Titan stirred as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the jungle canopy, warming his white fur. He stretched, his cws flexing instinctively, and let out a small yawn. His body ached from the previous day’s battles, but it was a bearable and according to his system he was completely healed.

  [System Alert!]

  [New Mission: Move Up the Food Chain!]

  [Objective: Engage in a battle against a stronger creature] [Reward: +2 Endurance, +2 Tenacity, +20 XP]

  Titan narrowed his eyes at the prompt. "The system really wants me to suffer, huh? But… this is a good deal." He could already tell how crucial endurance was to his survival, he knew he needed to be capable of sustaining his actions for as long as necessary.

  Pushing himself up, he shook out his fur and flicked his tail. The scents of the jungle hit him anew, and he marveled at how different his senses had become. His human nose had never been this sharp; now he could distinguish yers of smells, each carrying a story. The faint musk of an animal den, the sharp tang of fresh blood, and the earthy aroma of damp foliage all painted a vivid picture of the world around him.

  'Even the air tastes different…’ He licked his nose. His ears twitched, catching the soft rustling of leaves far beyond what his human hearing would have ever noticed.

  'If I were still human, I wouldn’t have heard that.' He felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Despite the dangers, he was adapting.

  Hunger gnawed at his belly again, but this time, it was a familiar, manageable sensation rather than desperate starvation. He needed another kill.

  Slinking through the undergrowth, he searched for prey. Minutes passed before his sharp nose caught a promising scent; sweet iron-tinged and fresh. A wounded creature wasn’t far, creeping forward it was not long until he spotted his target. A squat, boar-like beast covered in dark bristles and small, sharp tusks. It was nursing a deep gash on its fnk, likely from a failed predator attack. Despite its injury, its yellowed eyes flickered with aggression as it rooted through the dirt, searching for food.

  [Inspect] [Jungle Razorback (F+): Lvl 4]

  Titan’s muscles tensed. 'That’s a two levels above mine, but it was a good opportunity to fulfill the mission the system assigned me.'

  Keeping low, he stalked closer, his movements fluid but careful. Unlike before, where his bright fur had given him away, he used the shadows, creeping from one patch of cover to the next. His heart pounded with anticipation as he stifled the sound of his own breathing.

  'This time, I wont miss,' he thought with determination.

  Titan sensed it, the razorback had just slightly lowered its guard, the moment was right. Titan burst from cover, unching himself at the Razorback’s fnk.

  [Rake!]

  His cws raked deep across the beast’s wounded side. A spurt of fresh blood hit the jungle floor, and this time, the system notification followed.

  [Status Effect: Bleeding inflicted! Target loses 2 HP per second for 5 seconds.]

  The Razorback let out a furious squeal, twisting violently to gore him with its tusks. Titan barely dodged, feeling the rush of wind as the tusks missed his ribs by mere inches. The beast thrashed, wild with pain and rage, but the bleeding was taking its toll.

  Titan knew he couldn’t let up. He lunged again, cws seeking flesh. The Razorback swung its head wildly, and this time, one of its tusks grazed his shoulder.

  [-3 HP]

  Titan hissed but didn’t back down. He grit his teeth and growled, the old human self would have recoiled at the pain, but the predator in him surged forward instead. Blood welled from his shallow wound, but he ignored it. He was adapting, pain wasn’t a stop sign, it was motivation and a lesson. In survival of the fittest you go for the kill and nothing short of it, doing so only brings injury or the chance for your prey to escape.

  The Razorback, despite its wounds, let out an enraged grunt and charged. Titan had no time to dodge. Instead, he braced himself, inhaled deeply, and roared.

  [Predatory Roar!]

  The kitten-like sound erupted from his small body, reverberating through the jungle. It still wasn’t as fearsome as he had hoped, but it did the job. The razorback had slowed its aggressive charge just enough to allow him to ungracefully dodge, as it flinched at the unexpected sound. That was all Titan needed.

  He leapt forward, smming his cws into the beast’s side once more. Another deep gash opened, fresh blood pouring from the wound. The Razorback’s legs wobbled, its energy sapped from blood loss. With a final stagger, it colpsed.

  Titan wasted no time. He leapt onto its back and cmped his jaws around its exposed neck, biting down with all his strength. The Razorback let out one st, pitiful squeal before it stilled.

  [Enemy Defeated: Jungle Razorback (F+): Lvl 4] [XP Gained: 30]

  [Rake has leveled up! Rake II: Increases base damage and has a higher chance to inflict Bleeding.]

  A rush of power filled Titan’s body, invigorating his muscles with energy and giving him a euphoric high. He panted, his body still buzzing with adrenaline, but there was a deep satisfaction within him. He had taken down a stronger opponent, and this time, it felt deliberate and controlled. He felt like he was starting to maneuver like a wild tiger.

  'Getting stronger is so intoxicating, I am no longer just trying to survive. This is how the king.'

  As he devoured his kill, the system notification appeared once more.

  [Mission Complete! Endurance +2, Tenacity +2, 20 exp] [Level Up!]

  [+1 to all primary stats, +3 unallocated stat points]

  Titan grinned through a mouthful of meat, 'I gained a lot of stats today, I should use these three to bring up some of my weaker stats so they don't fall behind. I'll put one into defense, one into intelligence, and one into vitality. Can't have too much health.'

  Just as he was about to contempte his next step, a new scent reached his nose. It was unlike anything he had encountered before; charged, potent, almost thick like humidity. The air around him felt heavier, thrumming with unseen energy. His fur bristled involuntarily before he caught a glimpse of it.

  A creature stood at the edge of the clearing, its body sleek and covered in strange markings. Its eyes burned with an unnatural light, and as it moved, the energy in the air crackled around it.

  [Inspect] [Stormfang Lynx (D-): Lvl 7 - Magical Beast]

  Titan’s instincts screamed at him.

  'Nope! Not today!'

  Without hesitation, he turned and bolted into the undergrowth, the sound of crackling energy behind him confirming that the lynx had not noticed him. Heart pounding, he mentally shouted at the system.

  "What the hell was that?! What’s the difference between a normal beast and a magical beast? How do I become one?"

  [ Magical Beasts have can access, control, and manipute mana. A lot of times these beasts obtain elemental affinities that allow them to possess elemental abilities and possess superior stats. To become one, you must awaken your mana channels or consume a magical beast to trigger evolution pathways.]

  Titan cursed under his breath as he ran. "So basically, I have to risk my life for power. Figures."

  ____________________________________________________________________

  Level: 3/10

  HP: 11/14Strength: 9Defense: 5Agility: 9Charisma: 8Wisdom: 6Intelligence: 5Perception: 6Tenacity: 7Endurance: 6Vitality: 7