Noah crashed against the ground. He rolled a few times on what felt like cool earth. Groaning, he crouched onto his feet within the darkness.

A dungeon? A sense of dread filled his heart.

Noah shook his head from the collison. He felt a hot liquid crawl down his leg, but it was too dark to see what it was and there was no time to check either.

It didn’t inhibit his movements, so it was something to think about for later.

Glancing around, there was only darkness surrounding him. So instead of relying on his sight, he focused on his hearing as he listened to the scratching of the feathered-maw. It screeched, presumably in pain, although Noah couldn’t be certain.

Noah knew he time was of the essence. He had no doubt that the beast had better dark-vision than his human sight. Reaching for the bow attached to his backpack, he nocked an arrow.

Just as he was about to pull back the string, the screeching stopped. Noah held his breath. The screeching continued. Noah let out his breath, then tensed the muscles in his arm and shoulder and pulled back the bow string.

As he engaged his back muscles, he felt something tear from his back as he almost prematurely let go of the string. He grit his teeth as his previous wound split further.

Noah waited for the next sound. He could barely see the outline of the monster thanks to the light from the hole in the jungle floor, then fired straight in its direction.

He wasn’t a religious man, but he hoped to god it hit the beast.

His prayers were answered, slightly. The arrow swooshed through the air and with a wet thud, the monster let out a pained howl.

It wasn’t the sound Noah wanted to hear.

Noah nocked back another arrow as fast as he could and pulled back the arrow. His sight was acclimatising to the darkness as the beast mustered its strength and scrambled to its feet. It charged straight for Noah.

With anxiety gripping his heart, he loosed the arrow again. It was more accurate this time as the tip of the arrow sliced past its shoulder blade and penetrated in between its ribs. But it had obviously missed the vital heart.

Noah lamented his rotten luck as he dropped his bow. With one hand he swiped out his sword from its sheath, and equipped his mace in the other hand.

Using [Shrouded Presence], his body practically disappeared from sight. The intense surrounding darkness was like a blanket around Noah’s body, as if he had become a part of it entirely.

He swung his sword at its head, but somehow the beast dodged its head to the side.

It would be the last time it did so as Noah’s swing suddenly turned into a [Thrust]. The pointed tip of the mace smashed against the face of the feathered-maw, striking it back. At the same time, used [Thrust] with his sword hand as the tip disappeared into the monster’s throat and straight up into the brain.

The sword clashed against the underside of its skull, unable to be pushed further.

With a wet thud, the feathered-maw collapsed to the floor and slid, stopping right in front of Noah’s feet.

Sighing in relief, he gently pulled the blade, but it was unable to be removed. Squinting his eyes to get a better picture, the tip of the blade had exited through to the other side of the skull. Noah placed his foot on the monster's face and yanked it free using a bit more strength than the first time.

You defeated a - Level 14 Feather-maw.

You have levelled up!| Noah [Mounted Tamer] level 10 -> Noah [Mounted Tamer] level 11

Krall, the Scourge of the Jungle has levelled up.| Krall level 10 -> Krall level 11

The extra Constitution Stat numbed the pain slightly from his wounds slightly. He finally had the time to look at the wound on his leg. He moved the material of his trousers to the side, as he did so, a sharp object pricked his finger.

There was no pain. Noah still had adrenaline coursing through his body, the fact that he could practically still hear his own heartbeat was a testament to that.

He gently pried it side-to-side for two reasons. The first was to make sure that it hadn’t pricked an artery, the other was to be certain that it wasn’t barbed. Happy that neither of those things were taking place, he ripped it out.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

If it was before he volunteered himself into this savage world, he would have needed to immediately bandage it. But from the increased Constitution Stat, it was merely a flesh wound.

Noah finished up by tying his bow back to his bag that had thankfully remained in one piece. System equipment was built differently, after all.

Just as he was about to shout Krall for help, he heard his roar from up above, then a thud. The last–and strongest feathered-maw had attacked.

Shit. Noah looked around for anything to help him get up and out of the hole. But it was too deep. He was about to shout Krall to come join him. Krall couldn’t beat the monster on his own.

However, Noah stopped.

Stomp.

Noah crouched down as the ground trembled, he was afraid to turn his back on whatever was approaching. Squinting his eyes, he attempted to spot what it was. Too see a picture, monster, anything.

The ground was shaking from every stomp. Finally, he could barely make out a darker hole in the distance.

There was something ominous about gazing into the darkness. He should be used to it, but it felt different this time. Something that he shouldn’t yet be face-to-face with yet. It was the feeling of impending doom. The fine hairs on his arm rose as he heard a sniffling between the heavy stomps.

Gritting his teeth, he grabbed hold of the feathered-maw’s corpse and with all of his might, threw it over to where the sound was coming from. It was simply too dark to see the monster clearly, but it's outline was enormous, and frightening.

The thud of the corpse was followed closely by a slow, monotonous crunching as the monster chomped through the feathered-maw’s bones as if they were nought but brittle sticks

Noah sent a fleeting glance all around him. There was nowhere to go, and absolutely nowhere to hide. The only way out was up and it was at least as high as a three story building.

Stomp.

Taking a breath, he activated [Overpower] and focused the strength down into his legs. If he could use it to attack with his arm, then the same method could be used for his legs. He could feel the power travel down into his legs, just as he was about to leap, he glanced to the side. The monster was right there, barely six metres behind him. It was looking at him. Its enormous body loomed within the wide tunnel he was within, yet the only thing he could see was a nose and long whiskers that looked like steel wires.

A sudden sense of nausea assaulted his mind. His Skill de-activated.

Stomp.

Noah bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood. With his sword in his hand, he activated his Skill once more.

Work! Noah screamed internally as the power travelled down into his legs.

Stomp.

He couldn't afford to look at the monster again in fear that he would lose his focus once again. Sweat dripped down his back. Noah could practically feel the monster's breath on the nape of his neck as his hands trembled.

The muscles in his leg bulged just like when he had used it against the feathered-maw on the surface. He squatted down, then jumped with all his strength toward the hole.

A putrid stench of old and fresh bloodied meat wafted into his nostrils.

Noah craned his neck at the monster as it opened its mouth wide. He just managed to pass it by as the monster snapped its jaws shut. The power of the teeth smashing together rang in his eardrums.

He was approaching the hole at high speed, but he was losing momentum. He wouldn’t make it.

“Krall get your ass here right n–” Before Noah could finish his sentence, a bloodied Krall appeared within his vision.

Krall reached his armoured hand down into the hole. Noah grit his teeth as he desperately reached for his hand.

Reach! Noah growled as he finally felt the heat of Krall’s hand, then, a razor-sharp mouth clamped down hard onto Krall’s throat. He had given up all his defence in order to help Noah. Blood cascaded down onto Noah’s face, but he refused to close his eyes, not yet.

With his vision marred with red, he pointed the tip of his sword straight for the feathered-maws neck.

Krall roared. It was the loudest Noah had ever heard from him as the ground seemed to tremble at its desperation. The muscles in his arms bulged. He pulled Noah with all his might as Noah rocketed toward the monster–reaching it in only a split second.

The sword sliced straight through the feathered-maw’s throat, and glided past its brain until the entire sword penetrated the skull straight to the hilt.

Noah’s shoulder crashed into the beast as it rotated his body until he crashed onto the floor beside the hole. The feathered-maw was instantly killed as it fell straight into the pitch back abyss, only for the sounds of chomping to send a shiver down his spine.

Krall’s mighty roar turned into one of pain and lethargy. Slowly, his body fell toward the hole as the blood spurting from his neck had turned him weak. His limbs no longer listened to his commands.

Noah screamed, his body wracked with weakness just like Krall, yet something within his mind willed him forward. He didn’t know why, but the only thing he wanted in this moment wasn’t power, or influence–he didn’t want Krall to leave him.

Scrambling to the hole on all fours, he latched his hand to Krall's falling wrist. Crack. Noah emitted a harrowing scream as the full heavy weight of Krall’s armoured body caused his shoulder to dislocate.

Spittle ejected out of his mouth as he seethed. With another growl, he slowly turned his body, then pulled with all his vigour. The skin connecting his shoulder to his arm was pulled taut.

“You…are–so–” Noah dug his other hand into the ground. Slowly, and carefully, he managed to get to his knees, then from his knees, he stood up. “Fucking heavy!” With another pull, he was able to clasp his other hand around Krall’s wrist, and with a final yank, he pulled his companion up and onto land.

Noah heaved in deep breaths. Veins bulged from his blood-soaked forehead as he lay on his back.

He enjoyed the silence–A sinking feeling gripped his pounding heart.

It shouldn’t be this quiet.