Back in the dim, damp dungeon, Lord Victor sat casually atop the unconscious body of one of Lyerin''s mana beasts. Its massive, hulking form provided an almost grotesque throne beneath him. His dark eyes gleamed as he leaned forward, watching the shimmering hologram before him.


    The hologram was a magical projection, showing every move Lyerin made deep in the jungle with the st Apes.


    Lord Victor chuckled softly to himself. He had given Lyerin a simple task: survive. Nothing more, nothing less. But what Lyerin was doing now went far beyond the scope of his instructions.


    Lyerin wasn''t just trying to survive—he was moving towards the heart of the st Ape horde, a feat that would have made lesser men flee in terror.


    "What are you trying to prove, boy?" Lord Victor muttered to himself, his chuckle fading as his eyes narrowed in concentration. "Is this ambition? Or madness?"


    The hologram flickered as Lyerin''s figure came into view, mud-caked and shadowy as he slipped through the thick foliage like a predator stalking its prey. His ckened form blended perfectly with the dark undergrowth.


    The faint glimmer of magic in his eyes betrayed his intent—focused, deliberate, calcting.


    Victor''s amusement drained away as he saw Lyerin''s target: a child st Ape, sitting apart from the others, its pudgy fingers rolling a magical seed absentmindedly. The small ape, oblivious to the danger, was ying with its soon-to-be teenage transformation seed. Lyerin had already made his move.


    Victor watched closely, analyzing Lyerin''s tactics. "Ah… now I see," he murmured, his voice taking on a tone of appreciation mixed with caution. "He fed them first. His mana beasts… the apes devoured them. Now they''re full, satiated, their guard down. Clever."


    Lord Victor leaned back, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He continued his analysis, his mind working through Lyerin''s strategy. "With their bellies full, the st Apes won''t be as alert. And now the females will be preupied, eager to return favors to their mates for bringing them food.


    Reproduction… the ritual of mating," Victor muttered, his gaze intense as the pieces of the puzzle fell into ce. "The males will leave the children unguarded while they indulge in their… rituals. And that''s when Lyerin moves in. Brilliant."


    Victor''s admiration for Lyerin''s cunning grew.


    The young man had timed everything perfectly. Lyerin knew that once the guards were distracted, he could swoop in like a hawk, striking with precision.


    The child ape, caught off guard and unaware, was knocked unconscious before it could release the full force of its explosive seed.


    "Smart," Victor whispered, a faint smirk on his lips. "He incapacitated the child without triggering the explosion. That seed could have blown them both to pieces. But Lyerin… he''s calcted every move."


    Victor leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of excitement and unease. "But what now?" he wondered aloud. "What''s his next move? Why is he heading toward the first nest? The adults there… they''re not like the child. They won''t be fazed by a mere teenager''s explosive seed!"


    ---


    Deep in the heart of the jungle, Lyerin crouched low, blending seamlessly into the shadows.


    The air around him buzzed with violent tension, even the thick canopy above muffling the sounds of the st Ape horde nearby, was almost making him dizzy.


    The massive creatures lumbered through the forest with heavy footfalls, their muscr forms casting long shadows across the forest floor.


    The scent of damp earth and wild musk filled Lyerin''s nostrils as hey in wait.


    He knew what wasing.


    The explosive seed he had harvested from the child st Ape would be ineffective against therger, adult apes. Their thick hides and powerful muscles were resilient to the concussive force of the teenage seeds. But Lyerin remained still, his breathing calm and steady, waiting for the right moment.


    Crunch. Snap.


    The sound of arge st Ape approaching echoed through the trees. Lyerin tensed, his sharp eyes watching the guard st Ape as it lumbered over to exchange a few guttural grunts with another ape.


    HOHOOU!!


    HRAHAOO!


    HOOHUUROO!


    The two creaturesmunicated in their primal tongue before the original guard finally departed, leaving the neer in its ce.


    Lyerin''s eyes glinted.


    Now was his chance.


    The new guard was alone, and its attention was unfocused.


    Lyerin moved sh like a shadow, slipping silently up a nearby tree, his movements quick and deliberate. He perched on a high branch, overlooking the unsuspecting st Ape below. He could hear its heavy breathing, see the slight twitch of its ears, and smell the distinct musky odor of the creature as it scanned the jungle for threats.


    Time stretched as Lyerin waited, his muscles coiled like a spring ready to release. He watched the ape''s every movement, waiting for it to turn, to nce in his direction.


    The moment arrived.


    The st Ape turned its head slightly, its eyes narrowing as it sensed something nearby. But before it could react, Lyerin leaped from his perch.


    Whoosh!


    The air rushed past him as he descended ungraciously, but swiftly and silently,nding squarely on the creature''s broad shoulders.


    The ape let out a startled grunt, its massive body immediately tensed in shock.


    It opened its mouth to roar, but Lyerin''s hand was faster. He mmed his palm over the ape''s mouth, muffling the sound before it could escape.


    The ape thrashed beneath him, trying to shake him off, but Lyerin''s grip was irond.


    With a swift, unconcerned roll, he struck the creature''s jaw in the lower part like an uppercut with a powerful kick.


    Thud!


    The impact sent a jolt through the ape''s body, disorienting it as it stumbled backward.


    Lyerin flipped off its shoulders,nding gracefully a few feet away. He stood tall, calm, and unmoving, his expression cold and unyielding.


    The st Ape growled, regaining its footing, rage burning in its eyes as it red at Lyerin with pure hatred.


    "Graaaaaaagghh!!"


    A low, rumbling growl emanated from the creature''s chest as it bared its teeth. It raised its massive hand, revealing the small but deadly explosive seeds clutched between its fingers.


    Each seed glowed with a faint, ominous light.


    The ape was ready to throw them at Lyerin, to tear him apart with the sheer force of its power.


    But Lyerin remained unfazed. He met the creature''s gaze with a calm, almost serene smile. He knew what wasing.


    Kaboom!


    Without warning, the ape''s head exploded in a sh of light and gore.


    The sound of the st was sharp, but oddly contained, as though the explosion had been carefully orchestrated. Blood and brain matter sttered across the forest floor, and the st Ape''s massive body crumpled to the ground in a heap.


    Lyerin stood still, his expression unchanged, as bits of flesh and bone rained down around him. He had calcted every move, predicted every oue.


    The explosive seed he had harvested earlier had been ced strategically within the ape''s mouth during their brief struggle.


    The creature never had a chance.


    Never stood a chance.


    The forest around him remained eerily silent.


    None of the other st Apes had been alerted to themotion.


    The explosion had been perfectly timed, perfectly executed. Lyerin wiped his hand on a nearby leaf, clearing away the remnants of the st Ape''s brain. His expression remained calm andposed, but there was a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes.


    He had taken out a guard, one of the strongest of the st Apes, without raising an rm. And now, the path to the first nesty open before him.


    With a final nce at the fallen creature, Lyerin turned and disappeared into the jungle once more, his movements as silent but violent as ever.


    The horde of st Apes remained unaware of the predator lurking in their midst.…