Kael stepped over the fallen serpents, exhaling slowly. The primal energy from their bodies coursed through his veins, reinforcing his strength with each passing second.
The taste of the devouring power was intoxicating, addictive even, but he pushed aside the feeling. The second floor wasn't completely clear yet.
The forest ahead was silent, save for the soft rustling of leaves overhead. Kael gripped his bone dagger tighter, testing its weight in his palm. There were still more beasts lurking before he could reach the exit to the third floor.
He moved carefully, footsteps light and deliberate, using the twisted trees for cover. He stayed calm and didn't rush. The beasts on this floor were smarter than the ones before, and if he charged in recklessly, he'd be overwhelmed.
Growl.
A low, rumbling growl reached his ears from somewhere to his left.
Kael froze mid-step. His mental cognition subconsciously activated, pushing his perception to its peak. His eyes flicked upward just in time to see the beast leap from the shadows...
A black blur shot through the air.
A Shadow Fang. High-level Feral Beast.
It was a sleek, black-furred feline built for ambush attacks. Its body was lean and muscular, designed for speed and lethality. Glowing yellow eyes locked onto him as it twisted mid-air, claws extended, aiming directly for his throat.
Kael reacted instantly, dropping low into a crouch.
The beast sailed over him, landing in a perfect crouch several meters away. Its muscles coiled immediately, ready to strike again.
He barely had time to process before two more Shadow Fangs emerged from the undergrowth, their forms melting out of the darkness like living shadows.
Three High-level Feral Beasts against one Level 5 Primal Warrior.
Kael's grip on his bone dagger tightened until his knuckles turned white.
The first Shadow Fang lunged again without hesitation. Kael sidestepped, bringing his dagger up in a precise arc.
The blade slashed across its ribs, cutting through fur and drawing blood. The beast snarled, staggering back, but the other two were already in motion.
Kael pivoted, narrowly dodging the second one's swipe. Claws whistled past his face, close enough that he felt the displaced air. The third circled behind him, cutting off his escape route completely.
"They're coordinated." Kael inhaled slowly, forcing his thoughts to calm despite the adrenaline flooding his system. He had to break their rhythm.
Instead of retreating, he made a decision that went against every survival instinct. He charged forward, closing the gap with the injured Shadow Fang.
The beast hesitated for just a fraction of a second, caught off guard by the unexpected aggression.
That was all Kael needed.
His dagger plunged deep into its throat, the bone blade punching through flesh and windpipe. He twisted the weapon savagely. Blood gushed like a fountain, spraying hot across his arm and chest. The Shadow Fang collapsed with a choking gurgle, legs spasming once before going still.
"One down. Two to go."
The remaining two attacked together, their coordination even tighter now.
Kael rolled to the side, evading the first strike by inches. But the second Shadow Fang was faster as its claws raked across his arm, tearing through fabric and skin. Pain flared white-hot, and blood began dripping from the open wound.
But his Adaptive Regeneration kicked in instantly, already working to close the torn flesh.
The wounded Shadow Fang circled him carefully now, more cautious after seeing its packmate fall. The last one darted forward suddenly, using the brief distraction to launch another attack.
Kael anticipated it, though. His Predator's Instincts registered the subtle movement, shift in weight and a tensing of muscles, before it even happened.
He twisted his body, slamming his dagger upward in a brutal thrust. The blade plunged into the beast's gut, tearing through fur and flesh, ripping upward through soft organs.
It yowled in agony, thrashing wildly. Kael yanked his blade free with a wet sound, stepping back as the beast crumpled to the ground, blood pooling beneath it.
The last Shadow Fang hesitated, yellow eyes flicking between its fallen comrades and the blood-soaked human before it.
But Kael didn't hesitate.
He lunged forward, feinting left with his body weight, then cutting hard right. The Shadow Fang tried to adjust, but it was already too late. His dagger sliced clean through its throat in one smooth motion.
The beast collapsed without a sound.
---
[System Rewards]
[You have acquired primal energy of High-level Feral Beast: Shadow Fang]
[Essence Absorbed: +6 EXP]
[Blood Points: +2]
[Experience Points: 52/50 EXP]
[Level-up Progress: 100%]
[System Level Increased: 1 → 2]
[Level 2 EXP: 2/100]
---
[You have acquired primal energy of High-level Feral Beast: Shadow Fang]
[Essence Absorbed: +7 EXP]
[Blood Points: +2]
[Experience Points: 9/100 EXP]
[Level-up Progress: 9%]
---
[You have acquired primal energy of High-level Feral Beast: Shadow Fang]
[Essence Absorbed: +6 EXP]
[Blood Points: +2]
[Experience Points: 15/100 EXP]
[Level-up Progress: 15%]
---
Kael wiped his blade clean on the nearest corpse, breathing evenly despite the exertion. He'd leveled up his cultivation again during the serpent fight, and now he could feel the difference. His body was stronger, faster, more resilient.
But more than that, each battle was sharpening him. His instincts were getting better, his reactions quicker.
He moved cautiously deeper into the forest. The trees gradually thinned as he progressed, and the air grew heavier, more oppressive. A strange energy pressed against his skin, making the hairs on his arms stand up.
A massive stone gateway appeared in front of him, covered in ancient runes that glowed faintly with pale blue light. The exit to the third floor.
Suddenly, a cold breeze swept across his back, chilling his spine despite the stale dungeon air. Every hair on his body stood on end. His instincts screamed danger louder than they ever had before.
Then the source of that feeling emerged from the shadows behind the gateway.
A hulking beast stepped forward, its massive frame nearly twice Kael's six-foot height. Its dark fur shimmered with an unnatural sheen, and glowing crimson runes pulsed along its body in a rhythmic pattern.
Its eyes burned red, filled with primal hunger and something commonly seen in powerful beasts, intelligence.
'A Half-Step Primal Beast: Abyss-Touched Dire Bear.' This was a whole lot stronger than peak-level Feral Beasts. Only just one step shy of becoming a Primal Beast.
Kael didn't move. No — he 'couldn't' move. The pressure radiating from the bear was unlike anything he'd felt since waking up in this dungeon. It wasn't just physical strength. There was something else, something that made his survival instincts scream at him to run.
The bear watched him, sniffing the air with deliberate slowness. It wasn't just a brute. Its eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence, calculating, measuring its prey.
ROAR!
The sound rattled the entire cavern, sending a pulse of force through the air that made Kael's ears ring. His muscles tensed involuntarily, but he forced himself to hold his ground.
"This is it..." he muttered under his breath, lips curling into a wild smirk despite the fear coiling in his gut. "My first real fight."
The bear charged without warning, moving faster than something its size had any right to.
Kael dodged left, throwing himself into a roll. A massive paw slammed down where he'd been standing, and the stone floor shattered like glass under the impact. Chunks of rock exploded outward.
'I can't block that. One hit and I'm dead.'
His mind raced, searching for any advantage. He darted in close while the bear's momentum carried it forward, slashing at its hind leg with his bone dagger.
The blade bit into flesh, but only just. The bear's hide was unnaturally thick, reinforced by whatever energy coursed through it. The beast barely reacted to the slash.
Then it moved.
A massive paw swung out in a wide arc, too fast to fully dodge.
Kael tried to leap back, but the edge of the blow clipped his ribs. The impact felt like being hit by a battering ram.
BOOM!
He flew backward, hitting the ground hard and tumbling across the stone. His insides felt like they'd been scrambled. Blood filled his mouth, and he spat it out, gasping for air.
Pain flared through his entire torso, ribs screaming in protest. He tried to roll with the impact, but the damage was already done.
The bear was already charging again, giving him no time to recover.
ROAR!
The Abyss-Touched Dire Bear roared again, the cavern trembling under its power. Its glowing crimson eyes locked onto Kael, reading him like prey.
Kael could see it, the way the beast's muscles tensed, the subtle shifts that telegraphed its next move.
Then it charged, claws tearing through stone as it closed the distance.
Kael barely had time to react. The ground beneath him cracked as massive claws ripped through the air where he'd just been. He twisted his body, rolling to the side, but the sheer force of the attack sent a shockwave through the floor that rattled his bones and numbed his arms.
'Too strong. If that had landed directly, I'd be dead.'
His grip tightened on the bone dagger despite the trembling in his hands. His heart pounded against his cracked ribs. He needed more speed. More power.
"Allocate 5 BP to Strength, 2 BP to Dexterity, 2 BP to Constitution, and 2 BP to Stamina."
The system acknowledged his command instantly.
---
[Blood Points Consumed: 11]
[Strength: 11 → 16]
[Dexterity: 17 → 19]
[Constitution: 8 → 10]
[Stamina: 10 →12]
[Remaining BP: 9]
---
A surge of primal energy flooded his veins. His body adapted at a terrifying pace. Muscles hardening, tendons reinforcing, bones becoming denser. His movements felt lighter despite the added strength, and the dull ache in his ribs began to fade as his enhanced constitution took effect.
The bear charged again, but this time Kael felt he could handle it.
He moved faster than before, his enhanced dexterity allowing him to sidestep at the last possible moment. A massive paw swung down, pulverizing the cavern floor where he'd been standing. Dust and debris shot into the air, but Kael was already counterattacking...
His dagger slashed across the bear's flank in a precise arc.
The blade sank in deeper this time, enhanced strength forcing it through the tough hide. Blood sprayed, and the bear roared in genuine pain. Its body twisted with unnatural speed for something its size.
Kael's instincts screamed danger.
He threw himself backward just as the bear's claws whipped through the air, missing his throat by mere inches. He felt the wind of the attack ruffle his hair.
'Damn! That was too close for comfort.'
His mind worked rapidly, analyzing the fight. Direct attacks weren't enough. The bear's hide was too thick, its vitality too high. He needed to cripple it, limit its mobility.
Kael's eyes locked onto the bear's legs. Specifically, the thick tendons behind its knees.
The bear's movements were powerful but somewhat predictable due to its massive size. If he could sever those tendons, he could control the pace of the fight.
The beast charged once more, claws extended, jaw open wide enough to swallow his head.
But this time, Kael didn't retreat.
He rushed forward, meeting the attack head-on. The bear lifted its paw high, expecting him to dodge to the side...
Instead, Kael slid low like a knife through butter, the bone dagger flashing in a precise horizontal slash.
The blade cut clean through the rear tendon of the bear's left hind leg.
The result was instant. The bear's leg buckled, its massive body collapsing slightly under its own weight. It roared in shock and pain, trying to compensate with its other three legs.
Kael didn't hesitate. He used the moment of imbalance to vault onto the bear's back, gripping its fur with his free hand. The dagger rose high, then plunged down with all his enhanced strength into the base of the bear's skull.
ROOAAAAARRRR!
The bear thrashed violently, its entire body convulsing as it tried desperately to throw him off. Its roar shook the cavern so hard that small rocks began falling from the ceiling.
But Kael held on, legs locked around its massive frame, twisting the blade deeper, grinding it against bone and into soft brain tissue.
Blood poured from the wound, hot and thick, coating his hands.
With a final gurgling snarl that echoed through the chamber, the Abyss-Touched Dire Bear collapsed.
The massive body hit the ground with a thunderous impact that shook the entire floor. Dust billowed up around them.
Kael rolled off its back, landing in a crouch, breathing hard. His entire body ached. His ribs throbbed. His arms trembled from the exertion.
But he was alive. He'd survived against a Half-Step Primal Beast.
---
[System Rewards]
[You have acquired primal energy of Half-Step Primal Beast: Abyss-Touched Dire Bear]
[Essence Absorbed: +10 EXP]
[Blood Points: +5]
[Experience Points: 25/100 EXP]
[Level-up Progress: 25%]
[Breakthrough: Level 5 → Level 7 Primal Warrior]
---
Power flooded through Kael's body in waves. He'd advanced two levels which wasn't surprising, considering he had just devoured the primal energy of an opponent five levels above him.
His wounds began healing at an accelerated rate, ribs mending, cuts closing, bruises fading. His muscles grew denser, his bones harder. Energy coursed through every cell like liquid fire.
He stood slowly, testing his limbs. Every part of his body felt stronger.