Four blurs leaped out, but we were ready. My knife glowed as I slashed at the first before even getting a good look.

[Microraptor, level 20, Prey, Tastes like Chocolate, Dead.]

The smell of burned feathers filled the air from my attack as the creature died, its head flying. An arrow knocked another out of the air. While Dengu’s teeth sunk into the third, Hammy punched the last. My mouth watered, thinking of the flavor, and I yanked my kill into my inventory.

I didn’t get a notification about earning experience, which made sense as it was five levels lower than me. I knew at some point I wouldn’t gain anything from killing lower-level creatures. Our teamwork gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Maybe this dungeon would be much easier than expected.

Feathers covered the small creatures, but they were bigger than the last bunch I’d killed solo. It took only seconds for three of them to die, while Hammy beat the last one to death after that first punch only dazed it. Dengu tore into the side of his kill. Just as Hammy’s died, I felt several more creatures moving in our direction. ”We have company,” I said, taking a few steps down the trail. It twisted to our right in the distance, with green and yellow plants blocking the view of the rest of the trail.

Dengu squeaked, twice.

“It’s a pack,” translated Lenna, from behind Hammy.

I crouched down under a dark green fern with jagged leaves that towered over my head before the tips arched to touch the ground. Triggering my stealth, I tried to stay in its shadow as I continued deeper into the ferns. Yet, only three steps deeper into the underbrush the leaves grew too close together to make progress. The jagged edges sliced at my hands, leaving marks but not drawing blood. My armor didn’t even get marked.

Yet, it became clear we weren’t supposed to leave the path. Or, at least, get more than a few feet off it.

I hid under the first fern as another Microraptor raced by. This one was at level 22, but was the same size as the first round. I stabbed out at its knee, cutting off its leg before it could react. It stumbled to the ground, but another spotted me and leaped, talons stretched, pointed right at me.

I easily dodged, but almost tripped over the still alive one on the ground. Sharp teeth bit at me, latching onto the leather armor on my arm. The teeth couldn’t penetrate the leather, and the plating that formed underneath. This time I sliced into its neck, but not quick enough. A claw snagged my shoulder, but again the leather protected me.

Rustling came from behind me, causing me to duck down as another went leaping over my head. Taking a breath, I put the one still attached to my arm out of its misery and lengthened my knife into the spear form.

[You have gained experience from combat against Level 22, Microraptor. Your experience is banked.]

So, three levels gap still let me get something out of the kill, five didn’t. Good to know.

This time, I was ready as one who went flying into the ferns leaped again. The Microraptor impaled itself on my spear tip, limbs flailing before it went limp. I touched it, making it vanish into my inventory. Two chocolatey hearts for later.

[You have gained experience from combat against Level 22, Microraptor. Your experience is banked.]

Hammy, grunting, drew me back to the path to find three new dead Microraptors and two more dancing around him. An arrow slammed into one, then Hammy hit the other. Dengu stared down the path, sniffing, not even paying attention to the fight. One carcass sat under his claws and he leaned down almost casually, twisting off its tail with his teeth. He swallowed the tail whole, feathers and all.

My stomach growled softly, reminding me that eating something would be good.

Again, just as the last one fell, more appeared. This time, many more.

“Uh, guys, we need to keep moving…” I said, taking several steps down the path. “Every time we kill the group, a bigger group appears.”

“Higher level, too,” added Lenna, as she studied the ferns surrounding us.

“But, the experience!” whined Hammy. He stomped again on one of the dead dinos.

Lenna smacked his shoulder, causing him to jump forward.

“Yeah, but how long until we’re overwhelmed?” I asked. Secretly, I hoped the next batch would be a little higher level, so I’d get more experience. Even without knowing how close I was to the next level, I still wanted to bank as much as possible. As I moved down the path, the ferns surrounding us shifted in color becoming less yellow. Instead, streaks of orange started appearing in the centers of the leaves.

Then, I got my wish.

The next batch of microraptors drew closer before attacking, all at level 24, and there were at least ten in this group. This time I fought to wound, not kill. Taking off legs or tails where applicable, I could leave them alive for the moment while not being a threat. If the next wave wouldn’t trigger till they were dead, it’d give us a breather to make a plan. The smell of burning feathers filled my nose, making it itch as I fought the surrounding creatures.

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Dengu tore into the creatures, leaping faster than them and catching them midair in his mouth. He’d shake them like a cat with a mouse before dropping them to the ground after getting blood everywhere. He didn’t touch any creatures I’d injured, leaving them twitching.

Lenna’s arrows took out any that got close to Hammy, helping slow them down since they were much faster than him. On more than one occasion, he growled as a creature headed toward Lenna, drawing their focus to him.

It dawned on me that he was tanking, with little actual armor.

The problem became apparent as a talon sliced into the cloth-covered part of his arm. Its talons only stopped because of the metal frame. A second chomped at his shoulder from behind. The sound of the microraptor’s teeth hitting metal overcame my breathing. It jerked back with a few broken teeth.

I darted into the fray, back tracking down the trail to help. My spear sank into another that leaped to try to take advantage of Hammy’s being distracted, while Lenna shot a third.

After killing the one who bit him, Hammy stomped on one that I’d injured.

[You have gained experience from combat against Level 24, Microraptor. Your experience is banked.]

Finally, nothing moved in the bushes, with only the disabled raptors I’d left on the trail ahead remaining, and I took a deep breath. At least five were still alive, either on the path or hidden in the ferns under the leaves. My plan had worked. We had a moment to breathe.

[You have gained experience from combat against Level 24, Microraptor. Your experience is banked.]

Make that four.

[You have gained experience from combat against Level 24, Microraptor. Your experience is banked.]

Three.

I spun around to find Dengu killing the downed creatures. “Dengu, stop!” I glared at him.

He froze, his eyes wide at my command. He chirped quietly, almost sad, making me feel bad about my tone. It felt like yelling at a puppy.

“If they die, more come.” I explained, hoping he understood. “Just one second…” I held up a hand. “Is everyone okay to continue? We need to get to the end of the path.”

Lenna darted around Hammy and yanked arrows out of the dead creatures. “I need a moment…” Light surrounded her hands before she put them into the quiver. “Ham might want the bandages from your inventory.” She glanced in his direction, but didn’t move to help him.

I turned to find him staring at the teeth marks on his shoulder. Blood trickled from the slice on his arm. “You good?”

“Eh, I should wrap my arm just in case…” he mumbled, his cheeks turning a light red.

“You need to get some armor to wear under the metal frame. The exoskeleton isn’t providing enough protection.” I tossed him the bandages, which he caught with his other hand. His hands were the one thing completely covered in the metal mittens.

[You have gained experience from combat against Level 24, Microraptor. Your experience is banked.]

My head snapped around to look at Dengu, but he stood farther down the trail, nowhere near the downed creatures.

“One left, we’re out of time,” I growled. “Let’s move!” I darted after Dengu, and heavy footsteps followed.

The next round should be even larger, and higher level.

My stomach growled again, reminding me I needed to eat something soon. Getting too hungry wouldn’t be great. A slice of meat appeared in my off-hand and I tossed it into my mouth. I barely chewed before I swallowed as I raced down the path. The ferns changed from an orange streak down the middle to a bright red. A moment passed before the last notification appeared.

[You have gained experience from combat against Level 24, Microraptor. Your experience is banked.]

More creatures appeared in the surrounding jungle, and this time my prey sense felt off, like I couldn’t get a good count, just a general idea of more than before. I frowned as I kept moving, doing my best to not create a gap between Hammy and me. In the distance, the red ferns changed to a deep purple, but I slowed down as the first wave of creatures focused on Hammy.

[Microraptor, level 26, prey, Tastes like Chocolate.]

I didn’t have a second to help before a second group hit Dengu and me. My spear flashed out, again focusing on legs and tails, which became much harder as these creatures moved faster. One dodged as my spear tip grazed its leg, burning feathers but not much else. The tip sliced into one that took its place, not noticing my attack. Thankfully, they weren’t working in sync or this would be harder.

I funneled energy into speed, moving faster than before.

The length of my spear kept the triad facing me back, but one slipped closer. Claws sprouted from my left hand as I raked at its eyes. Pain flashed up my forearm at the change, but I ignored it, gritting my sharp teeth.

The Microraptor reeled back in panic, screaming as blood dripped down its snout. At the same time, the other two jumped at me and I focused on the left one. Its eyes widened as I slammed into it, knocking it out of the air using my shoulder. Bones crunched as I landed awkwardly on top of its side before stabbing with my spear.

Dengu whimpered.

One creature had dug in with its claws on his back while another distracted him.

I twisted about and jumped, pushing down into the Microraptor I stood on. More bones crunched as I jumped several feet.

[You have gained experience from combat against Level 26, Microraptor. Your experience is banked.]

My claws raked into the attacker on Dengu’s back. Feathers and blood flew everywhere as I dug deep, yanking with my left hand to tear the creature away.

[You have gained experience from combat against Level 26, Microraptor. Your experience is banked.]

As soon as the notification hit, I yanked the creature into my inventory.

Three chocolate hearts.

That moment was all Dengu needed. He sprang into action, taking out not one, but two of them in front of him. His tail slammed one into a boulder next to the trail, while he chomped down with his teeth on the other one.

Dengu leaped at the one Microraptor that still chased me, body-slamming it.

The last Microraptor near us paused, watching me with black eyes. It roared a challenge.

I roared back.

[Microraptor, level 26, prey, Tastes like Chocolate.]

A deeper roar answered from somewhere in the jungle, and I knew we were about to face the real test of Claw and Teeth.