A massive clearing stretched before him, at least half a kilometer across. Where trees should have stood, only flattened stumps remained, as if some giant hand had swept them away.

And in that clearing—beasts. Hundreds of them.

Shadowfang Wolves. Razorback Boars. Iron-Hide Bears. Black Beetles. Species Ethan had never even seen before. All gathered in concentric circles around a central point.

His status vision flickered frantically, trying to catalogue all the threats.

—

<Ferocious Beast: Razorback Boar>

<Rank: High-Bronze>

—

<Ferocious Beast: Crystal Gorilla>

<Rank: High-Bronze>

—

<Ferocious Beast: Shadowfang Wolf>

<Rank: Peak-Bronze>

—

Bronze-rank beasts everywhere. Dozens of them. Some approaching Silver.

But it was what stood at the centre that froze Ethan’s blood.

Three massive creatures that radiated power like heat from a forge. A serpent with scales that gleamed like liquid metal. A gorilla with crystals covering some parts of its body. A six-legged panther.

—

<Ferocius Beast: Silver Serpent>

<Rank: Mid-Silver>

<Poison Talent: D+ Grade>

—

<Ferocius Beast: Crystal Ape>

<Rank: Mid-Silver>

<Crystal Hardening Talent: D Grade>

—

<Ferocius Beast: Panther>

<Rank: Mid-Silver>

<Speed Talent: D Grade>

—

‘Silver-ranks,’ Ethan thought, an ill feeling settling in his stomach. He was in an extremely dangerous territory, and he knew once caught he would not be able to do anything.

‘I can’t even escape, that panther is so much faster than me,’

It shouldn’t be possible. Silver-rank beasts were territorial, solitary predators. They didn’t cooperate. They didn’t gather armies.

Yet here they were, somehow communicating with the assembled horde, organising them into what could only be described as a military formation.

Ethan’s mind raced, calculating the threat. A single Silver-rank could devastate a city district. Three, with an army of Bronze-ranks?

The city walls would fall in seconds.

‘This is worse than I thought,’ he realized, a cold sweat breaking out.

The Silver Serpent’s tongue flicked again, tasting his scent on the wind. Its massive head began to turn toward his hiding spot.

No time to run. Not from a Silver-rank predator.

Ethan activated his transformation immediately, his body contorting as chitinous plates erupted from his skin. Bones shifted, limbs multiplied, his entire form compressing and reshaping into the Black Beetle.

<Transformation: Black Beetle (Mid-Bronze) Active>

The transformation completed just as the Serpent’s gaze swept past his position. Ethan froze, every instinct screaming at him to flee, but flight would only trigger the predator’s chase response.

Instead, he remained motionless, just one more beast in a forest full of them.

The Serpent’s attention lingered a moment longer, then shifted back to the gathered horde. It hadn’t identified him, whether it was because of the distance or transformation, Ethan did not want to find out.

Ethan observed the clearing more carefully now. Despite the gathering’s apparent organization, beasts still came and went. Scout parties dispatched. Hunting groups returning with prey to share.

‘I could wait for a weak Bronze group to leave,’ he realised, a desperate plan forming. ‘Ambush them.’

It was madness. The old Ethan would never have considered it. But the old Ethan hadn’t witnessed an army of monsters preparing to slaughter an entire city.

Safety was no longer an option. He had to take a risk to get stronger, otherwise, he would only get slaughtered just like everyone else.

‘I need power,’ he thought, the hunger for strength burning within him. ‘Need to be strong enough to protect myself and …’

He backed away slowly, his beetle form allowing him to blend with the shadowy undergrowth. Once at a safe distance, he circled the clearing, looking for the perfect ambush point along one of the departure routes he had identified

He settled on an ambush point where a narrow ravine created a natural bottleneck. Any group passing through would be momentarily vulnerable, unable to scatter or maneuver effectively.

‘Perfect,’ he thought, climbing a massive tree overlooking the position. ‘Now to wait.’

Time dragged, each minute feeling like an hour as more beasts arrived at the main clearing.

A small group detached from the horde, heading down the very path Ethan monitored.

Three beasts total. Three Razorbacks, with two being at the Peak-Iron Razorbacks and one Mid-Bronze leading them.

Three beasts total. Three Razorbacks—two at Peak-Iron and one Mid-Bronze leader stomping ahead of them.

‘Doable,’ Ethan thought, studying their formation. The Mid-Bronze would be a challenge, but isolated from the horde, he could handle it.

He scanned the area once more, his senses looking for any sign of nearby threats. Nothing. Just these three, moving away from the main gathering.

‘Perfect.’

Ethan immediately cancelled the transformation, returning to his human form.

The bow appeared in his hands, pulled from his storage ring in one fluid motion.

‘Start with the weakest,’ he calculated, nocking an arrow. ‘Save energy for the leader.’

His Accuracy Enhancement talent activated as he drew the bowstring.

The Peak-Iron Razorback’s vulnerable spot—the small gap where skull met spine—appeared almost highlighted to his enhanced perception.

The arrow flew true, hissing through leaves before embedding itself halfway through the boar’s skull. The iron-enhanced hide splintered on impact, insufficient against Ethan’s precision strike.

<You have killed A Peak-Iron Razorback Boar>

The beast dropped instantly, legs crumpling as it hit the forest floor with a heavy thud.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep