Trapped

Kaden cursed under his breath. No backup. No distractions. No escape.

He skidded to a stop in the middle of the abandoned camp, inhaling sharply as the beasts closed in from every direction. The ground shuddered, their stampede shaking the earth like the approach of an unstoppable tide.

His hands clenched. There was no more running away. There was nowhere he could run to. "Fine. If this is how it's going to be—let's see if they can handle me now." He looked around and saw a cluster of trees. They were tall, thick, and sturdy and they provided a decent nook for him.

"This has to work!" He backed up against the trees and summoned [Thorn Whip]. Now he only had to worry about one or two beasts at a time which was still pushing his limits but at least it was something he could work with.

The barbed vines of [Thorn Whip] snapped into existence, crackling with raw energy as they lashed outward, wrapping around the thick tree trunks. The familiar sensation of mana surged through Kaden's veins, the skill responding instantly to his call.

The beasts didn't slow. They came in a wave and Kaden braced himself. The first beast was a salamander that lunged at him with terrifying speed, its ember-lit eyes gleaming in the dim glow of the abandoned campfires. Its jagged maw opened wide, revealing rows of serrated fangs dripping with molten saliva. The ground beneath its feet sizzled, leaving scorched trails in its wake.

Kaden whipped his arm forward, and [Thorn Whip] struck with lethal precision.

The barbed tendrils wrapped around the salamander's throat, their vicious thorns embedding deep into its scaly flesh. The beast shrieked, its body thrashing violently as it tried to break free, but Kaden had no intention of letting go.

With a brutal yank, he jerked the beast sideways, slamming it face-first into a thick tree trunk. The impact sent shockwaves through its body, momentarily dazing it.

No hesitation.

Kaden followed up, using the momentum to twist his grip—the [Thorn Whip] coiled tighter, constricting like a predator's jaws. The salamander's throat crushed inward, and with a final sickening snap, its struggles ceased.

[Ding! You have killed a Charred Salamander!]

Kaden barely had time to register the notification before a two-headed serpent lunged at him from the left. Its twin maws struck like twin lightning bolts, fangs dripping with lethal venom.

Kaden ducked.

One set of fangs narrowly missed his throat, the other barely scraping past his shoulder. He rolled, his instincts sharpened beyond human limits. The snake reared back, its two heads hissing in sync, striking again.

But Kaden was faster.

[Sanguine Roots.]

The ground beneath the serpent exploded as thick, bloodstained roots surged upward, impaling the beast mid-strike. Its twin heads writhed, snapping at the vines, trying desperately to free itself.

Kaden clenched his fists. The roots tightened. The serpent convulsed as the roots squeezed, its ribs cracking under the force. With one final, strangled hiss, its body went limp.

[Ding! You have killed a Twin-Fanged Viper!]

Kaden exhaled sharply, sweat slicking his brow, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He had seconds before the next wave.

And the next wave was already here.

A massive centipede-like beast burst from the treeline, its long, segmented body undulating unnaturally. Its serrated mandibles clicked, and its dark, beady eyes locked onto him. Behind it, two more salamanders and a pack of snakes rushed forward, eager to devour him whole.

Too many. Thankfully they were weak and he was able to manage but he knew he couldn't keep this up forever. He needed more power.

And then—it happened.

He heard the notification he had been waiting for all this time.

[Ding! You have leveled up]

[Level 24 > Level 25]

[Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]

[Ding! You have met the requirements for evolution]

[Ding! Would you like to evolve to the E Rank?]

Kaden's eyes widened in shock as he heard the notifications chime in. It was a little different than what he had experienced before. When someone reached the threshold, they were given a special quest or set of requirements before they could evolve and get the quasi-core, but these notifications…

He chalked it up to his tiredness and he probably missed something. Maybe when he selected yes to the evolution question, he would receive his quest and requirements. 

He ducked a claw from a salamander as he stopped himself from getting distracted. There was plenty of time to deal with all of this later. For now, he had to take care of this beast horde and somehow survive.

Survive and everything else can wait. He answered the system 'yes' mentally and shifted his attention to the beasts in front of him. However, before he could whip the beast wanting to claw his eyes out, something blocked him.

"Hmmm?" Kaden froze for a moment before walls appeared all around him without any notice. In the blink of an eye, he was completely enclosed. He was trapped.