A rat or?

Kaden lunged.

The hawk dived again, talons outstretched. Closer. Closer.

Kaden threw himself forward, twisting his body to fit. His wiry tail barely slipped inside when—

THUNK.

The hawk's talons slammed into the dirt, sending up a cloud of dust, just inches from where he had disappeared.

Kaden held his breath. His small body trembled, muscles twitching as he forced himself to stay still.

The hawk flapped its wings, letting out another frustrated cry. It pecked at the ground, clawing at the dirt, but the entrance was too tight for it to reach. After a few moments, it gave up, launching itself back into the sky.

Kaden exhaled shakily.

That was way too close.

His claws scraped against the damp earth as he adjusted himself, taking a moment to process what just happened. No mana. No combat skills. Just pure instinct and speed.

His Bestial Shift form wasn't just a smaller version of himself—it was a full transformation. His magic was sealed while shifted, but in return, he had gained heightened reflexes, faster movement, and sharper senses.

It wasn't the power boost he had hoped for. But it was an escape tool.

And if I can unlock more forms…

Kaden's beady eyes narrowed. He had to experiment with this. Learn its limits. If he could unlock stronger creatures, maybe even ones with natural magic, this ability could become terrifyingly useful.

More importantly, since all of his magic was sealed and he was practically a rat for all purposes, didn't that mean he could now freely spy on that egg sac without giving himself away?

Kaden's whiskers twitched as the thought settled in his mind.

Could this actually work?

His new form had nearly gotten him killed, sure, but it had also given him an opportunity. If he couldn't use magic, then he wouldn't radiate any mana signature. As far as the world was concerned, he was nothing more than a regular rat.

The idea was reckless. Insane. But it also might be his best shot at getting answers.

Kaden took a deep breath—or at least, the rat version of one.

His small claws flexed against the dirt as he shuffled forward in the burrow. The hawk was gone. The forest above was still and quiet again. He needed to move now, before something else came along looking for a snack.

He carefully crawled out of the hole, his small frame making no noise as he scurried toward the treeline. His enhanced senses picked up every shift in the wind, every rustle of leaves, every scent of damp earth and decay.

The last time he was near the egg sac, he had been a target. Now? Now he was just another rat.

At least, that was the plan.

Kaden shifted again to his human form and one more time a wave of excruciating pain assaulted him.

He clenched his teeth as the agony ripped through his body. It was worse than the first transformation. Much worse. His bones stretched, snapped, and reformed. His muscles contorted, growing back to their human proportions. His organs twisted, reshaping themselves in an instant.

It felt like being torn apart and rebuilt all at once.

He staggered forward the moment his human form solidified, his breath ragged, hands gripping the damp forest floor to steady himself. His head spun. His entire body ached, his nerves still tingling with residual pain.

Holy shit.

He hadn't expected the shift back to be just as brutal. If this was what every transformation felt like, then using Bestial Shift recklessly would be a death sentence in prolonged battles.

His vision swam for a moment before settling. His body was back to its full, muscular form, his human hands gripping the earth instead of tiny paws. His breathing evened out. He ran a quick mental check—everything was in place.

The skill took one fourth of his mana but that shouldn't be a problem as he leveled up and improved his already amazing mana pool. If it was anyone else the mana would have been completely drained but he was only losing one fourth which was big deal in itself.

Other than that, everything else seemed good so far. He should be able to use the skill and go in and out without anything noticing him.

As Kaden started racing back to the same old forest, his mind went over all the scenarios and he couldn't think of the obvious big gaping hole in his plan staring right at his face.

A rat? Really?

Of all the creatures he could have used for reconnaissance, a rat was far from ideal. Sure, it was small, inconspicuous, and could navigate tight spaces. But it was also prey to nearly everything with teeth and claws—including whatever was guarding that egg sac.

If there was even a single creature with heightened predatory instincts in that area, it would sniff him out instantly. And there were fucking green pit snakes everywhere in that area.

Dammit. He needed to rethink things. He needed a new form, a better one for reconnaissance and escape. His thoughts were interrupted by a screeching sound and Kaden's gaze darted to the sky above. His lips immediately curled into a grin. He knew what he had to do.