Beast Hunt

The screech echoed again, sharper this time, and Alexander felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He didn't need to see the creature to know it was close. His instincts screamed at him to move—fast.

He didn't look back as he sprinted toward the ruins, his breath ragged in his chest. The ground beneath his feet felt uneven, but he kept pushing forward, the sound of rapid footsteps behind him growing louder. Whatever was hunting him was fast, too fast. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to catch a glimpse of the creature—a massive, insect-like beast, its many legs churning through the cracked earth. Its body was segmented, and its gleaming black exoskeleton reflected the blood-red sky. The creature's jaws snapped open with a chilling click, revealing rows of sharp, jagged teeth.

"Faster," Alexander muttered under his breath, willing his legs to move faster. He was almost to the ruins—almost there.

His heart pounded in his chest, but his focus remained sharp. The structures ahead of him were old, their stone walls crumbling, but they offered the only shelter in sight. He leaped over a pile of rubble and ducked into a narrow gap between two fallen columns, barely managing to avoid the beast's snapping jaws. The creature skidded to a halt in front of the ruins, its head darting around, searching for its prey.

Alexander pressed himself against the stone, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He held his sword tightly, trying to steady himself. The creature prowled in the open, its black eyes glinting with hunger, but it couldn't find him—yet.

The man appeared beside him, his movements silent, as if he had materialized from thin air. His eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, and his expression was unreadable as he observed the beast.

"Stay still," the man whispered. "It's blind to your scent for now. But it won't be for long."

Alexander's eyes widened. "You knew this would happen?"

The man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he slowly crouched down and began to inspect the rubble around them. "The system will send creatures after you during the trials. You can't fight all of them head-on. Some you can avoid. Others, you need to outsmart."

The creature made another screeching sound, its legs scraping against the stone as it continued to search. Alexander's heartbeat was deafening in his ears. He had to think. He had to do something.

"How do I outsmart it?" Alexander asked, his voice barely a whisper.

The man's eyes flickered to the creature. "Use the environment. If you can't defeat it, force it to fight something else. Look around. There's a reason this place is full of ruins."

Alexander's gaze darted across the ruins. The stone pillars and broken walls were scattered haphazardly, but the ground was littered with strange, sharp rocks that jutted out of the earth at odd angles. His mind clicked into place—he needed to use the terrain to his advantage.

The man raised a hand, as if sensing Alexander's thoughts. "I can't help you. You have to figure this out on your own."

"Great," Alexander muttered, but he didn't have time to argue. He needed to act, and fast.

He looked back at the creature, its legs twitching as it skittered closer. It was almost directly in front of him. He glanced at the nearby ruins and saw a large piece of stone precariously balanced on a narrow ledge above the creature. A quick plan formed in his mind.

With his sword still in hand, he carefully approached the ledge. Every movement had to be precise. The last thing he needed was to make a sound that would alert the creature. He reached up, his fingers brushing against the stone, and with a grunt, he pushed.

The stone shifted slightly, and the beast's attention snapped toward the noise. It screeched, its legs moving faster as it advanced. But the stone, now dislodged, began to fall.

The creature reacted too late. The stone crashed down directly onto its back with a bone-shaking thud. The insect-like beast let out an agonized screech, its body writhing beneath the weight. For a moment, the creature was stunned, its movements slow and disoriented.

Now was his chance.

Without hesitation, Alexander darted from his hiding place and ran toward the creature's rear. He swung his sword with all his strength, aiming for the beast's underbelly. The blade sliced through its thick, chitinous armor with a sickening crunch. The creature let out a final screech before collapsing to the ground, twitching in its death throes.

For a few moments, Alexander stood frozen, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he watched the beast's body twitch and shudder. The battle was over. He had survived.

The system's voice rang out, echoing in his mind.

Trial 1: Survival of the Fittest - Completion

• You have completed the first trial.

• Survival reward: 500 experience points.

• New objective: Proceed to the next trial.

Alexander blinked, trying to process the information. He had done it. He had survived.

The man, still silent, stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Well done," he said simply, though there was no warmth in his words. "But don't get comfortable. The next trial will be harder."

Alexander wiped the sweat from his brow, looking at the remains of the creature. "I didn't think it would be this brutal."

"It's not meant to be easy," the man replied, his voice calm. "This world isn't kind to those who hesitate. But you've passed the first test. The rest will be waiting for you."

Alexander nodded, his heart still pounding from the adrenaline. "What happens now?"

"Now," the man said, turning toward the distant horizon, "we move on. The next trial is close."

And with that, they began to walk toward the unknown.