Natsuki was now sitting on a rock in the cave, pondering about what the creature said.
Don't go west if you want to live repeated several times in his mind.
'How can I trust what that thing said, one it ate me once or maybe that was a prophetic dream...'
The thoughts paused as he looked at the ceiling of the cave.
'Plus, even if I believed him how would I know which direction I'm facing now... or did he mean don't go west from here.'
Uncertainty was the main flaw in his decision making as whenever he thought of something another question would come up.
But he noticed one thing.
The uncertainty was giving him a new kind of thrill like why was the west path so dangerous.
And it didn't exactly say the east was safe either.
A smirk perked on his lips when he thought about fighting against the vicious creatures of the forest now that he had obtained a new heart.
And with it came a beautiful, rich and powerful mantra core.
With one of the strongest affinities in the world, fire.
It was useful against most elements it's only weakness being water and to some extent ground and ice.
Sure he was inexperienced combat wise and didn't know how to use the core properly yet, but he knows that he's going to learn.
Finally he stood coming to a clear decision.
'I guess I'm trusting that thing, if I die though... fuck you!'
After what felt like an eternity debating with himself, he finally left the cave.
Stretching he accidentally sent a fire ball, through the air.
'That's not good.'
Then he heard a loud thunderous roar, followed by multiple howls.
At the same time his gut screamed at him, it was saying plainly– get your ass out of here now!
Breaking into a sprint he finally realised his arm was okay.
His suprise was short lived as shortly after loud growling and barking could be heard.
Throwing off the cast he kept enough fabric to wrap around his newly healed arm.
Despite his efforts he didn't get far.
The mutant leopards had caught him.
From his studies he knew these were an A-ranked beast if weak, they had normal leopard bodies, but their senses were increased by a hundred times.
This also stretched to their physical abilities.
If your unlucky they might be part leopard and part something else.
Natsuki had always had rotten luck.
All the leopards seemed to have weird, but majestic wings.
'I'm dead.'
But his body and facial expression didn't show any sign of fear.
They showed nothing but anticipation and strangely fun.
His breathing was normal.
His pupils weren't dilated and his heart rate was well... as normal as a person who has two hearts boosting each other could have.
They pounced ready to take down their prey when suddenly they stopped themselves mid attack and began to step back.
Natsuki frowned.
He was actually waiting to be attacked.
Then the leopards began to run away towards the east.
'Maybe they have a den.'
The freaks of nature then began to fly away, but one couldn't run because it's wing was burnt so it turned it's attention back to Natsuki.
'Yes little kitty, come to papa.'
It pounced baring its teeth and claws, aimed straight for his neck.
Unexpectedly.
He shifted his weight faster than even he thought was possible.
Grabbing the wing in one swift motion he spun round and threw it.
It smacked straight into a tree, whimpering frantically.
A branch had pierced through its hide.
It couldn't move.
Stuck in place Natsuki moved forward, the blood was a sweet smell, like a bun coated in sugar.
His eyes began searching it frantically.
"Why do you smell so good."
Subconsciously he licked his lips and held the leopards neck back stopping it from snapping at him.
"Time to see how this whole magic thing works."
Trying to activate the mana and will it to his hand he suddenly began to feel like his body was a hundred degrees.
Smoke began to leave the space between his hand and the leopard's neck.
It cries as if begging for his life.
Natsuki didn't care, the smell of the smoke was too good an aroma to resist.
Breathing it in he willed the fire to get hotter and then suddenly a flame lit up around his hand and spread to the leopard's neck.
It died a slow and painful death.
No blood no bones crushing, the only sign of that was from the impaled branch in its body, but even that didn't hurt as bad as the heat slowly burning away it's oesophagus and cancelling it's air flow.
When he was done.
His hunger grew massively.
Without knowing it he was already on top of the carcass.
Pulling off pieces of flesh and stuffing his mouth greedily.
When he was done the horror finally hit.
'What have I done?'
Shaking, his knees buckled and he fell flat on his ass, his heart rate spiked up and it was visible due to the enhanced pressure and bobbing back and forth on the left side of his chest.
He was on the verge of fainting.
'Did eating that heart give me a taste for dead and raw stuff.'
'Or is this something else, I didn't even feel in control there."
Suddenly he heard a sound and looked down.
A crack on the ring was closing but only closed a bit as most of the crack remained.
'What!?'
'I forgot about this thing, I couldn't feel it. I still can't, it's like it's part of my skin."
'Are you the one controlling me.'
He thought genuinely in horror from everything that's happened and then he remembered the tentacle thing with the snake.
'Did I eat that too."
"Talk to me! Now! I want answers!"
But still nothing.
No voice, no feeling of a presence, just silence.
'I really must be going insane! I need to leave this place quickly."
Still failing to process everything he stumbled around trying to stand falling at times.
Then he finally stood.
Walking slowly.
Weird enough was after he'd finished eating he felt a sensation like his senses were in overdrive but when he'd come back to his senses the sensation left.
After that he avoided all monsters scared of what he might to do them but occasionally he'd steal glances of them and his stomach would rumble furiously.
Occasionally he'd stop to meditate.
Trying to train and understand mana flow.
His heart was strong but his mastery was novice at best.
Eventually he saw a part where the sun entered and the trees there parted.
He walked through expecting freedom.
'Finally! I'm free!"
When he walked through the sun blinded his eyes and his vision was completely white.
The grass was green.
The trees were tall and brown with green leaves.
'Its normal, everything is normal.'
Kneeling down he hugged the grass.
Then suddenly the air became thicker making it hard to breathe but his dragon heart reacted quickly.
Making it easy to breathe again.
Then loud roars and growling could be heard getting closer and closer.
Then Rivere's voice echoed through the place.
He looked up.
A giant shadow was covering his face.
Rivere was flying down.
The leopards following him like an escort of guards.
Pity filled Natsuki's face.
"Please I don't want to eat you!"
Rivere laughed, "eat me! Your probably a quarter of my strength what can you do!"
'Is this really the mortal my Lord wants, his mantra core is barely intermediate level.'
"Sick him boys, make sure nothings left of his pride when your done. But remember leave him alive."
Natsuki sighed deeply.
"I warned you!"
Natsuki looked up at the flying leopards.
His brain registered his surroundings immediately, all that time avoiding monsters taught him how to take in his surroundings.
He noticed that this wasn't the end it was just another part of the forest.
But since it was the territory of a bird it was open, large trees covered around the place blocking the area from outside viewers.
In the centre layed loads of skeletons from past victims.
Riches, armour, weapons all heaped next to them.
'Spoils from battles nice.'
Deducing he needed a weapon he ran to the heap and leaped forward.
This action allowed him to dodge and roll next to the pit.
A leopard right infront of him.
He picked up a shield smacking it across the face and sending it away momentarily.
They totalled eleven.
Picking up a sword to accompany the shield he jumped up and began blocking attacks.
The more he fought the more natural it felt.
Soon he managed to slash one, it was a fatal slash across the neck.
Blood splattered and it pouted loudly as it died.
With no time to waste he continued his defence only attacking when necessary.
Then as if a switch flipped he began attacking brutally and mercilessly.
'Why does this feel a lot better than the sword style I used before.'
But suddenly the air around him was thick dense and totally hostile.
His ability failed to sense the imminent danger followed by it.
And ss he was about to kill another one a razor sharp wind hit him, several cuts came across his body, the sword and shield shattered instantly.
Blood exploded outward at once.
Coating the ground.
Pain consumed his movements and then he screamed loudly, the pain creating a hunger for vengeance.
His senses slowly but surely began to reach overdrive again.
His gut giving him the warning too late.
Finally he steadied himself, even he couldn't understand why he was still standing, how it was possible?
He looked up to see Rivere who had sent an attack downwards, raising his wings again he prepared an attack.
"Stop playing around! Finish him off! The king of the sky commands it!"
And he released another cluster of wind blades flew down towards him at incredible speed.
'The fight begins now.'