Navara Star.
In the primeval forest in the eastern Ten Thousand Beast Plains.
A ten-meter-long leopard with a sleek, slender body crouched motionlessly downwind of a herd of great-antlered elk, saliva dripping from its mouth.
The black rosettes covering its body allowed it to blend perfectly into the forest humus. Its lowered stance and spring-tight limbs all marked it as an exceptional hunter.
The herd of great-antlered elk devoured berries growing beneath the bushes, occasionally raising their heads warily to survey their surroundings. It was not that they had discovered an enemy, but rather a habit formed by their survival instincts. This habit allowed them to react faster when danger approached.
Yet in the leopard's eyes, the elk's vigilance was more like the calm before a storm, heralding the coming feast of slaughter.
The leopard's pupils narrowed into thin slits, cold and cruel light flickering deep within them. Its breathing had nearly stopped, with only the faint rise and fall of its chest proving that it was still alive.
Its heartbeat, however, thundered in its chest like war drums, standing in stark contrast to the wind deep in the forest and the sound of the elk chewing their food.
Suddenly, the leopard moved.
It moved as fast as lightning, crossing dozens of meters in an instant as it charged toward the herd of great-antlered elk. Surprisingly, its speed far exceeded the speed of sound, yet it did not stir even the slightest sonic boom.
Just as it was about to pounce on one of the elk, an urgent rumble erupted from the nearby brush!
It was as earth-shaking as a mountain collapse.
The cruelty at the corner of the leopard's mouth froze. While still in midair, it was instantly seized by intense unease. Turning its head to look, it saw