Beast Evolution Forge

Vell stood alone in a misty clearing as dawn broke. He had decided to hunt separately from his team today, both to cover more ground and to give himself time to think. "They should be fine on their own," he muttered, scanning the horizon for movement. [Are you sure splitting up was wise? After Luna's betrayal...] "They're not Luna," he interrupted firmly. "Besides, they're in pairs, and we're all still connected through our link. If anything happens, I'll know." He moved silently through the tall grass, following tracks that led deeper into the wilderness. This area was marked as a high-risk zone on the map, promising stronger monsters and better rewards. [You seem tense this morning.] "That admin showing up wasn't a coincidence," he replied, keeping his voice low. "Something's happening behind the scenes, and I don't like being a pawn in someone else's game." A rustle in the bushes ahead caught his attention. He crouched, watching as a large creature emerged—a bear-like monster with crystalline growths protruding from its back. "Crystal Ursine," he whispered, recognizing it from the book of monsters they studied. "Worth at least 50 points." It didn't noticed him yet, busy digging around the roots of a large tree. He used the opportunity to study its movements and assess its weak points. "Let's make this quick." He stepped forward deliberately, making just enough noise to attract the creature's attention. Its head snapped up, its glowing eyes locking onto him. "That's right," he said, a cold smile forming. "Come and get me." The beast charged, surprisingly fast for its size. He waited until the last moment before sidestepping, drawing a line of mana through the air that hardened into a blade. As the monster passed, he slashed at its side, cutting through its thick hide. It roared in pain and anger, turning to face him again. Crystals on its back glowed brightly before shooting out in a barrage of deadly shards. He activated his shadow step, disappearing just as the crystals would have hit him and reappearing behind the beast. He drove his mana blade deep into its back, between two crystal growths. The monster thrashed wildly, nearly throwing him off. He pulled the blade free and jumped away as the beast turned to swipe at him with massive claws. "You're tough," he acknowledged, circling the wounded creature. "Good. I need the practice." The monster charged again, but this time Vell stood his ground. At the last second, he formed a sphere of concentrated mana in his palm and thrust it directly into the monster's open mouth. "Implode." The sphere expanded inside the creature before collapsing in on itself, creating a devastating implosion that shredded the monster from within. It dropped to the ground, its glow fading as it died. [Monster defeated. 60 points earned.] He knelt beside the corpse, extracting the core. As he worked, he sensed movement nearby—not monsters, but players. "Looks like we found a solo hunter," a voice called out from the trees. "Lucky us." Four players emerged from hiding, weapons drawn. He recognized them as the same group that had been watching his team at the inn. "The girls not with you today?" asked their leader, the tall man who had approached them before. "That's unfortunate for you." He stood slowly, pocketing the core. "Four against one? Hardly seems sporting." The leader laughed. "This isn't a game of fair play. It's about survival and points." He gestured to his companions to spread out. "Nothing personal. You just happen to be alone and carrying quite a few points we'd like to have." "Let me guess," he said, his tone conversational as he assessed his opponents. "You waited until I was alone because you saw what my team is capable of." "Smart man," the leader nodded. "Now, we can do this the easy way—you hand over half your points voluntarily, and we let you walk away. Or the hard way..." "There's a third option," he replied, a dangerous edge entering his voice. "You walk away now, while you still can." The leader's smile faded. "Four adept ranked players against one. Those aren't good odds, friend." "I agree," he said quietly. "You should have brought more people." He made a mana ball and it divided into 4 balls. "I won't kill you but I will make you beg me to." The balls shot out and pierced their legs. The mana spread throughout their body like a virus, blocking their pathways and causing them excruciating pain. "Adept rank? Please, you all look like ants to me." "What... what is this?" the leader gasped, his body writhing on the ground. "Just a taste of what happens when you hunt the wrong prey," he replied coldly, watching them suffer. The pain grew so intense that one of the men grabbed his dagger with shaking hands, turning it toward himself. Before he could strike, Vell flicked his wrist, and the weapon flew from the man's grasp. "No easy way out," he said, stepping closer. "I want you to remember this lesson." Another tried to reach for a vial at his belt—poison, perhaps—but Vell sealed their movements with another pulse of mana. "Please," the leader begged, tears streaming down his face. "Make it stop. We'll do anything." He knelt beside him, his voice deadly quiet. "Listen carefully. This floor has enough dangers without players turning on each other. Spread the word—I'm not someone to be trifled with." He stood up and with a gesture, withdrew the mana from their bodies. They lay gasping, trembling from the aftershocks of pain. "If I see you targeting players again, especially my team, what you felt today will seem like a gentle massage compared to what I'll do." He turned to leave, then paused. "Oh, and I'll be taking your points as payment for wasting my time." With a wave of his hand, he transferred 30% of each player's points to himself. [120 points acquired from defeated players] "Consider yourselves lucky," he said, walking away. "I was in a generous mood today." Behind him, the leader struggled to sit up. "Who... what are you?" He didn't bother looking back. "Someone you should have left alone." In another part of the floor, Wren moved silently through the underbrush. Unlike Vell's calculated approach, she hunted with a wild eagerness that bubbled just beneath her controlled exterior. "I smell something big nearby," she whispered to herself, her nose twitching. She had separated from the others, promising to rejoin them before noon. She preferred hunting alone sometimes—it let her embrace her instincts fully. A rustle in the bushes ahead made her freeze. She dropped into a crouch, her eyes narrowing as she spotted her prey: a massive elk-like creature with glowing blue antlers that crackled with electricity. "Thunder Elk," she murmured, recognizing it from the bestiary. "Worth at least 40 points." Her lips curled into a smile as mana gathered around her hands, forming sharp claws that extended from her fingertips. Even in human form, she preferred to fight with these extensions of herself—weapons that felt as natural as her own teeth and claws in weasel form. The elk hadn't noticed her yet. She circled around, getting downwind. Her heart raced with excitement—the thrill of the hunt sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. "Just a little closer..." She pounced, crossing the distance in a blur of movement. Her mana claws slashed across the elk's flank before it could react. The creature bellowed in pain and surprise, electricity crackling along its antlers as it spun to face her. "Too slow!" she taunted, already dancing away from its counterattack. It charged, its massive antlers lowered to impale her. She waited until it was close enough, then she jumped over it, her movements fluid and precise. As the creature thundered past, she raked her claws across its side again, drawing another pained cry. "Come on, give me a challenge!" she called out, feeling her blood sing with the joy of battle. It stamped its hooves, electricity building around its antlers. With a sharp motion of its head, it released a bolt of lightning straight at her. She transformed instantly, her human form shrinking into her weasel shape. Much smaller and faster now, she darted between the bolts, her own mana claws still visible on her tiny paws as she ran up the creature's leg. The elk bucked and thrashed, trying to dislodge her, but she was too quick. She raced along its back, slashing with her claws as she went, leaving trails of glowing cuts in her wake. She reached the creature's neck and bit down, her mana-enhanced teeth sinking deep. The elk bellowed and shook violently. She held on tight, her claws digging in for purchase as she continued her assault. "Just... a little... more..." she thought, feeling the creature's strength beginning to fade. With one final surge of mana into her claws, she struck at a vital point in its throat. The creature shuddered once, then collapsed to the ground. She leaped clear before it fell, transforming back into her human form as she landed. She stood over her kill, breathing hard but grinning with satisfaction. The finishing blow always gave her a rush that nothing else could match. "That was fun," she said, kneeling beside the fallen monster to extract its core. Her mana claws retracted as she worked, but the predatory gleam remained in her eyes. [Monster defeated. Thunder Elk. 45 points earned.] She took a moment to savor her victory before standing again, already scanning the forest for her next target. Vell had given them permission to hunt solo today, and she wasn't going to waste a minute of it. "I wonder if I can find something bigger," she mused, licking her lips as she set off deeper into the woods. "I have missed this rush."