Chapter 6 – Predator's Dance
The corpses of villagers barely had time to cool before the wind shifted again.
Three Razorlops. One mission.
Evan's eyes narrowed. His sword gleamed under the blood-soaked sun. He didn't wait for them to notice him — he wanted them to.
He wanted revenge.
---
The first Razorlop lunged forward, just ten meters away, claws raised like daggers poised to shred flesh. Evan didn't flinch. He tracked its movement, reading the twitch in its legs, the tension in its shoulders. When it struck, he was already moving.
With a swift sidestep, he angled his sword. The blade clashed against claws — steel against bone. Then, with a brutal twist, he redirected its momentum and drove the sword forward.
Straight through the chest. Out the back.
> [ You have killed Razorlop (Level 1) : +10 EXP ]
"One down," he muttered.
No time to breathe.
The other two came from behind, barely five meters apart.
Evan spun — a full 270 degrees — wrenching his sword from the carcass with raw strength. He tightened his grip and swung with all the power he could muster. The horizontal slash cleaved through the air, a blur of fury and steel.
The lead Razorlop raised a claw to block.
CLANG!
The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing. The creature was thrown several meters to the side, limbs flailing as it crashed to the ground.
The second Razorlop halted, clearly startled, and skittered sideways.
"Tsk," Evan grunted. Didn't kill it. Not yet.
No hesitation. He dashed toward the second creature. Two sharp steps, and he launched a diagonal upward slash.
The Razorlop barely had time to blink.
Slice.
Its torso split. The body crumpled like a sack of meat.
> [ You have killed Razorlop (Level 1) : +10 EXP ]
"Two down."
The message had barely faded from his mind when a warning shot through his senses like lightning.
Danger.
Pure instinct kicked in.
Evan ducked.
SWISH!
A blade-like claw tore through the air, trimming a few strands of his hair. Too close.
He threw himself forward, rolling across the dirt, then spun around mid-motion. His eyes locked onto the third Razorlop — faster than the others. Its claw already arcing toward him again.
He raised his sword in defense.
CLANG!
The blow sent him sliding back a full meter. His feet dug into the ground, jaw clenched.
Another attack came — fast, feral — but this time Evan met it head-on. Sword clashed against claw, again and again. Steel rang like a drumbeat through the jungle.
The Razorlop was quick — but Evan was stronger.
His blade carved through the creature's shoulder. The Razorlop screeched in pain, staggering.
Evan didn't stop.
One clean motion. A follow-up slash — horizontal — aimed for the neck.
No block. No dodge.
The blade hit true.
Head. Gone.
> [ You have killed Razorlop (Level 2) : +15 EXP ]
"Huh," Evan blinked, panting. "That guy was level 2?"
The pieces clicked. "Makes sense why he reacted to my ambush."
He exhaled, finally letting the tension go. His eyes swept across the battlefield — three dead Razorlops, their twitching bodies leaking black blood onto the soil.
The anger that had fueled him moments ago… was gone. In its place, a calmer resolve.
"They deserve to die," he muttered. "But… I can't be reckless like that again. That could've easily been me on the ground."
Then, grinning faintly, he raised a brow. "Anyway, let's check out the goods."
He called up the panel.
---
[ STATUS ]
Name: Evan
Level: 1
EXP: 55/100 (55%)
Race: Human
Jobs: { none }
Titles: { none }
Health: 120/120
Energy: 90/90
Stamina: 164/180
Hunger: 55/100
Fatigue: 27/100
Strength: 8
Agility: 9
Vitality: 6
Defense: 6
Spirit: 4
Allotable Points: 0
Skills: { none }
---
"Hehe, good, good. Few more kill and I level up again."
GROWL!
The sound didn't come from the trees — but from his own stomach.
"Oh right… food."
Between battles, corpses, and survival mode, he had forgotten just how hungry he was.
"If I don't eat soon, I'll die of starvation before any monster gets the chance."
He opened his inventory, pulled out a piece of grilled meat from earlier, and began chewing like a starved wolf.
Not all the huts had been destroyed. Some had food left — fruits, smoked meat. Enough for a day or two, maybe three.
Even better, he'd discovered a full drum of water in one of the untouched huts. Bottles too. Enough for three days if rationed right.
Thank god nothing came into my hut before I woke up. I'd be monster meat by now.
With hunger eased and thirst no longer a pressing concern, Evan stood. He stretched, sword in hand, and made his way toward the remaining huts, careful to avoid the blood and horror that still stained the village.
He scavenged methodically.
More meat. More water.
His supply had grown — enough to sustain him for at least three days. Maybe more.
Still, a thought lingered in his mind. A small concern.
Does time even flow for items inside my inventory? Or are they frozen, like in those game novels?
Only one way to find out — wait and test.
For now, he was ready. Fed. Armed. And angrier than ever.
The jungle wasn't safe. Not anymore.
Because Evan was hunting.