Lunar Legacy: Rise Of The Beastlord
Chapter 109: Howler Alpha

Chapter 109: Howler Alpha

Jayden woke up with a sense of purpose, the morning sunlight streaming through his window like a golden glow. He had made up his mind the night before - today was the day he would go to Jade City, to hunt and test his limits. The excitement coursed through his veins like a potent elixir, fueling his determination.

With swift efficiency, Jayden showered and dressed, his movements practiced and precise. He grabbed his essentials and headed out the door, the crisp morning air greeting him like an old friend.

The taxi he had ordered earlier was waiting for him, its sleek design and gleaming paint job a testament to the city’s advanced technology. Jayden slid into the backseat, and the driver, a gruff but affable man, nodded in greeting.

As they drove out of the city, the scenery shifted from towering skyscrapers to rolling hills and finally, to the endless expanse of the forest. The trees grew taller and closer together, their leaves a vibrant green, and the air thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves.

About forty five minutes later, they arrived at Jade city’s outskirts... A terrain of endless trees and vegetation. It was a thick forest with no sign of human residents.

Jayden smiled and requested to alight.

The driver glanced in the rearview mirror, his expression a mix of confusion and concern. "You’re getting out here, sir?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.

Jayden nodded, his eyes fixed on the forest. "Yeah, this is my stop."

The driver’s expression turned incredulous. "You’re going into the forest? Alone?"

Jayden shrugged. "Yeah."

The driver snickered, and he stared at Jayden as if he was insane. "You’re one crazy kid," he muttered, shaking his head.

Jayden chuckled and handed him the fare. "Thanks for the ride," he said, opening the door and stepping out into the forest.

The driver watched him go, his expression a mix of concern and fascination. "Be careful, kid." he called out, before flying away, leaving Jayden alone in the vast expanse of the forest.

Jayden took a deep breath, feeling the cool morning air fill his lungs. The forest was alive with sounds - insects chirping, leaves rustling, and the distant rumble of a waterfall. He smiled, a sense of excitement building in his chest.

"Alright, let’s do this," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, as he stepped into the uncharted territory filled with predators.

.....

The deeper Jayden ventured into the Crimson Woods, the more the forest seemed to breathe around him. Ancient oaks loomed like sentinels, their gnarled roots twisting through the earth like veins. The air was thick with the scent of damp moss and iron—the smell of beasts and blood.

His feet sank slightly into the soft earth, each step silent, deliberate. He’d been tracking energy signatures for minutes, waiting for something strong enough to test him.

Then—the ground trembled.

A low, guttural hiss slithered through the underbrush.

Jayden stopped. He smiled. "Finally."

And just then... two massive shapes erupted from the foliage, their armored hides glistening under the fractured sunlight.

E-Rank Tremor Gators... each the size of a warhorse, their tails lashing like wrecking balls, leaving furrows in the dirt.

Their eyes locked onto Jayden with a deadly gaze. And without warning, they charged.

The first gator lunged at Jayden, its maw gaping wide enough to swallow a man whole.

Jayden didn’t dodge.

Instead, he stepped into the strike, his forearm slamming upward into the beast’s lower jaw. Bone crunched as he forced its mouth shut, his other hand driving a fist into its throat. The gator choked, stumbling back, eyes bulging.

The second gator struck from the side, its claws raking toward his ribs.

Jayden twisted, letting the talons graze his shirt—close enough to feel the wind of their passage.. right before he countered. His knee smashed into the beast’s ribs, splintering it’s scale. The gator roared, but Jayden was already moving, his fingers hooking under its armored plating.

RIP!

He tore into it’s flank.

A spray of dark blood painted the leaves as the gator screamed, its flank torn open. It staggered, but Jayden didn’t give it time to recover. He leaped, driving his heel down onto its skull with a wet Crack!

The tremor gator collapsed with a thud... Dead.

The first gator, still gasping from the throat strike, tried to flee.

Jayden vanished, reappearing in its path.

His palm slammed into its snout. The force caved in bone, the gator’s skull imploding under the impact. Its body slumped, twitching, as Jayden exhaled.

Silence.

Then... Ding!

The system screen popped up with several notifications.

[+30 exp received]

[+30 exp received]

[You have leveled up]

[Requirements has been met]

[Analysing compatibility...]

[Host is compatible with available beast energy]

[Would you like to absorb the E-Rank Tremor Gator’s energy?]

[Yes] [No]

"No." Jayden replied, and the prompt disappeared instantly. He wasn’t interested in acquiring the energy of beasts that didn’t possess abilities at the moment.

Then, another set of notifications appeared.

[2 Beast crystals have been added to the inventory]

[Congratulations, you have leveled up]

[+2 stat points has been added to all stats]

[Ep: 160>> 180]

[Hp: 360 >> 410]

Jayden closed the system’s interface and continued walking.

He’d barely taken three steps when the forest shivered.

A chorus of snarls echoed from the shadows.

Then... four E-Rank Howlers emerged, their ember-red eyes locked onto him. These weren’t mindless beasts—they were hunters, moving with lethal coordination. Their claws flexed, digging into the earth as they fanned out, surrounding him.

Jayden rolled his shoulders. "I can never get bored of you guys." he smirked.

The first Howler pounced, a blur of fangs and fur.

Jayden sidestepped, his hand snapping out to grab its foreleg mid-lunge. Then he yanked, using the beast’s own momentum to slam it face-first into the ground. And before it could rise...

CRACK!

His foot came down, crushing its spine.

The other three, fueled by the defeat of their comrade attacked all at once.

Jayden moved like a storm.

He ducked under the first howler’s claws, twisting to drive his elbow into its ribs.

CRACK.

Bone shattered. The Howler yelped in pain as it crumpled to the ground.

Jayden moved, spinning towards the second howler, his leg whipping out in a brutal crescent kick that decapitated it mid-leap.

THUD!

It’s corpse collapsed to the ground.

The fourth Howler, the smartest of the pack, tried to flank him.

Jayden paused and let it come.

And as it lunged for his back, Jayden dropped, his hand shooting up to catch its throat. Then he squeezed, feeling cartilage collapse under his grip.. the beast kicking helplessly as Jayden’s grip tightened.

CRACK.

He broke it’s neck, then hurled the beast into a tree. It hit with a wet crunch. sliding down, lifeless.

The last Howler, ribs broken, tried to crawl away.

Jayden strolled over, placed his boot on its skull. And then...

CRACK!

He pressed down, ending the beast’s life brutally.

Silence returned to the forest

The usual notifications appeared and Jayden received the appropriate rewards, including the crystals of the beasts.

He exhaled and prepared to continue into the forest. But then... the forest held its breath.

A pressure settled over the clearing, thick enough to taste. The trees themselves seemed to lean away.. as if afraid.

From the bushes, something moved. Then emerged.

A Howler, its massive frame twice the size of the other ones Jayden had just killed. Its fur was streaked with scars, its fangs glistening in the light. And its eyes... intelligent and hateful, locked onto Jayden like he was prey.

Jayden inspected it quickly.

_______

*Name: Howler (Alpha)

*Rank: D

*Ability: Sonic howl

*Hp: 250

_______

Jayden smirked. "Now we’re talking." he muttered, clenching his fists.

The D-Rank Alpha howled, and the world shook. Then it locked it’s gaze on Jayden... and attacked.