As I entered the forest, the visibility rapidly reduced due to the trees and shrubs blocking his sight and the tall tree canopy stopping most of the light from entering the forest.

Crunch!

Just ten minutes later, I heard a faint sound of someone stepping over the dried leaves.

I stooped in place, regulated my breathing, gripped the daggers tightly and slowly stalked in the direction of the sound.

However...

Even after searching over 100 meters of area, I didn’t find anything which made me increase my guard even more.

After walking for five minutes more, I heard a faint stepping sound. My eyes flickered and I stopped in place.

The sound wasn’t singular and it came from several directions—I was surrounded.

’Start the steam.’ I mentally commanded.

[Stream Startling...]

[Connecting to Audience...]

[Viewers: 12]

[Viewer ’BloodSpectator’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’SilentWatcher’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’???:001’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’LaughingSkull’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’GoldenEye’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’AshenQueen’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’IronColossus’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’VoidDrifter’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’NightEmpress’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’StormBringer’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’GraveLord’ has entered the stream.]

[Viewer ’???’ has entered the stream.]

...

My eyes gleamed with satisfaction when I saw the number of viewers. Then, I minimized the system screen and shifted to the side so I wouldn’t get distracted while fighting.

Then, I focused on my surroundings.

There was no movement for a few moments, everything was still and silent. But then...

Crunch!

Crunch! Crunch!

A figure revealed itself from the shadows of the trees in front of me.

It was wolf-like beast, larger than the Cave Runners but smaller than the Cave Guardian.

’What’s up with these beasts? Are they all mutated?’ I thought noticing that this beast shared some similarities with the Cave Runners and the Cave Guardian—it also gave that same dark vibe and the outlines of its bones, especially ribs, were clear even though it wasn’t skinny.

Crunch!

Crunch! Crunch!

Immediately after it revealed itself, more beasts appeared around me one after another.

Two... Three... Five.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Before I could even take a breath, the beasts—two of them—behind me lunged at me.

Ba-Dum! Ba-Dum!

Adrenaline surged in my body, causing my heart rate to increase.

Shua!

I spun on my heels and cleanly slashed through one beast’s neck. Then I twisted sideways to dodge the second beast’s claw swipe at my neck and stabbed the dagger in its underside and pulled.

Ripp!

A large gash opened in its body and dark red blood flowed out in torrents. I had already stepped away otherwise I would have been drenched in it.

Grrrrowl~!

The remaining three beats growled and charged at me, rage burning in their obsidian black eyes.

My eyes flickered between them, then I ignored the two and moved toward the third.

As mentioned before, these beasts were larger than the Cave Runners and were stronger than them too. While my perception allowed me to see through them, my other attributes weren’t high enough to deal with them with ease.

The only reason I managed to kill one and seriously injure the other one just now was because they had regarded me as a hapless prey and weren’t on guard. But these three... they had become cautious.

I could tell I wouldn’t be able to deal them any significant damage if I were to fight them at the same time. So, I decided to focus on one, hoping to eliminate it quickly enough to defend against the other two.

Grrr!

Savagery flashed in the beasts’ eyes when they saw me turn my back to them.

Swoosh!

As I dodged the attack of the beast I targeted, entered its blind spot and stabbed the daggers into its neck and belly.

Kuchi!

Grrgh! Thud!

As the beast whimpered and fell to the ground, I threw myself to the side. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Ripp!

Unfortunately, I was a second too late and one of the two beasts’ claws clawed at my lower back and hip, tearing my already tattered clothes and flesh.

Searing pain shot through me.

"Argh!" I growled to suppress the pain. Then, the moment I fell to the ground, I forced myself to roll away.

BANG!

The beasts slammed their claws at the place I had been.

My pupils constricted when I noticed their claws had sunk over half a foot into the ground. If I hadn’t rolled away in time...

Ba-Dum!

My heart skipped a beat and goosebumps broke out all over my body.

Then...

Swoosh!

I rolled away again before jumping to my feet.

Grrr!

Swoosh!

The beasts chased me closely and the moment I stood up, one of them was in front of me, its claws swinging toward my neck. I also noticed its neck contracting in preparation to bite me in two the next split second.

’Damn it! Why did I encounter their pack?’ I complained in despair. Thanks to my higher perception, I knew... no matter how much I forced myself, I wouldn’t be able to overcome this situation and I would...

Right then,

The system screen flickered and time seemed to have slowed.

I glanced over and saw a message flashing.

[Higher-Tier Viewer, NightEmpress, has sent a gift.]

[You have received: Authority Fragment – "Predator’s Gaze"]

My eyes lit up with renewed hope and it turned into confidence and excitement when I read a few of several messages that flashed next.

[Viewer ’BloodSpectator’: What the—?!]

[Viewer ’GoldenEye’: Authority Fragment?!]

[Viewer ’AshenQueen’: Has she gone insane?!]

...

I was clueless as to what this gift entailed, but I knew it was my lifeline now. So, I immediately willed it to activate.

Grrrr!

Thud! Thud!

As I watched, horror filled the eyes of the beast that was about to kill me and it froze in mid-air before falling to the ground. Next, as my gaze fell on the beast behind it, it also fell to the ground, letting out low, terrified whimpers.

’This...’ I was astonished. But then I realized my eyes were starting to burn and my vision was turning blurry.

Not wasting any time, I looked at the remaining two beasts that were still alive. When they also fell to the ground, I stepped forward and quickly ended their lives by stabbing the daggers into their eyes and skewering their brains.

When I killed the last one...

Clang!

My grip on the dagger loosened and they fell to the ground. I didn’t notice it because all my senses had become muddled—the world was swimming around me.

Thud!

I fell to the ground and passed out.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

Just a moment later, a figure slowly walked out from behind the trees.

---

A/N: I hope you are enjoying this story. If you are, support it by adding it to your library and giving it a Power Stone or Golden Ticket. Thank you.