Kael trekked through unfamiliar terrain, the wind carrying the scent of woodsmoke. He paused, narrowed his eyes, and spotted a plume of smoke curling above the horizon.
Curious and cautious, he moved toward it, climbing the ridge that obscured the source. As he crested the hill, he froze.
A village.
Small wooden homes clustered near a riverbank, ringed by farmland and sparse forest. People scrambled in panic, screams echoing up the slope.
And there, in the center of the chaos, was a beast he recognized.
The same monstrous wolf-creature that had nearly killed him days ago. Its black and grey striped fur bristled as it tore through the village, jaws snapping and claws slashing.
But this time, Kael wasn't running.
He drew in a breath, activating Omni-Vision. The familiar strain hit him, but he pushed through, focusing on the beast.
He needed time—time to set up the infinite loop. Reaching terminal velocity would take close to fifteen seconds. Too long to leave the creature unchecked.
He picked up two stones and teleported both into the beast's open mouth, lodging one against the back of its throat.
The monster reeled back, snarling, coughing.
Kael threw a third stone into a vertical loop above the beast. It began accelerating.
He dodged debris and panicked villagers, keeping his eyes on the loop and the monster.
The creature howled, then charged at him.
Kael didn't flinch.
The stone dropped like judgment from the sky.
It struck the beast's spine with a sickening crunch, halting it mid-lunge. The monster collapsed, twitching once before going still.
Kael breathed hard, the adrenaline fading slowly.
The villagers stared in stunned silence. Some wept. Others clung to one another. No one approached him.
He didn't blame them.
His system pinged.
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[Level: 25]
Stat Points Gained: 45
---
Kael turned from the wreckage and looked toward the forest.
He killed the beast that nearly ended him.
And now, he was ready for more.