The night was never truly silent.
Even as Ron sat in the hollow beneath the massive tree, the jungle pulsed with life and death. Distant howls, rustling leaves, the occasional bloodcurdling shriek—somewhere, something was always hunting.
And now, he was one of them.
His body ached from the raptor battle, but the Devour System's enhancements were working. His wounds itched—a sign of rapid healing.
Still, he couldn't afford to lower his guard.
Because he wasn't alone.
A New Predator Approaches
SNAP.
Ron's eyes snapped open at the sound of a twig breaking nearby. His breathing slowed as he reached for his bone dagger, every muscle tensed.
The fire had burned low, leaving only faint embers glowing in the darkness. His night vision helped, but even without it, he could feel the presence watching him.
Something big.
Something cautious.
Slowly, Ron peered out from the tree hollow, scanning the jungle.
Then, he saw it.
A massive feline-like creature, its sleek black body nearly blending into the shadows. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto him, its muscles coiled like a spring ready to pounce.
This wasn't a mindless beast. It was a calculated hunter.
"Shit. A panther? No… it's bigger."
The creature's shoulders rippled with muscle, its fangs glinting in the faint firelight. But the most terrifying part?
It wasn't alone.
To the left, another set of eyes gleamed from the darkness.
And another.
A pack.
The Predator Becomes Prey
Ron's heartbeat slowed, his mind shifting into battle mode.
"Think. If I run, they'll chase. If I fight in the open, I'll be torn apart."
He needed to turn the terrain to his advantage.
His tree shelter had one key feature—the roots formed a narrow entrance, just big enough for him to move freely but small enough to bottleneck attackers.
"If I can force them to come at me one by one… I have a chance."
The lead predator stepped forward, its tail flicking as it assessed him.
It was testing his reaction.
Ron slowly backed into the hollow, keeping his knife ready.
The creature lunged.
A Desperate Battle
SNARL!
The massive feline crashed into the roots, its claws swiping wildly—but it couldn't fit all the way through.
Ron stabbed forward.
SHNK!
The bone dagger plunged into its snout, and the beast roared in fury, thrashing backward.
But now the second one was already charging in.
Ron grabbed his spear and thrust it through the gap—
THWACK!
The raptor claw-tipped spear ripped through the predator's shoulder, and it howled in pain, staggering back.
For a moment, the pack hesitated.
They weren't expecting prey that fought back.
Ron used the chance to grab burning embers from the fire and flung them outward.
WHOOSH!
The glowing coals scattered across the jungle floor, igniting dry leaves.
The predators recoiled.
Fire.
They feared fire.
Ron didn't waste time. He grabbed his supplies, his weapons, and bolted—not deeper into the jungle, but up the tree itself.
The predators snarled, but they didn't follow. The flames had startled them, and their wounded leader was bleeding heavily from the face.
Ron climbed higher, securing himself on a thick branch before looking down.
The jungle cats lingered, but they didn't pursue him.
Instead, they dragged their wounded leader away, vanishing into the darkness.
Victory... But at a Cost
Ron exhaled slowly.
He had survived.
But just barely.
His bone dagger was cracked, his spear damaged, and he had lost his shelter.
"This world isn't going to let me rest, huh?"
But as he sat in the crook of the tree, heart still pounding, he smirked.
Because now, he knew two things.
One—his weapons weren't strong enough yet.
Two—fire was his greatest ally.
And the jungle?
It had just declared war.