Hunter’s Vengeance: The Rise of the Predator

   After about a month since defeating the Sky Tiger, during which she didn't see any change in her situation, Kara decided to search for the ruins of the village where she was born to look for clues about the ritual that weren't mentioned in the papers she had found.

   Although the area she had to explore was quite vast and the passage of time had almost erased all traces left by a human settlement, Kara managed to find the remnants of the village, situated about 50 kilometers deep into the forest, in approximately two weeks. Unfortunately, after exploring the ruins for ten days, Kara only found some partially burnt books with unintelligible writing and a few broken statues representing various animals.

   'I think I wasted my time searching through these ruins. Even if there was something in the past that could offer me more information, the demons who attacked the village probably took it with them or destroyed it. Anyway, I didn't have anything more important to do. Ever since I defeated the Sky Tiger, the days have become boring since all the creatures in the forest dare not approach me within 20 kilometers... Though such a carefree life is pleasant enough, I believe I'm starting to miss a challenge. Maybe that's why the Sky Tiger didn't eliminate the giant serpent...' These were some of Kara's thoughts as she wandered among the ruins of the village destroyed almost 18 years ago, which seemed like it would be completely swallowed by the forest's vegetation in a few years, erasing all traces left by humans in the Great Moonshadow Forest.

   'Huh, this smell... it's blood, human blood...' Kara realized as she tried to locate a new prey to feed on. With her heightened sense of smell, she could detect prey from almost 100 kilometers away when the wind was favorable, so it was no surprise that she could pick up the scent of blood from a considerable distance.

   Immediately, she turned her gaze in the direction leading to the forest's outskirts, where a battle had likely taken place. Without much hesitation, she headed toward that location to assess the situation.

   'I don't know why, but the fact that humans have entered my territory irritates me. It's like unwelcome guests coming into my house with muddy feet. Anyway, first, I'll see what the situation is, and then I'll decide what measures to take...'

   ......................................

   "No, please. It's just an ordinary ring. I have no way to get you the things you're asking for..."

   In a small glade surrounded by trees on all sides, a middle-aged man, fallen to his knees and with his face covered in blood, desperately tried to protect himself from the blows of his assailant, who showed no mercy despite his tears and pleas.

   "Do you think I'm dumb? Do you think I don't already know who you work for? Felix, make that bitch under you moan louder, or this dog of the nobles won't understand what the situation is...."

   "Yes, boss, with great pleasure...", answered a man with his pants in veins who was standing over a woman of about 40 years old with torn clothes and a dagger inserted in her stomach.

   "Aaaahhhh!!!"

   "Watch out boss, every time I twist the dagger, this old bitch gets as tight as a virgin..."

   ............................

   After a few minutes of sprinting at a speed almost impossible to detect with the naked eye, leaving only broken branches and flying grass as evidence of her passage, Kara arrived at the scene where an unexpected scene was unfolding. In front of four carts used for transporting goods, a man as big as a bear ruthlessly beat down an older man with gray hair who lay on the ground, while another satisfied his sexual desires with the body of a woman who was almost lifeless. A few meters to their right, two naked women were tied to separate trees, their bodies full of wounds, having succumbed to the tortures inflicted by the ten brutes gathered around a fire, feasting.

   "Hey, Ralph. Stop wasting your time. You won't get anything from him. A loyal dog like him would kill his own mother for a chance to kiss the Marquis' feet. Do you think he cares about pain or his wife's honor? I know someone in town who can unseal storage rings. It's a bit expensive, but it'll get the job done without complications," one of the ten men told the aggressor while he continued to beat the man on the ground.

   "Yes, boss! This whore doesn't even move anymore. Every time I twist the knife, she can't make a sound..."

   Agreeing with his subordinate's words, Ralph straightened his back and wiped his hands, now covered in blood, with a cloth. He then walked toward the fire and picked up a skewer of meat to replenish his energy after the effort.

   "Yes, I think you're right," Ralph said to his subordinates as he chewed on a piece of meat. After looking at the two lifeless women, he turned his reproachful gaze toward his men.

   "Couldn't you have left one alive for me? I sweated while beating the damn dog, and you guys enjoy the company of two beauties while you drink and eat..."

   "Boss, don't be mad. You know the boys have been stressed lately. Anyway, don't worry. If we find another woman in the forest, you can enjoy her all by yourself, hehe..."

   "What kind of women do you think live in this forest, you fool? Do you think I am the same as you when you're drunk? The last time you got drunk, you wanted to fuck a mare..."

   'It seems they're bandits who robbed a caravan,' Kara deduced as she observed from a distance of 100 meters.

   'From what I've heard, their purpose was to obtain something carried by the man on the ground in the storage ring, and they tried to get him to unseal it by torturing him and his wife. As for the two deceased women, judging by their scattered equipment and clothes, I believe they were part of the adventurers responsible for guarding the caravan.'

   Kara wasn't very impressed by the bandits' cruelty and horrific acts and she continued to watch calmly. She had long become accustomed to the unwritten laws of the wilderness, where the strong could do whatever they pleased to the weak.

   'Yes, here, no one will stop them from doing as they please. This isn't a place of morality. In this forest, only the strong can survive. But, unfortunately for them, they are not the strongest here. I am the strongest! I have the right to decide who lives and who dies in my territory, not some fools who wouldn't last a night in this forest if my presence didn't drive away the predators from this area. Anyway, the fact that I've encountered these bastards is good news for me because they'll offer me an opportunity to test what happens after I devour the energy of a human being. Perhaps it's necessary to kill individuals of your own species to be recognized as the ultimate predator. I don't know why, but when I sensed the smell of human blood, I felt like this could be the solution to my problems...'

   Determined to take the lives of the 12 bandits, Kara swiftly advanced towards the place where they were having dinner, not hesitating even though she was completely naked.

   'Dead men can't tell stories', Kara thought as her right arm pierced the chest of the nearest bandit, who had just risen from the woman who seemed to have lost consciousness.

   Although a completely naked woman of captivating beauty stood before them, the other 11 bandits looked at her as if she were a demon who escaped from the depths of hell.

   Kara had no reason to be concerned because the men in front of her posed no threat, so she immediately activated the skill Blood Hunger, and the body of the killed bandit transformed into a pile of bones and clothes within a few seconds.

   "Demon!"

   "Demon!!"

   "Get your weapons, fools! She'll kill us all!"

   After seeing the fate of their companion, the 11 remaining bandits snapped out of the state of shock they had entered and, taking the weapons they had at hand, grouped themselves in a defensive position, aiming not to be taken by surprise.

   'Do they really think they stand a chance to survive? Let's see how long they can maintain their optimism,' Kara thought as she observed the determined bandits in front of her.

   Kara wasted no time and appeared almost instantly in the middle of their formation, delivering three low kicks that left all 11 bandits without legs.

   "Ahhhh, my legs!"

   "Ahhhh!!"

   "Ahhhh, my gods, protect me, I don't want to die!"

   Watching the bandits crawling helplessly in front of her like worms in front of a hungry hen, Kara recognized that such moments, when wretches crawl at her feet in terror, were truly pleasing.

   Initially, she had thought to finish the job quickly, but seeing the fear and desperation of the bandits who just moments before considered themselves masters of the world, Kara decided not to hurry. She continued to let them crawl, attacking only those who were weaker and losing consciousness due to blood loss.

   In the end, the one who resisted the most was their leader, who had a health potion with him and managed to stop the bleeding. Kara didn't stop him when she saw him taking out the potion from his storage ring and drinking it because killing people who were almost unconscious was becoming boring.

   "Please, I want to live... I'll do whatever you want. Yes, I'll bring you as many people as you want..." the bandit leader began to plead through tears as he saw Kara approaching him, stepping over the bones of his former comrades.

   "Let's see.... I wouldn't mind having a slave who does everything I say. But you'll truly be of help?"

   "Yes, yes. I'll do everything you want," the bandit replied to Kara, hope for life igniting in his eyes.

   "Alright, it's not a bad idea. But you should know I don't accept useless slaves. My slaves must truly be obedient, strong, and know how to fly. I believe you meet the first two conditions, so now let's see how you fare with flying..."

   "Flying? What flying?" the bandit leader asked Kara, puzzled.

   "To fly like a bird. Let me help you get started with the flying test..."

   Immediately after Kara offered to help the bandit leader fly, she leaned over and pulled him hard by one arm, throwing him into the air at an altitude of over 100 meters.

   "Fly, little one, fly!", Kara encouraged the man who was heading straight towards the ground.

   "Splash!!"

   Watching the bandit whose head exploded upon impact with the ground, Kara brought her hand to her eyes, wiping away imaginary tears.

   "Too bad. It seems you didn't pass the test..."

   After activating the Blood Hunger skill and devouring what was left of the bandit leader, Kara approached the only person still alive, the wife of the man killed by the bandit leader.

   Hearing the desperate cries of the bandits, she managed to wake up and, disregarding the deep wound in her abdomen, raised the upper part of her body and watched as Kara took the lives of the bandits, feeling both horrified and relieved at the same time.

   Standing in front of the woman, Kara lowered her head and looked directly into her eyes, but she could no longer see any desire to live in them.

   "Are you going to kill me too?" the woman asked Kara.

   "Only if that's what you want."

   "Yes, please. I'm already close to death... I don't want to die in agony. And even if I live, the memory of today will haunt me forever. My husband, as stubborn as he was, was the only one I could rely on... So please, end my suffering."

   "Okay."

   "Bang."

   With a powerful blow, Kara made the woman's head disappear instantly, her body collapsing into a pool of blood. Kara was aware of her abilities. She was not a healer. She couldn't heal anyone's body or soul. The only act of mercy she could offer was a swift death.

   Kara leaned over the decapitated body and, placing her hand on its chest, activated the Blood Hunger skill.

   'Something is different this time; I think I'll finally complete the ritual,' Kara thought, noticing that the energy throughout her body began to surge, and an insatiable desire to devour everything engulfed her entire being.

   'Yes, just a bit more. It's almost ready...' Kara told herself in her mind, trying to control her powers and emotions, which were in a true storm, her will holding them at bay like a rock stops the waves caused by a hurricane.

   After what seemed like an entire year to Kara, the internal storm suddenly stopped, along with the surrounding environment, as if the flow of time had frozen. Looking around, Kara noticed that even the birds in the air remained motionless as if painted by an untalented person who couldn't suggest the idea of movement.

   "Crack!"

   Suddenly, cracks began to appear around Kara, like in a glass window, as if reality itself was about to disintegrate at any moment, and although nothing could be seen through these cracks, Kara could feel the power behind them, a power capable of creating worlds and destroying them. Fortunately, the cracks didn't continue to spread, and slowly, they began to disappear as if time had been rewound.

   When the last crack disappeared, the world came back to life as if none of this had ever happened, and Kara finally received the sign that the ritual was complete, the following words appearing in her mind "Your class has evolved. You now have the unique class Predator".