The fire crackled softly as Ravin sat inside his cabin, the faint glow of its light dancing across the worn pages of the book before him. The night was calm, but his mind was far from still.
He had learned about the Beast Lords.
Now… he wanted to understand something closer to his level.
Something he could reach.
Something he could hunt.
He flipped through the pages slowly, carefully, until he reached a new section. The title caught his attention immediately.
**"Rare Creatures and Their Value."**
Ravin leaned forward slightly, his eyes sharpening.
"…Value?"
He began to read.
Unlike the Beast Lords, these creatures were not rulers of the world—but they were far from ordinary. They were rare, powerful in their own right, and most importantly…
Useful.
Their meat, the book explained, was not just food.
It carried properties.
Enhancements.
Benefits that could strengthen the body, sharpen the senses, and even influence magical potential.
Ravin's heartbeat slowed… then quickened.
This was different.
This was opportunity.
The first creature appeared.
**The White Ostrich.**
A tall, elegant creature, its feathers pure white, almost glowing under sunlight. It was fast—far faster than any normal animal—and extremely alert to danger.
Its meat, however…
Was described as incredibly delicious.
Tender.
Rich.
A rare luxury even among nobles.
Ravin raised an eyebrow slightly.
"…Delicious, huh?"
For a moment, he imagined it—properly cooked, seasoned, far beyond the simple meals he had been making.
But the book continued.
Catching it… was not easy.
Speed alone made it nearly impossible for untrained hunters.
Ravin exhaled slowly.
"…Not something I can chase yet."
He turned the page.
**The Red Bull.**
A massive beast with deep crimson skin and powerful muscles that rippled with every movement. Its horns were thick, curved, and capable of tearing through trees.
But what made it valuable… was not just its strength.
Its meat.
Consuming it was said to improve health, reinforce the body, and strengthen the immune system.
A natural enhancement.
Ravin's expression shifted slightly.
"…That's useful."
Very useful.
In a world like this, strength wasn't optional.
It was survival.
But again—danger followed.
The Red Bull was aggressive.
Territorial.
It did not run.
It fought.
Ravin narrowed his eyes.
"…That's worse than fast."
He turned the page again.
**The Golden Pigeon.**
Ravin paused.
"A pigeon…?"
But as he read further, his expression changed.
This was no ordinary bird.
It was massive—far larger than expected—with feathers that shimmered in golden hues. It moved through the air with quiet grace, rarely seen, even more rarely caught.
Its meat…
Was something entirely different.
It enhanced healing abilities.
Strengthened the body's recovery.
And for those who walked the path of healing magic…
It was priceless.
Ravin stared at the page for a moment.
"…So even support abilities exist here…"
This world was deeper than he thought.
Far deeper.
He turned the page slowly.
And then—
He froze.
**The Three-Horned Sheep.**
The illustration alone was enough to make his body tense.
It was enormous.
Towering.
Its body was built like a fortress of muscle, and from its head emerged three massive horns, each radiating a faint, crackling energy.
Lightning.
The description confirmed it.
Its meat…
Granted the consumer the potential to control lightning.
Ravin's breath caught.
"…Control… lightning?"
That wasn't just enhancement.
That was power.
Real power.
But the next lines erased any excitement.
**"Encountering it is enough reason to flee."**
**"Only fools attempt to fight."**
They moved in herds.
Tightly bound.
Coordinated.
Even approaching one meant facing many.
And each one…
Was a monster.
Ravin slowly leaned back.
"…So it's not impossible…"
He paused.
"…Just suicidal."
The thought lingered in his mind.
For a moment.
Before he pushed it aside.
He wasn't there yet.
Not even close.
He continued reading.
The book listed more creatures—rare, elusive, powerful—but then it mentioned something else.
Creatures that belonged to no one.
No territory.
No master.
No herd.
Beings that wandered alone.
Unpredictable.
Uncontrolled.
And among them…
One name stood out.
The page grew quieter.
The tone shifted.
**The White Tiger.**
Ravin's eyes locked onto the words.
It was described as a creature equal in power to kings.
Not a Beast Lord.
But not beneath them either.
Something else.
Something… independent.
There was almost no information.
No confirmed sightings.
No records of behavior.
Only one consistent truth.
**"None who faced it returned unchanged."**
And those who survived…
Did not fight again.
Ever.
Ravin felt a chill run down his spine.
"…Not dead…"
He whispered.
"…but broken."
That was worse.
Much worse.
The idea of facing something that didn't just kill—but destroyed the will to fight itself…
It unsettled him.
Deeply.
He closed the book slowly, his thoughts heavy.
The world… was layered.
There were levels to everything.
From ordinary creatures…
To rare beasts…
To kings of destruction…
And then—
Things beyond understanding.
Ravin looked down at his hands.
Calloused now.
Stronger than before.
But still…
Not enough.
Not yet.
"…Hunting…"
He murmured.
It wasn't just about food anymore.
It was about growth.
About choosing risk.
About knowing where he stood.
He stood up slowly, walking toward the door of his cabin.
Outside, the night stretched quietly across the forest.
Dark.
Calm.
But full of life.
And danger.
Ravin stepped out, looking into the distance.
"…One day…"
His voice was quiet.
But steady.
"I'll hunt them."
Not the Beast Lords.
Not yet.
But something.
Something beyond what he was now.
Because survival…
Was no longer enough.
And as the wind passed through the trees, carrying the unknown with it, Ravin stood there—not as the man he once was…
But as someone beginning to choose his path.
Step by step.
Toward power.