The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and wildflowers. Towering trees loomed above, their branches intertwining to create a near-impenetrable canopy. Only faint beams of moonlight managed to pierce through, casting eerie patterns on the jungle floor.
Leon moved cautiously.
Every step was calculated, his senses sharpened.
The Beastman Territories weren't safe.
Unlike the Human Empire, where beasts followed a structured hierarchy, the creatures here were wild, unpredictable, and deadly.
But that also meant one thing—the strongest beasts resided here.
And that was exactly what he needed.
---
A Tamer's Instinct
Leon crouched beside a claw-marked tree, his fingers brushing against the deep grooves.
Fresh.
Something had passed through here recently.
Something big.
His heartbeat quickened.
In his past life, no human players had dared to venture this deep before the game launched. The Beastman race held dominion over this land, and their warriors were as fierce as the creatures they lived alongside.
But Leon wasn't here for them.
He was here for a beast of legend—a creature that had never been recorded in the game's history.
A hidden existence.
And if he could tame it before the players arrived?
He would set the foundation for absolute dominance.
---
A Predator's Gaze
A low, rumbling growl echoed through the trees.
Leon froze.
His instincts screamed at him to move, but he held his ground.
The jungle fell into an unnatural silence.
No insects.
No rustling leaves.
Just an oppressive, primal presence pressing against him like an invisible weight.
Slowly, he turned his gaze toward the darkness.
Golden eyes glowed from the shadows.
A beast was watching him.
---
The Guardian of the Wilds
The creature stepped forward, its massive form emerging from the undergrowth.
It was unlike any beast Leon had ever seen.
A towering, muscular feline, its fur black as the void, streaked with deep silver markings that shimmered under the moonlight. Its claws dug into the ground, each step radiating raw power.
Its status flickered before Leon's eyes.
[Name: ???]
[Species: Shadowfang Guardian]
[Grade: Epic]
[Level: 75]
Leon's breath caught in his throat.
An Epic-grade beast.
At this stage, encountering one was practically a death sentence.
And yet…
Leon smiled.
Because unlike every other person in this world—he knew how to tame it.
---
The First Step to Power
The Shadowfang Guardian stared at him, muscles coiled, ready to strike.
Leon met its gaze, unmoving.
This wasn't just a battle.
It was a test.
A challenge.
A moment that would define everything.
The beast growled, lowering its stance.
Leon inhaled slowly, his hands tightening into fists.
This was it.
The first step toward building an army unlike anything this world had ever seen.
The hunt had begun.
---