King of Beasts

Chapter 5: Novice Trial Secret Realm

Lu Ran paid no mind to the excited General Ha in sunglasses.

In addition to weapons and an amulet, he had prepared some medicinal ointments, mineral water, snacks, and several wilderness survival tools.

Although unsure if they would be needed, it was always best to bring them along.

The only issue was the weight… But it was not a major problem; he could always discard something if the situation called for it.

As time went by, with Lu Ran’s continuous preparations and never-ending lectures for General Ha, Lu Ran couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.

“Do you really understand?”

“The contract has strengthened your physique, but why do I feel like your intelligence hasn’t been enhanced along with it?”

During this time, Lu Ran looked at the impatient General Ha with a sense of weariness and a headache.

For instance, he mentioned that the upcoming enemies might be creatures they had never encountered before and that they should be cautious. However, General Ha just kept showing a disdainful expression.

Lu Ran felt a chill in his heart.

He had a bad premonition, but with only a few minutes left on the countdown, there was no time for further thought.

“That’s it, then.”

“Come back here.” Lu Ran summoned the black card. This card could now be absorbed into his body and summoned at any moment.

As the teleportation was imminent, Lu Ran first returned General Ha to the black card, then secured the card. At least now, he didn’t have to worry about being separated from General Ha during the teleportation process.

“Awoo!!” General Ha entered the black card, and Lu Ran began to meditate with his eyes closed.

Even with his eyes shut, the countdown was still clearly visible before him.

Time continued to slip away…

Three… two… one… As the last second arrived, Lu Ran couldn’t help but tense up.

After all, he was just a high school student.

It was at this very moment that the space around Lu Ran began to ripple. The space twisted like a vortex, rapidly distorting and ultimately swallowing Lu Ran’s figure, making him vanish from the room.

However, though Lu Ran had disappeared, the backpack he was carrying and the iron-slashing sword he was clutching did not teleport with him.

Apart from the essential clothes and the amulet around his neck, all other items, even the food and drink, were left behind.

Lu Ran felt his body undergoing extreme shifts in weight as if enduring a relentless series of gravitation changes, never anticipating the teleportation process to be so unsettling. As the world-stabilizing sensation faded, Lu Ran realized he had truly arrived at a new destination.

He opened his eyes.

Before him lay a dimly lit dense forest.

Before he could take a closer look, familiar text and a voice appeared once again.

Teleportation complete.

Current location: Forest of the Demon Cat (Novice Trial Secret Realm)

Difficulty: Simple-Level

Trial Mission: Survive one day.

Secret Realm Introduction: The Forest of the Demon Cat is a natural maze formed by a dense variety of trees, which once was the habitat for numerous supernatural beings.

Twenty years ago, a bizarre Black Rainstorm caused mutations among the forest’s creatures, which then unleashed a Beast Tide on the surrounding towns.

The Empire’s Beast Taming Legion responded swiftly, suppressing the Beast Tide and eradicating the forest’s powerful mutated creatures.

After twenty years of recovery, only the Demon Cat clan and some weaker supernatural beings remain active in the forest, which has since been renamed the Forest of the Demon Cat.

As a newcomer Beastmaster who has wandered into this place, your primary objective is to survive and wait for rescue.

Prompt 1: This secret realm is a projection of the Forest of the Demon Cat; resources and creatures within cannot be taken out or contracted.

Prompt 2: Challengers will receive different levels of rewards based on their combat performance in the secret realm upon completing the mission.

Prompt 3: If a challenger is in a near-death state, it is judged a mission failure, and they will be forced to return.

Prompt 4: Challengers temporarily gain the Eye of Data, which can scout for information on resources and creatures within the secret realm.

Good luck on your adventure, and let the trial begin!

“So that’s how it is,” Lu Ran mused upon seeing Prompt 3, feeling that the creator of the black card seemed to have a sense of humanity.

But not much.

Although it was considerate that a challenger in a near-death state would be teleported away, there was the problem that one might not receive treatment upon return, just like the poster had experienced. Moreover, there’s an even greater possibility that a challenger wouldn’t even get the chance to be in a near-death state and could be instantly killed.

The human body is, after all, very fragile.

And this secret realm, it’s a projection of another world? Black Rainstorm… Beast Tide… Damn, that doesn’t sound like a novice dungeon at all.

Lu Ran had to proceed with caution, knowing full well that any sense of joy was out of the question.

“Argh!!”

Summoning General Ha once again, Lu Ran remarked, “Couldn’t bring any weapons or supplies over.” He regretted this but had mentally prepared for the possibility that he couldn’t bring those things along.

“According to the prompts, all enemies and resources here are illusory. I wonder if there’s anything to eat in this place. We can’t take anything out, but can we use them here?”

“Woof.” General Ha, who had just reappeared, wasn’t giving any thought to Lu Ran’s analysis. Instead, the dog started running around in high spirits, clearly enjoying the moment.

Lu Ran stayed silent, frustrated. ‘Come on, General Ha, get it together! We’re not here for a leisurely walk!’

“I mean…” Just as Lu Ran was about to say something.

Rustle, rustle, rustle…

Suddenly, a noise arose, interrupting Lu Ran’s thoughts and causing his expression to become one of caution as he carefully scanned his surroundings.

“Argh.” General Ha, circling around Lu Ran, also became alert, as if sniffing out some danger.

Something was approaching!

The dog quickly halted and tensed up, positioning itself protectively in front of Lu Ran.

The surrounding area was incredibly dim, with only a few rays of sunlight piercing through the leaves to the ground. The rustling noise in the eerily silent, dense forest grew louder.

Standing on the somewhat damp ground, Lu Ran tried to pinpoint the direction of the sound, but to no avail. However, General Ha was locked onto one direction, staring seriously in that direction.

“Over there?” Lu Ran gazed towards a dark bush about waist-high.

The rustling persisted, and finally, as the noise grew clearer, the bushes in front of Lu Ran and General Ha were violently parted.

The creature that suddenly appeared let out a series of low growls. Its red pupils fixated on Lu Ran and General Ha opposite it, unable to hide the ferocity within.

Simultaneously, General Ha’s fur bristled, and it responded with a loud bark at the creature that had appeared!!

“Woof!!”

How dare this creature threaten them, General Ha took note of this offense.

This was…

Lu Ran’s eyes narrowed. This was a cat-like creature with a lean, dark red body, extremely long claws, and what appeared to be greyish long hair on its head!

A Demon Cat!

Species: Demon Cat

Attribute: Unawakened

Species Level: Middle Supernatural

Growth Level: Level 2

Introduction: A bloodthirsty hunter in the dense forest, it likes to tear open its prey and drink their blood.

Lu Ran’s temporarily acquired Eye of Data activated.

Staring at the Demon Cat, its information quickly surfaced.

“Species Level, as I understand it, indicates the strength of the species. Tigers are stronger than cats and dogs, and cats and dogs are stronger than small herbivores like rabbits. This Demon Cat has the same species level as General Ha, meaning General Ha doesn’t have an advantage.”

“And Growth Level likely relates to the growth stage, similar to juvenile or adult stages. The higher the level, the stronger the physical attributes. General Ha is only Level 1, while it is Level 2, which is troubling.”

In an instant, Lu Ran assessed that this creature was no mere fodder for novice practice.

As the standoff continued, the atmosphere grew tenser. Lu Ran held his breath, observing the surroundings, trying to maintain his calm.

If the novice mission was to survive a day, there was no need to engage in a head-on confrontation with such a creature, especially just after entering the Secret Realm.

To last the day, it would be better to find supplies and a safe place to hunker down, avoiding unnecessary fights and conserving energy for unavoidable battles.

At this moment…

Turning to run could, if successful, avoid a confrontation, but if it triggered the Demon Cat’s hunting instinct and it gave chase, whether the escape worked or not, it would result in a very passive situation in this unknown forest, wasting a lot of energy.

The best choice now was… to intimidate the opponent!

After careful consideration, Lu Ran made a move that surprised both General Ha and the Demon Cat.

Lu Ran stared intently at the Demon Cat, suddenly spread his arms wide to appear larger, and roared at the creature!

“Uraaaa!!!” Lu Ran shouted, trying to scare it off.

His father, who often dealt with wild animals, had told him that when facing a ferocious beast in the wild, it’s best not to turn and run, but to confront it and show dominance. This could make for a more dignified end.

And, if lucky, if the wild creature wasn’t very familiar with humans, there was a slight chance that the intimidation would work.

However, after completing the set of intimidating actions, Lu Ran couldn’t shake the feeling that the atmosphere had gotten even more off.

General Ha wore a look of utter confusion.

The facial expression of the Demon Cat twisted for a moment before it roared and burst forth, lunging at Lu Ran.

Lu Ran couldn’t help but curse. Which part went wrong? Moreover, his telepathy seemed ineffective against this Demon Cat!

The Demon Cat was nimble, but thankfully Lu Ran had been enhanced and could see its movements clearly.

At this point, Lu Ran abandoned all other plans and prepared to face the Demon Cat head-on. He had handled countless cats over the past decade.

He had even picked up and carried a small tiger by the scruff.

No, that wasn’t right. He was now a Beastmaster and needed to get used to commanding a Pet Beast in battle, not fighting himself.

“General Ha! Save me!” Lu Ran shouted, realizing his role.

“Restrict it! I’ll find a weapon!”

Meanwhile, the bewildered General Ha’s gaze sharpened as he lunged toward the attacking Demon Cat.

As the two figures collided in the blink of an eye, Lu Ran, stepping back to look for weapons like sticks and stones, heard a blood-curdling scream.

“Meow-owww!!!!” A pitiful scream, followed by a low growl, echoed through the dense forest, prompting Lu Ran to look quickly.

He then saw General Ha pinning the Demon Cat to the ground, biting its throat, roaring dominantly while blood splattered everywhere.

The Demon Cat, which seemed so formidable, was taken down in one fell swoop.

“Uh…” Lu Ran stood frozen in place, feeling awkward about whether to pick up the stone at his feet or not.

So, what was the point of all the analysis and the mental battle with the Demon Cat?

Was his assessment of the enhanced General Ha’s combat capabilities and the Demon Cat’s battle strength somewhat off?

“Uh-oooh!!!” At this moment, General Ha, standing at a distance, turned his head and let out a call, looking at Lu Ran as if to say, it was easy, just like a war god.

Lu Ran pondered.

He had been played.

That’s not right. Could it be that even among Middle Supernaturals, there were disparities?

Could the gap between level 1 and level 2 be not as big as I thought?

Judging by size, this Demon Cat was indeed more than one level below General Ha.

Indeed, in the natural world, size largely determines combat power! Well…

“Impressive, truly worthy of a General I trained.” Lu Ran could only comment, genuinely surprised by General Ha’s ferocity.

“Woof!” Hearing this, General Ha displayed a look of intelligence, as if to say, what are you talking about, I don’t understand.