John squinted as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. His heart filled with relief. But as he took a step forward his stomach twisted.The light wasn't from outside at all. A narrow beam of sunlight streamed in from a hole high above in the cave ceiling, casting an unreachable and mocking glow onto the stone floor below.The sky was there. Open, free, and so close, but completely out of reach."Are you fucking kidding me?!" he snapped, feeling the disappointment in his gut.He slumped against the wall, catching his breath as reality sank in. The exit was still far and he feels that the Beasts are starting to move behind him, clawed feet scrabbling over the stone floor as they closed in.He gripped his sword, glancing down at its dull blade, and a flicker of desperation crossed his face.Maybe he could try to fight them? His new body was an adventurer's after all...But then he remembered why he'd found that sword without a scratch — its last owner hadn't even managed to draw it in a fight before he died."I have to face it, I'm not ready for this," he whispered to himself, feeling the cold weight of fear sinking in.He'd only just arrived in this world and barely had time to breathe and here he was, cornered in a cave with death waiting at his back.But just then, suddenly a heavy shadow fell over him, blotting out the light. He froze with heart hammering as he raised his head slowly. His eyes wide with fear. Somehow, he hadn't even heard the approach of that thing.In front of him stood a towering creature, a canine-like beast easily towering over him, its jet-black fur bristling and its eyes burning with furiously at him. It snarled, revealing rows of sharp teeth that glinting in the dim light.The creature's massive form was easily two meters tall at the shoulder and it radiated a deadly aura that sent every instinct in John's body screaming to run.But he couldn't move, pinned in place by fear and awe as the creature's growl rumbled around him.John to focuses on the creature before him, his pulse racing. As he blinked, the strange vision from before flared to life in his eyes, bringing up a barely legible screen that outlined the beast's details:-----You activating Beast Insight Vision (Novice stage (1/100).Species: Shadow Fang Hound.Rank: Common Beast.Strength: High.Agility: Moderate.Endurance: High.Weakness: Flanks.Special Abilities: Dark Shroud, Keen Smell.Taming Method: [*******]-----The information pulsed in his mind and bringing a new wave of fear and pain. He'd barely grasped the Beast Insight Vision and here he was, staring down something that looked more like an apex predator than anything he'd expect to face first thing in a strange new world.The hound's fur rippled as it advanced. Its eyes never left him as if measuring him with an intelligence.John forced himself to steady his breath, his heartbeat echoing in his ears. He had to keep calm cause panic meant death. The Insight's image still in his mind. The beast's flanks were its weakness. If he could just get there and land a solid hit..."But I've never fought before!" he thought, gripping the sword tighter. "But if I stand here doing nothing, I'll die anyway!"With a quick breath, he centered himself and letting his instincts take over.The Shadow Fang Hound's muscles coiled and before he could blink, it lunged at him with alarming speed. Yet, in that split second, he saw it. He saw a faint flicker in his vision, a hint of the beast's path.Reacting on pure instinct, John threw himself to the side, barely evading the beast's snapping jaws. He stumbled but kept his balance, and without hesitation swung his sword at its exposed side.SRAAAT!A sharp and satisfying slice was heard as his blade hit, cutting a gash along the creature's flank. The hound yelped, staggering sideways, and John felt a brief surge of hope.But it was short-lived cause the Beast retaliated in an instant, one massive claw swiping toward him. He saw the attack coming but his body wasn't fast enough. The blow struck his chest, sending him crashing into the stone wall behind him.Pain exploded in his ribs and his vision blurred for a second.Gasping, he forced himself to stand then leaning heavily on the sword as he tried to regain his footing. The hound, though wounded, circled him, eyes gleaming with a dangerous glint. Now seemingly aknowledged him as his enemy, not just prey.For a second, doubt crept in. This creature was stronger, faster, and he was just a novice with a dull sword. But he shook off the fear, his jaw setting with a new determination."I wanted this," he reminded himself. "I now have this life and this world instead of my boring life and mundane world. I won't let some overgrown dog be the end of it!""HAAAAAA!!!"With a raw defiant yell he raised his sword, all his frustration, desperation, and anger pouring into that one moment. He charged at the beast with every ounce of his focus zeroed in on the fight.His heart pounded in sync with his steps and his vision sharpened, bringing back that strange, instinctive flicker — a split-second foresight of the hound's moves.The hound lunged, its claws swiping in a deadly arc. But John sidestepped just in time, that flicker in his mind guiding him.He brought his sword down with a grunt, striking the creature's flank again. The hound let out a furious howl then it twisting to counter, its teeth snapping inches from John's face.They fought in a mix of fur, claws, and blade. John dodged barely evading the beast's deadly attack. Each of his move he do draining what little energy he had left. His arms felt heavy and his breaths become hard, but he kept going.Every moment, he leaned into that split-second vision and watching the hound's moves before they even happened, weaving and striking when he saw his chance.However, his body still not strong enough for his vision so he keep getting grazed or hit and suffer a lot of wound.Finally, with one last burst of strength that came from desperation, John drove his blade deep into the beast's body. The Shadow Fang Hound staggered, a low whine escaping it as it drop to the ground.John collapsed beside it, the sword still gripped in his trembling hands. Bloodied and battered, he lay there and staring at the creature that had nearly kill him.Suddenly, a faint glow pulsed in John's vision, lines of text flickering in and out, written in symbols and characters that seemed foreign yet somehow familiar.His head was spinning and his thoughts hazy from exhaustion and pain, but the words slowly sharpened, forming a strange, incomprehensible message:You are now able to Tame the Shadow Fang Hound with Dominance.It took a moment for the meaning to sink in. Tame?The concept barely registered as he fought to steady his breathing, his mind feeling like it was trapped in a fog. Slowly, though, understanding crept in. This was was an opportunity."Alright..." he said weakly.-----Touch the Beast-----The text responded instantly, instructing him to touch the beast to confirm the taming process. With a huge effort, he dragged himself forward, his fingers brushing against the Shadow Fang Hound's leg. The moment he made contact a bright light erupted, filling his vision.John's mind went blank, and within moments he slipped into darkness.---