With a sharp exhale, Jayden moved methodically, crouching beside the massive fallen tremor gator. He grabbed the beast's body with one hand, inspecting it closely before putting it into his inventory with nothing more than a thought.

One by one, he repeated the process with the other corpses he had collected over the long morning hunt. The space inside his inventory was practically endless, a void that devoured every body without resistance. The beasts' weight, their blood, their smell... none of it remained once stored. Just silence. Just emptiness.

He exhaled deeply, finally straightening his back and dusting off his hands. His body was sore, and though his stamina was monstrous, the morning's endless cycle of fighting, killing, and absorbing had worn on him. He'd done enough for now. He was ready to return home.

But just as he prepared to take his first step out of the forest, a sound split the world.

ROOOOAAAARRRR!!!

A piercing, guttural cry tore through the forest, shaking the ground beneath his boots. The sheer force of it rattled the trees, their branches swaying violently as though whipped by invisible hands. Birds scattered in a frenzy, erupting from the canopy like a storm of black feathers fleeing for their lives. The entire forest seemed to pause... an ancient silence, born from fear, settled in after the echo of the roar.

Jayden froze mid-step. Then, slowly, the corner of his lips curled into a grin. His golden eyes narrowed in the direction of the sound. He didn't need any further proof to know the source of that roar.

It was the Sabertooth Flare.

The king of this forest. The apex predator that ruled this domain. The beast every other creature here feared.

A C-Rank monster.

Jayden's grin didn't fade, but there was no reckless fire in his eyes... only calculation. He remembered the system's quest that told him to fight and defeat the beast.

But the Sabertooth Flare wasn't something he could take lightly. He had fought the Winter Wolf, and even though she wasn't fully B-Rank, she had nearly pushed him to his limits. He remembered the way her ice powers had battered him, the endless waves of constructs, the brutal cold. He remembered how close he had come to being frozen forever.

If the Winter Wolf was nearly his undoing... then the Sabertooth Flare, a C-Rank beast almost at the brink of reaching B-Rank, with terrifying strength and speed, could very well kill him if he wasn't prepared.

He clenched his fists. Not yet.

He would face it one day, but on his terms. Not when he was still climbing, not when his strength hadn't yet broken past the threshold he needed. To challenge it now would be suicide, and Jayden had no intention of throwing his life away.

Still... he couldn't help but chuckle, the sound echoing faintly in the empty forest. The thrill of that roar stirred his blood, a promise of the hunt to come.

With a final glance in the direction of the roar, his grin softened into a determined smirk. He turned on his heel, letting the forest slowly return to stillness behind him.

"Another day," he whispered.

And with that, Jayden left the hunting grounds and began his journey back to Emerald City, back to his home.

...

Jayden returned home around 7 p.m, the city already glowing with its twilight radiance. Neon strips lit up the skyline, hovercars streamed like fireflies above the highroads, and the streets below thrummed with their usual pulse of life. He had made a brief stop at the Black Claw Restaurant, where his beast corpses were sold off without question. The transaction had earned him a fat payout of over 350,000 credits... and while the weight of his pockets felt good, he wasn't in the mood to gloat. To him, it was just another step toward power.

He stepped inside the house, the faint aroma of freshly cooked food still lingering in the air. From the kitchen, Harleen was clearing the dishes, her hair tied up, sleeves rolled as she scrubbed down the counter. She noticed him immediately.

"You're late today," she chuckled, drying her hands on a towel and giving him a curious look.

Jayden offered a faint smile, looking innocent as ever. "Yeah, got caught up playing games at the arcade." he said.

Harleen tilted her head, clearly suspicious, but didn't press further. "Your dinner's in the fridge. Heat it up when you're ready." she muttered with a smile.

"Thanks," Jayden said, already making his way toward the stairs.

But before he could get far, Harleen's voice called him back. "Oh! By the way, there was a package for you earlier. I helped put it in your room."

Jayden paused mid-step, then turned slightly, one brow lifting. He already knew exactly what it was, and more importantly, who it came from. Still, he feigned mild surprise. "Got it. Thanks. Goodnight."

"Sleep tight," Harleen replied, before returning to her task.

Jayden ascended the stairs, his steps quiet, and entered his room. As expected, a brown, neatly packaged box sat squarely on his bed. He walked over, checked the tag, and smirked. As expected, it was from Penelope.

He tore the seal and opened it carefully. Inside lay a designer tuxedo set, neatly folded and arranged with a kind of precision that screamed wealth and taste. Jayden let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as he lifted the suit out of the box. The fabric was rich to the touch, the cut immaculate.

"Figures," he murmured, tossing the box aside.

He peeled off his dirt-stained, sweat-soaked clothes and tossed them into the hamper, then headed straight into the bathroom. Steam soon filled the room as hot water cascaded down, washing away the grime of the day. Ten minutes later, he stepped back out, towel slung around his shoulders, body relaxed, hair damp.

After drying off, he pulled on a pair of underwear and loose shorts before heading down to the kitchen. Dinner was waiting just as Harleen had said. He heated it up, ate in silence, and once satisfied, returned to his room.

Now dressed, Jayden stood in front of the mirror. The sight staring back at him was sharper than he expected. The black tuxedo fit him like it was sewn to his skin, the blazer open at the collar with loosened buttons and no tie, giving him an effortlessly rebellious edge. The black shirt and polished shoes matched seamlessly, while on his wrist gleamed the gold designer watch Harleen had gifted him as reward for his performance in the tournament. It caught the light with every movement, an elegant reminder of how far he'd come.

Jayden smirked at his reflection, tilting his head. He chuckled softly, amused and amazed by his outfit.

"How did she even know my size?" he wondered, before shrugging the thought off.

He ran a hand through his hair, did some final touches with gel, then spritzed on a clean, masculine fragrance. One last look in the mirror and he was satisfied.

But before leaving, he flicked his system open. A glowing display of stats spread across his vision.

*Name: Jayden Starrk

*Race: Werewolf

*Level: 14

*Exp: 260/5000

*Hp: 700/700

*Ep: 330/330

*Shop points: 10

*Strength: 185

*Speed: 206

*Agility: 106

*Stamina: 213

*Perception: 78

*Defense: 108

*Charm: 58

*Mastery: 80

Stat points: 80

[Heart Rate: 45 Bpm]

Skills

*Health Regeneration [Passive]

*Beastlord Aura [Passive/Active]

*Beast Gene Integration [Active]

*Partial Transformation [Active]

*Dragon Eye [Active]

*Lunar Empowerment [Passive]

Abilities

*Beast Energy Acquisition

*Telekinetic Force

*Poison Secretion

*Invisibility

*Enhanced Strength

*Matter Absorption

*Size Manipulation

Titles

*Regent Alpha

Jayden studied the stats in silence, then without hesitation allocated 10 stat points each to Charm, Defense, and Mastery. The numbers shifted instantly, settling his available pool back to 50 points.

_______

*Defense: 118

*Charm: 68

*Mastery: 90

_______

"Perfect," he murmured, the corner of his lips curling.

Closing the system, he grabbed his hover bike activation glove and left the room. Moments later, the engine of the bike roared to life, humming like a beast ready to run. Jayden slid on effortlessly, the wind whipping his hair as he zoomed off into the night sky.

His destination: Penelope's mansion.

Tonight wasn't for hunting beasts. Tonight was for appearances, elegance, and power plays... and Jayden was more than ready.