The Retired

It's been 3 years since the death of the older panther and it is to Alex great p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e that the cub has grown healthy albiet smaller than he expected basing from the cub's mother.

He was currently in the hunt, utilizing his enhance senses as well as kinesthetic sense to traverse the thick jungle and hunt his current prey.

He stop at one of branches of an unknown gargantuan tree and observe his prey, standing over 3 meter tall when standing in two legs and a meter and a half when walking on four, this beast was one of the most smallest creature in this area but it was also one of the most dangerous as to counter the harsh conditions of the forest it had evolve itself into a terrifying degree.

The beast he named; Ursa was covered in thick fur which when look at seems soft but far from it, each strand of hair on the beast's fur is as strong as diamond and sharper than most blades. It has two protruding sharp bones on his head, which the beast often use to maim it's prey.

The beast due to hunting an elk-like beast about 10 meters tall, with extremely durable hide has developed unnoticeable vibrations on its claw and fang which makes them a lot sharper and can rip through the durable hide, the beast also develop a terrifying ability which grant it immunity to fire and poison as well as being extremely quick as to evade stronger beast.

In a normal day, he wouldn't hunt a beast as terrifying as this but he had no choice as he needed its skin to make an armor, it has a peculiar reaction when painted with Frost giants blood as it makes the wearer scent muted preventing other beast with strong sense of smell to sense him.

In a place such as ths forest of death, where the monster's have evolved with very acute senses, this thing is a must if he wanted to proceed much deeper into the forest.

He had set up a couple of traps after he'd track down the beast for almost six months, he had made various preparations and was now currently waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

Suddenly Alex ears twitch as he heard a new beast entered his warded area and decided to reposition himself to get a good visual down below, he watch as a velociraptor-like beast charge at the Ursa, which responded in kind as it also made a charge.

The two beast met head on and clash, the two tumble into the ground with the Velociraptor getting pinned below as the two bite and slash (or only bite in the case of velociraptor) at each other's throat with the Ursa taking advantageof it's powerful arm, creating huge gashes on the raptors body though he wasn't unscathed as well as the raptor tore off a chunk of flesh on the Ursa's shoulder.

The Velociraptor skins suddenly crackled with lightning, electrocuting the Ursa beast causing it great pain, the Ursa beast howled in agony causing the momentum of its attack to slackened.

The velociraptor took advantage and manage to kick the Ursa beast away, it then got up as the Ursa beast struggled to get ahold of its bodily movement. The velociraptor roared and charge once more at the still down beast and tried to bite another flesh off.

The Ursa with a quick burst of agility rolled away from the other beast charge, it then crouch and charge at the other beast's exposed side impaling it with its horn.

The velociraptor roared in agony as it tried it's damnest to get loose from the Ursa but alas it held through with it's grip digging the horns deeper.

With a last ditch effort, the Velociraptor use its remaining strength to unleash a large burst of lightning, hurting the Ursa beast majorly.

The Ursa beast use its entrenched horn to dig the horn deeper than it currently is while moving left to right as to widen the wound and after awhile the tired raptor stop struggling, seeing the opportunity the Ursa beast with a powerful roar, wretched the horn from its place leaving behind a large wound exposing the velociraptor's organs, it then stuck its arm in the wound and grab the other beast heart and crush it, ending the velociraptors life.

The Ursa beast panted as it tried to struggle to upright itself, not missing the opportunity, Alex activated the traps he had placed and watch as roots of various trees bind the beast as huge metallic spike enchanted with magic erupted from the ground, impaling said beast then a large amount gelatinous liquid swallowed the beast forming an Orb prison.

The beast started struggling using its last remaining strength to free itself from the trap, giving its all but alas due to it being badly hurt, as well as being impaled and losing air, it's a struggle in futility.

The Liquid nullified its strength as the spikes and binding held it in place, now the spikes wouldn't usually go through it's tough hide but with the help of runes and Alchemy, it can pierce through even the toughest of hides with only exception of hide with magical defense.

After the beast struggle died down, Alex jump down from the tree and landed infront of the beast, he then gathered his mana to strike a killing blow.

"Strike true! Heaven's Wrath!" He chanted causing thunderclouds to form up above the heavens.

A huge bolt of lightning strike down the dying beast electrocuting it as another two more followed, this continued for about a minute and when the best stop moving

Alex breathed a sigh of relief.

Taking down the beast might have look easy but it was the preparation that made this hunt successful.

It usually take upto three dozens of Asgardian soldiers to defeat the beast with a compliment of a god on the side but due to Alex stalking the beast, learning its habit, its prey, its attack patterns and its durability by leading other beast to fight the Ursa, he manage what any other Asgardian cannot, he defeated it alone.

That's what really separated human from gods as with humans fragile body compared to a superhuman like Asgardian, the humans tend to avoid direct confrontation that may cause harm to them and would rather develop a tactic that would lessen the danger to ones self unlike the Asgardians, who charges the battle with reckless abandon with no tactics or what so ever, as mostly Odin and a few god of war were needed to execute them.

The hunt for this beast took Alex six months including the preparation time, so it's no wonder it look so easy.

And another thing he has advantage over the Asgardian was magic as mostly the Vanir (who are few in numbers) were the only ones to often use the art except for a select few Asgardians namely Odin, Frigga and Loki(except his a Frost Giant).

Alex sighed once more before starting the long arduous process of skinning the beast.

When he was skinning the Velociraptor, he felt something watching him, he pulled conjured two throwing knives and feel for the surrounding area.

He heard a ruffle of leaves, at his back and he throw the knife into it, he then run towards the sight and saw what his knife hit, it was a black feather and seems like it belong to a Raven.

Alex furrowed his brow and tried to search for any signs but he found nothing.

"Hmm..must have been a Raven" He then goes back and proceeded to finish skinning the raptor.

*********

Far away from Alex a hunchback figure in tattered robe with a staff on his right hand was camping near a beautiful lake.

Suddenly a two ravens landed on both his shoulder and seems to whisper something into the hunchback ear.

the hunchback laugh and said "Clever! Such talent for such a young age"

The hunchback scratch his one missing eye before grinning "He will be mine and my people's legacy"

********

"Alex! Hey Alex!"

He was awoken from his day dreaming by Karen's voice and remembered where they are.

They were in one of the famous cafe in downtown Metropolis and were currently waiting for their order when he started day dreaming.

Karen pouted and said "am I that boring that you started day dreaming?"

Alex gave a wiry smile and apologize, he said "forgive me but I was but reminiscing about the past"

"Care to share?" Karen ask

"Nah...it's nothing" He replied. "Besides it's pretty boring."

Karen shrugged not pushing any further and said "well if you dont want to then alright." She then added. "On a different note, the news are completely abuzz at out little date the other day and it was very much fun to watch people trying to guess our relationship"

Alex laugh and said in an amuse voice "yeah, riling the media and my darling daughter being swamp with angry protest from my fans is always a great fun."

Karen chuckled and was about to make a comment, when Wonder Woman landed near them, Diana gather a few looks but she didn't mind instead she look over the area and saw them both she then smiled and started approaching them.

When she got close, she gave an enchanting smile to Alex and said "Hello Alex, Fancy meeting you here" she then notice Karen and said "Oh my, who might you be?"

Karen's left eyebrow twitch though unnoticed by Alex, she stood up and offered a handshake "Karen Starr, Alex's secretary" she said giving a smile of her own.

"Well, Wonder Woman and Alex and me goes way back in the past." Wonder Woman replied and clasped the hand offered.

She squeezed a little bit and was shock to see the other girl respond, she grip much harder and karen responded and kind.

Sparks seems to clash between the two as Alex just sitted there with a confuse expression.

"Huh"