'Argh!'
This was a new headache for him. He didn't have any knowledge of this specific region, but he had enough common sense to know that the apex predators at the top of the food chain would soon emerge from their nests in search of prey.
Nightfall was the perfect hunting moment, and he didn't want to bet his life on whether his instincts were right or not!
Hiding in the lush tree, he now had a clear vantage point of the surrounding area.
'What should I do?'
This basic question had been plaguing his mind ever since he passed through that strange, abyssal trial. There was no network here. Had his emergency location already been sent out?
'Sigh!'
The approaching night bothered him deeply.
Howl!
Calmly resting on the branch, he peeked through the leaves. Seeing nothing only let him know that wolves were hunting somewhere unseen.
His mind soon drifted toward the incident that had caused his transmigration in the first place.
A dog.
As pathetic as it might sound, he knew in his heart that the creature chasing him had been no mere dog.
…
He had been at a chill late-night party. Trying to impress his crush, he had kicked a football, but his only memory of the moment was the ball flying right past him.
Somehow, his kick had irked a nearby stray dog, which immediately started a marathon sprint toward him.
He hadn't understood why the dog gave him such an ominous feeling, but trusting his instincts, he had grabbed a bicycle and pedaled as fast as he could.
He had gained some ground, but the village roads were treacherous—pitted with potholes that screamed of embezzled construction funds.
Worse were the sharp, ninety-degree turns; every time he banked, his momentum died. With every corner, the distance between him and the beast narrowed.
As he passed every sharp turn, he looked back to check his lead, but every glance filled him with mounting dread. The feeling grew stronger: this wasn't a dog.
'Yeah. That definitely wasn't a dog!'
Its eyes had glowed a sinister red, and the shadow trailing behind it seemed to stretch and engulf the road with every passing second.
Realizing his death wasn't far off if he continued this race, he resorted to his ultimate tactic.
Hitting a sharp turn, he abandoned the bicycle, bolted into his house, locked the heavy door, and sprinted toward the stairs.
He had no idea where the overwhelming terror was coming from, but his subconscious was screaming at him to run.
'Run! Or you will die!'
Every hair on his body stood on end as he experienced the true aura of death. Dread filled his entire being; every passing moment was pure hell.
He was being tormented like prey caught in the shackles of a predator, forced into a race against death. But he kept running for his life, even though destiny seemed to have pre-planned his destination.
But how could he leave his fate to destiny?
No! Never!
His life had been bestowed upon him by his parents, and he still had responsibilities to fulfill. No one could claim his life—not even he would allow it.
'I will run! Run against fate! Run against destiny!' he screamed inwardly, refusing to yield.
But could a mere mortal truly stand against fate?
His eyes suddenly widened. Standing right before him at the top of the stairs was the exact same dog, its red eyes glowing as it ferociously growled at him. Destiny was mocking his attempt to outrun fate.
Thump!
His heart quivered, feeling as if it might burst at any moment, and the demonic dog lunged to maul him.
Unconsciously, he crossed his arms in an X-shape to block the fatal blow. Suddenly, he appeared in a completely different realm.
Floating before him were three blank slots, with a distinct, larger slot situated between them. They were bonded together, giving the impression that merging the outer three would produce a result in the middle. With that final thought, his consciousness drifted into deep darkness.
…
'Ahhhh.' Sam sighed.
He still didn't understand the logic behind it, but he had grasped the basic concept of the "Merge," especially since it was now recorded as his special ability.
The main issue that plagued him was this: how could a terrifying creature from this world have existed in his previous world?
'Ugh! What am I supposed to do? Wait for an emergency team to depart and rescue me?'
'No! I can't wait around hoping for others. I have to do something.'
His hand brushed over the wristband, and the geographical map popped out before him. His current location was about eighty kilometers away from any human settlement.
'Whose wretched idea was it to trap me here?' Sam's teeth clattered in annoyance.
'Calm down! Don't overthink!' Rubbing his neck, Sam managed to steady his breathing. He stared blankly at the sky through the gaps in the leaves, listening to the high-pitched howling and animal grunts reverberating through the surroundings.
As time passed, his eyelids grew heavy, soon covering his view as exhaustion took over.
…
Plateau Gulf
A gentle breeze blew past, its fresh air intoxicating to those who breathed it.
Five burly men were rubbing their fists and wiping their palms, preparing for something dangerous. In their hands were well-polished, sharp weapons that reflected the faint, dazzling rays of the moonlight.
"All ready?" A middle-aged man with a solemn expression walked toward them.
"Don't worry, Boss," one of the burly men said, smiling playfully.
"Be serious." The boss stared at them ferociously. "Our target this time is a mutated leopard, and they are nocturnal by nature. Its strength is terrifying—something we can't afford to underestimate—and your weapons might not even pierce its outer skin. You will need to rely on your runic abilities to kill it."
"Is that thing really so strong?" The expressions of the burly men grew serious.
"Otherwise, why would I even need you?" the boss stated cruelly. "To be honest, I came here with another team previously. They died because of their arrogant nature. I will only say this: if you treasure your lives, take this seriously!"
"Understood!" The men looked at each other with unprecedentedly solemn expressions.
"Good." The boss relaxed slightly. "Remember to be cautious. If we really can't deal with it, we leave ASAP!"
'Hopefully... everything will go smoothly this time,' the boss thought to himself.
He lightly spread a few drops of CatSoul Aroma on the ground.
"This scent is irresistible to mutated cat species. It should be here shortly. Prepare yourselves."
"Understood!"