Chapter 16: A Summit of Kings
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Chapter 16: A Summit of Kings
It happened as Jack was stalking his ninth earth bear in a row, a prowling beast at Level 18. In the past day, hed already cut down their population by more than half, meaning that only the high-level ones were left; hed even seen one at Level 20 but avoided it for now.
Hed also gotten two Levels for his hunt, bringing him to 17. All stat points were distributed evenly, as hed been doing.
Name: Jack Rust
Species: Human, Earth-387
Faction: -
Rank: F
Class: Pugilist (Elite)
Level: 17
Strength: 44
Dexterity: 54
Constitution: 44
Mental: 9
Will: 7
Skills: Fist Fighting (II), Drill (I)
As Jack stalked this bear, debating whether to attack it or not, a low growl hummed through the trees.
Jack knew this growl. He instantly froze. He didnt dare to even look around.
The earth bear also recognized the growl. It looked around in sudden agitation, the fear clear in its yellow gaze. Suddenly, a dark shadow shot out of the bushes and towards it. It was so fast that even Jacks enhanced kinetic vision only saw a blur.
The bear panicked; the sound it made wasnt a growl, but closer to whining. Jack didnt know bears could make this sound. Yet, the dark blur showed no signs of stopping, and the bear could only try to fight back.
Its claws fell, but the blur ducked under them and smashed hard into brown fur. The bear flew backJack could at most make it stumblemaking a desperate attempt to bite down on its assailant. It missed, and at the same moment, another set of jaws found its way around its neck. With a deep crack, the earth bear was dead.
Jack was still frozen.
A dark wolf now stood atop the bears corpse, holding it from the throat. The two bodies were similar in size, but the wolfs power was far, far higher. The bear that Jack would need several minutes to dismantle, if he didnt die first, had fallen in two attacks.
Black Wolf, Level 49 (Elite) (Dungeon Boss)
Black wolves are mostly solitary creatures. They are also territorial, proud, aggressive, and infamous for being a scourge at the peak of F-rank. If a Black Wolf is spotted, experienced hunter squads should be dispatched quickly, or all big game of the surrounding area will disappear.
It was the second time he met this king of the forest. He had grown a lot since the first time, but the difference between them hadnt closed that muchand Jacks only way to escape this dungeon was to defeat it.
He could even understand how their ecosystem worked, and how they formed pack hierarchies that stretched through a large number of smaller sub-packs. Unfortunately, all that interesting knowledge couldnt help Jack in the slightest right now.
The rock bear approached the spot where the previous bears blood was still smeared on the ground. It hadnt noticed Jack yetthankfully, hed been hiding somewhat further away.
It sniffed the ground, then raised its large head in the direction the wolf had taken as it left. Jack could see its eyes from where he was hidden. The bear was angry, bloodthirsty, but also hesitant. It looked towards the center of the reserve with a grudge it knew it could not fulfill.
Jack held his breath. Would the bear boss fight the wolf? That would be such a waste of Levels for him
In the end, the bear didnt give chase. After staring for a moment, it stood on its hind legsGod, was it talland smashed a paw into a nearby tree, easily breaking it into pieces. Jack blinked in surprise.
The bear then released a massive, earth-shaking roar, the likes of which Jack had never heard before. It would obviously reach the wolfs ears, but it wasnt a challenge. It was just a venting of the rock bears impotent rage.
There was just nothing it could do.
But the wolf is proud, thought Jack. Will it come after the bear boss next?
It was a worthy consideration, unless there was some rule that forbade bosses from fighting each other, but that just sounded stupid. There had to be some eco balance. A bear boss without its pack wouldnt be much of a boss, and Jack assumed the System had the ability to craft circumstances that would favor the creation of a balanced monster ecosystem.
Maybe it did, and I was the one who broke the balance, somehow. Maybe the goblins served as a food source for the other monsters, including the wolf, and me killing them forces everything to fight each other.
Is the dungeon going to implode on itself? Am I the pest here?
It was an amusing thought. Then again, if the System cared about its delicate ecosystem, it shouldnt have placed him in the fucking middle of everything.
These were Jacks thoughts as he watched the rock bear steam in rage. However, when it turned around to leave with heavy steps, new ideas sprung in his mind.
If the wolf hunts down this bear, as it probably will, I will lose a bunch of Levels. I need those Levels. UnlessI kill the bear first.
This sent his mind spinning in an wholly new direction. Can I take it right now? he asked himself, not believing his own thoughts.
Its just a bigger bear. Its stronger and more durable, but not much faster than the earth bears. I can ambush it just like the others, and if worse comes to worst, I can probably run away. Plus, its increased defense can do nothing against my drill punches.
A plan was slowly taking form in Jacks mind, and as more and more ideas sprung up to support it, he was overtaken by equal parts anticipation and disbelief.
Our level difference is large, but each individual level matters less and less the more I climb. Its not about the raw number, its about percentages. This bear is a bit over one and a half times my Level. When I killed a Level 13 bear at Level 7, wasnt the difference even greater? And it still died to a single well-timed strike from my stone hammer.
I no longer have the hammer, and making a new one would take too long, but my punches shouldnt be that far off now. Its head cant be made of rock. If I can pull off an ambush, I can probably kill this bear and shower in Levels.
Oh, God I cant believe Im considering this.
But he was considering it. And the more he thought, the more reasons he found to reaffirm this crazy course of action.
If I delay until Im certain of victory, the wolf might kill the bear first, and Ill lose all those Levels I desperately need. No; I cant let this opportunity go to waste. Its already near impossible to kill the wolf and escape this dungeon; if I dont take some risks, Ill never make it.
Slowly, everything came to a point. Jacks body moved by itself, stealthily following the Level 30 titan of a bear. His eyes sharpened.
I must hunt this bear. Right now.
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Chapter 16: A Summit of Kings
It happened as Jack was stalking his ninth earth bear in a row, a prowling beast at Level 18. In the past day, hed already cut down their population by more than half, meaning that only the high-level ones were left; hed even seen one at Level 20 but avoided it for now.
Hed also gotten two Levels for his hunt, bringing him to 17. All stat points were distributed evenly, as hed been doing.
Name: Jack Rust
Species: Human, Earth-387
Faction: -
Rank: F
Class: Pugilist (Elite)
Level: 17
Strength: 44
Dexterity: 54
Constitution: 44
Mental: 9
Will: 7
Skills: Fist Fighting (II), Drill (I)
As Jack stalked this bear, debating whether to attack it or not, a low growl hummed through the trees.
Jack knew this growl. He instantly froze. He didnt dare to even look around.
The earth bear also recognized the growl. It looked around in sudden agitation, the fear clear in its yellow gaze. Suddenly, a dark shadow shot out of the bushes and towards it. It was so fast that even Jacks enhanced kinetic vision only saw a blur.
The bear panicked; the sound it made wasnt a growl, but closer to whining. Jack didnt know bears could make this sound. Yet, the dark blur showed no signs of stopping, and the bear could only try to fight back.
Its claws fell, but the blur ducked under them and smashed hard into brown fur. The bear flew backJack could at most make it stumblemaking a desperate attempt to bite down on its assailant. It missed, and at the same moment, another set of jaws found its way around its neck. With a deep crack, the earth bear was dead.
Jack was still frozen.
A dark wolf now stood atop the bears corpse, holding it from the throat. The two bodies were similar in size, but the wolfs power was far, far higher. The bear that Jack would need several minutes to dismantle, if he didnt die first, had fallen in two attacks.
Black Wolf, Level 49 (Elite) (Dungeon Boss)
Black wolves are mostly solitary creatures. They are also territorial, proud, aggressive, and infamous for being a scourge at the peak of F-rank. If a Black Wolf is spotted, experienced hunter squads should be dispatched quickly, or all big game of the surrounding area will disappear.
It was the second time he met this king of the forest. He had grown a lot since the first time, but the difference between them hadnt closed that muchand Jacks only way to escape this dungeon was to defeat it.
He could even understand how their ecosystem worked, and how they formed pack hierarchies that stretched through a large number of smaller sub-packs. Unfortunately, all that interesting knowledge couldnt help Jack in the slightest right now.
The rock bear approached the spot where the previous bears blood was still smeared on the ground. It hadnt noticed Jack yetthankfully, hed been hiding somewhat further away.
It sniffed the ground, then raised its large head in the direction the wolf had taken as it left. Jack could see its eyes from where he was hidden. The bear was angry, bloodthirsty, but also hesitant. It looked towards the center of the reserve with a grudge it knew it could not fulfill.
Jack held his breath. Would the bear boss fight the wolf? That would be such a waste of Levels for him
In the end, the bear didnt give chase. After staring for a moment, it stood on its hind legsGod, was it talland smashed a paw into a nearby tree, easily breaking it into pieces. Jack blinked in surprise.
The bear then released a massive, earth-shaking roar, the likes of which Jack had never heard before. It would obviously reach the wolfs ears, but it wasnt a challenge. It was just a venting of the rock bears impotent rage.
There was just nothing it could do.
But the wolf is proud, thought Jack. Will it come after the bear boss next?
It was a worthy consideration, unless there was some rule that forbade bosses from fighting each other, but that just sounded stupid. There had to be some eco balance. A bear boss without its pack wouldnt be much of a boss, and Jack assumed the System had the ability to craft circumstances that would favor the creation of a balanced monster ecosystem.
Maybe it did, and I was the one who broke the balance, somehow. Maybe the goblins served as a food source for the other monsters, including the wolf, and me killing them forces everything to fight each other.
Is the dungeon going to implode on itself? Am I the pest here?
It was an amusing thought. Then again, if the System cared about its delicate ecosystem, it shouldnt have placed him in the fucking middle of everything.
These were Jacks thoughts as he watched the rock bear steam in rage. However, when it turned around to leave with heavy steps, new ideas sprung in his mind.
If the wolf hunts down this bear, as it probably will, I will lose a bunch of Levels. I need those Levels. UnlessI kill the bear first.
This sent his mind spinning in an wholly new direction. Can I take it right now? he asked himself, not believing his own thoughts.
Its just a bigger bear. Its stronger and more durable, but not much faster than the earth bears. I can ambush it just like the others, and if worse comes to worst, I can probably run away. Plus, its increased defense can do nothing against my drill punches.
A plan was slowly taking form in Jacks mind, and as more and more ideas sprung up to support it, he was overtaken by equal parts anticipation and disbelief.
Our level difference is large, but each individual level matters less and less the more I climb. Its not about the raw number, its about percentages. This bear is a bit over one and a half times my Level. When I killed a Level 13 bear at Level 7, wasnt the difference even greater? And it still died to a single well-timed strike from my stone hammer.
I no longer have the hammer, and making a new one would take too long, but my punches shouldnt be that far off now. Its head cant be made of rock. If I can pull off an ambush, I can probably kill this bear and shower in Levels.
Oh, God I cant believe Im considering this.
But he was considering it. And the more he thought, the more reasons he found to reaffirm this crazy course of action.
If I delay until Im certain of victory, the wolf might kill the bear first, and Ill lose all those Levels I desperately need. No; I cant let this opportunity go to waste. Its already near impossible to kill the wolf and escape this dungeon; if I dont take some risks, Ill never make it.
Slowly, everything came to a point. Jacks body moved by itself, stealthily following the Level 30 titan of a bear. His eyes sharpened.
I must hunt this bear. Right now.
Chapter 16: A Summit of KingsIt happened as Jack was stalking his ninth earth bear in a row, a prowling beast at Level 18. In the past day, hed already cut down their population by more than half, meaning that only the high-level ones were left; hed even seen one at Level 20 but avoided it for now.Hed also gotten two Levels for his hunt, bringing him to 17. All stat points were distributed evenly, as hed been doing.Name: Jack RustSpecies: Human, Earth-387Faction: -Rank: FClass: Pugilist EliteLevel: 17Strength: 44Dexterity: 54Constitution: 44Mental: 9Will: 7Skills: Fist Fighting II, Drill IAs Jack stalked this bear, debating whether to attack it or not, a low growl hummed through the trees.Jack knew this growl. He instantly froze. He didnt dare to even look around.The earth bear also recognized the growl. It looked around in sudden agitation, the fear clear in its yellow gaze. Suddenly, a dark shadow shot out of the bushes and towards it. It was so fast that even Jacks enhanced kinetic vision only saw a blur.The bear panicked; the sound it made wasnt a growl, but closer to whining. Jack didnt know bears could make this sound. Yet, the dark blur showed no signs of stopping, and the bear could only try to fight back.Its claws fell, but the blur ducked under them and smashed hard into brown fur. The bear flew backJack could at most make it stumblemaking a desperate attempt to bite down on its assailant. It missed, and at the same moment, another set of jaws found its way around its neck. With a deep crack, the earth bear was dead.Jack was still frozen.A dark wolf now stood atop the bears corpse, holding it from the throat. The two bodies were similar in size, but the wolfs power was far, far higher. The bear that Jack would need several minutes to dismantle, if he didnt die first, had fallen in two attacks.Black Wolf, Level 49 Elite Dungeon BossBlack wolves are mostly solitary creatures. They are also territorial, proud, aggressive, and infamous for being a scourge at the peak of F-rank. If a Black Wolf is spotted, experienced hunter squads should be dispatched quickly, or all big game of the surrounding area will disappear.It was the second time he met this king of the forest. He had grown a lot since the first time, but the difference between them hadnt closed that muchand Jacks only way to escape this dungeon was to defeat it.He could even understand how their ecosystem worked, and how they formed pack hierarchies that stretched through a large number of smaller sub-packs. Unfortunately, all that interesting knowledge couldnt help Jack in the slightest right now.The rock bear approached the spot where the previous bears blood was still smeared on the ground. It hadnt noticed Jack yetthankfully, hed been hiding somewhat further away.It sniffed the ground, then raised its large head in the direction the wolf had taken as it left. Jack could see its eyes from where he was hidden. The bear was angry, bloodthirsty, but also hesitant. It looked towards the center of the reserve with a grudge it knew it could not fulfill.Jack held his breath. Would the bear boss fight the wolf? That would be such a waste of Levels for himIn the end, the bear didnt give chase. After staring for a moment, it stood on its hind legsGod, was it talland smashed a paw into a nearby tree, easily breaking it into pieces. Jack blinked in surprise.The bear then released a massive, earth-shaking roar, the likes of which Jack had never heard before. It would obviously reach the wolfs ears, but it wasnt a challenge. It was just a venting of the rock bears impotent rage.There was just nothing it could do.But the wolf is proud, thought Jack. Will it come after the bear boss next?It was a worthy consideration, unless there was some rule that forbade bosses from fighting each other, but that just sounded stupid. There had to be some eco balance. A bear boss without its pack wouldnt be much of a boss, and Jack assumed the System had the ability to craft circumstances that would favor the creation of a balanced monster ecosystem.Maybe it did, and I was the one who broke the balance, somehow. Maybe the goblins served as a food source for the other monsters, including the wolf, and me killing them forces everything to fight each other.Is the dungeon going to implode on itself? Am I the pest here?It was an amusing thought. Then again, if the System cared about its delicate ecosystem, it shouldnt have placed him in the fucking middle of everything.These were Jacks thoughts as he watched the rock bear steam in rage. However, when it turned around to leave with heavy steps, new ideas sprung in his mind.If the wolf hunts down this bear, as it probably will, I will lose a bunch of Levels. I need those Levels. UnlessI kill the bear first.This sent his mind spinning in an wholly new direction. Can I take it right now? he asked himself, not believing his own thoughts.Its just a bigger bear. Its stronger and more durable, but not much faster than the earth bears. I can ambush it just like the others, and if worse comes to worst, I can probably run away. Plus, its increased defense can do nothing against my drill punches.A plan was slowly taking form in Jacks mind, and as more and more ideas sprung up to support it, he was overtaken by equal parts anticipation and disbelief.Our level difference is large, but each individual level matters less and less the more I climb. Its not about the raw number, its about percentages. This bear is a bit over one and a half times my Level. When I killed a Level 13 bear at Level 7, wasnt the difference even greater? And it still died to a single well-timed strike from my stone hammer.I no longer have the hammer, and making a new one would take too long, but my punches shouldnt be that far off now. Its head cant be made of rock. If I can pull off an ambush, I can probably kill this bear and shower in Levels.Oh, God I cant believe Im considering this.But he was considering it. And the more he thought, the more reasons he found to reaffirm this crazy course of action.If I delay until Im certain of victory, the wolf might kill the bear first, and Ill lose all those Levels I desperately need. No; I cant let this opportunity go to waste. Its already near impossible to kill the wolf and escape this dungeon; if I dont take some risks, Ill never make it.Slowly, everything came to a point. Jacks body moved by itself, stealthily following the Level 30 titan of a bear. His eyes sharpened.I must hunt this bear. Right now.
