Chapter 185: 185. First Kill

Every step Owen took disturbed something in the jungle. Insects scattered. Birds shrieked warnings. The canopy above rustled with unseen movement.

He’d been walking for three hours. No clear direction. Just away from the landing zone, toward higher ground where he might get a vantage point.

His CE had recovered to 5,400 through ambient absorption.

The notification system updated periodically.

[SURVIVAL TIME: 3 HOURS, 47 MINUTES]

[CREDIT BALANCE: 2,000]

[CURRENT RANK: #89 OF 200]

He found a stream. Knelt. Tested the water with his CE sense. No toxins detected. He drank. The water was cold, clean. Tasted like minerals.

A drone floated closer. Recording him drinking.

Owen ignored it.

Movement in the trees.

His Dragon’s Eye tracked it. Small. Fast. Tier 5, one-star at most.

Not a threat. He let it go.

The real threats were deeper in the jungle. He could feel them, Larger signatures, some stationary, some moving. One particularly massive signature to the north hadn’t moved in hours.

’yeah, I should avoid that direction.’

He continued east. The terrain sloped upward. That was Good. Higher ground meant visibility.

Then he heard it.

Voices Arguing.

Owen slowed. Moved quieter. His CE suppressed to avoid detection.

Through the vegetation, he saw them.

Two prisoners. Both Tier 5, three-stars based on their signatures.

One was humanoid with grey skin and bony protrusions along his spine. The other was insectoid—four arms, chitinous armor, mandibles clicking.

They stood over a dead creature. Something serpentine. Credits were being disputed.

“I wounded it first,” the grey-skinned one said.

“I delivered the killing blow,” the insectoid replied. “The credits are mine.”

“We split them or we fight.”

The insectoid’s mandibles clicked faster. “Then we fight.”

Owen watched from cover.

’yeah this is not my problem. Keep moving.’

But then the grey-skinned prisoner noticed him.

His eyes locked onto Owen’s position. “Someone’s watching.”

The insectoid turned. “Show yourself.”

Owen stepped out. Hands visible in a Non-threatening way. “Hey, I’m Just passing through.”

The grey-skinned one sneered. “False Fist. I recognize you from the broadcast. Tier 5, five-stars.”

The insectoid’s posture shifted. Aggressive. “You think you can take our kill?”

“Wasn’t planning to.” Owen’s voice was calm. “I’m not interested in your credits. Just headed east.”

“East is our territory,” the grey-skinned one said.

Owen almost laughed. “Territory? We’ve been here four hours.”

“Long enough to claim it.”

The insectoid circled left. The grey-skinned one circled right.

Owen’s gauntlets hummed. His CE flared. “Last chance. Let me pass.”

“Or what?” the insectoid hissed.

Owen’s Dragon’s Aura exploded outward. 70 CE.

The pressure slammed into both of them. The grey-skinned one staggered. The insectoid’s legs buckled slightly.

But they didn’t flee.

The insectoid lunged first. Four arms extended. Claws gleaming.

Owen dodged. Momentum Shift, 7 CE. He appeared behind it. 60 CE punch to its thorax.

CRACK!

Chitin shattered. The insectoid shrieked.

The grey-skinned one attacked from behind. Bone protrusions extended from his forearms like blades.

Owen spun. Blocked with his scaled forearms. Indestructible Scales manifesting.

CLANG!

The bone blades scraped against his scales but didn’t penetrate.

Owen countered. 50 CE kick to the grey-skinned one’s knee.

CRACK!

The joint shattered and He collapsed.

The insectoid recovered. Charged again. More desperate now.

Owen didn’t waste energy.

Dragon’s Breath. 80 CE.

Black flames erupted. The insectoid tried to dodge but wasn’t fast enough. Fire consumed its left side. It screamed. Fell. Thrashed.

Owen approached the grey-skinned one. Still on the ground. Clutching his shattered knee.

“I gave you a chance,” Owen said.

He drove his fist into the prisoner’s chest. 60 CE. Cosmic Impact Fist.

CRACK!

The grey-skinned one’s eyes went wide. Then dark.

He dissolved into light particles.

[KILL CONFIRMED: PRISONER #167]

[CREDITS EARNED: 15,000]

[BONUS: FIRST PRISONER KILL – +10,000]

[BONUS: OVERWHELMING VICTORY – +5,000]

[BONUS: VIEWER ENGAGEMENT SPIKE – +8,000]

[TOTAL CREDITS: 40,000]

[CURRENT RANK: #31 OF 199]

The insectoid was still burning. Still alive. Barely.

Owen stood over it. “Sorry.”

He ended it quickly. 40 CE punch.

[KILL CONFIRMED: PRISONER #143]

[CREDITS EARNED: 12,000]

[BONUS: DOUBLE KILL – +15,000]

[TOTAL CREDITS: 67,000]

[CURRENT RANK: #18 OF 198]

Owen’s CE sat at 4,546. The fights had been quick but costly.

He looked at the drones. They hovered closer. Excited. Bloodshed meant viewers.

He searched the bodies before they fully dissolved. Found nothing. No supplies. No weapons. Just restraints that deactivated upon death.

The serpentine creature they’d killed was still there. Owen dragged it to the stream. Used his claws to butcher it. The meat was edible, his CE sense confirmed no toxins.

He ate. Raw. The taste was terrible but the nutrition was real.

Energy restored slightly.

Then he heard something.

Footsteps. Heavy. Approaching fast.

Owen stood. CE flared.

A figure emerged from the jungle.

Massive. Four arms. Stone-like skin.

Varkoth.

Tier 4, three-stars.

His eyes locked onto Owen. Then the dissolving bodies. Then the drones recording everything.

“False Fist,” Varkoth’s voice was deep. Amused. “Already making a name for yourself.”

Owen’s stance didn’t shift. “Just defending myself.”

“I saw. The broadcast is live you know ?. Those two were idiots.” Varkoth stepped closer. Not threatening. Just confident. “But you’re smart. I can work with smart.”

“Work with?”

“An Alliance. Temporary. We’re in the same zone. Predators here are Tier 5, four to five-stars. Some stronger. Two is better than one.”

Owen studied him. Varkoth’s CE was overwhelming. 25,000 baseline. Maybe more.

’He could kill me if he wanted. Why offer alliance?’

Varkoth seemed to read his thoughts. “I don’t need your credits. I need efficiency. You’re fast. Strong. Good instincts. Together, we can clear this zone faster. Earn more credits. Then part ways when it benefits us both.”

Owen considered. “How long?”

“Three days. Maybe a week. Until one of us decides otherwise.”

“And if you decide to kill me?”

Varkoth grinned. “Then you’ll die. But I won’t. Not yet. You’re more useful alive.”

Owen extended his hand. “Three days…Fine.”

Varkoth’s lower-right hand gripped Owen’s. “Deal.”

The drones circled them. Recording. Broadcasting.

Across the galaxy, betting pools adjusted.

[FALSE FIST + VARKOTH – TEMPORARY ALLIANCE]

Viewer engagement spiked.

—

They moved together through the jungle.

Varkoth led. His strength clearing paths through dense vegetation.

Owen followed. His senses scanning for threats.

Two hours later, they found shelter. A cave. Dry. Defensible. No current occupants.

Varkoth claimed the back. Owen took the entrance.

They didn’t speak much. Just necessity.

“Water’s twenty meters north,” Varkoth said.

“A Predator’s den is half a kilometer west,” Owen replied. “Tier 5, five-star. Let’s avoid it.”

“Agreed.”

Night fell.

The jungle sounds changed. Different creatures. Nocturnal hunters.

Owen didn’t sleep. Not fully. Just light rest. His CE sense active.

Varkoth seemed to sleep easily. Confidence of someone who knew he was the strongest thing in the immediate area.

A notification appeared.

[SURVIVAL TIME: 1 DAY, 2 HOURS]

[CREDIT BALANCE: 67,000]

[CURRENT RANK: #14 OF 198]

[PRISONERS ELIMINATED: 2]

[ZONE 7 STATUS: 17 PRISONERS ACTIVE]

’Seventeen in this zone alone. And two already dead by my hand.’

Owen stared at the cave entrance. Watched shadows move beyond.

The planet was already sorting them. Weak died fast. Strong survived longer.

But survival wasn’t enough. He needed one billion credits.

’At this rate, I’ll need to kill dozens. Maybe hundreds.’

The thought didn’t sit well. But he pushed it aside.

’Do what needs to be done. Get home. That’s the only thing that matters.’

Morning came.

Varkoth woke. Stretched all four arms. “Ready?”

Owen stood. “Ready.”

They exited the cave.

Day two began.

—

They hunted together.

First target: A Tier 5, four-star beast. Armored. Aggressive. Territorial.

Varkoth drew its attention. Tanked its attacks with his stone skin.

Owen struck from behind. Precise. Efficient.

Three minutes. The beast fell.

[KILL CONFIRMED: ARMORED TUSK BEAST]

[CREDITS EARNED: 8,000]

[SHARED KILL BONUS: +4,000]

[TOTAL CREDITS: 79,000]

They split the credits mentally. No arguing. Both benefited.

Second target: A pack of smaller creatures. Tier 5, two-stars. Fast. Coordinated.

Owen used Dragon’s Breath to scatter them. 120 CE.

Varkoth picked them off one by one.

[MULTIPLE KILLS CONFIRMED]

[CREDITS EARNED: 18,000]

[TOTAL CREDITS: 97,000]

By midday, Owen’s rank climbed.

[CURRENT RANK: #9 OF 197]

Then they encountered another prisoner.

Female. Feline features. Silver fur. Violet eyes.

Yalira.

She stood on a tree branch. Watching them approach.

“Varkoth. False Fist.” Her voice purred. “Interesting partnership.”

Varkoth grunted. “It’s temporary.”

“Of course.” She dropped from the branch. Landed silently. “I’m not here to fight. Just passing through.”

Owen’s CE sense scanned her. Tier 5, five-stars. Same as him. But her movement suggested experience. Lots of it.

“Where you headed?” Owen asked.

“Away from Zone 7. It’s Too crowded. Seventeen prisoners, now sixteen.” She gestured behind her. “Just killed one. Tried to ambush me. Didn’t go well for him.”

[PRISONERS REMAINING: 196]

Varkoth nodded. “Smart. Spread out. Less competition.”

Yalira’s eyes lingered on Owen. “You’re doing well, False Fist. Top ten already. Keep it up and you might actually earn that pardon.”

“That’s the plan.”

She smiled. “Good luck. You’ll need it.”

Then she was gone. Disappeared into the jungle like smoke.

Varkoth watched her go. “She’s dangerous. More than she looks.”

“I noticed.”

They continued hunting.

By nightfall, Owen’s credits sat at 143,000.

[CURRENT RANK: #7 OF 195]

[SURVIVAL TIME: 2 DAYS, 6 HOURS]

Three prisoners dead by his hand now. Dozens of beasts.

The drones never stopped recording.

And across the galaxy, billions watched the Dragon King fight for his freedom.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep