He moved onwards, guided by the map. His body felt renewed. He kept his guard high, the red moon was his only source of light.
It wasn't long before the air shifted.
A sound echoed from the broken trees ahead. Not the guttural growls of hell cats, but something sharper. Quicker. Intelligent.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw movement -- a lean figure darting between jagged stones. Another shadow slipped above him, scaling the fractured cliffs with frightening agility.
Then they appeared.
Two beasts dropped into the clearing. They were not cats. These looked monkeys, their bodies lean and wiry, arms longer than their legs. Their fur was dark grey, almost black, but their eyes -- Dream noticed -- were not crimson like the beast he had seen earlier. Instead, they gleaned with a pale calculating yellow.
And worse --- they didn't charge immediately. They circled. Studied him.
The system's voice return, this time with a warning tone.
[ Warning: intelligent predators detected. They are not fully corrupted by the void]
[Be advised: such beats posses higher coordination, speed, and tactical awareness]
"Not fully corrupted?... you mean those hell cat with crimson eyes are corrupted beast"
[Yes, beast with crimson eyes have given in to the void]
"I see... so unlike those one's that charge in blindly, these one's can think?"
[ Affirmative]
The realization made sweat crawl down his back. These weren't mindless animals-- they could plan.
The first lunged. Dream swung desperately, steel chasing against claws. The impact rattled his arms, but he managed to shove it back. Inspite their slim build they were just as strong as the hell cat, maybe even stronger. The second was already behind him, claws slashing at his back.
Dream twisted, the boast in agility from his new clothes saving him. The claw barely grazed him, tearing through fabric instead of flesh.
"Damn it!" He hissed
They moved fast, too fast. Their coordination was terrifying -- one attacking from the front, the other immediately exploiting his blind spots.
The first beast lunged again, but Dream feinted left, letting it overshoot. In that brief window, he spun and drove his blade into its chest. The beast screeched, yellow eyes dimming before collapsing in a heap.
A familiar chime followed.
[Congratulations: Host has killed a predator]
[+900XP acquired]
[XP: 1,000/500]
[Level up!]
[+1 to all stats]
[XP: 500/ 700]
Dream staggered backwards, stunned at the huge XP. His bruise slowly began to fade. The thought had barely processed in his head when another screech cut through the air. His instincts screamed to move, and he did.
Another predator pounced. Dream rolling aside, dodged the attack, but he froze as new shadows appeared around him.
One. Two. Three.... Five more predators emerged from the the rocks crawling like hunters surrounding prey.
Their yellow eyes gleaned in the darkness, filled with hung and intelligence.
Dream's heart thudded. "... this is bad"
The system voice was mercilessly calm.
[ Special Quest Assigned]
[ Objective: survive and eliminate the predator pack]
[ Total remaining beast: 6]
[ Reward: Large XP boost + unknown item]
Dream's grip on his sword tightened. He had no choice now. Not like he ever did.
The first of the new beasts lunged, claws flashing. Dream parried, sparks scattering in the void's gloom. Another swiped from the side-- he ducked barely in time, the claw slicing air above his head.
"System!..." he shouted, slowly getting frustrated. "Put 2 points in agility, 2 in strength, and 1 in mind" there speed was overwhelming. He knew he needed to move faster to dodge, but also need strength to withstand their attacks and seeing that his facing multiple enemies his perception was just as important.
Their coordination was unrelenting. But Dream wasn't backing down, he had decided to fight with everything he got not wanting to quit or coward away.
His blade moved with sharper precision now. His body, though getting tired, carried strength he didn't have before. His determination burning in his eyes.
" It kill or be killed right!? That's how this works, right!?" He shouted as if trying to boost his own morale, forcing courage into his previously trembling chest. "I won't give up, I won't crawl away, if survival demands this ... then come, All of you!!"
He roared, slashing upwards as one predator lunged the blade but into its flesh, blood spraying as if howled in rage.
The others surged forward.
And the void shook with the sound of battle.