Just when I thought the beast would tear me to shreds, it leaped over me and scrambled off, clearly not wanting to bother itself with me.
I barely had time to process what had just happened before I heard it—the low growl in the distance.
What the hell was that this time?
I staggered to my feet, my legs shaking from the exertion, and looked around. There was no sign of the beast I had just evaded—the small, aggressive creature—but that whatever had just growled was far more dangerous, it seemed.
"Quest updated: Survive for 24 hours."
"Objective: Remain alive until the next phase begins. Failure will result in immediate termination." I didn't even have time to react before the voice came again. The voice of the System, cold and emotionless. It felt like the only thing in this world that wasn't trying to kill me yet pushing me to quests that would make me meet death.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. 24 hours. That was it? Just stay alive for one day in this nightmare of a place? It sounded simple enough, but the closer the growl came, the more I realized how impossible that sounded.
I tried to move quietly, to get some distance, but the ground was uneven and soft, and every step felt like it was echoing. I needed to find cover—somewhere to hide, somewhere I could get a minute to think. But as I moved, the growl grew louder. Closer.
And then it emerged from the shadows.
It was massive—a sleek black form that blended seamlessly into the shadows of the trees, its eyes gleaming with an unnatural yellow glow. The creature's body was long, lithe, and built for speed.
My jaw dropped as I stared at the massive creature, the air knocked out of my windpipes.
This wasn't like the small creature I had just barely escaped. This was a predator, a true threat.
"Shadow Panther: Class B Beast. Known for its stealth, speed, and strength. Extremely dangerous. Capable of blending into shadows, making it almost invisible to the naked eye." The System's voice echoed in my mind, as clinical and detached as ever.
But the words didn't matter. The Shadow Panther was already charging at me, its muscles rippling beneath its sleek black fur. I barely had a moment to react.
I turned and ran—instinct took over as I sprinted through the forest, my heart hammering in my chest. The beast was fast, too fast. I could hear its claws scraping against the earth, and its growls were echoing in my ears. The goddamn thing could move faster. It could catch up but it was taking its time.
I didn't have time to think, only to survive.
A flash of movement caught my eye. I veered sharply, ducking behind a large tree, hoping to lose it in the shadows. But I could hear its breathing, its growl just behind me.
It was right there.
I knew I couldn't outrun it, and I had no weapons. I had only my wits and the system which just kept pissing me off.
I glanced at the status screen.
Quest Progress:
- Time until next phase: 23:45:00
- Current Objective: Survive for 24 hours
- Beast Encountered: Shadow Panther (Class B)
- Survival Status: At risk
I wasn't sure what to do. Fight? Run? The beast was too powerful. If I tried to fight it head-on, I was dead. But if I kept running, I didn't think I'd last long either. If I couldn't tame the tiny creature, there was no way I could tame this. At least not now.
I took a deep breath and slowly backed away from the tree, making sure to stay as still as possible as it wasn't looking at me. It was looking into the distance, a soft growl emanating from it.
The panther suddenly paused, just for a second, sniffing the air. I held my breath, hoping it couldn't catch my scent, hoping it wouldn't notice the small movements I was making.
The panther's head snapped toward me.
It had found me.
Damn it.
"Warning: Beast is aware of your presence. Stealth is no longer effective."
Like I didn't know that.
The panther lunged at me with a speed that left me no time to react. I barely managed to duck to the side, and the creature's claws raked across my shoulder. I gritted my teeth in pain, but I didn't have time to focus on it. I needed to get out of this forest.
I darted toward a nearby bush, hoping to find some cover.
I heard its claws scraping against the ground, gaining on me with each passing second. Just when I thought I couldn't run any longer, I stumbled upon a small clearing, and the panther was just behind me, its eyes glowing with hunger.
I didn't think—I just acted.
I grabbed a large branch lying on the ground, swinging it blindly at the panther's face. The blow landed, but it barely fazed the creature. It growled in anger, its fangs bared.
"Quest updated: You are now in an active battle with a Class B Beast. Defeat is not an option. Survive until the next phase begins."
Oh no… I had angered it.
I looked around quickly. The only chance I had was to keep the beast away long enough for the timer to run out. The clearing was too small, and I had no way to escape. But there was one thing I could do.
I threw the branch to the side, distracting the panther. As it lunged for it, I dashed in the opposite direction, using the momentary confusion to create distance. My body was aching, my lungs burning, but I couldn't stop.
I could hear the panther growling, but I didn't dare look back, my hand pressed on the worst of the wound I had gotten from the beasts.
24 hours.
Then this quest would be over and if I was able to evade it, I wouldn't need to fight it before I won this trial.