Chapter 57: Hunt

[Stats:

Str: 20

Spd: 21

Def: 20

Int: 8]

Faster, stronger, and sturdier than him. Great.

Standing before Luke was a two-meter-long lion with a silver mane and two long fangs jutting out of its maw. It didn’t look as overwhelmingly menacing as the alpha wolf, yet it carried the unmistakable presence of a predator built to dominate the battlefield.

And right now, it had its sights locked on the two humans before it.

“L-Luke…” Dalia called out, frozen in place, her face drained of color.

Luke didn’t panic. He knew exactly how costly even a single mistake could be.

The monster stepped forward once, then again, its red eyes fixed solely on him.

Then it sprinted.

Luke moved at the same instant, shifting his defense and strength into speed as he swiftly lifted Dalia.

“GHUOOO!” The lion roared, jaws snapping open to crush his head, but Luke was faster.

NNIGHHH!

The horse bolted forward, galloping at full speed. In a blink, Luke and the horse split in different directions, leaving the lion momentarily confused.

The beast landed heavily and turned its attention toward the horse.

Luke seized the opportunity, carrying Dalia to safety behind a large tree.

He could feel her trembling, so instead of rushing her, he gently lowered her to the ground.

“Luke… this…” she stuttered, her voice shaking, eyes still filled with fear at the sight of the beast.

Luke held her hand and spoke softly, “Don’t worry, everything is under control. Just don’t speak or move from this spot. I’ll protect you.”

Dalia tightened her grip on his hand and asked, “Can’t you stay here with me and not go? It would be safer that way.”

Luke reassured her, “I’ll just go and take a look. Don’t worry. If that thing isn’t coming back, I won’t chase it.”

Dalia hesitated, but she didn’t argue further and slowly nodded. Just as he was about to stand, she tugged at his shirt.

“Please… be careful…”

The adorable plea made him chuckle lightly before he finally stood up.

Tilting his body to peek past the tree, he saw the lion already making its way toward them, likely tracking their scent.

“This is bad…” he muttered.

Dalia wouldn’t be able to run in this state, and Luke knew he couldn’t carry her and outrun the beast.

’System… how long before I can alter my stats again?’ he asked, summoning a small knife into his right hand.

[12 seconds…]

The answer came instantly.

Okay. Good.

Without hesitation, Luke jumped a fair distance away from the tree, deliberately stepping hard enough to crunch the dry leaves beneath him.

The lion reacted at once, its instincts sharp.

For a brief moment, they locked eyes.

Then it charged again.

Luke dashed forward as well, his speed surpassing the beast’s. Just as the lion raised its front paws to crush him, Luke slid to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack, and drove his knife into its hide.

CLANG

The blade snapped.

Not even a scratch.

Great.

The beast turned instantly, jaws parting as it lashed out with its right paw.

’Need strength. 25 points!’

Luke called out, raising his arm to block the incoming claw mid-strike.

The lion growled, frustration evident as it failed to crush him outright.

The green-haired boy strained against its power, his knees buckling slightly under the pressure.

And then—

SQUELCH

Luke’s eyes widened.

The lion’s claws suddenly extended, digging deep into his forearm.

“Guh… you bastard!” he hissed, gritting his teeth as he forced it back.

The lion staggered a step, but it remained unharmed, already preparing to launch its next attack.

Luke groaned, glancing at his bleeding arm. There was no time to tend to it. He forced his focus back onto the beast.

’System… analyze its movements and find its weak points.’

The lion lunged again, letting out a feral howl as it snapped toward his shoulder. Luke twisted away just in time, his body slipping past the jaws as he drove a punch into its side.

The impact made the lion jerk its head, clearly surprised by the force behind it.

[Host, stab its head.]

Its head, huh?

A dagger materialized in his hand.

The blade was long, curving slightly near the tip, with ridges running along the dull edge. Its handle was wrapped in leather for a firm grip, and a faint crimson line traced down the length of the blade.

[Intelligence: 15 -> 11 -> 16]

Nice. The intelligence he had diverted to enhance his strength returned to him, thanks to the Magma Tooth he had earned for guarding the chief’s house.

The lion tensed at the sight of the weapon. It had sensed the change.

But its aggression didn’t falter in the slightest.

Luke gestured with his finger. “Come at me, pussy.”

The lion slammed its front paws against the ground before bursting into a sprint.

That speed, however, was trackable.

Luke moved instantly, turning and running ahead of it. The lion followed close behind.

He spotted a low-hanging branch. Just as the beast closed in, ready to slam into him and knock him down, Luke grabbed the branch and pulled himself up in one swift motion.

THUD

The lion couldn’t stop in time and crashed straight into the tree.

Luke seized the opening.

Using only his left hand for leverage, he spun around the branch and dropped down with force.

The lion sensed the danger and tilted its head, but in doing so, it exposed its back.

SQUELCH HISSS

The dagger plunged into its back, a searing sensation spreading instantly through its body.

The beast howled in pain.

Luke didn’t stop. He twisted the dagger with all his strength.

The lion stumbled forward, its steps turning uneven as the pain overwhelmed it.

Luke clenched his teeth. Not enough to kill it.

In one smooth motion, he let go of the dagger still lodged in its back and flipped away. Steel claws formed over his hands mid-air, and as he landed, he slashed toward the lion’s head.

“RGHUOO!”

The beasts’ eyes were damaged, and several slashes appeared on its head.

Luke snickered and picked his broken blade from before.

’System…increase my strength.’

The lion began to back off, blinded and wounded, it knew its death was close. However, Luke wasn’t going to let his hunt go after coming this far.

He took a few steps before sprinting forward and lunging high.

Holding the blade in his right hand, he stabbed it in the centre of the beast’s head with all his strength.

*SQUELCH*

The dull blade pierced through its skull and lodged completely inside its head.

The lion gave a few low huffs before staggering on its feet and falling to the ground.

Dead and gone.

Luke exhaled a deep sigh. And here he thought he finally got a rest day.

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