Titan stood over the limp body of his test kill,
[Identify: Midnight-Fang Wolf (E) Primary Stats: Strength, Agility, Perception]
he had forgotten to identify it before hunting it. The beast had been faster than he anticipated, its shadowy fur making it difficult to track in the dark, but Titan had adapted. His newfound strength, endurance, and the deadly versatility of his spiked tail had given him the edge. With a final crushing bite to its throat, the battle had ended.
As the system's familiar voice rang in his mind, Titan received his confirmation.
Titan had experienced the Fang wolf’s agility firsthand, but its durability hadn’t been enough to withstand his relentless assault.
[Level Up!] [All primary stats increased by 1.] [Unallocated stat points: 6]
A second notification followed, distinct from the usual level-up chime.
[Congratutions! You have survived your first evolution and continue to grow stronger. As a reward for your resilience, you have unlocked access to the Skill Store and received 2 Skill Points.]
Titan’s ears twitched at this new revetion. The Skill Store? This was something entirely new. His evolution had already gifted him a more lethal form, but if he could gain additional abilities then his potential had just skyrocketed.
He dragged his kill back to a safe clearing, sinking his teeth into the fresh meat as he opened the interface for the Skill Store. A new menu unfolded before him, listing options divided into two categories: Skills and Mutations.
Titan narrowed his eyes. "System, what exactly are mutations?"
[Mutations are physical or genetic alterations that change the structure or function of your body, unlocking new capabilities or augmenting existing ones. Some mutations may influence future evolutionary paths, but their effects cannot be fully predicted. Choose carefully.]
The menu gave him a glimpse of the type of investment he would need in his growth.
Skills:
Predator’s Instinct (6 SP): Enhances battle awareness, increasing reaction speed and precision, like a sixth sense.
Stealth Prowler (8 SP): Reduces noise when moving and increases effectiveness of ambushes.
Bloodlust Surge (10 SP): Grants a temporary attack boost after taking damage, stackable up to 3xs.
Mutations:
Reinforced Spines (5 SP): Increases the durability and sharpness of his retractable spines, allowing them to pierce tougher hide.
Prehensile Tail (7 SP): Grants limited dexterity to the tail, allowing better control and precision in attacks.
Night Stalker Eyes (5 SP): Enhances vision in darkness and improves Perception.
Titan’s mind raced through the hundreds of options. Each choice would significantly alter his combat style. Predator’s Instinct would make his attacks more refined, while Stealth Prowler would let him strike undetected. Bloodlust Surge was powerful but required him to take damage to activate.
The mutations were even more enticing. Reinforced Spines would make his ranged attacks deadlier, and a Prehensile Tail could grant him finer control of his tail. Night Stalker Eyes appealed to his inner hunter; better vision would give him the advantage in nocturnal battles. However, mutations were a gamble. The system gave no indication of any repercussions from selecting a mutation or if some evolutions required prerequisites from mutations. Each one was a blind investment into his future with unforeseen consequences.
Titan let out a low growl. Even though investing in mutations was a risk, he wouldn't lose out on anything for accepting mutations, it also meant potential rewards that could push him beyond the limits of a normal evolution. While the endless possibilities overwhelmed him, he wouldn't have to make a decision too soon since he had to earn more skill points.
Before he could dwell further on his options, a scent drifted to him on the wind—foreign, unnatural, unlike anything he had encountered before. His fur bristled instinctively as he crouched low, ears twitching.
As he maneuvered his way through the underbrush, he saw something that made him halt his advance. He didn't need identify to tell him what these creatures were, humans. He identified them out of curiosity
[Human- Rank: ???/Css: Archer]
There were two others with a simir yout, but one was a hunter and the other was a vanguard.
Humans. Titan had never seen them since his reincarnation. Now, they were here, in his hunting grounds.
Carefully, he crept forward, his enhanced senses picking up the soft clinking of metal and hushed voices. Peering through the undergrowth, he spotted them—two figures draped in protective gear, carrying weapons unlike anything he had encountered before. A rge cage sat behind them, its iron bars glinting in the moonlight.
“Tracks are fresh,” one of them murmured, pointing to the ground. “Something big. Maybe a magical beast.”
Titan’s muscles tensed. They were hunting. Not just any beast, but powerful ones.
'Maybe they are much more powerful than me if I can't even view their information...'
He pressed himself lower into the shadows, his stark white fur contrasting against the seamlessly endless underbrush. The humans continued their search, moving dangerously close to his position. His breath slowed, his heartbeat steady, but every instinct screamed at him to run. He forced himself to remain still.
A boot nded just inches from his hiding spot, and for a moment, Titan thought he had been spotted. But then, the human turned away.
“Nothing here. Let’s keep moving.”
Titan remained frozen until the st echo of their footsteps faded into the distance. Only then did he allow himself to breathe again.
He knew first hand the kind of predator humans were; organized, intelligent, and traveled in groups. If humans were in this world, then there was a civilized world beyond his hunting grounds and perhaps there was a chance there was an evolutionary pathway that could restore his humanity.
The humans stayed for three more days.
Titan watched them from the shadows, always keeping a safe distance. They scoured the forest with discipline, moving in tight formations, setting traps, leaving no trail unchecked. Each night, their camp flickered with the glow of strange fireless nterns, their voices low, their weapons never far from reach. Despite their diligence, they caught nothing.
Whatever they were looking for, he made sure it wasn't himself.
Still, they came too close for his liking.
When they finally packed up, their cage still empty, Titan exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. The forest felt safer after they left, but the feeling of security was superficial. He knew his hunting grounds resided on closer to the edge of the jungle, which was why he had encountered humans. The more dangerous beasts were in the deep in the heart of the jungle, beasts so dangerous their territory went on for leagues. All but the strongest of humans knew better than to hunt there.
They returned five days ter, this time with an additional person.
New faces, same sharp eyes. They brought more gear, more traps, and a reinforced cage that reeked of magic. Titan watched as they combed through the undergrowth again, speaking in clipped tones and checking old trails. They were persistent and they were patient, but so was he. Despite not being able to understand their nguage, he had the practiced patience of a hunter.
He learned their routines and where their blind spots were. He stayed hidden, though his curiosity grew with every visit. Were they looking for him? They seemed to have shown some interest in the tracks he had left behind, but they didn't seem to hone in on them either. Or was their interest in some of the magical beasts in these woods?
A few days ter after the humans left, the forest trembled with a deep, guttural bellow.
Titan froze. No human could make that sound.
He followed the trail of broken branches and churned mud to a riverbank he usually avoided. The stench hit first, a fetid mixture of rotten meat. Then he saw it: a hulking crocodilian beast, twice his size, covered in thick green scales and glistening with slime. Its maw opened in a hiss, rows of yellowed teeth fshing beneath the midday sun.
[Identify: Marshjaw Devourer – Rank: D+ Primary Stats: Strength, Defense, Tenacity ]
It had seen him.
Titan barely had time to move as the creature lunged, jaws snapping with a speed that belied its size. He dodged, cws skimming across wet stone as he rolled to the side. Its tail whipped around, catching him in the ribs and sending him sprawling into the mud. Pain fred through his side.
[-5hp]
He got up, fast, circling the beast, waiting for an opening.
The Marshjaw roared and charged again. Titan leapt, cws extended, sshing at its eye. One struck true—bck blood spurted as the creature reared back in fury. But it wasn’t enough. It came down hard, catching Titan in the leg with its serrated teeth.
[-15 hp]
Agony exploded through him as he raked his cws across its snout, again and again, until it finally released him with a howl. Titan managed to proc a bleed effect despite the creatures high tenacity.
He backed off, panting, leg trembling beneath him. Blood dripped freely into the mud. The Marshjaw staggered, blinded in one eye, but still very much alive.
'Ignore the pain. You stop moving, you die.'
Titan shed his tail forward, unching out the spikes hoping to blind the beast's other eye. The beast was smarter than it looked, it closed its eye to protect it with an armored eyelid. It caused pain despite not embedding itself. The other spikes gnced harmlessly off the beasts armor pted body. Titan used Predatory roar, the beasts flinch, pain forgotten in the rush of adrenaline he charged during the short opening the skill granted him. He ducked a desperate bite and climbed onto the creature’s back, plunging his cws into its neck. He bit down with all his might, teeth sinking deep into muscle. The Marshjaw thrashed, bucked, and rolled but Titan held.
[-5hp]
It gave a final shudder, then colpsed into the mud, still and silent.
Titan fell beside it, chest heaving, blood mingling with rainwater and gore. The world blurred for a moment then a faint glow enveloped him accompanied by a familiar chime.
[Level Up!][Level 2→ 4][All primary stats increased by 1 (x2) 12 unallocated stat points][Skill Points Gained: +5]
The pain doubled instantly now that the adrenaline wore off and the fight was over. He stared at the Marshjaw’s corpse, his breath fogging in the cool air. He hadn't been hungry, he had just finished hunting before discovering the marshjaw. Something inside him drove him to consume the creature.
Titan wouldn't be able to say whether the fog in his mind was from the bloodloss or something more primal took over him as he devoured the marshjaw in its entirety, bones and all. The only thing left of the creature was the head.
[Ding! Obtained the unique mutation Devourer!][Consuming a beast with this mutagen mutates the consumer][Devourer- consuming beasts heal you. The more of the beast eaten, the more one is healed.]
The need for strength had never been more urgent. With the new mutagen he was able to heal by twenty points of hp, the wound on his leg closed at a speed visible to the eye.
'That was insane to watch,' he thought to himself as he allocated his stat points. He had been worried about mutagens, but he ultimately got one without having to pay for it. With the five additional skill points, he would probably need to buy either skill or another mutagen so he could survive his next steps, to take down a magical beast.
Level: 4/15Title: Reckless Challengermutagens: devourerskill points (SP): 7unallocated stats: 0
HP: 39/44Strength: 19Defense: 10Agility: 19Charisma: 18Wisdom: 10Intelligence: 8Perception: 11Tenacity: 12Endurance: 12Vitality: 18
