Before anyone could react, the panther struck.
It was massive—easily twice the size of any recorded panther. With one swipe of its razor-sharp claws, it tore a worker apart. Blood sprayed across the dirt, screams filling the air.
The beast didn't pause.
Another worker swung a pickaxe, desperate, aiming for the skull.
Clang.
The metal barely scratched the surface. The panther didn't even flinch.
It lunged—its jaws clamping around the man's head.
A sickening crack.
Panic exploded.
"Oh shit! Oh shit! That was our strongest powered worker!" someone shouted. "RUN!"
The site turned to chaos.
Workers scattered in every direction—some for the trees, others toward the road. But the panther wasn't finished. It wanted more.
Kyren froze.
His legs turned to stone and jelly at once. Breath caught in his throat. The beast turned. Its eyes locked on him.
And then it charged.
His mind screamed move—but his body wouldn't listen.
At the last second, instinct took over.
He dove.
WHAM.
Pain exploded through his ribs as the panther's paw connected, launching him through the air. He tumbled, dirt and blood mixing, finally skidding to a stop fifteen yards away.
The world spun.
Distant screams faded. His hearing dimmed. His vision blurred.
Is this it?
Then—
A chime.
Ding.
A robotic voice echoed in his mind. His voice, but not quite. Filtered. Artificial."Mission: Slay the Panther."
No time to process.
A wave of power surged through his limbs. Pain dulled. Muscles tensed. His body—his whole body—felt alive in a way it never had before.
He could move.
He could fight.
Kyren took a step. Then another.
He ran.
The panther chased him, matching his speed like it was nothing. But Kyren only needed a second. One chance.
He veered toward his dropped bag, fingers scrambling through it.
The panther closed in.
He found steel.
He drew the dagger.
The beast leapt.
Kyren ducked and slid beneath its bulk, thrusting the blade up—slashing its underbelly.
Blood. But not enough.
The panther twisted in midair and landed behind him, tail whipping.
Kyren rolled away just in time.
He couldn't stop moving. If he stopped, he died.
He darted left—avoiding a swipe. He slid beneath it again, slower this time, intentional. Another cut across its stomach. Shallower. Testing.
Then the leg.
Too close.
The beast kicked. Pain blasted through Kyren's ribs as he was flung again. He hit the ground hard, but his grip on the dagger held.
He gasped. I can win. But not with force alone.
He needed to outthink it.
The panther circled, wounded but dangerous.
It lunged.
Kyren sprinted straight at it.
Wait… wait… now!
It raised its right paw to strike—Kyren juked left.
In that window, he slashed deep into its front leg. Steel met bone.
Roar.
The air shook.
Kyren kept moving. He slashed at its hind leg, then vanished behind it again.
The panther, bloodied and furious, made one final desperate leap.
But something in Kyren clicked.
A connection. A pulse of understanding.
He moved. Faster than he ever had.
He ducked beneath its exposed throat, twisted, and drove the dagger up.
The blade carved deep. Then he was gone, already dashing past.
Blood poured.
The beast stumbled.
Collapsed.
Dead.
"Mission complete."
The voice returned.
"Level 2 reached."
Kyren gasped. His breath caught.
A glowing screen flickered into view in front of him.
Kyren Warhammer
Stats:
Physical Fitness: C
Strength: C+
Speed: B
Stamina: C+
Mana Pool: D+
Hero Ranking: 1000 (Last in Epsilon)
Mission: Slay the Panther (Survive)
Mission Rewards:
• Unlock Natural Abilities
• Unlock Inventory
• Unlock Stats Window
• +25 Stat Points
• Unlock Passive Skill: Catlike Reflexes
• Unlock Skill: Momentum Slash
Claim Rewards? [Yes/No]
Kyren instinctively reached out—but his hand passed through the screen. He frowned. Maybe…
"Yes."
The moment he thought it, another surge of energy rippled through him.
His vision sharpened. His body responded faster. His awareness grew.
A new window appeared.
Stat Allocation:
+10 to Mana Pool (D+ → C-)
+10 to Stamina (C+ → B-)
+5 to Strength (C+ → nearly B-)
He exhaled. This… this is real.
Another screen opened.
Level-Up Rewards:
• Basic Shirt
• Basic Pants
• Basic Shoes
• Basic Tent & Bedroll
• 5x Basic Health Potions
• 5x Basic Mana Potions
Claim Rewards? [Yes/No]
"Yes."
Items shimmered into existence in his inventory. Another thought—Open inventory—and the screen shifted.
Black clothes appeared—lined with faint golden thread. The moment he hit Equip, they materialized onto his body, fitting him perfectly.
He flexed his fingers. The clothes weren't flashy—but they were real. Durable. Useful.
He crouched beside the panther's corpse and began carving strips of meat and hide. He packed them into his bag, then stored the bag in his Inventory—hoping the scent wouldn't leak.
With one final glance at the panther, Kyren turned away.
The sun was setting. The system was real.
And he wasn't powerless anymore.