Jayden chuckled breathlessly, staring up at the sky through the forest canopy. "Finally, I got my deserved amount of Exp," he sighed, deactivating the beastlord aura.
Wait!] Luna's voice cut in, surprised. [Is that why you let yourself get hit so many times? To balance the EXP gain?]
Jayden grinned, pushing himself up from the ground. "Maybe. That was part of the reason I held back," he said, brushing dirt off his tracksuit. "But not the main one."
[Oh? Then what was it?] Luna asked, tone laced with curiosity.
Jayden shrugged with a smirk. "Don't worry about it, Luna. I won... and that's what matters,"
"And besides, I think that lesser Wolverine was on the verge of reaching D-Rank. I have to admit, It was really powerful,"
[Yes, I sensed that as well] Luna agreed
"Then I wonder how powerful a Greater Wolverine Stalker would be," Jayden muttered with a look of excitement
[Well, a Greater Wolverine starts from C-Rank. But there have been records of some existing at D-Rank as well] Luna stated
Jayden chuckled. "Damn, you weren't joking when you said you already got info on all the beasts on the planet," he said
Of course not.] Luna's voice was proud. [Though… I've found quite a few inconsistencies. Some beasts marked extinct aren't actually gone. Others are misranked.]
Jayden furrowed his brows. "Hm, we should look into that later," he muttered. And then, another system notification appeared.
[Requirements has been met]
[Analysing compatibility...]
[Host is compatible with available beast energy]
[Would you like to absorb the E-Rank Wolverine Stalker's energy?]
[Yes] [No]
Jayden's eyes sparkled. This was it.. the moment he'd been waiting for.
"Yes," he whispered.
[Host, please make contact with the beast's corpse]
Jayden blinked, then crouched beside the dead beast. He placed a hand on its thick, still-warm fur.
[Contact established.]
[Energy Acquisition commencing...]
A pulse of bright blue energy surged from the beast's chest. It shimmered like strands of light, floating upward and swirling around Jayden before gradually merging into his body. His eyes widened... he could feel the energy... Warm. Electric. Alive.
[Beast Energy Acquisition in progress]
[Beast type: Wolverine Stalker(E-Rank)]
[Beast Gene Absorption: 20%]
[Beast Ability Assimilation: Alert! No Abilities found]
Jayden stared at the notification on the screen in anticipation. He had already expected the system to say this. The E-Rank Wolverine didn't have any abilities so there was nothing for him to assimilate. He could only absorb the genes,
But Jayden was fine with this, Luna already told him there was a way to increase the rank of any beast he acquires. Which means, he could still unlock the full potentials of the beast... Abilities. Physical changes. Evolution. And even reaching S-Rank.
[Beast Gene Absorption... 55%]
[Beast Gene Absorption... 85%]
Jayden's eyes lit with excitement as he monitored the absorption progress. The light strands continued to spiral into him, forming a beautiful vortex of blue light. Jayden felt a strange pressure building in his chest.. almost like a new rhythm syncing with his heartbeat.
Then, with a final flash of light, it ended.
[Beast Gene Absorption... 100%]
(Absorption complete)
[Energy Acquisition was successful]
[Congratulations, Host. You have acquired the gene of a Wolverine Stalker(E-Rank)]
["Beast Genes" Tab unlocked]
[Check this tab to monitor all acquired and integrated Beast Genes]
*Seasonal Quest Notice:
[Baby steps: Integrate your first beast gene within a month] (Partially Complete)
[Side Quest: Acquire a beast energy] (Complete)
[Note: Complete the seasonal quest entirely to receive all rewards]
Jayden smiled, heart thumping in quiet triumph. He checked his body… but nothing felt different. There were no physical changes or changes in his stats. Nothing.
"Luna? What's going on?" he asked. "I absorbed the gene, didn't I? Why don't I feel any different?"
[You did]. Luna replied. [But it hasn't been integrated into your cells yet]
Jayden exhaled. "Okay... so how do I do that? How do I integrate it?"
Luna sighed. [You can't integrate it yet] she muttered. [The skill isn't available for you at the moment]
Jayden frowned. "What? So when will it be available?"
[The skill required to integrate beast genes unlocks once your Energy Points hits 100] she muttered
Jayden sighed, he had been excited for nothing. "So much for wanting to get my first beast power today," he muttered and opened his status tab.
*Name: Jayden Starrk
*Race: ???
*Level: 4
*Exp: 0/100
*Hp: 250/250
*Ep: 80/80
*Strength: 54
*Speed: 44
*Agility: 32
*Stamina: 45
*Perception: 36
*Defense: 36
*Charm: 20
Stat points: 0
[Heart Rate: 45 Bpm]
*Health Regeneration [Passive]
*Beastlord Aura [Passive/Active]
*Beast Energy Acquisition
* Telekinetic Force
"Good, my Ep is almost at 100," Jayden sighed in relief. "I just have to reach level 5,"
[Yes] Luna muttered. [But there is another way around it... A shortcut]
Jayden furrowed his brows. "What are you talking about?" he asked
[If you want to integrate the beast gene right now, I know a way you can] Luna replied
"Well, tell me?" Jayden muttered impatiently
[Exchanging your Health points for Energy points] Luna declared
Jayden was stunned, he blinked. "Really? Why didn't the system tell me that?"
Luna sighed. [Because it's a one-time thing. You can only do it once] she replied. [And you should know, One Energy point is equal to two Health points]
Jayden placed his hands on his chin. "So I'd lose 40 Hp to gain the remaining 20 Ep I need,"
[Yep] Luna said
He folded his arms, thinking. "It's not exactly a fair trade to me, but It's not terrible either. But if I can only use it once, I should probably save it for a real emergency,"
[Alright] Luna said. [Get to level 5 quickly. I am also excited to see you use the beast power]
Jayden nodded, ready to say more... when suddenly
BOOM!
Something invisible slammed into him from the side. He didn't even see it coming. He didn't even sense it.
One moment he was standing, and the next he was launched through the air, crashing back-first into a tree. The impact made the trunk shudder and leaves rain down like green confetti.
Jayden groaned, head spinning, body aching. "What… the hell was that?" he looked up, but saw nothing. There was no sign of an attacker.
[-50 Hp]
Jayden's eyes widened from the system's notification, he had lost a lot of Hp from a single hit. And he couldn't even see what had hit him.
He glanced around the clearing, his broken ribs already healing. Then... he suddenly sprang up. His instincts flared. He could feel it. Something was watching him.
And whatever it was... it wasn't friendly.
Jayden narrowed his eyes, activating every ounce of his perception. His heart rate spiked.
[Luna…] he whispered in his mind. [Where is it? What's attacking me?]
[I... I can't sense it.] Her voice was tense. [It's cloaked. Whatever it is, it's got invisibility]
Jayden clenched his jaw. That wasn't good.
But suddenly, every nerve in his body screamed.
His spine locked. His skin prickled.
An invisible wave of killing intent shot toward him. Every instinct in his mind screaming one word...
"MOVE!"
He didn't think... he just moved.
Jayden launched himself sideways, just as something slammed into the tree behind him with an earthshaking impact.
BOOM!
Bark exploded. Splinters flew like shrapnel. A chunk of the thick tree was blown out, leaving behind a massive hole.
Jayden rolled on the ground, skidding to a stop and spinning up to his feet in one breathless motion.
"What the..." he stopped himself, heart hammering. That would've torn him apart.
[Jayden, that wasn't just power. That was precision] Luna whispered, voice now shaking slightly. [It aimed for your heart. A direct kill-shot. This thing is intelligent]
Jayden swallowed hard. Whatever invisible thing had just attacked him... it wasn't just strong. It was fast. It was smart.
And worse... It was hunting him.
Jayden crouched low, sweat clinging to his brow, breath locked in his lungs.
"This thing… it's not just a random beast," he muttered. "It's worse,"
[I'll run the analysis of beasts that possess the ability to become invisible and try to match them with the strength of this beast] Luna's voice chimed, tense and urgent.
Jayden nodded. "I can do so with the beast analyser as well. But first..." he moved, slipping away from the open clearing and into the underbrush. He crouched between a pair of thick ferns, letting the shadows wrap around him like armor.
"Alright," he murmured, tapping twice on his wristwatch.
BEEP.
The holographic interface lit up, casting a soft glow on his face. He slid his fingers across the screen, tapping into the Beast Analyser function.
A small ripple of radar-like pulses scanned the area from his position, sweeping through the air like sonar waves.
"Let's see what this Beast really is," he muttered, as the device began scanning the environment. It took longer time to analyse because it didn't have a precise lock on the beast.
Come on… show me what I'm dealing with," Jayden muttered, eyes flicking across the loading bar.
Then Luna spoke again. Her tone was clipped. Serious. [I've found a match... And I think you're in big trouble] she muttered
Jayden frowned, he didn't like the sound of that. But before he could ask more, the analyser pinged sharply and data flooded the screen.
_____
› Beast Profile:
Name: Greater Wolverine Stalker
Rank: D
Type: Mammalian Predator
Abilities: Invisibility
Notable Traits: Enhanced strength, heightened endurance, acute senses, relentless tracking instincts.
Evolved features: Ademantine skeleton with retractable bone claws, high intelligence, enhanced healing factor
Threat Level: High
______
Jayden's pupils dilated, his throat went dry. "A D-Rank… Greater Wolverine?" he muttered softly. This was the same creature Luna was talking about earlier.
But he didn't expect it to be so formidable. It was like the one he'd just slain. Except this one came with a bag of terrifying upgrades. Invisibility. Super strength. Healing. Unbreakable bones.
It was basically a walking, cloaked death sentence.
He ran a hand down his face, trying to calm the tremble creeping into his fingers.
[Losing your nerve?] Luna asked, a touch worry
Jayden managed a dry smile. "Just... recalibrating expectations,"
[You're seriously considering fighting that thing?] She muttered in disbelief
"I might stand a chance," Jayden said, eyes narrowing, "if I can just make it visible,"
Luna sighed like she'd aged a decade in two seconds. [Alright, genius. But if you die, I'll kill you myself]
"I won't," Jayden smirked, then pressed his body closer to the ground, listening.
The air was still. Too still. But under that silence… he heard it. A whisper of a footfall. The rustle of displaced leaves. The sound of breath that wasn't his.
It was the beast, and it was close. And getting closer.
Jayden's hands clenched, but he fought the rising panic. He'd just finished absorbing the gene of a lesser Wolverine Stalker. And now its big brother decided to come for him... Probably for revenge?
[Okay, here's what you need to know,] Luna said, slipping into tactical mode. [This Wolverine's a D-Rank only because its energy output is on the low end. Which means its abilities are still underdeveloped.]
Jayden's eyes flicked upward. "So you're saying the invisibility..."
[... isn't perfect.] Luna confirmed. [Its camouflage drains energy. It can't stay invisible forever. Outlast it]
Jayden nodded and moved from the spot, he crouched low behind a tree trunk, heart pounding like a war drum in his chest. Every sense was dialed to eleven. The forest around him had gone still. No birdsong. No breeze. Just the faint rustling of leaves… and the weight of something watching
The Greater Wolverine Stalker was invisible. But not undetectable.
Every breath Jayden took, he matched to the rustle of leaves. Every heartbeat, he counted in rhythm to the twitch of a branch. He listened.. not with his ears, but with his instincts. The world had gone quiet.
And silence was never good when you were being hunted. Then...
Snap.
A twig behind him.
Jayden quickly spun just as a massive, invisible weight crashed toward him. He barely ducked in time, claws raked across the bark above his head, shredding it like paper. Wood exploded in splinters as he dove and rolled through the underbrush.
The beast let out a low snarl, but still remained unseen.
Jayden scrambled behind a log, breathing hard, blood dripping from a shallow gash on his forearm. He didn't have time. This thing was going to kill him if he didn't act soon.
His eyes turned serious. "Alright, Luna. New plan. I can't wait until it's invisibility wears off, I need to expose it now,"
Luna sighed. [Well, you can try injuring it... It can't stay invisible while healing]
Jayden nodded slowly. "Then I just need to make it bleed," he exhaled. But that was easier said than done. How was he supposed to injure something he couldn't see?
His eyes darted around the area, searching for something he could improvise with, anything. Then finally, his gaze landed on something. A fallen branch. Thick. Long. Sharpened at both ends like a crude spear from where it had snapped. It was Jagged and rough, but pointed. Lethal.
Jayden smirked. "Perfect," he muttered, picking the branch up. A reckless idea forming in his head.
Jayden wrapped both hands around the branch, testing its weight. It was rough, uneven… splinters bit into his skin but it felt solid. Real. Unlike the phantom menace stalking him.
"Come on, then," he whispered, rising slowly from behind the log, chest heaving with anticipation. "Let's see who bleeds first,"
He didn't run. He walked slowly, deliberately into a narrow clearing where the sunlight cut through the trees like a golden blade. He made sure his back was exposed. Vulnerable.
[Jayden… what are you doing?] Luna hissed, alarm in her voice.
"I'm giving it what it wants," he said, eyes scanning the treeline. "A wide open kill."
[That is the stupidest thing I've heard all day!]
"I know. That's why it'll work," Jayden said calmly
He stopped in the middle of the clearing, muscles taut, every nerve strung tighter than a bowstring. He closed his eyes.
And he waited. Waited for the beast to take the bait.
Seconds ticked by like hours.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Then… suddenly
A gust of wind blew past his left ear.
Jayden pivoted instantly, flinging the spear in a tight arc behind him… but he didn't aim for the beast directly. No, that would be too lucky. Too risky. Instead…
He planted the spear into the ground at an angle, jagged tip pointing slightly upward, just beside where he was standing.
Then just as the beast leapt from behind him, Jayden dove forward , evading it's attack.
While the beast's momentum carried it further… Straight into the trap.
There was a wet, sickening puncture sound followed by a guttural, enraged roar. The camouflage shimmered, fractured like glass in water. The spear had driven through its shoulder… not deep enough to kill, but deep enough to make it bleed.
The beast thrashed wildly, its cloaking collapsing in pulses as thick, dark blood poured from the wound and painted the forest floor.
Jayden rolled onto his back, panting, just a few feet from where the Wolverine stood…fully visible now, muscles rippling, fangs bared, glowing eyes locked onto him with murderous fury.
Jayden breathed, a smirk playing on his lips. "Invisible, but not Invincible," he muttered
[You're insane] Luna exclaimed. [But… that was genius]
Jayden smiled faintly. "Told you it was the best idea,"
The Wolverine roared and ripped the branch from its flesh, tossing it aside... but now it was wounded. Slower. Visible.
Jayden rose slowly, eyes locked on the monstrosity that was now fully revealed.
And for a moment, just a moment... he forgot to breathe.
"Oh, God…" Jayden muttered, staring up at the beast. It was humongous.