However, that state of emotional numbness didn’t last long. Soon, the flame of his emotions reignited, the familiar glint returning to his eyes as the empty expression vanished from his face.
He took a deep breath, turned his gaze away from the system screen, and focused on the cliff ahead. He walked toward it and stopped at the edge, the cold breeze brushing against his fur, heavy with scars.
He looked down and saw the land below covered in trees. He estimated the distance to be around four hundred meters. That was far too great to jump—or rather, to fall—and he would most likely suffer severe damage.
He frowned in annoyance and thought it over carefully. Then he turned around and stared into the darkness of the tunnel he had barely escaped alive from, muttering,
“There’s no way I’m going back there. And jumping doesn’t seem like a good idea either, especially in my current condition.”
He fell silent for a moment, then continued,
“The best option is to stay here until I fully recover. On the other hand, this place seems safe… maybe? That is, if my eyes aren’t deceiving me again.”
His senses were operating at full capacity, searching for any sign—no matter how small—that indicated the presence of something else in the tunnel. Now that he knew hidden monsters existed, how could he possibly relax?
And that wasn’t all. Arthur was already prone to suspicion and found it difficult to feel safe, due to the many painful and horrifying experiences he had endured—both in this world and in his previous one.
Miserable. That word was the best way to describe his life. Yes, he was at peace with himself—brave, curious, someone who loved adventure and exploration—but that didn’t change the fact that deep down, he was miserable.
He never felt truly at ease and was constantly afraid of the unknown surrounding him, not to mention his grim fate.
Pain? Losing a leg? Those were just minor things compared to everything he had endured. Even so, he was ready to suffer and sacrifice even more if that was the price for survival.
Not because he loved life that much, but because he had sworn to himself and before his parents’ graves in the past, that he would live and strive for something better.
His convictions were firm and hard to change. He was like a towering mountain, standing on a solid foundation, unmoved no matter how fiercely the winds raged.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
He stepped away from the cliff, then took out the corpse of the burrowing squirrel he had hunted earlier and ate it, regaining some energy and slightly improving his mood.
After he finished, he threw the remains off the edge and lay down in a spot free of sharp rocks and irritating pits.
Then he directed all his focus toward the system. After everything that had happened, he hadn’t had the time to check his Attributes or the unread messages.
There was also an idea lingering in his mind—something he wanted to confirm. So he didn’t waste any more time and ordered, with a hint of anticipation,
"Open all unread messages."
[ Loading… ]
The loading screen appeared before him. After a short while, it disappeared, followed by the appearance of numerous screens and notification sounds.
Ding!
[ Congratulations ]
[ Achievement Unlocked: Bloodthirsty Extreme Beast
Rare Reward Acquired: Overwhelming Presence ]
[ Exceptional Achievement: Survivor
Rare Reward Acquired: Iron Will evolved into Unbreakable will ]
[ Legendary Achievement: Return from Death
Epic Reward Acquired: Immortal Body
Note: This skill consumes Mana and Vitality. ]
[ Congratulations ]
[ One of Primal Predator's Effects has Evolved into a New Subskill: Last One Standing (S) ]
[ Primal Predator Skill Unlocked a New Effect: Predator's Resolve ]
[ Primal Predator Skill Unlocked a New Effect: Predator's Eyes ]
[ Primal Predator Skill Unlocked a New Effect: One-Man Army ]
[ The Remaining Effects of Primal Predator have Evolved ]
[ New Evolution Path Unlocked: Zombie Wolf ]
[ Congratulations ]
[ Uncommon Skill Acquired: Poison Resistance ]
[ Alert ]
[ Please Spend Accumulated Evolution Points before they Expire ]
"What… all of this? When did I get all these skills? System, are you still broken, or are you mocking me?"
Arthur couldn’t believe his eyes. He had hoped to get some decent rewards, or at least meet the requirements to rank up, but he never expected—not even in his wildest dreams—to acquire all these skills and effects at once.
In his shock, all his caution and gloom vanished into thin air. He stood there, tense, unable to relax, as if he had just opened a priceless treasure chest.
These skills and effects were the best thing he could have received. His current combat abilities were extremely limited, relying only on close-quarters fighting.
Looking back at all his battles with other Predators, he had always been the weaker side.
His intelligence and readiness to do anything were what had carried him this far—along with the effects of the "Primal Predator" skill, of course.
[ All rewards are real and cumulative for everything you obtained over the past month. ]
Arthur slowly regained some composure. It took him a moment to fully process everything before he asked skeptically:
"So… you’re saying I got all of this, and even the XP I collected while you were inactive wasn’t wasted?"
[ Yes. ]
Even after the system confirmed it a second time, he still couldn’t fully believe it. In a rush, he summoned his Status to see it with his own eyes.
– – –
[— Status —]
Name: Arthur Grafton
Race: Wolf?
Rank: E?
XP: 1257 / 800?
HP: 83 / 380
Mana: 0 / 0
Evolution Points: 43?
[— Basic Status —]
Strength: 46
Endurance: 27
Speed: 29
Agility: 20
Vitality: 38
Perception: 21
Mana Control: 2
[— Skills —]
Primal Predator (SSS)
The Last One Standing (S)
King’s Bloodline (A)
Immortal Body (A)
Dimensional Storage (C)?
Evaluation (C)?
Unbreakable will ( C)
Regeneration (E)?
Enhanced Senses (E)?
Poison Resistance(E)?
– – –
Finally, he had no doubts left. His expression froze as he recalled everything he had been through all this time. A small smile appeared on his face, and he let out a quiet laugh.
His laugh grew louder, echoing through the tunnel, and his eyes sparkled with a strange light.
Honestly, he felt the whole situation was absurd, yet at the same time, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction—a profound fulfillment. He was so used to suffering that seeing this joyful news made him question his own sanity.
