The air in the woods was thick with the scent of iron and damp earth. The towering trees, their bark stained a deep red from centuries of battle and bloodshed, loomed like ancient sentinels. Jayden stood in a small clearing, his breath steady, his body humming with power. The corpses of four E-Rank Howlers lay scattered around him, their beast crystals already harvested.
But the real fight was just beginning.
The Howler Alpha stood opposite Jayden, burning with fury and determination to rip him apart. And without warning, it moved.
It’s first attack came not with a howl, but with brute physical force - a sudden barrage of momentum. Jayden barely managed to evade in time as 400 pounds of muscle and fury slammed into him.
The impact sent them both tumbling across the forest floor in a whirlwind of claws and snapping jaws. Dirt and dead leaves sprayed into the air as they rolled, each fighting for dominance. Jayden’s strength allowed him to momentarily gain the upper hand, pinning the beast beneath him. His fist drew back, knuckles cracking as he prepared to drive it through the Alpha’s skull.
But the Alpha was smarter than that. Its chest expanded, its jaws parted—and then it howled.
The sound wasn’t just noise. It was force. A visible shockwave tore through the air, ripping up earth and splintering trees in its path. Jayden barely had time to brace himself before the wave slammed into him like a truck.
The world dissolved into white noise and agony. Jayden felt himself flying backward, his body crashing through several saplings before slamming into the broad trunk of an ancient oak. Bark splintered around him as he slumped to the ground, his ears ringing, his vision swimming with dark spots.
[-50 Hp]
The system notified him of his injuries. Blood trickled from his nose and ears - the telltale signs of internal damage.
"Tch." He spat blood, pushing himself up. His ears rang. His vision swam.
The Alpha was already moving, lunging with terrifying speed, its claws gleaming like daggers. Jayden twisted.. but not fast enough. The beast’s talons raked across his chest, drawing deep, burning lines.
Jayden hissed, skidding back. The beast was fast. Strong. And worst of all—it fought smart. But Jayden didn’t fret.. instead, he was fuelled with excitement. Excitement of how it would feel to be the one with the sonic howl ability. He wanted to have it... No, he needed to have it.
The Alpha howled again.
Jayden ducked behind a tree, the sonic blast shearing the trunk in half. Splinters rained down as he rolled away, his mind racing.
He needed a new approach.
Closing his eyes, he reached inward, tapping into the primal energy coiled in his blood.
Then, his fingers twisted, bones elongating, nails hardening into black, razor-sharp claws. His muscles swelled, veins standing out like cables beneath his skin.
But that wasn’t enough.
With a quick motion, he kicked off his sneakers, his feet shifting as well... his toes lengthening, claws digging into the earth, enabling him adaptation. Adaptation to the arboreal terrain.
The Alpha snarled, sensing the change.
Jayden grinned. He had already developed a perfect strategy. One that would guarantee not just his survival, but also his victory.
The Alpha attacked, its howl blasting forward.
The attack came just as Jayden launched himself vertically, his new claws finding purchase in a tree’s bark, before launching to one of it’s sturdy branches. The sonic wave obliterated the space where he’d just been, reducing ferns and young trees to splinters.
Now perched high in the canopy, Jayden took a moment to assess his new battlefield. The trees here grew close together, their interwoven branches forming a natural highway above the forest floor. A slow, predatory smile spread across his face as he flexed his clawed fingers.
Before the Alpha could react, he kicked off the trunk, launching himself towards it like a bullet.
His claws raked across the Alpha’s back, drawing thick, dark blood.
The beast roared, spinning, but Jayden was already gone—vanishing into the canopy.
The Alpha’s head snapped up, scanning the trees. But there was no sign of Jayden. No sign of movement at all.
Then—
A shadow dropped from above... Jayden’s foot, slamming into the Alpha’s skull, driving it face-first into the dirt. The beast thrashed, but Jayden dug his claws into its shoulders, holding it down as he wrenched its head back.
"How do you like being hunted?"
The Alpha convulsed, its muscles bulging—then it howled point-blank.
Jayden flinched, his grip slipping—just enough for the Alpha to throw him off. He rolled, transitioning into a sideflip before landing gracefully.
The beast pounced immediately, jaws opened wide—
Jayden met it mid-air, his claws plunging deep into its throat.
The Alpha gurgled, its momentum carrying them both into a tree. The impact shattered bark, but Jayden held on, twisting his claws deeper, ripping upward.
RIP!
Blood gushed out like a fountained.
The Alpha collapsed, its body twitching, its crimson eyes dimming.
Jayden stood over it’s corpse, chest heaving, his claws dripping.
"Oof! That was a bit challenging." he stretched his limbs, as if just finishing from an exercise. "But now... for the reward."
And then, the expected notification appeared.
[+40 exp received]
[Requirements has been met]
[Analysing compatibility...]
[Host is compatible with available beast energy]
[Would you like to absorb the D-Rank Howler’s energy?]
[Yes] [No]
Jayden smiled. This was what he had been waiting for all this time. An Howler with an ability. And now, it was right in front of him. The strength. The power. And he could take it. Make it his.
His lips parted, ready to give a response.
But before he could speak... his instincts screamed at him. He could feel something coming from above.
And without further thought, Jayden threw himself sideways... just as something massive crashed down, obliterating the ground where he’d stood. Dust and debris exploded outward, the shockwave rattling the trees.
When the dust cleared... it stood there.
A hulking, gorilla-like beast, its fur thick and brown, its arms larger than Jayden’s entire body. Its fists were like boulders, its fangs like swords.
An Earth Smasher. F-Rank.
Jayden’s eyes narrowed. He had read about them. They were incredibly strong. Slow... but dangerous. Even at F-Rank, a single punch from them could kill a level 10 Evolved human.
Jayden furrowed his brow, studying the beast’s movement. He needed to be careful when facing it.. or he could end up being smashed to death.
But before he could make a move...
THUD.
A second Earth Smasher dropped from the trees, landing with a ground-shaking impact. It turned to Jayden, beating it’s chest with fury. It was clearly expressing it’s heartfelt killing intent.
Jayden exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
"Two, huh?" he tutted. "Well.. the more, the merrier."
His claws gleamed. His muscles tensed.
"Let’s dance."