Chapter -06 The Beast and The Hunters

The status menu open in front of him 

Status

Name ➡️ William Drakewill

Race ➡️ ??????(Under awakening)

STR ➡️ 25

DEF ➡️ 12

STM ➡️ 45

AGI ➡️ 50

INT ➡️ 192

ACC ➡️ 70

Charm ➡️ 489

MANA Capacity ➡️ 550/550

Rank ➡️ E-

Profession ➡️ ?????

Techniques ➡️ None

Affinity ➡️ ?????

Skills ➡️ Eagle eyes, double trust, marksmanship

Spells ➡️ Lightning strike, wind blade, ??

Ability ➡️ Insight

Ability Skills ➡️ Enhanced perception, Predictive Analysis, Deception detection, Debilitating Effect, Emotions manipulation, Weakness Exploitation, ????, ___, ????.

As William's status menu lay open in front of him he could not help but curse loud "why the f*"k my stats didn't change even a bit not is my bloodline didn't awakened immediately and change my stats even a bit like his had in the Webnovel, his frustration mounted. He couldn't understand why the fruit hadn't triggered any significant changes in his stats. The term "Under awakening" beside his race don't surprise him much because he knew that it happened because of his dormant bloodline and it was later reveal in the novel that there were humans in the world which descendants of mythical beast.

Resigned to the fact that the fruit couldn't boost his status, he shifted his thoughts toward more immediate concerns. TerraNova Academy's classes were due to start in two days, and he was resolute about being prepared and want to plan things in advance.

He continued his journey downhill, pondering why the fruit hadn't affected his status. The sun began its descent on the horizon, casting long shadows .

But a sudden, instinctual sense of danger froze William in his tracks. Without a second thought, he hide behind a massive boulder, the feeling of dread is still enveloped him.

Moments later, a monstrous beast that defies nature appear in front of him. Standing at an awe-inspiring 12 feet in height, this creature is like a fiery behemoth and looked to be a true force of destruction. Its fur is not tawny but ablaze with crimson flames, and its mane crackles like fire as it moves. Its massive paws end in molten claws that can melt through even the sturdiest of obstacles, and its eyes blaze with a sentient intelligence that mirrors the flames it embodies.

This beast was a Infernal lion who is the result of a rare and mysterious mutation, which has magnified its size while imbuing it with control over fire. This all happened after the invasion of demon, when the demonic energy and the natural mana mixed it created a different type of beast and in them there were infernal type beast in which, This creature is not just a formidable apex predator; it is a living inferno, a symbol of power and destruction. It roar is only enough to make fear among other beast and this beast was comparable to A Rank Awaken humans.

Concealed behind the boulder, William watched with a mix of awe and fear as the infernal lion roamed majestically through the dusk, each step resonating with raw, fiery power. A feeling of vulnerability and powerlessness washed over him, reminding him that TerraNova was a world teeming with unpredictable and deadly wonders.

As he said "thanks god I give into my instinct immediately and hide behind the bolder or I will have become mincemeat in this life also"

After the beast was gone William still didn't move from his place and he stayed there for long time. "I think I should go now I can't stay here while been scared of that infernal beast what will I do when even stronger monster then this one will appear I can't afford to be afraid." Just as he was about to come out of his hiding he heard voices of two people talking to each other.

"Man I am so tired can't we just go back and tell boss that we can find the boy" said the on voice.

The other reply "no we have to find that William boy and kill or young master will kill us"

"The hell why does some novel type young master want to kill I literally arrived few days ago in this world. "

William crouched silently behind the massive boulder, his ears straining to catch every word of the conversation taking place just beyond his rocky refuge.

"Why do we have to be the ones to search for that William bastard?" One of the voices sounded disgruntled.

The other voice replied, almost casually, "You know how it works, man. In this type of group, the weaklings always have to keep quiet and follow the orders of the others. So, let's find that kid, call everyone, and then our job will be over."

William's heart pounded as he realized that these people weren't looking for him; they were hunting the real William, the person whose body he now inhabited. The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Perhaps the absence of the real William in the novel was due to a fate he was about to share.

"But why they want to kill William,that why I don't like novel where mc have transgrimate to another person body and didn't have the memories of original owner,it another point that I don't read any novel."

He couldn't linger on this unsettling thought for long, for self-preservation kicked in. Panic gave way to determination as William considered his options.

If he wanted to escape this dangerous situation, he had to formulate a plan.

And for that he would need, His ability, Insight, aid.

"But how could I develop a solid plan to escape when I had no combat training, and my pursuers seemed to stronger then me and weakest among them was also on same rank as me? The odds appeared stacked against me. My only hope was to rely on my ability."

" And I don't even know how to use, think Will think."

"how the character use there ability in the novel they do think what they wanted to and their ability follows their will, ok then let try it."

Time seemed to stretch as he huddled behind the boulder, putting his plan together. There was no room for fear, only for strategy. Minutes stretched into an eternity and when there was absolute darkness, and as his resolve crystallized. "It was time". He whispered to himself, "I have to make a move. I can't stay hidden forever." His breathing steadied, and his mind cleared.

He considered all the variables, plotted a course, and let his desire to survive guide him. As his ability, Insight, had acted on his command.

******

In the heart of the dense forest

  James and his group found themselves surrounded by the looming shadows of ancient trees.

The group's faces bore a mix of exhaustion and frustration as they grumbled about their fruitless pursuit of the E-rank boy.

"Boss, we couldn't find that boy. Do you think he went back while we were coming?" One of the men complained, voicing their shared doubts.

James, as he was their leader, wasn't buying the reason that they were unable to find them. As he listened to their complaints of his group, he grew increasingly irritated. And with a swift movement, he unleashed a bolt of lightning, incapacitating the outspoken man who had dared to question him.

"Do the two of you think of me as a fool?" James demanded, his voice filled with authority.

"I had already set cameras around the edge of the forest when we entered and he hadn't exited the forest yet. I know the two of you all too well and your habits to laze around. I'm sure that you two didn't search the whole area and instead came back here."

The knocked-out man groaned, a reminder of the consequences of challenging their leader's decisions. As he regained his senses, he shot a fearful glance towards James.

James wasn't a man to waste time, especially on a mere E-rank target. He emphasized the urgency of their mission. "Hurry up, we have to do the job fast and head back. It's taken too much time just to kill an E-rank boy."

As they continued their search, their attention was drawn to a lone figure ahead. A boy, holding a bag, walked with a certain purpose, his characteristics matching the description they had been provided.

"Follow him quietly," James ordered, his voice hushed yet commanding. "When he stops to rest, kill him swiftly. We don't know what his ability is, but even if his rank is E-, there are abilities that grant users the strength to fight ranks above. We can still kill him; but we don't want to lose people just to eliminate an E-rank boy. So, kill him swiftly."

One of the men, curious yet sceptical, questioned the existence of abilities that could level the playing field. "Boss, are there really abilities like that?"

James's eyes gleamed with a mix of memories and anticipation. "Yes, there are," he replied, his tone betraying the certainty of his experiences. "I've seen it myself. I had to fight someone who possessed such an ability. I had to push myself to the limit just to make the match a draw, and he was only an E+ rank, while I am D rank."

As they continued to tail the boy, another of James's men couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

"Who was that person, boss?"

James weighed his response carefully, knowing that the revelation he was about to make was not to be taken lightly.

"I think you all will know soon, so there's no harm in sharing it with you now. But keep quiet about this matter until it's officially announced."

The inquisitive man leaned in, his interest piqued. "Who was that person, boss? We will not tell a single soul about it"

James as he look at the person he said. "That person was the illegitimate child of our lord. He was the same age as this boy we're chasing. When he took his entrance exam for the academy, during his blood test his DNA matched with our lord's in the database of the academy. One of The academy instructor who work for our lord informed him, who conducted further research. He found that the boy was the son of our lord and one of his toy who passed away after giving birth to him. The boy was raised in an orphanage, which kept him in the dark about his true heritage. Now, our lord plans to introduce him as the son of our lord and his concubine. He will even have the right to compete for the position of the next lord of the house, against our young master. That's why our young master has been so agitated lately."

One of the men couldn't help but ask, "Boss, is that boy really that strong"

James didn't hesitate to confirm the boy's strength.

  "He's not just strong; he's a freakin' monster. I don't know what his ability is, but he can change anything around him into whatever he wants. What's more, there seem to be no restrictions on how long he can use his ability. When I fought him, he used his ability from the start of the battle until the end. The most shocking part was that the strength of his ability didn't weakened as the battle prolonged."

As they discussed the boy's extraordinary abilities, James offered another intriguing piece of information. "I've told you all this already, so there's no harm in sharing this too. Our lord even plans to change the agreement he has with that family. He wants to put that boy in the place of the young lord."

The other man was visibly surprised. "Really, boss? But what's the context of the agreement between the two families? We only know that there was some agreement between the two families but don't know what it is, Do you know that"

James was about to reveal more when one of his men interrupted. "Boss, look there. That boy has stopped"

James turned his gaze to where the boy had halted in front of a massive boulder. An ominous feeling washed over him as he sensed that something dreadful was about to happen.

As he watched with growing unease, the boy began to take something out of his bag. His heart raced as he tried to discern what was unfolding. And then, the boy's actions left him and his men in stunned silence.

The boy poured a plastic bag full of mud all over himself and moved to the other side of the boulder.

After that thinking James order.

"kill him as fast as you can after that we will go to pub to pick some hot chicks."