The Greater Hollowbeast towered over the spring like a living cliff, its jagged stone-plated back scraping against the trees. Thick, ragged breaths rattled out of its gaping maw, each exhale reeking of rot and old kills.
Corin froze. His knees buckled.
Luice didn't spare him a glance. Fear was useless weight.
"Corin," he said quietly, "circle left. Stay low. If it chases you—run toward the Ridge Marker."
Corin's voice cracked. "Wh-What if it catches me!?"
"Then don't get caught."
Blunt. Cold. Honest.
Corin swallowed and obeyed, disappearing into the underbrush with trembling steps.
Luice tightened his grip on the vine rope, eyes fixed on the beast. He measured every breath it took, every twitch in its hind legs, every moment of imbalance.
This wasn't a duel.
This was a hunt, and he wasn't the prey.
---
THE BAIT AND REACTION
Luice flicked a chunk of dried meat toward the Hollowbeast. It smacked against its snout, the scent snapping the creature's attention toward him.
The beast's hollow eyes blazed with sudden fury.
Good.
It lunged.
A massive bulk of claws, plates, and teeth came crashing forward like a boulder. Luice didn't run head-on—he stepped aside at the last possible moment, timing it with inhuman precision.
The beast's claw grazed the ground where he'd been standing a heartbeat ago.
Corin screamed from the bushes.
The Hollowbeast heard it.
And turned.
"Run!" Luice barked.
Corin bolted through the trees, the monster's roar shaking the forest as it charged after him.
Not good—
Perfect.
This was the plan.
---
THE RIDGE TRAP
Corin sprinted toward the High Ridge Marker—a location Luice had meticulously scouted earlier. Loose soil. Narrow footing. A slight decline that forced momentum.
"CORIN, JUMP!" Luice yelled.
Corin flung himself sideways just as the Hollowbeast barreled forward.
Its immense weight hit the ridge slope—
The ground collapsed beneath it.
The beast tumbled, losing balance as it slid down the narrow embankment, claws scrambling against the unstable stone and dirt.
Luice darted behind it, planting the motion mushrooms along the creature's escape path.
The mushrooms ignited in pale blue light, momentarily disorienting the Hollowbeast.
It thrashed violently, smashing trees and soil, trying to regain its footing.
Not enough.
Luice whipped the vine rope around a protruding rock spike above the ridge. He looped the other end around a heavy branch and jammed it into the ground, creating a crude but strong pulley system.
The beast pushed upward—
Exactly what he needed.
Luice yanked the rope with all his weight, forcing the rock spike to collapse on the beast's hind leg.
A crunch echoed through the forest.
The Hollowbeast roared in agony, trapped.
Corin stared in disbelief. "You… you actually caught it!"
"No," Luice said. "I slowed it. That's all."
---
THE CRITICAL STRIKE
A trapped beast was still a threat. The Hollowbeast swung wildly, claws carving through the air with terrifying force.
Luice approached it slowly, stone shard in hand—not to kill.
To provoke.
He jabbed the shard into its plating, not deep, just enough to get its attention.
The Hollowbeast lurched, teeth snapping for his throat.
Luice stepped back, cold and controlled.
The beast overextended—its entire weight shifted forward. The ridge soil under its forelegs gave way again.
That was the moment.
Luice jumped onto its back.
Corin let out a strangled gasp. "LUICE—!?"
Luice ignored him, gripping the stone shard tightly as he jammed it between the plates—the only weak point.
A surge of mana burst outward. The Hollowbeast howled, bucking violently, but the plates around the shard snapped inward from the force.
A biological fail-safe.
The creature collapsed.
Not dead.
Beaten.
Subdued.
Exactly what the mission demanded.
---
ROYAL PASS ACTIVATION
DING!
[Royal Pass — Tier 4 Mission Complete]
Objective: Secure or Control the Water Source
Bonus Objective Achieved: Hollowbeast Neutralized
Rewards Unlocked:
Starter Combat Ability: Adaptive Instinct (Tier 1)
Skill Modifier: Enemy Pressure Sense
Item Drop: Hollowbeast Core (Low Grade)
Corin stared at the glowing interface like a divine miracle had just appeared.
Luice exhaled slowly. Finally.
The first combat skill.
---
THE NEW ABILITY
The moment he accepted the reward, a cold wave surged through Luice's limbs. His senses sharpened. Every heartbeat, every vibration, every hostile shift in the environment became clearer.
Adaptive Instinct (Tier 1):
A passive combat ability that increases reaction speed, prediction sense, and short-term intuition when facing danger.
Not flashy.
Not explosive.
Not brute force.
But extremely efficient.
Perfect for him.
Luice stepped off the beast calmly. "We're done here."
Corin slowly approached the subdued monster. "You… you beat a class C monster… at 15… with rope and a stone."
Luice didn't bother looking at him. "And strategy."
Corin stared. "Luice… what are you?"
Luice didn't answer.
Instead, he picked up the Hollowbeast Core and slid it into his pouch.
"Let's go. We've claimed the spring. Next, we make sure nothing else takes it from us."
His eyes were razor-sharp.
"And tomorrow… we begin hunting the Wardens."