The mountain wind was colder the higher they climbed.
The rocky basin where the Ironback Warbear had fallen slowly disappeared below them as the Great 17 continued along the narrow trail that wound through the cliffs. Loose gravel shifted under their boots while the path narrowed between jagged stone walls.
Kai walked silently among them.
Hybrid Vision Eyes remained active, scanning the mountain terrain ahead.
Energy signatures flickered across the cliffs like distant flames.
Many beasts lived here.
And they were stronger than the predators below the ridge.
Victor noticed the tracks first again.
He crouched beside a deep indentation in the dirt.
"Large group passed through here."
Lena examined the marks.
"Not one species either."
Kairo leaned over Victor's shoulder.
"Looks like five or six."
Marcus cracked his knuckles.
"Good."
But Aiden raised his hand again.
"Stay alert."
They continued climbing.
The narrow trail curved around a cliffside before opening into another rocky clearing surrounded by tall stone pillars.
Hybrid Vision Eyes instantly picked up several glowing shapes hiding between the rocks.
Kai counted them quickly.
Seven.
Seven different predators.
All intermediate level.
But stronger than the creatures they had fought earlier.
Marcus spotted them a moment later.
"Well… looks like everyone gets one."
Victor nodded.
"Spread out."
The beasts attacked almost immediately.
A massive horned lizard burst from behind a boulder and charged toward Lena.
She stepped forward calmly.
Her blade flashed twice.
The first strike cut across the creature's eye ridge.
The second pierced through its throat.
The lizard collapsed.
Lena crouched beside it and removed the crystal quickly.
Nearby, Kairo was already fighting two smaller predators at once.
They moved like lean wolves with hooked claws.
Kairo darted between them effortlessly.
One dagger struck a nerve in the first creature's leg.
The beast stumbled.
The second predator lunged.
Kairo spun sideways and drove both blades into its ribs.
Within seconds both beasts were down.
Kairo laughed as he retrieved their crystals.
Marcus had his own opponent.
A towering ape-like beast with stone-covered shoulders slammed its fists against the ground.
Marcus met it head-on.
But instead of charging wildly, he circled the creature carefully this time.
The beast swung its massive arm.
Marcus ducked beneath the strike and cut across its exposed side.
The ape roared.
Marcus delivered a powerful second blow that shattered its jaw.
The beast collapsed.
Marcus removed the crystal from its chest.
Victor faced a reptilian predator with a long armored tail.
His spear moved with incredible speed.
One precise strike pierced through the creature's chest.
Victor calmly collected the crystal afterward.
The battlefield was filled with separate fights.
Each member of the Great 17 handled their own opponent.
Kai stepped forward as a beast climbed out from behind a tall rock pillar.
This predator resembled a massive mountain cat with thick silver fur and curved claws like scythes.
Its glowing eyes locked onto him.
Hybrid Vision Eyes activated fully.
The creature lunged.
Kai moved instantly.
He stepped sideways and cut across the beast's flank.
The predator twisted mid-air and slashed toward him.
Kai ducked beneath the strike.
His sword flashed upward, slicing through the creature's shoulder joint.
The beast staggered.
Kai stepped forward and drove the blade into its chest.
The fight ended quickly.
Crystal Assimilation activated.
The glowing crystal dissolved into his body.
The system appeared.
Crystal Absorbed
+50 XP
+17 RP
Kai barely reacted now.
Fifty XP again.
But the Reward Points kept growing.
Another predator rushed toward him from the side.
This one was smaller but incredibly fast.
Hybrid Vision Eyes traced its movement before it even attacked.
Kai stepped aside and struck once.
The blade cut cleanly across its spine.
The beast collapsed.
Crystal Assimilation triggered again.
Crystal Absorbed
+50 XP
+18 RP
Kai's mind remained calm.
XP had slowed.
But RP was increasing rapidly.
Nearby, Marcus had already finished another opponent.
Victor stood beside Lena examining a crystal he had just removed.
Kairo was tossing one of his crystals into the air again out of boredom.
Everyone was collecting their own rewards.
Exactly as experienced hunters would.
Then a loud roar echoed across the clearing.
A much larger beast burst through the rocks above them.
The creature resembled a massive armored boar with long curved tusks and thick bone plates across its shoulders.
Victor narrowed his eyes.
"Another one."
But this time the group moved together.
Marcus blocked the beast's charge.
Lena cut across its flank.
Victor's spear struck the creature's leg joint.
Kairo darted behind it and stabbed beneath the armor.
Kai watched the flow of energy through its body.
Hybrid Vision Eyes highlighted a weak point near the throat.
Kai moved in.
His sword struck the exposed opening.
Victor followed immediately with his spear.
The beast collapsed seconds later.
Victor removed the crystal from its chest this time.
Kai stepped back slightly.
The system appeared again.
Battle Participation Reward
+50 XP
+30 RP
Kai blinked.
Thirty RP.
That was higher than before.
He opened the system interface briefly.
System Status
XP: 1,972
Reward Points: 519 RP
Kai paused.
Over five hundred RP now.
The system shop expanded again.
System Shop Expanded
Advanced Combat Instincts II — 180 RP
Hybrid Vision Deep Scan — 250 RP
Sword Mastery Module — 200 RP
Endurance Reinforcement — 150 RP
Predator Awareness — 220 RP
Kai studied the options carefully.
But something else appeared.
A new notification.
RP Capacity Warning
Reward Points Approaching Storage Limit.
Maximum Current Capacity: 600 RP
Recommendation: Spend RP to avoid overflow.
Kai frowned slightly.
There was a limit?
That explained why the system had suddenly shown the warning.
If he continued hunting without spending RP, he would stop gaining points.
Kai closed the interface quietly.
The others had already begun moving again.
Marcus stretched his arms.
"That was decent."
Victor looked toward the mountain path ahead.
"Still more beasts further up."
Kai followed them.
Hybrid Vision Eyes scanned the cliffs above.
Several stronger energy signatures moved through the mountain shadows.
More hunts.
More battles.
More RP.
But now Kai understood something important.
He couldn't simply hoard the points.
Soon—
Very soon—
He would need to spend them.
Or the system would stop rewarding him.
And that meant making choices.
Choices that would shape how strong he became.
The mountain wind roared across the cliffs as the Great 17 climbed higher.
Kai looked up toward the dark peaks above.
His RP total was climbing quickly.
And he was approaching the limit.