When Sam woke up, the campfire had long gone cold. Not far away lay the leaf platter from yesterday, still holding the leftover berries—plus a handful of fresh ones, clearly newly picked. Xuan was nowhere to be seen at the cave entrance.
Sam popped two berries into his mouth, chewed slowly, then sat cross-legged on the grass bed and rubbed his face. The system hadn't made a peep since Xuan returned last night, and he still knew next to nothing about its functions. With Xuan gone, now was the perfect time to experiment.
"System? System, are you there?" he whispered, glancing warily at the cave entrance.
*"I am here, Host. You may communicate with me directly via your thoughts. There is no need to speak aloud."* The response came instantly.
"Really? System, can you hear me now?" Sam clamped his mouth shut, testing out the mental link.
*"Yes, I can."*
"That's actually pretty cool." Sam marveled silently. *"By the way, can I try out those two unlocked functions right now?"*
*"Affirmative. It is recommended that Host begin with the Exploration function."*
"Got it. Let's run the Exploration function then."
*"System initiating Exploration…**…Exploration complete. Scan radius: 50 meters. No threats detected within range. Hemostatic grass detected 10 meters west of the cave entrance. It is recommended that Host collect it."*
Sam's eyes lit up at the feedback. He hurried to the cave mouth, squinted up at the sun to get his bearings, then hunched over and crept carefully toward the indicated direction.
Sure enough, tucked amidst the waist-high undergrowth, was a small patch of ankle-tall grass with distinctive oval leaves.
*"Is this the hemostatic grass, System?"*
*"Affirmative, Host. You may now attempt the Identification function on it."*
"Alright, let's identify these plants then."
*"Initiating Identification…**…Identification complete. Hemostatic Grass: Medical herb. Applicable for external wounds. Effects: Stops bleeding, reduces inflammation."*
Sam nodded in satisfaction, knelt down, and plucked every stalk of the grass. By the time he finished, the sun was already high in the sky—close to noon. He had no idea when Xuan would be back, so he decided to head straight back to the cave and wait.
Honestly, if the system hadn't confirmed there were no threats nearby, he never would've dared step outside. The exploration range was tiny, and the function was already on cooldown—only usable once a day. Sam wasn't the type to risk his neck just because he was bored, even if sitting around the cave was driving him stir-crazy.
Back inside, he laid the hemostatic grass neatly on the leaf platter with the berries. The leaf was large enough that the two wouldn't get mixed up.
Xuan popped back once mid-morning, bringing a large slab of raw beast meat with him. He grilled it over a new fire, watched Sam finish every bite, then vanished again into the forest—still on the hunt for the shadow beast. He looked increasingly anxious, and Sam couldn't help worrying, though there was nothing he could do. He had no clue just how strong Xuan really was.
Outside the cave, Xuan moved silently, his massive panther paws making no sound as they touched the ground. He paused every few steps to sniff at the dirt and tree roots, his nose twitching as he tracked the faint, elusive scent. Suddenly, his head snapped up, emerald eyes flashing with a cold glint. Without a moment's hesitation, he bolted forward, his powerful legs carrying him through the dense undergrowth until he vanished from sight.
He'd caught a whiff of blood—the familiar iron tang of a fanged beast, laced with the faint, musky scent of the shadow beast he'd been tracking for days. He raced toward the source, skidding to a halt beside the mangled corpse of an adult fanged beast. It was clear the kill was fresh—the beast's belly and thighs, the meatiest parts, had been torn open and devoured greedily.
Xuan circled the corpse, his nose working overtime. The shadow beast's scent was strongest here—it had definitely been the one to take down the fanged beast. It must have been in a hurry, eating only the easiest, most tender parts before fleeing.
The surrounding area was a maze of conflicting scents. The shadow beast had deliberately marked every direction with its odor, a classic trick to throw trackers off the trail. It was being cautious—paranoid, even. This was definitely the same beast he'd wounded days ago. Xuan forced himself to calm down, his panther brain whirring as he analyzed the situation. What would he do if he'd just gorged himself on raw, fatty fanged beast meat?
He'd go find water. To wash down the grease.
Xuan's eyes narrowed. He knew exactly where the nearest lake was. Instead of chasing blindly in a random direction, he'd take a gamble—the shadow beast would be heading for the lake to drink.
No more hesitation. He bounded toward the lake at full speed, and his gamble paid off. The shadow beast's scent grew stronger with every step, fresh tracks marking the path ahead. He was closing in fast.
He ran, the wind roaring in his ears—until a sharp *whoosh* of air cut through the silence to his right.
Danger!
Xuan pivoted violently, leaping sideways and twisting mid-air to face the attacker. A massive gray-black shape loomed before him—its sleek pelt, long snout, powerful limbs, and thick, whip-like tail were unmistakable. It was the shadow beast.
Xuan's gaze locked onto the old scar slashing across the beast's face, from forehead to jawline. A snarl rumbled deep in his throat, primal rage burning in his emerald eyes. He'd seen that scar before—ten years ago. That was why he'd refused to turn back to the tribe, why he'd hunted this beast relentlessly for days. He would *not* let it escape again.
The two giant predators faced off, muscles coiled like springs, low growls vibrating in their throats. Lips curled back to reveal rows of razor-sharp fangs, eyes fixed on each other's throats—the kill shot. The forest fell dead silent around them, even the insects ceasing their chirps, as if holding their breath for the coming battle.
The shadow beast struck first, letting out a deafening roar as it charged. Xuan met it head-on, no trace of fear in his eyes.
*BOOM!*
Their massive bodies collided with bone-shaking force. Claws swiped at each other's vital spots. Xuan dodged a lethal paw aimed at his skull, then retaliated with a powerful swipe of his own. The shadow beast couldn't evade in time—three deep gashes tore through its pelt, blood welling up instantly.
Seizing the opening, Xuan lunged for the beast's back, intent on pinning it to the ground. But the shadow beast was quick. It rolled onto its back, tucking its vulnerable belly beneath it, and lashed out with all four paws, claws extended. Xuan was forced to back off, dodging the flailing limbs while trying to keep the beast trapped on the ground.
The shadow beast was slightly larger than Xuan, and their tangled, thrashing bodies shook the undergrowth. More than once, Xuan nearly lost his balance and got thrown off.
Roars echoed through the forest, dirt and leaves flying as they fought. Bushes were flattened beneath their rolling forms, blood splattering onto the surrounding branches. Neither backed down. Every time Xuan scored a hit, the shadow beast retaliated in kind, leaving deep gashes on his pelt—but he didn't care. All he wanted was to tear the beast apart.
His reckless, all-or-nothing attack enraged the shadow beast further. It abandoned its defensive strategy, fighting back with feral desperation. When Xuan lunged again, the shadow beast didn't dodge—it met his claws head-on, locking their front paws together, and opened its jaws wide, aiming for Xuan's neck.
Xuan pressed down hard, arching his body just enough to avoid the killing bite—but the shadow beast's fangs sank deep into his shoulder instead. He howled in pain, but instead of pulling back, he drove his hind claws deep into the beast's chest, raking them downward with all his strength. Eight parallel gashes opened up, stretching from the shadow beast's chest to its belly, spilling hot blood everywhere.
The shadow beast realized it was in mortal danger. It released Xuan's shoulder, rearing up and kicking out with its hind legs, slamming into Xuan's abdomen. He was sent flying backward, landing hard. By the time he recovered, the shadow beast was already on its feet, its larger size giving it the advantage now that it was upright. It turned and ran, not daring to look back. Xuan was right on its heels, relentless.
The sun dipped toward the horizon as they reached the lake, their shadows stretching long across the water. The shadow beast didn't understand why this panther was hunting it so relentlessly—but it knew it couldn't outrun him. If it couldn't kill him, it would die.
With its last burst of strength, it spun around and charged Xuan one final time. The two beasts collided with a splash, tumbling into the lake. Water erupted around them as they fought, blood turning the clear water crimson. No more tricks, no more holding back—only the primal urge to kill or be killed.
Minutes passed. An hour.
Eventually, the splashing and roaring ceased. Silence fell over the lake once more. The setting sun painted the blood-stained water in vivid shades of red and gold, blending the blood with the sunset until it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.
Xuan hauled himself out of the lake, dragging the shadow beast's limp corpse behind him. His entire body was covered in wounds, blood streaming down his fur and dripping onto the shore. The feral rage still burned in his eyes, but beneath it was a fierce, triumphant satisfaction. Backlit by the setting sun, he looked like a mythic beast emerging from the depths of hell.
He dropped the shadow beast's body onto the ground, then collapsed beside it, staring up at the sky. For a long moment, he just sat there, chest heaving. Then, he threw back his head and let out a roar—loud, long, and unshakably triumphant, like a weight he'd carried for ten years had finally been lifted.