Chapter 15: The Hunt Begins (Part 3)

Kael crouched behind the thick trunk of an ancient tree, his sharp gaze locked onto the creatures lurking in the dense undergrowth ahead. With a thought, he activated Inspect.

[Jungle Stalker – Level 3]

[Jungle Stalker – Level 2]

[Jungle Stalker – Level 3]

A tense silence stretched between them.

Then—twang.

Garve loosed an arrow. It cut through the air, a deadly whisper in the jungle's hush, and struck the leading Jungle Stalker right in the skull. The beast let out a strangled screech, its body convulsing before it collapsed, twitching in the dirt.

Kael didn't waste a second.

He burst from his hiding spot, daggers gleaming as he lunged toward the next Jungle Stalker. The creature hissed and kicked off the ground, its powerful limbs twisting mid-air as it prepared to counterattack.

But Kael was faster.

Quick Step.

In a blink, he was behind it. His dagger arced downward in a vicious thrust—

Backstab.

The instant his blade connected, the skill activated. A sudden burst of force ruptured the back of the creature's skull, splattering the jungle floor with dark ichor.

The last Jungle Stalker barely had time to react before Alysha raised a hand. A bolt of shimmering mana crackled to life and shot forward, slamming into the beast's flank. It stumbled, claws scraping against the earth—

Norvyn seized the moment. In a blur, he surged forward, his blade cutting a clean arc through the creature's exposed throat. A spray of blood. A final, choked breath. Then silence.

You have slain [Jungle Stalker – Level 3]!

Experience Points Gained.

40 Survival Points Acquired.

You have slain [Jungle Stalker – Level 2]!

Experience Points Gained.

30 Survival Points Acquired.

You have…

Kael ignored the flood of notifications. Not enough to level up. Not worth his attention.

A moment passed as the group caught their breath, the weight of the battle settling over them.

Norvyn glanced down at his remaining arm, a crooked smile playing on his lips. "That… went surprisingly well."

Kael wiped his blade on a broad jungle leaf before sheathing it. "Good work. Let's keep moving."

The others exchanged glances before trailing after him, their minds swirling with unspoken thoughts.

Their path wound deeper into the jungle, the thick canopy swallowing what little sunlight remained. And then—Kael stopped short.

Something massive shifted ahead.

A sinuous shape slithered into view, its scales a deep, dark green, blending seamlessly with the foliage. It uncoiled, revealing a body easily twenty-five to thirty feet long, its slit-pupiled eyes locking onto them with predatory intent.

[Vypescale – Level 4]

The air grew heavy.

Then, without warning—it struck.

Kael barely had time to react. He threw himself sideways as the serpent lunged, its enormous fangs snapping shut just inches from where he had stood. If he'd been a moment slower, he would've been torn apart.

"Same plan as before!" he yelled as he rolled to his feet. "Garve, Alysha—attack from range! Norvyn, strike when you get an opening!"

The jungle erupted into chaos.

The Vypescale lunged after Kael, its enormous body weaving between the trees as it pursued him relentlessly. But Kael was faster. He twisted and darted through the undergrowth, using the dense foliage to stay one step ahead.

At level zero, this would've been suicide. But now, at level two, he moved with the agility of a peak athlete.

Garve's arrows whistled through the air, finding their mark between the serpent's scales. Alysha's mana bolts crackled against its body, leaving scorched welts in their wake. Meanwhile, Norvyn darted in and out of the battle, his blade flashing as he carved deep wounds into the beast's flanks.

The Vypescale hissed in frustration. It couldn't catch Kael.

And the moment it turned its attention elsewhere—

Kael struck.

He launched himself from the side, dagger poised, aiming for the vital spot in its head.

Backstab.

The blade pierced through flesh and scale, sinking deep, but the Vypescale was far from dead. It twisted in agony, its massive head whipping around—

Kael was still mid-air.

The serpent snapped at him with fangs the size of daggers, its jaws closing in a blur of motion—

Kael parried.

Steel met fang with a sharp clang as he twisted his body mid-air, using the force of the impact to launch himself backward. His boots found purchase against the bark of a tree.

Muscles coiled.

Then—he kicked off with explosive force, rocketing toward the Vypescale once more.

Dagger raised.

A single, precise strike.

Backstab.

The tip of his blade punched into the center of the serpent's skull. The skill activated, and in an instant—

Boom.

Brain matter burst from the wound as the Vypescale shuddered violently. Its massive body convulsed, its tail thrashing through the undergrowth, before it collapsed in a lifeless heap.

You have slain [Vypescale – Level 4]!

Experience Points Gained.

240 Survival Points Acquired.

Kael pulled his dagger free, wiping the blood from his arm as he stepped off the serpent's cooling corpse.

There was silence.

When he turned back, the others were staring at him, wide-eyed, their expressions frozen somewhere between awe and disbelief.

Yeah. He'd expected that.

Still, he played it off, sliding his dagger back into its sheath as he walked toward them. "Good job. Let's take a break."

"…Yeah."

The group moved a short distance away, settling against the roots of an old tree. They drank from their makeshift pouches, letting the tension drain from their limbs.

But even as they rested, Kael could feel their eyes on him.

Then—finally, Garve broke the silence.

"Kael… are you even human?"

Kael scoffed. "Last time I checked, yeah."

Norvyn let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Right. You must've worked as a special forces agent or something."

Alysha, quiet until now, studied him carefully. "What kind of life did you live before this?"

Kael hesitated, his expression unreadable. There was no way he was telling them the truth—no way he'd admit that this was his second time climbing the tower.

Instead, he gave them a simple, dismissive answer.

"I was an office worker. Just a simple office worker."

They didn't buy it. But they didn't press him further.