After feeding the pups, Scott fashioned a makeshift kennel out of sticks and twine, using vines he'd found creeping up the hills outside the Mancave entrance. Inside, Osia kept a watchful eye on the tiny Timberwolves, feeding them some of the leftover milk they had.

  "Well, it looks like we have a male and a female. What should we name them?" Osia asked softly.

  "Eh, I haven't really thought about it yet, to be honest. I'm still trying to figure out how to raise them without a constant milk supply," Scott replied, a worried tone in his voice.

  "How about Onyx? For the black one. Not sure about the brown one yet," she said, gently tending to the pups.

  David chimed in, "Well, for the brown male, how about Terran, Elm, (dirty, said with a French accent), Brownie? And for the black female, I'd say Shadow, Blackie, Shade, Darkness, or Ebony."

  "Wow, well, that's certainly better than your character names for Pathfinder, Bravo Bravo," Scott replied dryly.

  "So, are you referring to 'Russell n Bushes,' which was Hunter's character, not mine, or do you mean Tat Fitty, which was such a classic?" David said jokingly. "I mean, he was dyslexic, and 'Fat Titty' is too beautiful a name."

  "Eh, yeah, definitely a classic," Scott replied, chuckling awkwardly. "But to be honest, I think Terran is a great name for the male Timberwolf, and Onyxiah would suit the female. Unfortunately, we're going to need a lot more milk to raise these two, or we'll run out tonight at the earliest. We'll need to find more milk or a substitute, so let's keep an eye out for a lactating female wolf or mammal of some sort."

  "Shouldn't be a problem now, since I can transform into different animals. My enhanced sense of smell should help us figure out which one is lactating and which one isn't," David said confidently.

  Just then, Tomas walked in, all smiles and humming the heavy metal riff of "Bad to the Bone." His undead Timberwolf followed closely, carrying stacks of wood on its back.

  "How's the training going?" Scott asked, curious.

  "Not bad at all! And did you know I don't even have to speak? I just think of what I want it to do, and he does it. For instance, watch this."

  Tomas stopped talking and looked down at the Bones. He stared intently, a clear sign of mental concentration, as if a silent conversation was taking place between them. Suddenly, the wolf dropped the wood from its back, slowly walked up to Tomas, and sat right in front of him, its tail wagging gently.

  "Well done. Do you have a name for him?" Scott asked, intrigued.

  "Bones," Tomas replied swiftly, petting his new pet. "That's a good boy, Bones, that's a good boy."

  "Well, David and I are going to go hunt for some milk.” Scott said.

  “Remember, we need to capture, not kill.” David said.

  “Yeah I will try, hopefully we will be back before nightfall with more milk for Terran and Onyxiah." Scott explained.

  As they were walking out the door, Tomas called out, "Happy trapping!"

  "Love you too, bye," Scott replied wryly.

  After leaving the Mancave, David transformed once more into a hawk and took flight, soaring above the trees. Meanwhile, Scott began to stealthily navigate deep into the forest floor, searching for a lactating animal for an hour or two. However, his attempt at sneaking ended abruptly when a stray stick poked him in the eye, causing him to stumble backward into what felt like a tall oak tree. Hitting his head sharply, and darkness claimed him.

  Scott's head throbbed as he slowly regained consciousness. The last thing he remembered was the sharp sting in his eye and the sudden impact against the tree. Now, a chorus of snapping twigs filled the twilight air.

  Blinking away the lingering fuzziness, his eyes focused on a bizarre sight just a few feet away. Three immense, deer-like creatures stood amidst the trees, their forms casting long, eerie shadows in the fading light. They were easily seven feet tall, with impressive, branching antlers, deep red scaled bodies, and unsettlingly long, tentacle-like tongues that stripped vegetation from the branches. The sheer size of them was intimidating, and a quick scan confirmed his apprehension:

  [Kirin (lvl 7)]

  [Kirin (lvl 5)]x2

  The larger Kirin, easily a foot taller than the others and likely weighing around a thousand pounds, was definitely something he wouldn't want to tangle with alone.

  As the last sliver of sun dipped below the horizon, Scott, still feeling the lingering effects of his head injury, cautiously rose to his feet, careful not to startle the magnificent Kirin. But then, an extraordinary spectacle unfolded. Soft, ethereal lights began to bloom throughout the forest, accompanied by a faint, rhythmic hum reminiscent of the loot chests in his old battle royale games. To Scott, it was an unbelievable sight – a multitude of glowing, humming sources illuminating the darkening woods. The catch? Near each of these luminous chests, a pair of glowing eyes pierced the gloom.

  Scott lamented silently. He slowly backed away from the Kirin, attempting to move stealthily through the increasingly vibrant forest. Gaining a better vantage point, he observed a sleek, cat-like creature pacing restlessly around one of the glowing chests near a large tree.

  The next instant, the feline launched itself at him, its fangs sinking into his left arm in a quick, sharp bite. Scott reacted instantly, swinging his arm with enough force to send the creature tumbling awkwardly to the ground, landing upside down – a bizarre sight for a feline. He seized the opportunity and plunged his short sword into its chest, dropping it instantly. A brief, brutal struggle ensued, a flurry of claws and teeth against steel, until Scott finally delivered a fatal stab and a crushing palm heel strike to the cat's head. "Wow Scott thought

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Now, Scott was in dire straits, blood seeping from several deep gashes along his sides. With trembling hands, he reached into his bag, fumbling for a health potion and gulping it down. He could feel his skin and flesh beginning to mend, the bleeding slowing, but he knew it wasn't enough. he mumbled, his voice weak. His gaze fixed on the glowing chest, he crawled towards it, driven by a desperate hope. he thought grimly as he finally reached it and pried it open.

  Inside, nestled amongst a soft, glowing moss, lay a single, unassuming magical ring.

  [Ring Of Flowing Vitality(Rare)]

  This plain, copper ring feels oddly warm to the touch, as if holding a tiny, living ember. A faint, intricate carving of a single, twisting root winds its way around the band, barely visible unless you look closely. When worn, the ring's warmth seems to flow through your veins, mending small injuries and invigorating your body. Abilities: Flowing Vitality (Passive): As long as the ring is worn, it provides a constant, gentle healing effect, granting you a steady replenishment of health at a rate of health point every 6 seconds. The Second Chance (Active): In the event of your death, this ability automatically activates, consuming the ring. The ring shatters into a fine, sparkling dust, and its accumulated life force surges into your body, immediately restoring 30 health points and returning you to life.

  "Yeah, definitely worth it, but it'll take me at least fifteen minutes until I'm fully healed. Oh, thank you, oh great system," Scott said, a wave of relief and a hint of joy washing over him as he looked at the ring before putting it on.

  Scott thought, his curiosity piqued despite his weakened state.

  

  

  

  

  

  "Alright, let's pump up my strength a bit and take a peek at this class skill, shall we?" Scott whispered into the deepening darkness, still concealed behind the relative safety of two large trees.

  

  

  [Basic Claws Of The Beast(Common)]

  As a Slayer, you use more than just your weapons to slay beasts. Utilizing your natural attacks more often, you grow claws that inflict increased damage with an added bleeding effect.

  [Stealth(Common)]

  Using the shadows as your domain, stepping into the darkness to sneak up on your prey and attack their blind side.

  [Eyes of the Beast(Common)]

  While using your eyes at night, you can now see into the darkness. Your eyes will change color to a bright gold and will shine brightly at night when light reflects off them. Grants a decent bonus to perception.

  [Healing Spring (Common)]

  As a Slayer, you will engage in battles that may leave you hurt or even on the brink of death. Using your innate magic, you can gain an edge in battle by activating a small amount of healing regeneration: +1 HP every minute for 5 minutes.

  [Beastmode(Common)]

  Your body grows slightly stronger and more beast-like as you take on a more animalistic shape, making your skin slightly thicker and your legs slightly faster for the hunt. However, after the effect ends, you are exhausted for 10 minutes.

  Scott thought with growing excitement. After a few more minutes of contemplation while his wounds continued to mend, Scott made his decision. . Hopefully, I can pick more of the other options later, but boosting myself in battle is too good to pass up."

  After healing up, Scott attempted to skin the Forest Jaguar, but the results were disastrous. Scott thought, sighing at his botched work.

  Moving cautiously through the forest, the familiar humming and bright light soon indicated another chest nearby, this one situated behind a large boulder on an elevated hill. Immediately, he spotted the Jaguar guarding it, perched atop the boulder. This time, he took a moment to use his scan ability while he still had the element of surprise:

  [Forest Jaguar (lvl 5)]

  Scott mused, a flicker of confidence in his thoughts.

  He pulled out his bow, opting for a long-range attack to inflict some damage before engaging in close combat. Nocking an arrow, he took aim. Scott thought to himself, his gaze steady on his target.

  The arrow flew true, striking the feline in its front leg and causing it to hiss in pain. “See Peter, that is how you do it," Scott said proudly. The jaguar leaped off the rock, stumbling momentarily due to the arrow, before charging down towards Scott with surprising speed even with the arrow sticking out of its leg. It pounced, aiming for a bite. Pushing off its right foot – but the injured leg gave way, sending the jaguar barreling past him. Scott immediately dropped his bow, drew his short sword, and spun around, landing a solid slash across the jaguar's rear.

  The Jaguar, agile even in mid-air, spun around and lashed out with both claws, raking across Scott's chest. That's when Scott activated his new skill: [Beastmode(Common)]"The adrenaline rush you get from this is wow, amazing! The pain sucks, yes, but the boost you get? I would 100% recommend," Scott mused.

  He retaliated with a flurry of strikes, his short sword and palm slamming into the Jaguar. He took several more claw swipes to his chest, narrowly dodging others, until the beast's jaws clamped down on his left arm, its teeth sinking deep. Instead of trying to yank his arm free, Scott extended it, his right hand chopping repeatedly into the side of the Jaguar's neck. Despite the searing pain of more claws tearing into his chest, he finally landed a decisive blow, severing the beast's head.

  The gruesome aftermath left the Jaguar's head still clamped onto his left arm. Scott thought, his vision swimming. He stumbled towards the nearby boulder and jammed his short sword into the gap of the Jaguar's jaws. Bracing the sword against a crevice in the rock, he leaned back with every ounce of strength he had left.

  Even with the ring's healing, it wasn't keeping pace with the rapid blood loss. An agonizing hour later, he finally managed to dislodge the severed head. Shaking and weak, he bandaged his mangled arm as best he could with one hand. Then, the delayed impact of his skill hit him. Scott had been in Beast Mode for far too long and even before the system he didn't know when to give up. Scott was always stubborn to the point of exhaustion many time before whether it be playing disc golf in the heat for too many rounds to lifting until his arms wanted to fall off. The exhaustion crashed over him, and Scott finally succumbed to the overwhelming fatigue, collapsing into unconsciousness.