As the dust settled, Grey staggered to his feet, his breath coming in heavy gasps.

 His once-black robe was now stained a deep crimson, the blood of the hounds painting it in vivid streaks. The forest, shrouded in a deep silence, was broken only by the rhythmic drip! drip! of water falling from the leaves above, and the occasional whisper of wind rustling through the canopy.

The calm after the storm seemed almost eerie, a stark contrast to the violent chaos that had just unfolded.

Grey's golden eyes scanned the battlefield with a cold, calculating gaze. The massive body of the hound he had just slain lay sprawled before him.

its once-menacing form now a grotesque testament to the brutality of the fight. The hound's fur, once a menacing dark shadow, was now soaked in its own blood, and its massive claws, capable of slicing through the toughest materials, were splayed out in a final, lifeless display.

The stench of death and blood hung heavily in the air, mingling with the earthy scent of the forest floor.

Grey felt a twisted sense of satisfaction as he observed the carnage.

'So, this is what it's feels like',

 he thought with a dark, almost exhilarated smile.

The thrill of the hunt and the violence of the battle had invigorated him.

Each slain monster was a testament to his prowess, a reminder of his dominance. The carnage before him was both a reward and a challenge, a symbol of his relentless pursuit of power.

He had spent an entire day in the forest, his initial intent to take a shortcut to a nearby town long forgotten.

The forest had drawn him in with its dark allure, and he had decided to indulge in his bloodlust, revelling in the freedom it offered.

 Over the course of the day, he had faced numerous monsters, each battle a test of his skill and resolve.

The forest, with its dense undergrowth and shadowy depths, had become a playground for his violent tendencies.

Through his battles, Grey had learned several crucial lessons. First, he discovered that monsters were ranked in a hierarchical system similar to human ranks

They ranged from F-rank, the weakest, to A-rank, the strongest. The hounds he had just defeated were of F-rank, the lowest tier, while the monsters that had initially attacked him were E-rank. This ranking system allowed him to gauge the strength of his foes and adjust his strategies accordingly.

His most terrifying encounter had been with a sleeping C-rank monster.

The mere sight of it had instilled a profound sense of dread.

 It was as though an invisible hand had gripped his heart, squeezing it with icy fingers. The fear had been overwhelming, a visceral response that drove him to flee in terror.

The C-rank monster was an abomination, its presence alone enough to invoke a primal fear that Grey had never experienced before.

The second crucial revelation was the significance of monster cores.

These cores, found within the bodies of slain monsters, were highly valued for their ability to enhance one's core rank.

Although Grey himself did not possess a core, he recognized the importance of these items. They could be used to craft powerful weapons or sold for substantial sums of money. And money was something the current Grey needed the most. After all, no matter which world one inhabits, money always rules supreme.

With a dark smile, Grey stored the cores into his rune, their faint glow reflecting in his golden eyes.

'It's a pity I don't have enough space to store their bodies,'

he mused, his expression a mix of satisfaction and disdain. The forest, with its silent, haunting presence, seemed to watch him as he prepared to continue his grim work.