Kael lunged to the side, narrowly avoiding the tusks of the massive Stonehide Boar as it charged past him. The air shook with the force of its impact as it slammed into a massive root, the deep thud echoing through the area like a heartbeat.
Kael exhaled through gritted teeth, his heart pounding. That was close.
The boar was massive, its body covered in thick slabs of hardened, stone-like plating that ran from its head to its lower back. Unlike the one he had seen the three Gloomkin kill days ago, this one was far stronger, faster, and more aggressive—a Level 9 monster that was hell-bent on trambling or squaring him on its tusks.
Kael adjusted his stance, shifting the grip on his two spears—one in each hand. One of the spears was infused with Essence, its wooden shaft cracked with glowing blue veins, its stone tip pulsing faintly from the pressure building inside.
He had taken these weapons from a Gloomkin hunting party the day before. Kael had infused the spear by letting it absorb his Essence, soaking in power until it was just at the edge of detonation.
And now was the time to use it.
The Stonehide Boar let out an enraged snort, its nostrils flaring as it kicked at the dirt, preparing for another charge. Kael narrowed his eyes, shifting his weight slightly.
His Body Reinforcement had improved significantly over the last few days. He had managed to split his Essence tendril into four distinct streams, allowing him to reinforce each of his limbs simultaneously. The balance of power made his movements sharper, his reflexes faster, and his body lighter—almost like an extension of his own will.
That newfound control was what let him take on something this dangerous. The boar charged again.
Kael moved, twisting his body to the side just as the massive creature barreled toward him. Its tusks grazed the air where he had been standing moments ago, missing him by inches. The moment it passed, Kael struck.
He plunged the Essence-infused spear into the soft flesh between its stone plates, just behind its front leg. He didn’t hold on to the weapon—instead, the moment the spear made contact, he let go and pushed himself backward.
A half-second later, it exploded.
A violent pulse of Essence surged outward from the weapon, sending a shockwave through the monster. The boar let out a horrific squeal, stumbling forward as a gaping wound was torn into its side. Blood and flesh splattered the dirt, the once solid-looking plating was now fractured and shattered from the concussive force.
Kael didn't waste time. He rushed forward, gripping the second spear tightly.
The boar's legs wobbled, its movements sluggish as it tried to recover. Its breathing had turned ragged, uneven—the explosion had taken its toll. Perfect.
Kael drove the second spear straight into the open wound, the sharpened stone tip tearing through the exposed flesh, sinking deep.
The beast let out a final, shuddering grunt before collapsing to the ground. Its massive body twitched once, twice—then went still.
[ Experience Gained: +60 EXP ]
Kael exhaled, pulling the spear free, his breathing steady despite the exertion. He took a step back, eyeing the corpse before him.
The Essence spear had detonated at the perfect moment.
That was progress.
The first time he had attempted this with the spears after his antler blade, he had miscalculated the timing, nearly blowing the weapon up in his own hands before he could even use it. But after more careful refinement and testing, he had finally found the right amount of Essence infusion—just enough to push it to the brink without triggering an early explosion.
Satisfied, he swiped away the System notification that appeared pulling up his Status instead.
[Status]
Name: Kael Aranthis
Level: 9
EXP: 80 / 600
Rank: Mortal
Stats:
- Strength: 24
- Agility: 26
- Endurance: 22
- Intelligence: 28
- Wisdom: 29
- Essence Control: 33
Kael smiled seeing his progress, he was at Level 9 now. Between hunting Gloomkin patrols and taking down two of these boars, his experience gain had skyrocketed. The Stalker had given him the biggest boost, but consistently hunting stronger prey was proving to be the best way to level up. Still, he had a long way to go, he wasn't satisfied with this.
Kael crouched next to the corpse, pulling out his hunting knife. He made quick, clean cuts, slicing away strips of lean meat to take with him. He didn’t need much—just enough to last him the day. The rest would be left behind.
Something else would find the remains soon enough.
Once finished, he wiped his knife clean on the grass, then rose to his feet leaving the area.
Kael jogged through the forest, moving at a steady pace. Thinking about how his endurance and stamina had improved significantly with his level-ups. What would have once been a grueling, energy-draining trip was nothing to him now. His muscles didn’t burn, his breath remained steady, and even his previously wounded thigh wasn't an issue now.
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His body had already started to enter the superhuman phase. He let out a quiet chuckle. Before the System integration, he had already trained regularly. He had exercised, conditioned his body, and made sure to keep himself in shape. Now? Now, he was comparable to or even stronger than some professional athletes, and he was only at Level 9.
If things continued at this pace, there was no telling how much further he could go. Continuing to jog Kael heard falling water and started heading north along the river, weaving through the trees, the steady rush of water growing louder as he approached his new cooking station.
Eventually, he reached the waterfall. Having found it after exploring and trying to familiarise himself with the area.
The river cascaded down from a low but wide rock formation, before flowing south then through the clearing close to his old home, before continuing even more southward. But more importantly, behind the rushing curtain of water, was his hidden food camp.
Kael stepped carefully, minding his footing as he approached the edge of the waterfall. Ducking his head slightly, he slipped through the falling water, his body briefly drenched as he passed into the space behind it.
The area behind the waterfall was dry, secluded, and well-hidden—a perfect spot for cooking.
Kael had found this place while trying to take a shower a couple of days ago. When he had stepped behind the water, he had noticed the small cave-like space tucked into the rock face. No monsters, no tracks, nothing.
It was secure.
He crouched next to his hidden campfire, carefully uncovering the leaves and moss he had used to disguise it. Everything was untouched.
Satisfied, he gathered some kindling, wrapping it tightly in dry leaves so it wouldn't get wet as he passed through the waterfall, then using the kindling started igniting a small flame. Within minutes, the fire crackled to life, casting flickering shadows against the damp rock walls.
As the meat sizzled over the flames, Kael leaned back slightly, watching the water cascade down outside, the constant crashing sound drowning out the noises of the forest.
The water helped mask the scent of cooking, and the rising smoke blended with the mist of the waterfall—further reducing the risk of attracting predators.
The only monster he had seen approach this area was one of those creepy anteater-like creatures—but it had only lingered at the river for a moment before moving on.
Kael sat behind the waterfall, watching the fire crackle as the scent of cooking meat filled the small hidden space. His body was relaxed, but his mind wasn’t. Lately he was always thinking—planning. The last few days had been full of exercising his ability and getting the hang of his surroundings.
He had tested his limits. He had learned what worked, what didn’t, and how much further he could push himself into taking risks.
Inspired by the antler blade, the exploding Essence-infused spear had been a major success. It took time and a lot of essence to prepare, but the results spoke for themselves. It turned a fight that could have been much longer as well as riskier, easier for him. But it also meant he needed disposable weapons.
The food finished cooking the edges of the meat crisped perfectly over the open flame. Kael grabbed a leaf he had set aside earlier and used it to wrap the hot meat, letting it cool slightly before putting out the fire and crossing his legs.
He stared out at the waterfall beyond enjoying the flow of water, and how relaxing it was.
Since moving into the cave as his primary shelter, Kael had made sure to hunt far from his home to avoid attracting attention. If the Gloomkin ever found his trail again, they wouldn’t be led directly to him this time. He had learned his lesson. As such this place offered a rest stop before he made the rest of the track back to the cave.
Once he finished looking at the water and easing his mind, he closed his eyes. It was time to regenerate his essence from the fight. He focused inward, entering his core space.
His Essence core hovered in the void, pulsing dimly. He had burned through a lot of energy during the fight with the Stonehide Boar. He needed to be at full capacity before he did anything else.
Kael exhaled and started using the technique he had gotten better at handling the last three days. Pull. Spiral. Drain.
He envisioned the Essence flowing toward him, being drawn in faster than passive regeneration could manage. The energy responded, spiraling inward toward his core, filling it bit by bit.
Minutes passed. He pushed the flow harder. His mind ached from the strain, but he held firm.
11 minutes. Then a break.
Another cycle. Then another.
The now familiar exhaustion crept into his skull, a dull pressure behind his eyes as he forced himself through the last cycle. Finally, he let go, exhaling slowly as he opened his eyes.
His core was full again. Kael let out a satisfied breath and stood up, rolling his shoulders and taking his food with him. He felt lighter, sharper. Ready.
Kael stepped through the waterfall once again, feeling the refreshing water wash over him as he passed back into the forest. He shook his head, letting the droplets roll off his skin, then adjusted his grip on the remaining spear.
Moving quickly, but carefully, he set off back toward his cave.
He took an indirect route—never moving in a straight line, doubling back, taking detours through uneven terrain. If anything tried to track him, they’d have a hard time.
His parkour-like movement was getting more refined with each level as well. The more he vaulted over logs, climbed low-hanging branches, and slid through tangled roots, the more natural it became. His agility was improving at a rapid pace, no surprise since his agility stat had increased by a good amount since the beginning.
As he ran, he felt it. The wind against his skin, the rhythm of his breathing, the way his body moved so effortlessly now. Kael grinned to himself. He was enjoying the new found strength. Eventually, he neared his hidden cave. He crouched behind some bushes, scanning the area from a safe distance. His eyes swept over the familiar landscape, taking in every detail.
No movement. No signs of disturbance. Still, he waited. Listening. Watching. After a few minutes of nothing, Kael carefully approached.
The entrance between the two trees looked just as it had before. The roots and shrubs disguised the entrance, but Kael had added to that over the first day after returning from his tree house, by putting more undergrowth hiding the entrance even better, and stuffing between the roots making it so it was blending seamlessly into the rest of the forest.
Kael moved closer, lifting part of the undergrowth aside, revealing the makeshift barricade beneath it—several crude spears tied together with vines, leaves, and moss.
He pulled it aside, slipping through the small gap, then replaced it behind him, making sure it was secure.
He moved deeper into the narrow tunnel, the soft glow of the embedded roots guiding his way. His footsteps were silent, his breathing controlled.
When he reached the final barricade, Kael removed the stacked stones carefully before stepping inside.
Home.
The cave was just as he had left it.
The floor was cleaner than before, free of scattered bones and debris. He had spent hours over the last three days clearing it out, making it more livable.
His makeshift bed of moss and leaves sat in the far corner, a small, dry space where he could actually sleep properly.
Kael sat down on his makeshift bed and started eating his meal.
He had done well.
It had taken a lot of work, but this place felt secure. There had been moments during the nights were he heard movement outside, but nothing had ever tried to enter. The disguise had worked. That was the most important thing. But that wasn’t the only thing on his mind.
Kael stared at the ceiling, his expression serious. He wasn’t done. His treehouse had been destroyed. The Gloomkin had hunted him, tearing apart his shelter and leaving him with nothing.
Kael clenched his jaw, his fingers drumming against his knee. This wasn’t just about survival anymore. He had a plan. One that involved taking the fight to them.
But before that—he had something important to do. Kael leaned back, finishing the last of his meal.
As he chewed he started to regenerate his Essence again after having used it to get back here faster, letting his reserves slowly refill between bites. He wanted to be at full strength before setting out.
Finally, he stood up, stretching slightly as he saw the glow from the ceiling roots dim slightly. The night was approaching. There was still evening light out, but he didn't have long before the night fully settled and Kael needed to leave before then. After making his way out again, and securing the barricades behind him as he went, he stopped to take one last look at his shelter before turning away.
Tonight, it would be Kael's turn to be the unseen predator in the dark.