Leon no longer backed down.
He clashed head-on with the spotted predator, a mature female leopard that had tried to ambush him. The battle turned savage—claws raked, fangs snapped, and roars split the dry air.
Ordinarily, a solitary leopardess would retreat once wounded, relying on ambush, not brawls. But Leon had bitten deep into her flank earlier, tearing through muscle and hide, and his repeated challenges had pushed her into a frenzy.
Blood sprayed across the grass.
Though the leopardess' claws landed twice on his ribcage, Leon bit down on another chunk of her shoulder without hesitation. Fur still clung to the flesh, but he swallowed it whole.
Ding! Host has consumed a leopard meat. Gained 2.4 Evolution Points.
Meat from predators offered fewer Evolution Points than prey, but the drop wasn't steep. Just two more mouthfuls would push Leon to the next stage.
His ferocity intensified.
He ignored non-fatal wounds entirely, fighting in brutal proximity. His only goal now was to bite again. Another taste of strength.
Thump!
The leopardess' claws struck his back, ripping open a shallow gash. But Leon's eyes gleamed. He surged forward and sank his teeth into her front leg, tearing off another mouthful of muscle.
Ding! Host has consumed a leopard meat. Gained 2.3 Evolution Points.
The limb injury clearly weakened her movements. Her feline eyes, once cold and calculating, now showed uncertainty—hesitation.
Her instincts flared: If this fight continues, even victory might lead to death.
A grave injury in the wild was a death sentence for a solitary hunter.
"Roar!"
She snarled and tried to break free.
But Leon wouldn't allow it.
He darted around, faster than ever, and leapt onto her back, locking his jaws into her flesh once more.
Ding! Host has consumed a leopard meat. Gained 2.2 Evolution Points.
Power surged through him.
The Evolution Force bloomed within his blood. Every cell in his juvenile lion body drank greedily from this wild gift, growing, strengthening, hardening.
Ding! Congratulations! Host has advanced to Level 4!
Name: Leon
Species: Lion
Level: 4 (Next Level: Requires 160 Evolution Points)
Vitality: 400
Endurance: 40
Strength: 40
Defense: 40
Speed: 70
Evolution Points: 2
Unused Attribute Points: 10
Without hesitation, Leon funneled all ten attribute points into Speed.
Speed increased to 80.
The growth was palpable. He felt it in every stride of his lean muscles, every twitch of his tail, every flicker of instinct sharpening.
The leopardess rolled, throwing Leon off her back. She broke into a sprint, limping through the golden grasses.
But to Leon, her movements now seemed slow, sluggish, almost pitiful.
His golden eyes narrowed. There was no mercy in them.
She had come to steal his kill. Now she would die.
He leaped forward, a golden blur streaking across the savannah. His evolved body closed the gap in seconds.
80 Speed with 40 Strength.
The pounce was overwhelming.
The leopardess turned, terror blooming too late in her wide eyes. She tried to dodge, but Leon's paw slammed into her with crushing force, snapping her spine.
She tumbled across the dirt, blood trickling from her mouth. Her limbs spasmed—then fell still.
Leon advanced without hesitation.
With a final roar, he brought his claw down on her skull, ending her life in one swift motion.
His first true battle had ended.
And he had survived—not just survived, but won.
His wounds, now rapidly healing due to his recent evolution, no longer slowed him. Just as he turned to leave, a pale golden system panel bloomed across his vision.
Surpassing the strong while being weak!
Breakthrough in battle!
Brutal struggle!
Final victory!
Target eliminated!
Combat Rating: S
Reward: You have gained the Talent [Hunt] (D-Rank)(Note: Rewards only issued for Combat Ratings of S or higher.)
Leon blinked in surprise.
He hadn't expected this.
So the system awarded special Talents for battles rated at the highest level? That meant not every kill was worthy—only those earned through grit and blood.
His curiosity piqued, he pulled up the Talent information.
[Hunt] – D-Rank (Upgradeable)Active Talent
Increases movement speed by 50%
Boosts attack strength by 50%
Enhances stealth and tracking capabilities
Duration: 60 seconds
Cooldown: 24 hours
Leon's golden eyes gleamed.
This was no minor gift.
In the harsh wilderness of this awakened world, power meant food, territory, survival—and eventually, dominion.
He didn't waste time admiring the screen. There were still two carcasses lying nearby: the leopardess and the eland he had killed earlier. Leaving either exposed too long could invite scavengers—or worse.
First, he dragged the leopardess' body into a concealed thicket and camouflaged it with dry brush.
Then, with great effort, he hauled the heavier eland toward the rocky den.
Once the larger carcass was secure within the den's shade, he returned for the leopardess and brought it back as well.
When he presented both kills before the pride's cubs, their eyes, round and golden like his, looked up in awe.
No longer did they see Leon as a fellow cub.
They saw something greater.
Perhaps even more than their absent father or lioness, they saw a provider and maybe a future king.
Leon nudged the leopardess' carcass aside. That was for him alone—its meat still pulsed with Evolution Points.
But he shoved the eland closer to his youngest denmates—specifically toward his frail sister and a slightly older cousin.
Hierarchy had to be instilled.
This gesture made it clear: I choose who eats first.
It wasn't just kindness—it was leadership.
Among the four cubs, his cousin and another male cub were already stronger—both had reached Level 2. The third cub, a speckled female from another lioness, had reached Level 1. Only his sister, a tiny golden fluffball barely over a month old, remained at Level 0.
She had trouble chewing through tougher meat. Her milk teeth weren't yet fit for tearing hide.
So Leon padded over, tore off tender strips from the belly of the eland, and dropped them in front of her.
"Grr.."
She chirped a soft, shaky growl—her version of a thank-you.
Leon lowered himself on a warm stone and watched the others feed.
His wounds throbbed, but he felt no pain.
He had faced death, conquered it, evolved—and earned his first talent.
And this was only the beginning.