Dusk fell fast over the forest, painting the fog with long shadows.
Ye Wuchen crouched low under a twisted root, scanning the clearing beyond. His muscles were sore, his wound tight beneath the bandaged fogroot, but his eyes were sharp. His breath steady.
> [Threat Proximity: 380 meters and closing.]
> [Multiple energy signals detected.]
> [Identified: 1x Human Tracker | 1x Spirit-Tech Beast – Class: Hunter Hound]
> "So he brought backup."
He narrowed his eyes.
A low mechanical growl vibrated through the air—a deep, unnatural hum that didn't belong in any forest. Leaves rustled. Metal claws crunched wet soil.
Then he saw it.
Emerging from the fog came a sleek, black canine-like machine. Red lenses in place of eyes. A curved jaw of silver teeth. Lines of glowing blue energy pulsed along its sides like veins.
> [Spirit Beast Classification: Tech-Hound Model R4 – Speed class | Designed to hunt awakened youth | Danger Level: High for current power.]
Wuchen's throat tightened.
> "Designed to hunt… kids like me?"
> [Correct. Urban cities deploy them to eliminate or tag unregistered awakenings. Usually used after human trackers confirm threat level.]
He stepped back silently.
Then the system whispered something new.
> [Unlock Opportunity: Shadow Skill Resonance Detected.]
Hunter-class enemy presence may trigger evolution path for 'Shadow Step' skill.
Condition: Use Shadow Step successfully to counter enemy predictive pathing 3 times.
Wuchen blinked.
> "So this thing thinks like a predator… If I can outplay it… I level up?"
> [Correct.]
> "Alright then…"
He stood.
> "Let's play."
---
The First Clash
The Tech-Hound froze mid-stride.
Its head lifted.
Its scanners flicked side to side.
Then it growled—low and vibrating.
And lunged.
Wuchen moved just in time, activating Shadow Step—
He blinked six meters to the side, hiding behind a mossy tree.
The beast skidded past, then immediately changed course.
> [Shadow Step – Success 1/3. Skill evolution in progress.]
Wuchen darted away again, now leading it uphill through dense brush.
The beast followed.
Fast. Agile.
Too fast for a human.
---
Counter Instinct
He reached a narrow ledge and paused, breathing hard.
The beast leapt up—predicting his path—
Wuchen dropped flat, triggered Shadow Step downward, and reappeared behind the hound.
Its sensors snapped the wrong way.
He threw a rock—CLANG!
The beast turned to the noise, not him.
> [Shadow Step – Success 2/3. Skill evolution nearing threshold.]
> "One more…"
---
Final Trick
He dashed toward a cluster of thorn trees. The hound roared, blades on its back clicking open.
At the last moment, he faked left—then used Shadow Step to dash directly behind the beast and slide under it.
As it turned, it clipped a low-hanging branch—
Its balance broke for half a second.
Wuchen used that moment.
He grabbed a half-burnt spearhead from the ground—some hunter's forgotten weapon—and slammed it into the Tech-Hound's side.
Spark!
Crash!
The beast staggered, sensors flickering.
> [Shadow Step – Success 3/3.]
> [Skill Evolution Triggered.]
---
System Alert – Skill Upgrade
> [Shadow Step → Shadow Veil (Lv.1)]
Short-range burst movement cloaked in a 0.5-second visual delay. Enemies will see your afterimage at your previous location for a moment.
> *Cooldown: 12 seconds. Shadow element required.
> Bonus Passive Gained: Flicker Ghost – Chance to resist lock-on or scanner-based tracking.
Wuchen felt the change immediately.
His body tingled.
Not just faster—more fluid. More unpredictable.
> "Let's finish this."
---
The End of the Hound
The beast recovered, lunging again with saw-blades deployed.
Wuchen didn't move—until the last second.
Then he vanished.
The beast tore through a tree.
Too late.
Wuchen appeared behind it, driving the broken spearhead into the glowing joint near its neck.
Crack! Spark!
The beast fell.
Its limbs twitched, then fell still—glowing core flickering… then gone.
> [Tech-Hound Neutralized.]
[System Analyzing Energy Residue…]
[Compatible Data Core Fragment Found.]
> You may integrate Tech-Hound Reflex Module (Minor): +2% Reaction Speed permanently
> "Do it."
> [Integrated.]
He collapsed against a tree, breathing heavy but smiling.
> "Guess I'm not prey anymore."
---
Far Away – The Tracker's Signal Breaks
The silver-armored man stared at his blank scanner.
> "The hound's gone?"
He tapped the lens.
Nothing.
> "He destroyed it?"
He chuckled darkly.
> "Not bad, kid. You keep proving you're more than a mistake."
He turned away.
> "Time to let others notice you."