Chapter 52: The Thrill of the Hunt

Joshua moved like a shadow, his steps silent against the forest floor. His breath was steady, controlled. Every muscle in his body coiled with anticipation as he stalked his prey through the dense undergrowth. The towering trees cast long, flickering shadows under the moonlight, their branches whispering as the wind slithered through them.

His enhanced vision locked onto the target—a grotesque sabertooth tiger, its body a mass of sinewy muscle, its fur shimmering like obsidian under the dim light. It was unlike any normal beast. This creature had three pairs of gleaming red eyes, each darting around as it stalked a wild boar-like creature with curved tusks. Its claws, long as daggers, dug into the soft earth as it prowled, oblivious to the hunter lurking nearby.

Joshua inhaled, slow and deep, channeling energy into his fingertip. A luminous needle of pure force began to form—compressed energy vibrating at a lethal frequency. He had done the calculations: at Mach 1.4, it would strike its target within a fraction of a second. A silent killer.

One shot. One kill.

He raised his hand, forming his fingers into the shape of a gun, thumb cocked back. His targeting was locked. The beast's skull—right between the uppermost pair of eyes.

Joshua whispered, "Bang."

There was no sound, no warning. The needle erupted from his fingertip, a streak of condensed death. In less than a blink, it punctured the creature's skull, its entire head snapping forward with a sickening crunch. The forest floor was suddenly showered with blood and brain matter, splattered against the nearby trees like grotesque art.

The sabertooth tiger's body convulsed, its powerful frame collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut. Its death was instant.

But in the chaos, the boar-like creature, its would-be prey, jerked in terror. With a sharp grunt, it bolted, its heavy hooves pounding against the earth. Its survival instincts kicked in, but it was already too late.

Joshua had anticipated this.

He adjusted his aim, tracking the fleeing beast. With a flick of his wrist, another needle shot forward. The force of the impact was so precise that it drove through the boar's shoulder, bursting out the other side in a fine mist of crimson. The creature howled in agony, its legs giving out beneath it as it collapsed into the underbrush, struggling helplessly.

Joshua lowered his hand, exhaling sharply.

The forest fell silent.

He strode forward, his boots crunching softly against fallen leaves and broken twigs. The stench of fresh blood filled the air as he approached the lifeless sabertooth tiger. He nudged the corpse with his foot, ensuring it was truly dead before crouching to examine it. Up close, he could see the unusual texture of its black fur, almost like shifting smoke, and the razor-sharp edges of its elongated fangs.

Strange. This isn't normal.

He turned his gaze toward the wounded boar. It struggled, its breathing ragged, trying to drag itself forward with its one functioning leg. Despite its agony, its small, beady eyes burned with desperation. A survivor's spirit.

Joshua watched it for a moment, then sighed. "You fought for your life, so I'll make this quick."

He raised his hand and fired one last needle, straight through its skull. The creature let out a final exhale before going limp.

The forest reclaimed its silence.

Joshua stood there, staring at the two lifeless bodies. He clenched his fists.

This isn't enough.

The battle from days before still burned in his memory. The funeral pyres, the faces twisted in grief, the weight of the lives lost. He needed more than just training—he needed to be stronger. Faster. Deadlier.

A rustle in the trees pulled him from his thoughts.

Joshua's senses flared. He pivoted on instinct, raising his shield just as something massive lunged at him from the shadows.

Shit.

Claws scraped against the reinforced steel of his shield, sending sparks into the air. The impact rattled his bones, nearly knocking the shield from his grip. Whatever had attacked him was heavy, its strength monstrous. Joshua gritted his teeth, bracing his stance and pushing back with all his might.

The creature landed a few meters away, its form slinking into the dim moonlight. A mutated panther-like beast, its body unnaturally elongated, its muscles coiling like thick ropes beneath its obsidian-black fur. Its emerald eyes gleamed with malice. This wasn't just a mindless predator acting on instinct—it had been watching. Waiting. And now, with the scent of fresh blood in the air, it had chosen its moment to strike.

Joshua's pulse quickened. This was no ordinary fight. This was a battle for survival.

---

Still rattled from the sudden attack, Joshua clenched his jaw. Careless. Too careless. He had been so focused on his previous kill that he had let his guard down. A mistake like that in real combat meant death. He needed to be better. Stronger. Smarter.

He rolled his shoulder, wincing slightly at the lingering sting. The force of the panther's attack had nearly dislocated it. He couldn't afford another direct hit like that. His eyes locked onto the beast as it prowled in a slow, deliberate circle around him, muscles tensed, testing the waters, waiting for a gap in his defense.

Joshua inhaled sharply and gathered energy. Numbers and calculations flashed in his mind—trajectory, force, power distribution. His core flared to life as he performed the necessary computations. Then, with a sharp breath, he reinforced his round shield with three layers of defensive energy, fortifying its durability.

Come on then. Let's see what you've got.

The panther let out a guttural snarl, its lips pulling back to reveal elongated fangs dripping with saliva. It feinted left—Joshua didn't fall for it. He tracked the beast's every movement, heart hammering. Then, it struck.

A blur of black fur shot toward him, its speed almost inhuman. Joshua barely managed to raise his shield before impact. BANG! The collision reverberated through his entire arm, forcing him back several steps. The creature was testing him, analyzing his reactions, probing his weaknesses.

Joshua narrowed his eyes. Enough games.

He flicked his fingers. Energy crackled, forming into needle-thin projectiles that hovered around him.

Then, he fired.

The creature barely had enough time to react as it got peppered by needle shots.

For a moment, the panther remained standing, its glowing emerald eyes flickering. Then, its body collapsed in a heap, the light fading into the darkness of the night.

Joshua exhaled heavily, his body trembling from exertion. He had won. But he wasn't satisfied.

He wiped the blood from his nose, glaring at the corpse.

He needed to be stronger.

Much, much stronger.