Leo’s eleven points in perception made him aware of the eyes staring at him from within the dark jungle. Subconsciously, his senses grew more sensitive with more points in perception. He could hear, he could see, he could smell, and he could detect better with his heightened perception.

“Shouldn’t we get back inside?” Kareena asked. As the message bothered her, rattling her mind. Thinking of the worse possible situation that could happen.

“Don’t go yet, just stay close to the door,” Leo said.

“Why?” she asked.

“Well, we’ve got company,” Leo grinned. He gripped on the axe handle and prepared for what was about to come. His feet slowly shuffled close to the back door, securing a safe escape if the situation suddenly turned south.

“And what do you think I’m supposed to do here?” Kareena sounded flustered. Her head turned side to side as every now and then she heard broken twigs and branches coming from the jungle. The message got her psyched out, and the sudden noises of the jungle only made it worse.

“First thing first, allocate your four points to strength and one point to vitality,” Leo said.

“But how?” she said, her tone a bit higher than usual. Even for a smart lady, anyone would be the same if they were in distress.

“Just focus on it,” Leo said. His head didn’t even glance back, counting the flashing eyes as his Identify was used within a ten-second interval.

‘Leopard, ocelot, jaguar. Hmm? Even a baboon…’ their numbers were growing. Shrieks and growls echoed through the night as animals came rushing out.

Kareena got cold feet and fled out of fear. She went through the door, leaving Leo behind.

Yet the man had no intention to flee. He leaped and met them head-on. The first swing was wide and hit right at the leaping leopard in the neck. He kicked the dead body of the leopard, dislodging the head of the axe.

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Perception]

Before he could rejoice over more stats, out of nowhere, a baboon tackled him to the ground. It screamed at him, pummeling its fists at Leo like a maddening berserker. Yellow fangs came reaching for Leo’s neck. And Leo retaliated. He punched the primate right at the jaw, and the second quickly came right on the nose.

The baboon scurried off. But Leo grabbed its hackle from behind. He pulled the monkey and threw it to the ground. Leo answered with the blade edge of his metal axe. Chopping down hard bones as it broke and blood splattering all over Leo. He looked up, and more were coming.

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Dexterity]

Leopards and jaguars roared, racing towards him with their feline paws. Leo narrowed his eyes. ‘I think I’m way over my head here.’ The numbers were too many for him alone. Yet he didn’t back down. He cast Small Heal and a subtle white glow surrounded his body for a second. His health points recovered to full, and his axe was swung. Blade met claws. And his axe’s long reach took the win. The leopard dropped dead, but another came.

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Perception]

It pounced, and Leo raised his hand at the last second. Yet the sound of broken window walls came from above. Leo briefly looked up and saw a figure dropping down. The silhouette landed on the ground in a superhero pose as the new guest turned his head up with a grin. “Always want to do that,” said Ken. Two knives in his hands glimmered, and he rushed towards Leo.

“Slash,” Ken uttered. His right knife glowing in pale yellow. He pierced the leopard that was attacking Leo at the neck and dragged the knife through its body, cutting it apart with blood spilling all over to the ground.

The bite on Leo’s forearm loosened, and he punched the dead feline away. What came next was some good news.

[You have reached level 6]

[5 stat points have been given]

[Class bonus stats distributed: Intellect +2, Spirit +1]

“It seems you’re having some fun,” Ken said, flicking the blood off from his knife.

“Does this look like fun?” Leo showed him the bleeding bite wound on his forearm. It wasn’t as bad as Ken’s injury, but it was still bleeding. He cast Small Heal, muttering the required words, and again the subtle white glow engulfed him. His wounds slowly closed, proliferating new cells and muscles. Until everything was healed, leaving not even a scar on his fresh skin.

“That’s a surprise. I never thought you would go for the support route,” Ken said.

“Well, lucky you,” Leo extended his arm at Ken and showed an open palm. His eyes glowed in green, and Ken felt a new energy coursing in his body.

The new warrior checked his stats briefly and saw the change in numbers. He smiled. “Good choice, and how long do I have?” Ken said. The man with knives rushed at the incoming animals as his blade danced with yellow light. His speed was up by a notch, and he had a full minute to fully use it.

“A minute, and you better kill a lot of them,” Leo said, finding his new target darting at him. ‘All points to agility,’ Leo commanded. With these animals coming at him in a frenzy, he had no choice but to get faster.

Leo and Ken fought side by side. Axe and kitchen knives went wild in this skirmish between man and animals. Glowing yellow blades went flying as Ken bloodied them all with skill ‘Slash’, a skill that enhanced the cutting power of a knife, making it sharper and deadlier. They bled these creatures, but killing them just got a lot more difficult.

“Not gonna lie, but they’re pretty smart,” said Leo. Noticing he was surrounded by these animals, ranging from leopards, jaguars, ocelots, baboons, and even boars. They glared, hissed, growled, and grunted at the two men who had their backs against each other. But in the heat of the moment, he did kill an ocelot and a leopard. Bumping his stats a little bit more.

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Perception]

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Agility]

Yet that little bump wasn’t enough for being surrounded like this.

“I’m assuming it’s from the influence of the system,” Ken said. “Different species like these don’t mingle this close to each other.”

“True,” Leo said, narrowing his eyes. A boar would never fight together with its predators, the leopards, and the jaguars. “So what's your level at?” Leo asked.

“Seven,” Ken said.

“Already?” Leo was surprised.

“I did kill a jaguar, and another two leopards,” Ken said. His ‘Slash’ definitely help in securing those kills. “So do you have any mana left for heal?”

“I do, why?” Leo asked.

“We retreat and I need you to get ready with the heal,” Ken whispered.

“You want to fill me in?” Leo questioned with his eyes keeping check of these patient wild animals.

“Where’s the fun in that,” Ken said. “When I give the signal, run to the door.”

Before Leo could ask what was the signal. Ken, who was at his back, suddenly yelled.

“Taunt!” Ken’s voice echoed through the jungle night. His voice pierced through the eardrums of these animals, and something changed. The glint in their eyes was different, and their patience ran down. They charged in unison at Ken and Leo taking the yell as the sign burst into a sprint.

He leaped over a boar and continued sprinting to the door. Leo grabbed the handle and pulled it open. There he saw Kareena sitting on the floor with her hands clutching her head. Yet now wasn’t the time for babysitting. He looked back and saw Ken being bitten by those animals with blood dripping down to the ground. The warrior still fought, stabbing with his knives, killing whatever was the closest to his sharp edges.

‘Shit,’ Leo thought. He thought Ken had a plan, but never knew it would be this reckless. He was about to run over to him, but he saw the intent behind Ken’s eyes. Leo’s hand extended towards Ken, and he chanted his spell.

White glow suffused over Ken’s body, healing him at a precedented rate. Then the man darted off the jungle floor after stabbing a few clingy animals around his feet. He punched and kicked as he tried to flee, then he felt once more the familiar energy in his muscles, and his hands got faster. He stabbed, and pierced, and swung his knives at whatever was trying to bite at him. They stayed away after a few more of them were dead under Ken’s knives. Ken took the chance and raced towards the door. At the last few meters, he jumped and went through the door.

Leo pulled quickly, and the door was tight shut. In an instant, banging noises kept knocking from the other side of the door, followed by the symphony of different animal calls. He looked down and saw Ken on the floor with more injuries than before. Cuts and claws marks were all over the place.

“Heal me, will ya?” Ken said.

Leo couldn’t complain and healed the reckless short warrior on the kitchen floor. Since his kills from that reckless bait tactic did give Leo a level for his assistance with his spells.

[You have reached level 7]

[5 stat points have been given]

Leo helped Ken up on his feet. “You could have died you know,” Leo said.

“Trust me. I won’t die that easily. Since I did place a few points in fortitude,” Ken replied. “And I found out my skin just got harder.”

“But you still can bleed,” Leo said out of worry.

“That’s why I have you,” Ken placed his hand over Leo’s shoulder. “I’m the tank, and you’re the support. We’re quite a team, right?” Ken smirked.

“I think you already assume that I’m going for the support route since you did say it first on becoming a warrior,” Leo said.

“You’re overestimating me, Leo. I will always pick to be a warrior since a hero is always the one wielding the sword, and besides, you’re the one who chose that route. Not me,” Ken replied.

“I’m not complaining. I’m just saying what’s on my mind,” Leo said.

“Then shall we go? I don’t think that door will hold those animals back,” Ken glanced at the kitchen door. The banging didn’t stop, not even for a second.

“One sec,” Leo said, kneeling one knee in front of Kareena. “Hey.”

Kareena glanced at Leo. Her eyes dyed in red as tears still kept trickling down the corner of her eyes. It seemed the scene of wild animals bursting from the jungle really took her by surprise. Not to mention the blood she saw when seeing Leo and Ken fought was enough to burn into her easy-to-remember mind.

“Leo,” she lunged at Leo and hugged him tightly. Her body pressed against Leo as she had no intention of parting.

“Whoa,” Leo almost stumbled, but he steadied himself a second later. “Hey, Kareena,” he tried to push her away, but she was relentless in keeping the hug intact.

“We’ve got no time here, Leo,” Ken pressed for time. Not knowing what else was in store for them out of this cafe.

Leo glared at Ken for a second as if telling him that wasn’t going to help. He tried a few more times, and with his strength being another notch above the woman, he parted with her, holding on to Kareena by her arms.

“Listen to me. I will get you to safety, but I need you to stand and stay close behind us. You get me?” Leo said. He could feel her trembling in his hands as the woman was scared shitless.

Kareena bit her lips and pulled whatever courage she had. She nodded to Leo as she knew her survival depended on them. She stood with Leo’s help, and with the fruit knife in her hand, she made slits on both sides of her pencil skirt. Freeing her legs from the constraint tight skirt.

Out of coincidence, Leo saw a hint of reddish color in between the slit. But he was quick to divert his eyes elsewhere. By chance, his eyes found Ken.

“So what’s the plan?” Ken asked.

Leo didn’t expect that. Nonetheless, he had a simple one in mind. “We head to the staircase and run to the first floor. You and I will stand our ground there and take advantage of the higher ground and the narrow path.”

“I like that,” Ken smiled. “And I like the reference, young padawan.”

To that, Leo smiled. The three of them raced towards the nearby staircase close to the elevators. Yet as they reached the hallway of the elevators, they stopped. The floor underneath them suddenly quaked with a loud explosion coming from the lobby.

Leo and Ken took a few steps and saw it. A huge rhinoceros just busted down the side glass doors, coming inside. And with that opening, wild beasts came in drove.

“Run!” Leo shouted.