Chapter 16: Hunting the Mutant Leopard (4)

Le Kai knew that his life hung by a thread—if he let go and fell, even nine lives wouldn’t be enough to save him. He forced every ounce of strength he had into his body, pressing himself flat against the mutant leopard’s back as if he had become one with it. No matter how the beast leapt and rolled, he refused to loosen his grip.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The mutant leopard hurled itself repeatedly against the trees. Though Le Kai managed to dodge each collision, the shockwaves from every impact were more than his body could bear; it felt as if his bones were shattering, and blood seeped from the corners of his mouth without him noticing. Yet he clung on tightly, like a nail hammered into the leopard’s flesh, letting the beast rage and thrash, never letting go, not even in death.

This fit of madness from the mutant leopard bordered on self-torment. It sent debris and dust flying everywhere, determined to kill the intruder who dared challenge its authority.

Coughing violently, Le Kai realized he was already at the end of his strength. How could he possibly withstand such torment? Every bone felt as though it had been shaken apart, his chest and abdomen churned with blood, and fresh red sprayed from his mouth. This pain far surpassed even the professor’s most brutal training.

At last, Le Kai could no longer control his body. The beast’s force flung him high into the air.

A wild, bestial roar tore from Le Kai’s throat, his eyes suddenly blazing red, electric currents seeming to light them from within. At the same time, a wild and desolate aura burst forth from him, as though some ancient savage beast were awakening.

Berserk transformation—the state the professor had so desperately hoped for—descended upon him once again.

Below, the mutant leopard sensed the danger. It halted its assault, wary eyes following Le Kai as he fell freely through the air, confusion flickering in its gaze. It couldn’t understand how this small human could bring it such a sense of humiliation—a feeling it had only ever experienced when facing a grade D predator.

The leopard’s dignity had been gravely insulted. It decided to eliminate this threat once and for all. After a split second’s hesitation, it sprang again, jaws gaping wide, aiming directly at Le Kai.

The world blurred before Le Kai’s eyes, afterimages flickering like lightning. Strange energy, like a current, surged through his heart, making his breath rapid, as if his heart would burst. He felt trapped in a nightmare—his mind raced with countless thoughts in an instant, yet his body refused to obey. An invisible pressure enveloped him, threatening to suffocate his spirit.

It was the most severe assault on his freedom. For someone who cherished liberty, nothing was more unbearable than losing control over oneself.

Le Kai was furious.

With the conviction that he would rather die fighting for freedom, he felt as if he suddenly broke free from a dream. In a flash, clarity returned; he regained control of his body. The process lasted both a heartbeat and an eternity.

To Le Kai, it seemed as if ages had passed, but in reality, he was still plummeting toward the ground.

The berserk transformation not only restored his strength to its peak, but doubled it. In this state, he didn’t hesitate for a moment. His curved blade, spinning with his body, gleamed with a chilling light.

Shing!

A blade of cold, bright steel flashed like lightning across the night sky, trailing a dazzling arc as it slashed downward.

The mutant leopard lunged with its jaws wide, as if offering its own neck to Le Kai’s blade.

They crossed paths in midair and landed separately, motionless.

The red glow in Le Kai’s eyes still flickered, slowly beginning to fade. He remained frozen in his striking pose, while the leopard, having landed from its pounce, also stood perfectly still. The two, one large and one small, were separated by barely three meters—a scene both eerie and surreal.

It seemed the battle had ended. After a long silence, footsteps sounded ahead.

“What… what’s going on? Have we seen a ghost? Why are the leopard and the little madman both standing there, not moving? What in the world just happened?” The speaker was the third brother of the Wild Ones.

He and his elder brother had been chased by the mutant leopard, certain they were doomed, when Le Kai had intervened, drawing the beast’s attention away. Saved but still shaken, they hadn’t fled back to District C. Instead, they’d hidden nearby to watch.

They’d witnessed the entire battle between Le Kai and the mutant leopard. While they marveled at the beast’s ferocity, they were even more stunned by Le Kai’s strength. They’d always known the “little madman” was formidable, but had assumed he was only slightly stronger than themselves—good enough to take on a wild wolf, perhaps. Never had they imagined he could reach this level.

To single-handedly take on a mutant leopard from District C—such a feat had never entered the brothers’ wildest dreams. At this point, the third brother’s desire to kill Le Kai had vanished entirely. He felt a secret relief that he hadn’t succeeded in his plot—otherwise, his brothers’ lives would surely have met a bitter end. Anyone who could face a mutant leopard alone—could such a person even be called human?

But after Le Kai’s fall, neither he nor the leopard moved, leaving the two brothers anxious and uncertain. Such a savage beast could never be so quiet. Summoning their courage, the brothers decided to check on the scene.

Yet the sight before them unnerved even these bold men. The chaos and destruction left them deeply shaken. In the world of the Wild Ones, reality was closer to nature: the law of the jungle, where the strong ruled and the weak perished—simple and direct.

Le Kai had proven his worth through sheer strength, earning the men’s respect with ease.

“Third brother, look—the leopard… the leopard is dead!”

The eldest suddenly cried out in disbelief, staring as a line of blood widened across the leopard’s neck, pouring forth until the fur was soaked crimson. Then, as if a tree trunk had been sawn through, the massive head toppled from its body, and the huge form crashed heavily to the ground.

At the same moment, as if linked by fate, Le Kai too collapsed.

Berserk transformation wasn’t omnipotent. It squeezed every drop of potential and life force from the body. Le Kai had already reached his limit; now, having burned through all his strength and suffered severe injuries, he could endure no more.

Even as he fell, his hand still gripped the curved blade tightly.

“Xiao Kai, Xiao Kai, are you alright?”

The eldest brother hurried to Le Kai’s side, checking him with concern.

The third brother said, “It’s obvious—he’s fainted.”

The eldest shot him a warning look. “Third brother, let me tell you—never, ever entertain that kind of thought again. Don’t even think about it.”

The third brother replied helplessly, “Big brother, sometimes I wonder about your intelligence. Now that I’ve seen Xiao Kai’s true strength, how could I ever have other intentions? Ever since Old Master Le went missing, our B District has fallen on hard times. If we rely on just the three of us, sooner or later we’ll be wiped out by other factions. But now that Xiao Kai is so powerful, I’m willing to acknowledge him as our leader.”

Beyond the sky, the land stretched boundless. Though it was divided into five danger zones—A, B, C, D, and S—each was vast and wild. If one Wild One could survive in such a harsh world, naturally there were many more.

Humans are strange creatures; wherever more than three gather, conflict arises, and someone always seeks to dominate. Here, the rule was simple: the strongest became the leader.

Le Kai and the brothers occupied one of the few fertile lands in District B, making them a target for many other Wild One factions. In the past, Old Master Le’s reputation had kept the others at bay. But since his disappearance two years ago, rival groups had grown restless, constantly probing their defenses. Once it was certain that Old Master Le would never return, they would surely launch a fearsome assault.