After arriving at the nest I gave the cubs and Kali the body of the High Mandrill then I made another trip back to retrieve the other two bodies and brought them into the nest.

As for the body of the Peak Monster, I already ate it before I returned.

'Status Window'

[~Status Window~

Host: Zed - Umbra Storm Eagle.

Titles: {Blazing Heart}, {Truth Seeker}, {Dauntless Spirit}

Level: 19

Experience Points(Exp): 26250/29000

Rank: Body Refinement(Mid)

Health Points(HP): 216/216

Magic Power(MP/Mana): 245/245

Spiritual Power(SP): 254/254

Magical Resistance: 22(15)

Physical Resistance: 19(13)

Spiritual Resistance: 27(32)

Vitality: 38(57)

Strength: 31(46)

Stamina: 38(57)

Intelligence: 45(67)

Agility: 50(75), Dark: +14, Nearby Enemy: +12, Sky Dash: +14.

Spirit: 57(114)

Available Stat Points: 0

Available Skill Points: 0

Karma Points: 150

[Skills]

[Quests]

[Shop]

[Map(Locked)]

[Party(Locked)]

]

Looking at my Status Window I was satisfied, so far so good! I need to go hunt and level up to level 20!

After thinking for a while, I decided to go back to the Mandrill territory. Because their alpha is dead they must be running around not knowing what to do, but more than that it's safe. The only danger was the alpha, but now it's different because they gather in small groups I won't have to worry about my safety.

Hmm... Looking around the area where I previously killed the last Mandrill. Everything yet nothing seems off, there is nothing outwardly different about the forest per se, but there is a heavy atmosphere permeating the air.

*Roar*

I finally heard the sound of a Dark Mandrill and followed it, stealthily of course! Even though I was aware of my strength compared to theirs I will never let my guard down. Spreading my spirit sense, I could tell that there were around four Mandrills! Surprisingly three of them were Peak and one high.

This is the strongest formation of Mandrills I've ever encountered I couldn't help but feel puzzled, they don't usually go about it like this, whatever! It's like I was some Mandrill expert all of a sudden just because I defeated a couple of them.

But, this is a good opportunity, after I made sure there was no one else around.

As I flew directly towards them, I kept dodging and flying over the branches nimbly and soundlessly while avoiding their senses.

After I had a clear path toward them I activated Sky Dash and rushed in their direction at breakneck speed.

Then! I saw one of the Peak Mandrills from the side, and I immediately knew it was the one who chased me this morning.

Suddenly, I had a terrible feeling. Too many coincidences, a heavy atmosphere in the jungle as if all the monsters are hiding, three Peak monsters in the same group, they kept running in the same area but didn't go beyond it, and finally the presence of this guy.

But, I was already flying towards them I couldn't turn back and run now.

*Rustle*

One very light branch I just flew by, moved a little, and made a sound.

The moment I heard it, I didn't even wait for them to turn and activated Predator's WarCry.

Before they even turned their face to look in my direction, my attack had already landed and their mind went blank!

*Bang!*

I hit one of the Peak Mandrills from the back directly pushing it against another one, I landed on the ground then *Boom!*

I put all the strength in my legs and jumped towards them!

[Fiery Charge]

Huge Dark Flames started spreading over a radius of 5 meters all around me, burning everything in their wake.

[You have Killed a Body Refinement(High) Monster |Experience Points +4000|]

[Congratulations Host for Leveling up from 19 to 20. +6 Stat Points, +3 Skill Points.]

[You've unlocked a new System function.]

[Map is now Available]

I heard the notifications, but this wasn't the time to pay them any mind. I got the general idea but not now...

The Mandrill from the morning quickly reacted and threw a fist towards me, I easily dodged it and jumped over his back.

I pushed him with my legs and jumped towards the other two Peak monsters who were close to death.

It's also worth mentioning, that my size isn't that much different from theirs. I'm around 1.7 meters tall, whereas they are around 2.2 meters.

The Young Mandrill landed face-first into the ground, and couldn't move. He was also at death's door.

As I hit one of the other two in the chest with my claws, they both died. My intention was not to kill them using my claws, of course, I just wanted to remain close to them to receive the damage from Fiery Charge.

[You have Killed a Body Refinement(Peak) Monster |Experience Points +6000|]

[You have Killed a Body Refinement(Peak) Monster |Experience Points +6000|]

I only had a second of Fiery Charge left, I again jumped with my legs in the direction of the slowly dying Mandrill, mid-jump I opened my wings to give me more speed.

*THUDD* *THUDD* *THUDD*

Just as I was about to reach him, rocks started to fall from the sky.

*BAANG*

Before I could even process what was going on, one of them landed directly on the top of my head, stopping my charge and planting my face on the ground.

I felt lightheaded, it was a head injury.

*CRUNCH*

Just as I was going to stand back up and run, a rock landed directly on my right-wing, breaking it in the process.

*ARGHH*

I finally understood what was happening. I was ambushed!

Dark Mandrills started jumping from all over the nearby trees, there were a dozen of them, and all of them were Peak Stage!

I was just going to start despairing but I directly squashed that thought.

I stopped moving after the rock that broke my wing landed on me.

*BOMM*

Another rock hit me in my right side, sending me flying several steps backward, further worsening the injury on my wing!

My eyes were closed and I stopped breathing. At the moment of death, I was calm. Not because I will simply take it, but despair was impractical here, you should exhaust every possible outcome then and only then despair if you want.

*ROOOAARR*

Dozens of Dark Mandrills started roaring wildly as if celebrating their victory, and they started approaching me.

Because I used Fiery Charge and Sky Dash I'm very low on Mana currently.

Step by step, they were slowly approaching me, and I was surrounded from all sides.

The moment the majority of them got close, I activated my best Spiritual attack at full capacity, fully unleashing my unholy 171 Spirit Attribute.

I didn't wait to see the outcome of my attack, I stood up on my legs and started running in the direction of the nest, I was still far but still, I ran.

Dozens of Mandrills started falling to the ground one by one, even the ones who didn't fall were stunted unable to think!

*Roaar*

A couple of Mandrills who were still in the trees chased after me, after hearing their roars the ones who were only stunted started chasing me as if their lives depended on it.

Even though I didn't have my right-wing and was completely crippled I still had around 125 Agility.

But, they were indeed tailing behind me, I couldn't shake them off.

Slowly but surely they were gaining on me, plus I had to keep dodging the rocks they were throwing at me!

Fuck, fuck fuck... At this rate they will catch me, if not I will be hit by one of their rocks as my movement ability is reduced so is my dodging ability.

*BOOMM*

One especially old and big-looking Mandrill with a vicious crazy look landed just 1 meter behind after falling from the tree.

The force of the fall pushed me forward, but it didn't help me in any way. I barely controlled myself again and a rock hit me directly in the back.

*Blergh*

I felt something inside of me break and I vomited a mouthful of blood and I slammed against the bark of a tree.

I could barely move at this point and more than four Peak Mandrills were close to catching up to me.

I stood back up again and kept running, but my speed was slower than it was before.

*BANG!*

A rock landed on a tree I just ran by sending debris and dust into my eyes almost blinding me.

"Screeeeeeeech!"

I turned around and launched Predator's WarCry on the four assailants.

This is my last card. Because I didn't launch a full-powered WarCry on the monsters before I activated Fiery Charge I still had some Spiritual power left but now I'm all spent. I'm officially hopeless.

Knowing that I can't outrun the other ones who are coming here, I climbed the tree, even tho my wing hurt I still moved just to get to the branches.

Once I climbed there I didn't stop and kept going higher and higher... afterward I kept just running between the branches in random directions. Right now, I have no idea where the nest I already lost my sense of direction due to their relentless pursuit.

As I was fleeing, I remembered something! I hastily opened my Status Window.

[~Status Window~

Host: Zed - Umbra Storm Eagle.

Titles: {Blazing Heart}, {Truth Seeker}, {Dauntless Spirit}

Level: 20

Experience Points(Exp): 12250/31000

Rank: Body Refinement(Mid)

Health Points(HP): 19/216

Magic Power(MP/Mana): 21/245

Spiritual Power(SP): 29/254

Magical Resistance: 22(15)

Physical Resistance: 19(13)

Spiritual Resistance: 27(32)

Vitality: 38(57)

Strength: 31(46)

Stamina: 38(57)

Intelligence: 45(67)

Agility: 50(75), Dark: +14, Nearby Enemy: +12, Sky Dash: +14.

Spirit: 57(114)

Available Stat Points: 6

Available Skill Points: 3

Karma Points: 150

[Skills]

[Quests]

[Shop]

[Map]

[Party(Locked)]

]

Yes, the previously colorless and dead Map tab is now brimming with life! Golden characters and golden aura-like energy radiating from it.

I opened it for the very first time!

Shock, then confusion!

All I could see before my eyes was a square-like shape panel that has a bird's eye view of my surroundings with me as the center.

It wasn't as dark as the forest but was there a bit of color. However, what confused me was the sheer number of blue dots!

'System, what are these blue dots that are everywhere?'

[Every living being in a radius of 400 meters.]

'Every as in literally every living creature? Insects and so on?'

[Yes.]

'Is there a filtering option?'

[Yes, as usual just think.]

Hmm, I looked at the map and thought of only showing creatures who have the cultivation of Body Refinement Low or above.

I immediately noticed that the thousands of blue dots disappeared, what replaced them was only a couple of dozen blue dots.

Some dots are small, some are medium, and some are huge!

I also discovered that the blue dots were slowly running away because dozens of red dots were slowly making their way toward me.

I could easily guess that the red dots were The Dark Vunamian Mandrills while the blue ones were neutral monsters.

I focused on the biggest and closest red dot to me, and a scene flashed in my mind. A Giant old-looking Mandrill was jumping nimbly and at a fast speed from one branch to the other, clearly looking for me!

It was the old Mandrill from before that almost killed me after landing just beside me.

Shit, these guys wouldn't rest till I'm dead. Looking at the general layout of the map, I was surrounded! Mandrills were heading in my direction. There was one weak point though, northeast there was only a Mid Mandrill. This is my way out!

I didn't stop, of course, I was running the whole time. It's just that originally I was headed east, but there are several Peaks in that direction.

I couldn't sense them because my spiritual sense is only around 280-320 meters I think, I can't say for sure. However, the map has a bigger reach plus it gives me a better understanding of the situation, thanks to the bird's eye view.

*Rustle* *Rustle* *Rustle*

Because I wasn't flying but merely jumping around I kept making sounds. I tried to minimize the sound I make but it's too hard, I use a lot of force in my jumps, some branches are far from each other, so it's inevitable.

I remembered that I leveled up and I immediately put my newly gained six free Stats into Vitality.

I could already feel a tad bit better.

I have a +200% HP, Mana, and Spiritual Power regeneration. It's only a matter of time until I'd be able to run away, I naturally have no desire to strike back. There are too many of them, It's riskier. But, if I found an opportunity I will, I still need to level up. However, these guys are seriously scary! I was plotted against, the acting, the strategy, and the relentless pursuit. Holy hell!

As I kept on running northeast, I sensed the Mid Mandrill. However, its presence is too strange. What is he doing here, he was the only mid-rank here. Could it be a trap?