The gray fox seemed to understand that once James reached the branch, it would have nowhere left to run.
So it made a quick decision.
Instead of staying in the tree, it jumped down.
The branch wasn't very high. Using its fluffy tail to balance its fall, the fox leaped to the ground and landed smoothly.
James reacted instantly.
"Oh no I can't let my little seriel killer run!"
Unfortunately, he didn't have a giant fluffy tail to help him land gracefully. Instead, he slid down the trunk like a furry fire pole, using his claws to slow himself against the bark.
He lost a few seconds.
But that didn't bother him.
The moment his paws hit the ground, he pushed off and sprinted after the fox again.
The gray fox was fast.
Its running speed could probably reach around forty-five to fifty kilometers per hour.
But compared to a young saber-toothed tiger, that still wasn't enough.
The distance between them quickly shrank again.
The fox ran desperately toward a narrow valley ahead.
If it could reach that rocky terrain, the complicated landscape and countless hiding spots might help it escape.
But it never got the chance.
James was already closing in.
As he ran behind the fox, his eyes locked onto its huge fluffy tail swinging back and forth.
For a brief moment he had a strange thought.
That would make a great pillow.
But the moment passed quickly.
He was already within striking distance.
James pushed off the ground with his hind legs and launched himself forward.
His claws slid out of his paw pads and spread wide like two sharp hooks.
He aimed straight for the fox's rear.
But at the last possible moment, the fox suddenly jumped forward.
James's claws sliced through empty air.
"Rrrgh!"
He landed hard and immediately sprang forward again.
Both predators stumbled slightly from the sudden movement.
James leaped toward the fox again.
But suddenly—
The fox's tail lifted.
Pfft!
A horrible smell exploded into the air.
Even worse, the foul gas seemed to come with a visible dark cloud.
James's eyes widened.
"Are you serious?! Biochemical weapon ...not again ? Why the hell my every pray use this am I seriously this unlucky!"
The attack came from the fox's anal glands. In dangerous situations, foxes could release extremely foul-smelling gas as a defensive measure.
The smell was often strong enough to drive predators away.
Especially animals with sensitive noses.
Like cats.
And unfortunately for James…
It smelled absolutely terrible.
For a moment his brain nearly shut down.
Every instinct screamed at him to run away.
But then another thought forced its way into his mind.
The prey is right there.
If he ran now, everything would be wasted.
James held his breath.
"Come here!"
He raised his paw and slammed it straight into the fox's backside.
"Let's see if you can fart your way out of this!"
The strength of a tiger's paw was no joke.
Even modern Siberian tigers could strike with incredible force.
James wasn't fully grown yet, but his strength was still more than enough to deal with a fox.
Boom.
The fox clearly hadn't expected its "chemical weapon" to fail.
Caught completely off guard, it took the full force of James's strike.
The blow sent the fox flying through the air.
It rolled across the ground several times before finally stopping.
James didn't waste a second.
He sprinted toward it immediately.
The fox scrambled to its feet, but its hindquarters were burning with pain.
At this point it realized escape was no longer possible.
So it chose the only option left.
Fight.
With a desperate snarl, the fox pushed off the ground and lunged toward James with its jaws wide open.
James didn't retreat.
Instead, he raised his paw again.
The moment the fox reached him—
SMACK.
" You Filthy fox taste my Meow Meow punch "
Then another.
And another.
His paws moved like a blur.
Within seconds he had slapped the fox more than a dozen times.
Each strike carried sharp claws.
Deep gashes appeared across the fox's face as skin tore open under the attacks.
Blood splattered everywhere.
The fox's desperate counterattack collapsed almost immediately under the barrage.
It should consider itself lucky.
James was still only a young saber-toothed tiger.
If an adult had delivered that first strike, the fox's skull might have shattered instantly.
The fox collapsed to the ground.
Its breathing was weak.
Blood poured from its mangled face as it lay there barely moving.
But James didn't relax.
Foxes were famous for tricks.
And playing dead was one of their favorites.
So instead of assuming victory, James lowered his head and drove his saber teeth into the fox's throat.
"Wooo—!"
The fox suddenly struggled again.
Its legs kicked wildly as it tried to escape.
But the strength difference was overwhelming.
James's jaws held it firmly in place.
As the blood drained from the wound, the fox's movements slowly weakened.
Eventually the body went completely limp.
Dead.
Only after confirming the fox had truly stopped breathing did James release his bite and drop the corpse onto the ground.
Blood from the fox's carotid artery had sprayed across his mouth.
Combined with the long saber teeth protruding from his jaws, the scene made him look almost like a prehistoric vampire.
The fox's head had been badly deformed.
It looked like a crushed leather ball, covered in deep claw marks that showed just how much force had struck it.
At that moment a familiar notification appeared in James's mind.
---
[Ding! Host has killed a Gray Fox. Gene Points +10.]
---
James's eyes lit up.
"Ten gene points… not bad."
Thinking back on the hunt, the outcome had never really been in doubt.
In terms of strength, speed, and weapons, he had completely outclassed the fox.
It was basically like a high-ranked player bullying a beginner.
An unfair fight from the start.