CHAPTER 47: GORY HUNTING

If nothing else, this creature was a marvel of explosive agility and raw power. And as Alexander steadied himself, he was certain of one thing: no matter how swift or fierce its attacks, its defenses were surprisingly weak. He could kill it.

Alexander did not need to see its glowing eyes and tensed muscles to know what was coming. He hastily put his axe in front of him at a flat angle.

Boom.

Just as he did so, he felt the force of a truck crash into his arms. Alexander felt like letting go of the axe, but even though he did not feel his hand for a moment or two, he tried his best to hold on to his axe with both hands as he was sent flying.

Fortunately, he had foreseen this moment, his senses sharp and alert. As the chaos erupted, he instinctively pivoted, angling his body just right in the nick of time, narrowly avoiding the trees that threatened to snatch him as he was sent flying.

Just as the force began to ebb and his speed waned, he twisted his grip on the axe. With a savage swing, the blade tore into the bark of a nearby tree, the impact reverberating through his arms as he came to an abrupt, jarring halt.

But it was Alexander’s body that reacted before his mind. In a heartbeat, he ripped the axe free and hurled himself downward. The air whistled above him as the spot he’d occupied just seconds before erupted into a storm of splinters.

Looking up, he saw the creature looming above, with a jagged trail of shattered treetops marking its path to him. In that instant, he realized he had severely underestimated it.

Just as his feet hit the ground, Alexander sidestepped, poised for the creature’s assault. As it lunged, he swung his axe toward its head with deadly intent. But midway through the strike, instinct kicked in; he ducked just in time to evade the beast’s slashing claws. It seems it was learning from its mistakes with each encounter. Which was of cure not a good news for Alexander.

Even though his swing was interrupted and derailed, the blade connected with the creature’s head, striking just above its eyes. Though not at full power, the axe bit deep into its skull, eliciting a chilling howl as warm blood splattered across.

Alexander didn’t hesitate; he quickly backed off, a wise decision as the creature unleashed its fury. The panther, driven wild by pain, lunged forward with a feral snarl, swiping at anything within reach. Its powerful limbs crashed into the surroundings, sending splinters flying from nearby trees and kicking up a swirling cloud of dust and debris that hung in the air, thickening the tension like a shroud of chaos. The raw energy of its rage filled the clearing, an unsettling reminder of the primal force he was up against.

Alexander gulped, his breath catching as the eerie rumble continued for several moments. Then, without warning, it stopped. The surrounding silence was sudden and unnerving. Alexander tensed, muscles coiled like a drawn bowstring, instincts sharp. Once again, his caution proved not just good—but crucial.

One moment, Alexander saw something shoot out of the smoke. In the next instant, the tree behind him exploded into a shower of splinters.

Alexander’s aching muscles tensed, ready for another leap, but it never came. A gust of wind swept through, clearing the dust. What he saw was kind of thought-provoking, as the creature stood there panting, as if it had just run a marathon. Much time was not provided for that thought to be provoked.. It lunged again. Alexander, pivoting swiftly on his heels, twisted his upper body just in time, narrowly avoiding the strike.

The cat was as fast and explosive as ever, yet, unlike before, it didn’t immediately pounce at him. Relatively speaking, of course—it was still lightning quick. But Alexander's mind was laser-focused on the moment, fully aware of what this behavior signified.

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Undoubtedly, the creature exuded power, its speed and firepower far surpassing what its size would suggest. Yet, it appeared to be not quite itself, as if it were burning itself from within. For a moment there Alexander thought he was screwed taking on something he never in a million year should have. As he quite latterly did not had any idea how deep in forest he was and what level of beast he was actually up against. in any case what ever it was doing it did not seemed to be a sustainable thing.

Yet it seemed he remained within a manageable range—at least, well at least that’s what he wanted to believe. As for his plan, it was undeniably obvious. He would tire the damn thing out.

But there was one tiny, tiny problem: it was easier said than done—far easier said than done. For the next fifteen minutes, Alexander jumped, bobbed, dodged, and rolled for his life. Even with his heightened reflexes, the challenge proved to be more than a little difficult. Especially when the creature didn’t follow any predictable pattern; sometimes it surged forward with blinding speed, while other times it moved sluggishly. It had no courtesy to maintain any consistency, which earned Alexander quite a few scars.

While others might call them wounds, to Alexander, they were scars—marks of survival. Wounds would slow him down, but scars wouldn’t. So it was scars to him.

But everything shifted in the final moment. The creature surged forward, its movements almost frenzied, each strike packed not just with raw force but also unnervingly precise accuracy. Alexander narrowly evaded a few lethal blows, the air whooshing past him as he ducked and weaved. Just as he began to contemplate fleeing into the safety of the shadows, the beast let out a thunderous roar, its massive form collapsing with a bone-rattling thud. In that fleeting moment of stillness, Alexander's adrenaline surged; he charged toward the fallen monstrosity, weapon raised high, and aimed for the soft, vulnerable glabella that was his only chance to finish the fight.

The agonizing pain made the creature thrash wildly, it’s flailing limbs a blur of chaos. In that brief moment of carelessness, Alexander was struck and sent soaring through the air, his trajectory only coming to an abrupt halt as he collided hard with a nearby tree.

Pain surged through Alexander’s body, a relentless wave that threatened to overwhelm him. Every inch of him screamed in protest, but he pushed the agony aside, focusing solely on the task at hand. He needed to slay this beast, and now was the perfect moment to strike.

Dislodging himself from the sturdy tree, Alexander lunged forward, his axe raised high in a powerful overhead swing. With fierce determination, he descended upon the sprawled beast, his strikes fueled by a relentless ferocity. The axe came down at the same spot where his last cut had ended, biting deep into the sinewy flesh of the creature’s shoulder. The thick neck was not untouched, but the axe didn’t sink as deep as he had wanted.

Alexander struck again—another swing, then another, each blow ringing out with a brutal intensity. Some landed true, sinking into the flesh with satisfying force, while others missed their mark entirely. He couldn’t deny the truth: his body was nearing its limits, fatigue creeping in as he fought against the overwhelming weight of exhaustion. Resulting in subpar forces behind the attacks.

With each strike, the panther's body tensed, yet it lacked the strength to thrash about, as if it had expended the last of its reserves. Alexander felt the weight of its desperation; the creature was fighting against an inevitable end. When he finally attempted to sever its spinal cord, he encountered fierce resistance, and at that point, the panther couldn’t even muster a whimper. Truthfully, it was a miracle that it clung to life, continuing to endure the agony of its injuries, refusing to succumb to the darkness that beckoned. Just prolonging the suffering.

[You have killed a mutated Asronum. 2500 EXP earned.]

[You have leveled up!]

[You have leveled up!]

Drenched in viscous crimson, Alexander emerged from the now-lifeless body of the panther. There was one notable aspect about this particular creature: it had far too much blood.

In any case, the two back-to-back level-ups were surprising but not entirely shocking. After all, he had been fighting for what felt like an eternity, though he had long since lost track of time. Heck, he wasn’t even sure how deep into the forest he truly was. The only indicators of his battles and their toll on him were the aches in his body and the relentless drive pushing him forward.

In the fight, he did not notice much, or rather he just ignored it, but his body was banged up. Even when he fought with the dogs or escaped from the two c grade beasts, his condition was not that bad. His body all over was aching like crazy. It was as if his body was rusted all over. Not only the pain and constant throbbing, but he almost felt like each of his limbs weighed a ton.

To be honest, Alexander felt a mix of shock and a burgeoning pride; he had never pushed himself this far before. Yet, as quickly as those feelings blossomed, they were drowned out by a wave of dread, the thoughts he suppressed circling back to him. What had he done?

He tried his best to suppress the intrusive thoughts as they emerged, but it proved to be a futile effort. Even as he attempted to actively focus on the throbbing pain coursing through his body, it provided little comfort—if comfort was even the right word for it.

Seemingly unable to stop, Alexander shifted his focus, attempting to guide the lumps toward the Maridian. He concentrated fiercely on both the agonizing pain coursing through his body and the intricate task at hand. In the chaos, he suddenly felt himself topple backward, landing in the exapning pool of blood with a sickening splash.

He had been barely standing moments before, but now, as he actively juggled multiple thoughts, his balance crumbled. Not to mention, his mental stability and capabilities were rapidly nearing their breaking point.

It didn’t take long to guide the lumps to the Maridian or did it? Alexander honestly couldn’t tell. All he felt was a surge of power mingling with an overwhelming exhaustion that threatened to pull him into darkness.

But his mind betrayed him, thoughts crawling back like shadows in the night. Alexander needed to kill, he needed to kill something quick.

And fortunately for him he soon found a solution.