the lowly hunter and the beast had already pounced onto the tree. Adam's heart went blank as he saw the 7-foot tall humanoid climbing the sturdy trunk like a veteran climber.
For a moment, he saw his demise in those golden pupils.