Surrounded

[Young Lord, I do not think it would do you any good to know the answer to your question.

This training is not solely about building up your stamina and endurance but also your ability to think under pressure and willpower.]

Sensei whispered to prevent distracting Ji Min's senses from his surroundings.

[As you grow in strength and embark on different adventures, you will find yourself in many situations with innumerable unknown possibilities.

Your ability to adapt to the varying circumstances, and the speed at which you do so, might solely be the determinant on whether you live or perish when these times come-]

Sensei continued as Ji Min mentally entered his -Assassin- mode as he began to use the surrounding sound, vibration, change in wind direction, and smell to predict his surroundings while maintaining his steady pace.

[-thus, I think it is better to prepare yourself for such situations now.] Sensei finally ended his speech as Ji Min gave a mental nod.

There was a reasonable truth to Sensei's response, and he could not deny its feasibility.

After all, as an assassin, he had also encountered many situations where he was forced to adapt on the go, and now that he had entered a world where the danger levels were treacherous, he would need to increase his level of adaptation to a whole-nother level if he planned to live long.

After having his surroundings mapped down and his mind made up, Ji Min opted for the battle-flight route as he curled up one hand into a strong fist and the other into a flat but solid palm.

Traa!

A rodent-looking beast, about 30 inches in size, lunged out of the bush from Ji Min's flank, with maws dripping with diseased saliva and blood.

Squeak!

It cried out as a foul stench assaulted Ji Min's nostrils, almost causing him to keel over and puke out his innards, but since he was prepared, Ji Min merely decelerated slightly, allowing the flying rodent to miss him by arm's length.

Then just as the rodent reached the front of his face, Ji Min angrily slapped the living daylight out of the rodent.

Bang!

The slap resounded across the area, and its sheer viciousness was enough to reduce Ji Min's pursuers by a good margin.

The rodent had slammed into a boulder like an egg thrown at a rock; it burst into bits and parts while its gore splashed onto the faces of some of the pursuing beasts, causing them to shiver in fright and end their chase.

But as a few beasts ceased their chase, some new ones seemed to join the fray as Ji Min started to discover just how sticky the predicament he found himself in could get.

But despite that, he pressed on sending either a fist, slap or kick at whatever approached him.

If his slap did not kill them, his punch would, and if that failed, then his Lord Stage stomp to the head definitely will.

A few minutes after Ji Min left, several shadows rustled over from different parts of the forest and gathered at the boulder where the rodent beast had splattered earlier.

They were all squeaking agitatedly as they saw the scene in front of them; some even began to show rabid signs as their screeches sounded sharper and more piercing than the rest.

Then out of this group of rodent-looking creatures came two white species; they were smaller and had golden whiskers, and the moment they laid their eyes on the gore in front of them, they carefully approached the scene with trembling bodies and slow steps.

Then as if confirming that it was indeed their kin, their eyes began to grow bloody, followed by the loudest squeal the forest had ever heard.

The remaining rodents instantly went rabid as they sniffed the hair to catch the scent of the culprit who had done something so cruel to one of their own.

A few seconds later, one of the rodents latched onto a scent lingering on a snapped twig, and with a loud screech, it rallied its people before darting in the same direction Ji Min had fled through.

The rest of the group followed behind in swarms as they began their quest for blood and vengeance.

Then a few minutes after they left, the thumping sound of heavy footsteps echoed into the area as the visage of a young lady appeared from the shadows.

~Huff! Puff~

She panted for breath as her steps echoed across the area.

She was perspiring gallons of sweat, wobbling her steps as she tried to lean on a tree, but just as she leaned on the tree trunk.

Roar!

The roar of what seemed to be an utterly pissed-off monster echoed from behind her.

'Shit! I thought I had lost it back at the river!'

She thought to herself in panic before lifting her arms to sniff her armpits.

'I made sure to wash off my scent back at the river; how is this thing still managing to find me?'

She added in a worn-out and exhausted manner before mustering the scraps of energy left in her body to put some distance between herself and her incoming nightmare.

Meanwhile, about 300 meters ahead, Ji Min was about to be engaged in an epic battle.

Surrounding him were three reptilian beasts; two Savage Beasts at the Peak of the Commander stage and one Demon Beast that seemed to have just broken into the Lord Stage.

The demon beast was one whose name was very familiar to both Ji Min and Sensei; it was a Nocturnal Abyssal Medusa.

It was a Physical Beast that was especially famous for its Necrotic Venom that can petrify all affected areas of its victim.

The other was a fire-breathing lizard that sported a redhead but a black body.

The final one was a gecko with slimy and sticky fluids dripping from its mouth; it had an albino complexion, and its razor-sharp tail gleamed at any slightest reflection of light.

These beasts surrounded Ji Min; they circled him, giving several taunting roars and hisses, seemingly waiting to lunge and barrage Ji Min should he make any slight movement.