The scene was utter chaos. Men and women in the lobby, who ignored the warning ran for their dear lives. Screams echoed as many feet rushed far away from the main entrance. They ran to the elevators, to the staircase, and to wherever they could seek shelter from these wild beasts.

The rhino’s trumpets rang across the lobby. It stomped down the tiles underneath its hooves, breaking it apart in pieces like a pile driver machine. The big felines raced into the building, chasing down preys that were unmatched against their speed. Cries of help screamed through the once peaceful lobby with blood spilled on the cracked floor. It only took a few seconds to turn everything into a bloody slaughterhouse. Necks twisted and bitten as these poor people lost their souls to the fangs of these big felines.

Leo, Ken, and Kareena were already up the stairs, abandoning their initial plan of holding on to the first-floor staircase. They raced up the stairs as more people were trailing from behind.

“Are we just going to run?” Ken shouted through the constant screams and yelling in the confined staircase.

“We make a stand at the second floor,” Leo said. He couldn’t abandon his initial plan, not when there was an advantage to take hold.

“You ready for this?” Ken asked. Standing close to the railing staircase while more people went past them.

“Not at all,” Leo replied. His frown never leave his face as the constant screams and call for help echoed downstairs. With his higher than usual perception; his senses were keener, the screams were louder, and the stench of blood was growing stronger by the second. And Leo never knew, hearing someone screaming to their death would be this disturbing. Yet now he had to survive, and not be like those weak people. ‘Five points to fortitude.’

Leo made his choice. With that many wild animals, there was no doubt in his mind that Leo was definitely going to get bitten. Dodging everything would be impossible, and his best chance of surviving was upping his defensive capability. He didn’t know what sort of detriment would affect his speed, but it was better than nothing.

“Guys, are you sure about this?” Kareena asked. Standing behind Leo, questioning these madmen’s decision. “We can just hide on the seventh floor in our office until—”

“Until what, Kareena? Rescue? You know that won’t happen,” Leo reminded her of the harsh truth.

She bit her lips and clenched her fist tight. Her heart was telling her to run, to flee back into her office, and locked the door. Yet her mind told her to stay and fight. Fight with these abnormal men. From what she had seen, these men were her best chance of getting out of here alive.

“Leave, and hide Kareena,” Leo said as he realized he might be a little hard on Kareena. He hoped he would have another member to fight together, but for now, it seemed it was still them two. “Since things are about to get uglier.”

“I won’t,” her words brought a surprise to the two men. They looked over, and Kareena tied the fruit knife on her hand with her handkerchief. She was determined to join in with the craziness.

Ken scoffed and turned back to the stairs below him. While Leo said, “Make sure to stay behind me, and whenever you get the chance to kill, take the shot.”

Leo knew better that they needed more people like them into the fray. Two people weren’t enough to go against a whole jungle, and whatever that still lurked behind this whole transmigration event. Not to forget the other countries that also transported here. He couldn’t be sure whether they were allies or potential enemies.

More people ran past them, then Leo saw the first sight of a spotted big cat. It jumped at a woman and went for the neck, instantly ending her life. More joined in for the kill as the rest chased after the frantic fleeing people.

“Aren’t you guys going to help them?” Kareena bellowed from behind. But Leo and Ken stood still, waiting for the right moment.

“A buff would be nice right now,” Ken said.

Leo cast his spell, and his eyes glowed in green. Ten agility boosted Ken’s speed, and right at that moment, men and beasts clashed. Axe was swung, and a radiating yellow blade slashed. Leo’s axe hacked into a leopard’s head, and he kicked it away, dislodging it in an instant.

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Perception]

He welcomed the free stat as it made him easier to see the movements of these feisty felines. A swipe of a claw went for his face, and Leo dodged it. He was about to grab it by the neck, but a fruit knife went for it first. Leo looked to the side and saw Kareena gritting her teeth over what she had done. He held the retaliating leopard down with his weight pushing it against the staircase as it started squirming around. “Kill it faster!” Leo shouted.

Kareena took the knife out and continued stabbing the big cat in the neck. She yelled throughout the flurry of attacks, and by the fifth stab, the leopard was finally dead. Her breath ragged, and her eyes looked distraught.

Leo faced the other big cats as they pounced over him. “Fuck,” Leo said. He was too late to dodge, and the fangs came biting him over his flesh. His thigh, his leg, and even his forearm got bitten. The pain was excruciating even with the newly added fortitude. “Ken! Knife,” he simply said. An axe was too limited in his situation, and Ken too was in his own predicament.

The new warrior got bitten over his forearm once again as the knife in his hand stabbed the leopard over its white belly. Blood spewed over those holes, and Ken pushed it away while throwing the bloody knife to Leo.

He grabbed it in mid-air and pierced the skull of one of the leopards that bit him at the leg. The bite loosened, and it dropped. But something felt odd. ‘Did I miss the free stat message?’ He noticed that after killing a mob personally, his Statistic Inheritor would grant him a free stat point. Yet this time, after killing a leopard, he didn’t earn anything.

“Leo!” Kareena’s shout brought Leo back to the dire situation. A baboon jumped on him. And with his perception, he saw it coming at the last second. He punched it square on its face, sending it flying back down the stairs. But it wasn’t enough to kill it.

“Heal!” Ken roared. His knives didn’t stop killing the endless tide of beasts, and the same could be said to them. They bit and clawed at Ken as fresh blood dripped over the hardened one.

Leo quickly cast Small Heal, and Ken’s pale face brightened to his usual glow.

The man with knives bellowed, gaining new strength over his rejuvenated body. Sharp edges danced in this narrow staircase as he slashed and stabbed. Then he kicked them down whenever he had the chance.

Leo aided his madden friend, stabbing a baboon right at the ear.

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Dexterity]

The welcoming message made him glad. He thought his advantage had ended, but it seemed this unique trait of his had a certain limit.

Leo swung his axe randomly, and even that hit a target. A leopard growled as a metal blade lodged right at the center of its spine. It squirmed frantically and by chance, slipped on its paws. Leo lost his grip over the handle, and the big cat dropped down the stairs bringing along the axe with it.

‘Fuck,’ now he was left with only a kitchen knife. Looking around, the battle was far from ending. More big cats came climbing the stairs as if the whole jungle was full of it. To his knowledge, even meeting one would be a rare thing when trapped inside a jungle. Yet now more than a dozen of these dead leopards were strewn on the staircase. While the increasing flippant baboons didn’t make it easier for them, jumping around as if toying with him.

He checked his MP, and there was still half of it left. Yet they couldn’t continue as it was, or else they wouldn’t last long. He kicked an incoming leopard, but its jaw was quicker, biting through his shoe. It dragged him over, and Leo slipped.

“Leo!” Kareena shouted, yet she couldn’t move from where she was. Leo tried to kick it away, but more of them jumped on him.

Then came a shout. “Taunt!” Ken roared, and Leo stopped where he was. The beast that bit him let him go and raced towards Ken. Leo got up with fury beneath his eyes. He punched an incoming baboon out of spite, and the primate dropped to the first floor.

“Kareena! Help Ken! They won’t attack you not when he’s using Taunt!” Leo gave the order, and he bolted to his friend. He stabbed a few beasts at their necks, and as he reached Ken, his eyes glowed in faint white. He healed Ken, and the knife in his hand went mad, stabbing anything that moved in front of him.

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Dexterity]

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Agility]

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Agility]

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Dexterity]

Leo got quicker, and his motion turned more precise. His hands flurried with stabs and slashes. Puncturing holes against their furs, targeting their necks among other places. With these wounded beasts losing blood and air, he incapacitated most of them, lightening the burden on Ken.

The short man himself fought on, killing anything that dared take a bite at him. Kareena played her part as she killed a few with her bolstered courage. With her not being the target gave her the motivation she needed.

“Ken, can you do a taunt again?” Leo asked as he had a plan in mind. As they couldn’t go on with this reckless fight without a plan.

“Another thirty seconds,” Ken replied.

“Okay,” Leo turned to Kareena. “Kareena, you’re going to back Ken up when he uses another Taunt.”

“What? Where are you going?” Kareena felt like she wasn’t going to like this.

“I need to pay a visit to the office for a while,” Leo said.

“Right now? But we have a—” Kareena wanted to refute, but Ken roared, cutting her off.

“Just do what he says!”

Thirty seconds later, Ken's Taunt blared again. Leo healed Ken before he took his leave. “Protect him,” he said to Kareena as the woman could only nervously nodded. She gained a few levels through this madness and placed most of them to strength and agility, following Leo’s previous guide.

On the other hand, Leo went through the door to the second-floor office. And by chance, a few more notification windows appeared.

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Agility]

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Agility]

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Dexterity]

[You have reached level 8]

[5 stat points have been given]

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

It seemed the injured beasts finally died over his attacks. But now wasn’t the time to check on his stats. He raced on the carpet floor, searching the office for what he needed. Then he found it. ‘All points to strength.’

“Where is he?” Kareena shouted, slapping a baboon off the stairs. She grew more aggressive over the last few minutes as she ditched her high heels and her fruit knife getting bloodier by the second.

Then among the growls of beasts in this staircase, she heard a screeching noise coming from afar. She turned towards the door and found Leo as he dragged out a long table with one hand.

“Ken!” he shouted, and Ken was quick to notice. The warrior jumped back, and Leo blocked the staircase with the table. A few beasts fell down the stairs, but the rest leaped over the table. Ken made his move, slashing these leaping beasts as they dropped with bellies split open. Leo pulled another table out from the door and stacked it against the one he just placed. This time it did the job, lessening the influx of these beasts coming at them. The mahogany tables were strong, sturdy, and heavy. Far more suitable for a barrier compared to the flimsy cheap tables made of plywood.

Yet the baboon easily leaped over followed by the leopards. But the felines took a bit of their time, giving the three of them an adequate buffer. Now they weren’t coming at them in drove. Making things easier for them especially for Ken.

Leo healed Ken, and their fight went on. They fought while keeping their pace. Leo kept track of his MP, making sure he had enough to keep things safe. After half an hour of continuous fighting, the beast stampede was finally over.

All three of them sat on the floor. Their breaths ragged, and their bodies covered in sweat, grime, and mixed blood of their enemies and themselves. Yet the flame of fighting still lit in their eyes.

Leo looked at the recent windows he missed.

[You have reached level 9]

[5 stat points have been given]

‘Leveling just got harder,’ Leo thought.