This whole thing is getting pretty weighty, Dominic thought to himself as he skimmed his status sheet, actually having to mentally scroll down to get to the bottom of it. He still remembered when it was only a few small sections, and fitted within the limits of his view. Perhaps I can adjust it in some way just to show the most recent changes? he wondered. Or at least minimise all the details. Maybe for next time.

Status of Dominic Martin Cole / Leo

Species: Lion (body) / human (mind), Two-Souled

Level: Evolved Beast Level 11 Tier 2 (Path of Evolution)

Progress to Evolution: 165/215 PP

Satiation level: 100%

Hydration level: 100%

Health Points: 423/500

Stamina Points: 151/170

Mana Points: 15/15

Quests: A Noble Endeavour; Regain what is Lost

Acquired Abilities:

Quick Strike (T0) level 2 (82% to level 3) – 3 SP for +25% speed; 6 SP for +40% speed

Second Wind (T1) level 1 (8% to level 2) – activatable when under 50% health or stamina. Gain 50% of your maximum health and/or stamina for the duration of the timer. Timer: 05:00. At the end of the timer, lose 50% of your max health and stamina.

Powerful Kick (44% to level 1)

Crushing Bite (30% to level 1)

Rage (24% to level 1)

Charge (3% to level 1)

Sharp Nip (50% to level 1)

Stunning Roar (19% to level 1)

Defensive abilities:

- Fur level 3 (12-16 Slicing damage reduction, 2-4 Piercing damage reduction, 6-8 Crushing damage reduction, 2-4 Tearing damage reduction)

- Skin level 3 (4-6 Slicing damage reduction, 2-4 Piercing damage reduction) Flexibility +2%

- Mane level 2 (4-6 Slicing damage reduction, 2-4 Crushing damage reduction, 2-4 Piercing damage reduction (attacks to the relevant area)) +20% charisma (for members of the same species)

Offensive abilities:

- Claws level 2 (12-22 Slicing damage, 12-16 Tearing damage, 6-10 Piercing damage)

- Bite level 2 (46-75 Crushing damage, 58-86 Tearing damage, 48-70 Piercing damage)

General abilities:

- Muscular Body level 5 (max speed 28mps; max speed duration 18s) (170 SP)

- Carnivore Constitution level 2 (500 HP) +40% health regeneration

- Brain level 1 (Cognition speed standard measurement 5)

- Mana heart level 1 (15 MP) - 75% penalty

- Soul level 1 (Resilience to mental attacks standard measurement 7) +2% mana regeneration (-80% reduction to mana regeneration)

- Bones level 1 (growth + 10%)

- Flesh level 1 (growth +10%) +5% resistance to basic magical attacks.

- Nervous System level 1 (reaction speed +10%)

Spells:

Lightning Discharge level 1 - 1:1 mana / unit of static electricity to damage ratio. Coat your weapons with electricity and discharge it into your opponent on contact. Electrical resistance is effective against this attack. Magical resistance is partially effective against this attack.

Equipment:

- Leather Gorget (T1) - +12 to Piercing/Tearing/Slicing damage reduction and +6 to Crushing damage reduction to attacks to the neck. 6m³ storage space (non-stasis)

- Tail Armour + Tail Morningstar (T1, Common) - Tail armour offers +20 to Tearing/Slicing damage reduction and +12 to Crushing and Piercing damage reduction to attacks to areas covered. Tail club offers +10-24 Crushing damage and +5-12 Piercing damage. (not equipped)

Overall, although he’d ended up getting the ability which required mana to use, he wasn’t upset about it – if he could deal with his mana issues it could work quite well for him. Assuming he met enough other beasts with Stunning Roar to actually earn it properly, of course. Perhaps I should dedicate my next enhancement to my Mana Heart; get a bit more mana to play with.

He considered the question for a moment. Or my Soul and improve my mana regeneration. If it turned out that being able to choose two enhancements wasn’t just a reward for reaching Tier 2, he might even consider doing both.

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For now, though, he was pleased with the progress he’d made towards both the new abilities. 19% was a big chunk for just one creature, and 50% was an excellent start to Sharp Nip’s progress. I just need to find more of those resorel things. Or draw them to me. Not to mention, of course, the fact that both his current abilities had made progress towards the next level, simply through using them.

As for his mane, it was interesting to see that it gave both defensive properties and also a percentage increase to his ‘charisma’. Does that mean attractiveness, or something? he wondered. Then he got a little worried; it said ‘for members of the same species’, not ‘for female members’. I don’t want to be attracting males! he found himself thinking.

I doubt that’s what it means, Leo rumbled in response. Allied males might help each other out if no females are receptive, but it’s not the ideal.

Wait, what? Dominic demanded, horror going through him at the thought. Leo ignored him, though, continuing to theorise.

I suspect that it might make alliances easier to form, or reduce challenges from other males: the darker our mane, the more powerful we appear. Deciding to push his concern out of his mind completely, to be dealt with never, Dominic forced himself to focus on what Leo had just said.

Do we want to form any alliances, though? Isn’t it better if we’re the only male in the pride? He had the sense of a shrug from Leo.

More males mean more territory that can be held. More territory potentially means more females. As long as the males recognise our authority over them, I see no issue with making an alliance.

Alright, I see your point, Dominic replied slowly. Then his thoughts were cut by a spine-chilling sound. A too-familiar rising whoop.

Quickly dismissing his status screen, he felt like cursing. Leo didn’t hold back, a wordless snarl ripping through Dominic’s mind.

We shouldn’t have stayed here so long, he said next.

No kidding, Dominic replied sarcastically, though he was kicking himself. He knew better than this! The fact that he’d been able to relax in the dungeon after finishing a fight was no excuse.

Blood and gore attracted scavengers; that was the whole strategy behind leaving the zebra carcass intact. Well, he might have cleared up all the bodies, but the blood and bodily fluids which had been spilled hadn’t so quickly disappeared. Unbothered by the smell as he was, Dominic should still have realised that it was like he’d continued sounding the dinner gong.

He was going to pay for that now; more scavengers had been attracted, and these weren’t going to be as easy as the resorels to combat.

Hyenas.

Looking around, Dominic realised that he was surrounded. There weren’t nearly as many hyenas as there had been resorels, but on the other hand, hyenas were significantly more of a threat than the small aliens had been.

Doing a quick headcount, he estimated that there were about ten hyenas he could see, and perhaps a few more hidden from view. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he also realised that at least a few of these guys were a higher level than the ones he’d fought before going into the dungeon.

Though, there was one thing that made Dominic feel slightly better: maybe a few of the hyenas had increased in level, but so had he. And he had significantly more health and stamina compared to then. Not to mention that his own attack power and defences had increased. Was that enough to combat at least ten hyenas, probably more like thirteen or fourteen?

What do you think, Leo, he asked uneasily, ceaselessly turning to make sure no hyenas were creeping up behind him to attack his back. Should we take the risk, or run now?

The lion seemed to feel as indecisive about it as he was.

I know not, he said finally. If this had been Before, I would have run. Defending a kill would not be worth the risk of being heavily injured, probably killed. Especially not against this many of them. Now…we do have the health potion if necessary.

We need to decide quickly or the hyenas will decide for us, Dominic warned him, seeing the scavengers creep closer. None had yet dared to lunge at him, but he knew it wouldn’t be long: he could hear the sounds of the hyenas egging each other on, grunts and giggles coming from all around him. I think we should at least give it a go. As well as the health potion, we’re not far from the next level; two or three hyenas should be enough Prey Points. If we can kill even that small number, we’ll be better off than if we run straight away.

Very well, Leo agreed a little reluctantly, just in time as the first hyena gained enough confidence to lunge at Dominic. It was a feint, but Dominic knew that the real attempts would follow.

Still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t show the hyenas why he wasn’t to be messed with.

When the next hyena feinted at him, Dominic lunged himself, activating Quick Strike to add extra speed to his strike. The hyena wasn’t fast enough to avoid his strike and he landed a nasty bite to its flank.

Dominic was rather heartened to see almost two-thirds of its health bar disappear in that single instant. It wasn’t one of the largest hyenas, but still, it gave him a little more hope that he might be able to come out of this without turning tail and running.

The injured hyena let out a pained yelp and a nervous giggle, beating its way back to the safety of numbers as quickly as its injured body could take it.

Dominic let it run, even though he could probably have lunged again and killed it – he didn’t want to risk exposing himself to an attack from its clanmates. If he had any hope of overcoming this many of the powerful African hunters, he was going to have to play it carefully.

His counter-attack seemed to have spooked the hyenas; the little feints they’d been making stopped and the group of hyenas as a whole backed off a couple of steps.

It wouldn’t last, he knew: already the hyenas were whooping to encourage each other. However, like with the trodils, it was a numbers game, and the more he could take down or incapacitate, the better.

He also couldn’t allow himself to get bogged down. Twenty meerkats setting their teeth in his flesh and clinging on hadn’t been enough to stop him moving, though they had slowed him down; a handful of hyenas would be a different story. Good thing I’ve invested in my speed and stamina, he thought wryly. Even better that tiering up had enhanced both of those more.

Staying here in the middle of the circle was not a good idea. The hyenas were used to that tactic, and there were only so many angles he could defend against. They were being tentative for now, but they’d soon be lunging three, four at a time. If his back was attacked at the same time as his front, he’d be at a disadvantage.

Time to change the game, he decided grimly.