The forest remained eerily silent as Ron stood over his latest kill, blood still dripping from his stone knife. The warmth of the Devour System's absorption faded, leaving behind only a lingering hunger—for power, for survival.
He wiped his bloodstained hands on the damp grass.
"One kill at a time. One step at a time."
The night was still young, and stronger creatures were bound to emerge. If he stayed in one place for too long, he'd become the hunted.
Harvesting the Kill
Kneeling beside the Emberfang Raptor, Ron worked quickly, using his crude knife to slice through its scaly hide. The more he butchered, the more he learned about the creature's anatomy—its tough muscles, the layer of fat beneath the skin, and the sharp claws that could be used as weapons.
"These claws… I can use them."
He pried them from its feet and set them aside, along with strips of meat for later. Every part of a kill had value.
Fire-roasted raptor meat filled his stomach, the protein restoring some of his lost energy.
But something still gnawed at the edge of his senses.
A feeling. A presence.
Something was watching him.
The Stalkers in the Dark
Ron's fingers tightened around his knife as he scanned the trees with his night vision. The shadows weren't empty.
Glowing yellow eyes flickered in the distance. More than one.
"Pack hunters."
It made sense. He had killed two raptors already—if they had a pack, they'd be coming for revenge.
And he was alone.
His mind raced. He could fight, but against multiple predators? Suicide.
Running? Impossible. The jungle was thick, and they were faster.
That left one option—outsmart them.
Setting the Trap
Ron grabbed a long, thick branch and wrapped the sharp Emberfang claws around its tip using strands of vine. A makeshift spear.
Then, he moved quickly, grabbing the remains of his kill and dragging it toward the fire. If they were hunting him, they'd be drawn to the scent of blood.
Once the bait was set, he climbed into the low branches of a nearby tree, pressing himself into the foliage.
He waited.
Minutes passed.
Then—movement.
A pair of raptors, larger than the last one, emerged from the trees, their snouts twitching as they caught the scent of fresh meat.
They were cautious.
One of them hissed, stepping forward slowly, its claws digging into the dirt.
Ron gripped his spear tightly.
"Just a little closer…"
The first raptor lowered its head, sniffing at the bait—
Ron struck.
He dropped from the tree, spear aimed directly for the raptor's neck—
THWACK!
The sharpened claw-tip pierced through its throat, and the raptor screamed, thrashing violently.
The second one reacted instantly, lunging at him.
Ron rolled away, barely avoiding its snapping jaws. He ripped his spear free, blood spraying across the jungle floor.
The wounded raptor collapsed, its body twitching as the life drained from its eyes.
One down.
But the second was still alive—and furious.
The Final Clash
The remaining raptor circled him, its lips curled into a snarl. It wasn't going to fall for another ambush.
Ron held his ground, gripping the spear with both hands.
The beast charged.
Ron sidestepped, spinning the spear—
SHUNK!
The sharpened claw sliced through the raptor's side, tearing open its flesh.
The beast screeched in pain, but instead of retreating, it whipped its tail around—
CRACK!
The impact slammed into Ron's ribs, sending him crashing to the ground. Pain exploded through his chest.
The raptor pounced, claws extended.
Ron barely managed to raise his spear, jamming it into the creature's open mouth—
GURK!
The beast gagged, impaling itself further as its own weight forced the spear deeper down its throat.
With a final gurgling shriek, it collapsed on top of him, lifeless.
Silence.
Ron lay there, panting, his entire body aching.
But he was alive.
And the system was already responding.
Ding!
[Kill Registered: Razorclaw Raptors (2)]
[Absorbing Essence…]
Ron closed his eyes as warmth flooded his veins.
[Strength +1.0]
[Agility +0.8]
[New Ability Acquired: Enhanced Reflexes]
His fingers twitched, his muscles felt lighter, faster.
"This power… it's growing."
He shoved the dead raptor off him and sat up, looking at the two fallen predators.
They had come to hunt him.
But in the end—
He was the hunter.