Reborn as a Ferawyn pup in the deadly Hollow Crown labyrinth, Kael is no longer the assassin he once was—but his will to survive burns stronger than ever. A week of brutal training and the Integrated Predator System push him toward his first hunt. Will he prove himself a hunter, or fall to the forest's nightmares?
A system notification flickered before Kael's eyes, stark and cold.
**System: Sub-Quest: Strengthen the Host's Body**
Duration: 7 Days
Objective: Complete daily basic training.
Supplements: Beginner's Recovery Elixirs ×7, System Nutrient Paste ×7
Reward: Stabilized physical condition, +1 to all base stats, early adaptation boost to monster physiology.
Failure: Stunted growth. Reduced affinity with core abilities.
---
*Tch. Figures. Of course, it wouldn't let me rot in peace.*
Kael lay on the cave's mossy floor, ribs still sore from the tunnel collapse, limbs frail in his new Ferawyn pup body.
A thick, bitter liquid slithered into his mouth. He gagged, throat burning.
**System: Supplement Consumed. Vitality regeneration increased. Muscle fibers activating.**
*So, it starts now…*
Kael dragged himself toward the cave's mouth, paws trembling like a fawn's. His mother had gone hunting, her massive pawprints etched in the dirt. The ravine outside was thick with damp air, scented with moss and faint blood.
---
"Look at the little runt, crawling like a worm again," a voice sneered.
A low, chuckling growl followed. "He's supposed to be the son of that guy? The old Alpha must be rolling in his grave."
Kael glanced up. Three young wolves loomed across the rocks—older, larger, their fur gleaming. Their eyes dripped contempt, lips curled into smug smirks.
*I didn't say a word. Not because I was scared. I just didn't have the strength to tear them apart yet.*
Kael turned away, conserving his energy.
---
The first day of training was pure agony.
Push-ups until his paws shook.
Crawling over jagged stones until his fur tore.
Sprinting across the ravine until his lungs burned.
Claw slashes against tree bark until his pads bled.
Every muscle screamed, but Kael pressed on.
*I couldn't stop.*
Each morning, the system forced a foul-tasting supplement down his throat, like rancid oil. Each evening, he collapsed, fur matted with dirt, sweat, and spit.
---
The taunts echoed daily.
"Still at it, huh? Maybe if he trains hard enough, he'll grow a spine."
"Don't overdo it, runt. The dirt might miss you if you drop dead."
By day four, elders joined the whispers. "The poor pup's broken. Can't even speak right. Shame about his father."
*I didn't care.*
Kael's past life as an assassin had taught him to endure worse.
*This wasn't the first time I was hunted.*
---
On day seven, Kael's claws carved clean lines through bark. His legs held firm. His breath stayed steady after three laps around the ravine's jagged edge.
**System: Sub-Quest Complete.**
**+1 Strength**
**+1 Agility**
**+1 Endurance**
**+1 Vitality**
**+1 Resistance**
**Physiological Stability Achieved.**
---
Kael peered into a puddle, his reflection clearer.
*Not quite a beast yet… but not weak either.*
His instincts sharpened, muscles coiled with energy, balance restored.
The mockery grew distant, hollow.
*Let them laugh. Because soon, the hunt would begin. And I wouldn't be prey anymore.*
Kael's body now resembled a "normal pup" in this world—twice the size of an old-world dog. Size, strength, and survival were the foundation. In a cave pool, his reflection showed sleek silver fur, muscles forming beneath a once-frail frame, golden eyes shimmering.
*Not evolution yet. But a damn good start.*
---
He approached his mother, voice steady despite his pup status. "Mom, I want to start hunting."
She turned her head, avoiding his gaze. "No."
"I'm ready," Kael insisted. "I'm not weak anymore. I've trained, healed. I'm normal now, even above average for a pup."
"No," she said, voice firm. "You almost died. Two days in a collapsed cave, unconscious. You want that again?"
"I won't. I've learned. I've grown."
"You're still a pup."
"Then fight me," Kael blurted, surprising himself. "I can take you."
Her amber eyes flicked to him, amusement dancing. "Is that so?" Her mouth twitched into a faint smile, but she held firm. "Still no."
---
*I widened my eyes, lowered my head, and whimpered with the most exaggerated pookie face I could make.*
*But… but Mama… I worked so hard… please?*
Silence. She turned away.
"…How can I say no to that face?"
*Victory.*
Kael's tail flicked.
"But," she added, "before you step one paw out to hunt, you'll study with me for two days. No arguments."
*I drooped my ears dramatically. That sounds boring.*
"Then forget about hunting."
Kael straightened. "Okay, okay. When do we start?"
---
## Day 1 of Lessons
They sat near the cave's inner walls, bioluminescent moss casting a faint glow. His mother began.
"This world is vast, Kael. Multiple continents, dozens of islands. We live on a great continent, in the western region—a forest so dense and rich in mana that humans rarely dare enter. Deep within lies this labyrinth."
Kael tilted his head. "You've never left. How do you know this?"
She smiled, distant. "Your father told me."
"How did he know?"
Her smile faltered. "That… is a story for another time."
*I didn't press.*
Kael listened.
---
"This labyrinth is ancient. A living legend. Unmapped by humans. If they found it, its rank would be fifth in the world in monster density. Yet it's weak compared to other legendary dungeons."
"So it's famous and forgotten?" Kael asked.
"Exactly," she nodded. "They call it Ygrah—The Hollow Crown. Many assume it was destroyed centuries ago. But it still breathes."
She clawed shapes into the floor. "There are over thirty-two known floors. The first five are shallow enough for low- to medium-rank monsters. We dwell in the upper third floor—Hollow Fangs. It's rich in natural mana but unstable for weak creatures."
*Kael memorized the map mentally.*
---
"Three monsters to watch in our area," she continued. "Spikeroot Lizards—fast, poisonous tails. Emberflame Crawlers—small, swarm in groups, burn skin. Thornhide Grizzar—bear-beasts that regenerate with bloodlust."
*Poison. Fire. Regeneration. I'd need tactics, not strength.*
Kael noted.
*Other beasts we can decide how to deal with on the spot.*
"Monsters aren't the only threat," she said. "There are others… like us."
"Other wolf tribes?"
"Yes. The Blackmoon pack to the east—cunning, merciless. Ravenspike clan, nomadic, unpredictable. Don't trust them."
"Are we… at war?"
"Not openly," she said. "But tension always simmers."
---
She added, "The world has two kinds of non-human entities: Monsters and Summoned Monsters. Normal monsters act on instinct—kill, eat, dominate. Summoned monsters… they think. Strategize. Speak. They're created by magic—summoners or ancient spells. Some are part of old legacies. They're rare… but dangerous."
*So, intelligent beasts. Rivals that could plan.*
Kael's mind sharpened.
"Before our alpha—your father—died, how strong were we?" Kael asked.
She took a long breath. "We ruled the top three floors. Easily. No beast, no tribe could contest us. Your father's blood… it carries a legacy tied to the old Demon Hunters. That's why your lineage is special, Kael."
*I held onto that. Tight.*
---
## Day 2 of Lessons
The second day was a flood of details—terrain strategies, basic mana sensing, scent tracking, inter-tribe conflict history, survival tricks in underground layers. His mother was strict, detailed, like the assassin masters of Kael's past life.
*I liked it.*
His mind spun but grew sharper.
Before they left the cave, she spoke of their target. "Mirehorn Grunks are common in the shallow floors. They're slow but dangerously aggressive, especially if cornered. Half-blind, but their sense of smell is sharp. Pups should never hunt them alone…"
---
The forest beyond the cave was awash in dappled gold and deep green. Sunlight trickled through ancient, claw-scratched branches. The air shimmered with life, but Kael'thas's heartbeat echoed louder than the birdsong.
His paws gripped the earth—not as a runt, but as something closer to a predator.
"Where are you going?" a sharp, teasing voice called.
His mother's sister—taller, fur laced with frost-colored streaks—stood nearby, eyes widening as she saw Kael'thas beside his mother.
"For his first hunt," his mother answered proudly.
Her sister's expression softened. "So our little boy finally comes out of his shell, huh?" She padded over, grinning. "Look at you. All grown and fangs now."
Kael'thas nodded, silent.
*No need to explain.*
---
Murmurs rose from tribe members nearby.
"I thought he couldn't even dodge falling rocks."
"Let's see if he runs back crying after his first scratch."
"He's no Shadowfang blood… not like the old Alpha."
His aunt's ears flicked back. "Ignore them," she muttered, then louder, "They're worms. Gnats feeding off glory they never earned. Come on."
The trio moved through the woods, voices fading. The forest whispered—twisting roots, pulsing prey scents, faded blood trails. His mother led in silence, his aunt pointing out claw marks on bark, fresh scat from herbivores.
"You need to see your prey before it sees you," she said. "Smell everything. Your nose is better than your eyes."
---
They stopped at a moss-covered ridge. Below, in a narrow clearing, a Mirehorn Grunk snorted, pawing the soil. Its tusks were thick, bloodstained, eyes red with aggression. Dense bristles coated its hide like bark, three times Kael'thas's size.
His mother's eyes narrowed. "Perfect."
She motioned Kael'thas forward, circling wide to mask her alpha scent.
"Time to earn those teeth, cub," his aunt whispered, grinning.
---
Kael'thas crept down the slope.
*A Mirehorn Grunk. Tusked. Blind. Built like a boulder with rage issues.*
"Great," he muttered.
*I trained seven days for this. Let's see if it was enough.*
The Grunk's head snapped up as Kael'thas's paws touched the clearing. It snorted, lowered its tusks, and charged.
Kael'thas jumped sideways, rolling through brambles. Pain prickled his hide, but instinct surged.
*Blood rushing to my head.*
His fangs bared, he lunged for the Grunk's side.
The beast slammed into him, air bursting from his lungs. The ground cracked. Kael'thas clawed its flank, drawing a shallow gash. It shrieked, spinning to gore him.
---
The battle was violent, breathless. Kael'thas danced between tusks, landing nips and slashes. The Grunk charged again and again, fury boiling. Kael'thas leapt onto its back, biting deep into its nape. It roared, bucked, and slammed him into a tree.
Stars burst behind his eyes.
*Keep going. One more breath. One more strike.*
Blood in his mouth, bones ringing, Kael'thas twisted and drove his claws into the Grunk's throat, pushing until it collapsed in a shudder of death.
He stumbled back, panting. His aunt howled from above. "Now that's a Shadowfang kill."
Kael'thas managed a weak grin.
---
**But then—**
The trees groaned. Birds exploded into the sky. A rumbling growl shattered the quiet.
From the shadows emerged a creature forged from nightmares—twice the Grunk's size, skeletal and serpentine. Four legs ended in razored talons, eyes burning with cursed light. Sulfurous breath misted from its fanged maw.
*A Cravern Wight-Beast.*
Its neck arched like a viper, jaws unhinging with a bone-splitting crack. Sulfurous steam rolled, melting moss and stone.
*I had fought. I had won. But this—this thing wasn't prey. It wasn't a beast. It was a curse made flesh.*
Kael'thas's legs locked, breath caught.
His mother moved like black lightning, placing herself between him and the charging demon. "Run," she growled—not to Kael'thas, but to the shadowed forest.
---
A system prompt blinked, pulsing red:
**System: Fatal Threat Detected – Cravern Wight-Beast**
**System: Override: Battle Mode Locked**
**System: Survival Protocol: ACTIVATED**
The forest exploded into chaos.