Almost instantaneously, my perception of time slows around me, as I feel threatened by the situation. Giving me some time to think.

How did I get to this point?

How could this Panther have anticipated that I would go to this exact area?

But then I realize they didn’t have to expect that I would come here.

This same Panther has been living here for years upon years by themselves. Since they obviously have at least human level intelligence, it’s entirely plausible that they would have set traps to protect themselves against foes that would be of a higher strength than them.

This part of the jungle, is only the beginning area. The areas deeper into the jungle, have even more powerful creatures lying within. And creatures migrate out and into it all the time.

Like it’s always been the case with nature, both on earth and here, weaker creatures need to come up with way to defend themselves against or deter stronger ones.

I’ve gotten so used to the idea of creatures using Qi and cultivation or, on the opposite side, natural qualities, that I didn’t consider an engineered trap.

I can feel my mind focus in.

I need an escape route. Through the trees isn’t an option, because they’re just too thick and infused with Qi.

By the time I’d go through one of them, the Panther would be on me already.

If I try to go up into the opening, it will tear me apart. Even with my regeneration abilities, I’d like not to test how many hits I could take and still get away.

A direct attack in the air isn’t to my advantage either, as like most cats, this one seems to have superior abilities to Orient its body in the air.

I’m quickly reminded of the other option at my disposal, though.

Below. There’s a cave beneath me that I can get into and possibly collapse this area onto.

Based on the trajectory of the Panther, they will also fall into this hole and since I’m able to use my scan, I will be at an advantage in the ensuing chaos.

Not only that, I don’t need oxygen to survive and can eventually claw myself out of the ground, no matter how much rock is between me and the surface.

Worst-case scenario, I’ll just tame some underground creatures to dig me out.

This is no longer just about gaining an ally. I need to make sure that I’m not putting myself at risk too much to make this happen.

I still have priorities I need to complete within a normal timeline.

My scan switches to looking for any parts of the ground that would make it more unstable to collapse into The Cave network, in coordination with the massive amounts of impacts the trees will have on the ground.

Finding The perfect one, I summon all the power in my body, and strike the ground as hard as I can.

Craaaack

My hit doesn’t produce any visible effect, only an auditory one.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

But as the trees collapse all around me, under the surface a large Fracture has been formed. The root systems underneath have been severed and shaken.

Despite there being a dense network of them, the dirt, root, and rock underneath shift ever so slightly.

What was once stable, is now unstable.

The sound of creaking fills the air, both from the trees and the ground below

Looking back up as the trees are about to impact me and the ground, I position myself so that I can take advantage of the moment that the first tree hits the ground.

I don’t even need to wait for that. As the tree shifts and slightly moves downward, its support underground has shifted because of its massive weight.

It feels like I’m in the matrix, as this gives me just enough leeway within the falling trees to dive underneath, wow the fracturing of wood and stone causes micro explosions to happen from the pressure.

I find my opportunity within the space of its missing position, as the rest of the ground falls in.

And just as I had planned, fear fills the Panthers face in the view of my scan. It is helpless and can only fall into an enclosed trap of trees and ground.

On my side, it’s not all berries and cream, though. I’m sucked into a whirlwind of hard and rock wood and dirt there is now diving into the open space. A sinkhole for all intents and purposes.

Despite not needing to breathe, this is terrifying!

No matter what I do, I’m just getting pulled deeper and deeper into the ground with no ability to resist. I can’t seem to change my direction or gain any traction.

There’s no way to climb up in this chaos, even if I wanted to.

Since everything is still moving around me, I’m only able to tell that I’ve reached the bottom of this cave through my scan.

With that being the case, I make the point of quickly digging myself out and getting away from the downflow of material.

In the debris coming down, I can see the Panther springing from place to place, somehow keeping free of all the stuff and maintain control during this situation.

Almost coincidentally, finally lands on the other side of this giant pile that’s forming in the middle of this massive cave.

Eventually, the situation stabilizes.

A rare situation that works out to my benefit.

Enough dense material has congregated in the same place above, that the inflow of dirt and rock has stopped.

If left alone, the roots of the nearby plants will completely re-stabilize the ground above.

There is now a wall between me in the creature. It is completely dark down here, save for some luminescent rocks and some bioluminescent creatures that have scattered around because of the mess.

The amount of dust and sense that has come pouring into this area has made it so it can’t track me by my scent, at least until I get close to it.

I can get the drop on it.

I move close, using my scan to stay as stealthy as possible. Pulling out my venomous poison, I’m hoping to get a shot on it, to take it down quickly. If that doesn’t work, next I’ll go for the restricting poison and then the mist poison, to make this area extremely uncomfortable for it.

I move right up to the edge of its perception, even in this dark area, and throw a poison covered dart at its mouth.

As it releases from my hands, my scan shows its ears popping up and hearing the change in sound near it. Something that only makes sense, since even with its eyes that can see in the dark it would be difficult to see in such darkness.

I did expect this, and adjusted the dart to match where the creature’s mouth would be.

It’s not enough, as a creature moves at high speeds away from the dart.

But surprisingly, it lays a scratch on its soft paw pad, that was exposed when it leapt up and away from it.

Following through with the rest of the pan, I immediately throw a rapidly expanding restricting poison.

Contained in a stone pot, two separated parts of the poison or forcefully broken together as it smashes onto the ground near the creature.

It rapidly expands into a building sized sludge that covers both the area and the panther. It will sear the flesh of even the panther and stick to them like tar.

Immediately after, I then throw another pot that combines multiple ingredients, which releases a deadly mist which covers the area and automatically kills some of the small bugs nearby.

The reason I chose a deadly mist is that this will probably just slow down the panther and eventually paralyze them until death. In the short term, it gives me a chance to actually subdue them. Once subdued, then I can heal them.

Of course, I can survive this mist, but it will not be a fun time. Even as the slightest part of the mist comes over, I can feel my lungs burn like fire and it’s only because of the healing constitution and aura that I’m able to function normally.

But like expected, this has only slowed down the panther.

Out of the house sized sludge, the panther tears out in a frenzy. It immediately attempts to cough out absurd amounts of sludge, only to not be able to breathe from the air.

Its hate filled reddened eyes snap to me, as it charges me desperately.

Scan?

… is this really the best way to get it as an ally?