We reached the nest, and my father was there, waiting restlessly. As soon as we stepped onto the branches, my mother let me go and began to scold him; it was just growls and hisses, but to me, it was clear she was giving him the lecture of his life for leaving us alone. He deserved it for being a coward.

  After the incident with the Shockpinfinder, the area became strangely silent; I guess that monster decided to look for less problematic territories.

  The following day, I took advantage of a distraction to slip away. I needed to see my objective. They told me the lake was nearby and that I would find the Leviathan there. I didn't know exactly where it was, so I followed my instincts. I wandered around for a bit until I heard a current nearby; I approached the sound, and behind some bushes, there it was. I arrived at a beautiful beach—I didn't know lakes could have those.

  The sand was almost white; when I grabbed it with my hands, it felt incredibly soft. How strange. I looked toward the water, and it was a blue so dark it betrayed an abyssal depth. I sat on the shore; perhaps I could see my prey.

  I stayed all morning observing and enjoying the peace of the atmosphere. The sun grew quite strong by midday, so I was about to leave; maybe I’d see it tomorrow. Just before getting up, I saw a bird perch on the water. It was quite large, bigger than the demon dogs. Its plumage was pink like a flamingo, it had a long beak, and a crest like a rooster's.

  Everything was so calm until, suddenly, the creature emerged from the depths. It lunged out of the water and, with one clean bite, devoured the bird before submerging again with a thunderous splash. I froze. I caught a glimpse of it for a second: it was massive, about 17 feet long, and looked like a serpent with bronze-colored scales. That was all I saw. And I’m supposed to kill that monstrous thing?

  I rushed back to the nest, trying to come up with a plan, but I had no idea how to proceed. My body is still small, weak, and has much developing to do. Luckily, I still have six years left. Six years to stop being prey and become the hunter.

  The first step was to create an exercise routine to at least get strong; it was basic but effective. It won't be so extreme that I’ll end up bald like a certain character. Push-ups and squats, that was it. I’ll do cardio when I go hunting; I still have a lot to learn.

  Three years passed like that. The Liva develop at an astonishing speed; I went from being a vulnerable baby to an adult in his prime. My body became incredibly agile and, to my surprise, I ended up notably larger than my parents. Was it a natural mutation or the result of hard training? Every day, as soon as I woke up, I did 100 squats and 100 push-ups; it was hard at first, but with time, it felt too easy. My parents always looked at me strangely. Am I the weird son? Well, I’m their only descendant, so I guess it’s normal; besides, they are getting older.

  During this time, my father taught me the fundamentals of survival. At first, his methods were purely primitive, based on instinct, but thanks to my human intelligence, I managed to optimize the hunt. Once a week, without fail, I went to the lake to study the Leviathan's patterns. I discovered that it prefers to feed at dawn and spends most of the day patrolling the depths.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  I made tools and taught my father how to use them; obsidian knives, bows to start fires, and stone spears. He also learned to set the traps I made: snares, pits, and ambushes. He turned out to be smarter than I thought.

  I also spent a lot of time with Uuk. He is a being of incalculable wisdom. Thanks to him, I learned that this planet, according to his race, is called Priya. A strange name, almost delicate for such a hostile place. He revealed that he hasn't seen another of his kind in nearly a thousand years; apparently, his people are deeply solitary beings who watch centuries pass as if they were days.

  Despite three years having passed, I still didn't have a definitive plan. Should I build a raft to face it on its own turf, or try to lure it to dry land to nullify its aquatic advantage? The main problem wasn't just the strategy, but the gear. My current weapons were obsolete for the job; they wouldn't pierce that serpent's armored scales.

  I needed to make a technological leap. I had to move from the Stone Age to the Iron or Copper Age. But how the hell does iron look in its natural state? I assumed the rocks would have a reddish tone from the rust, or that copper would look greenish, but I’m no geologist.

  I tried to put my ideas in order. First was the raft, but to build something decent, I needed wood—lots of it. I couldn't spend weeks gnawing on trunks like a beaver. I needed real tools.

  "What did prehistoric humans use for this?" I asked myself while examining my claws.

  I remembered my history classes and documentaries. Heavy river stones, sharpened on one side, tied to sturdy wooden handles using plant fibers or animal tendons. Hand axes. That was the starting point. If I wanted to kill a legendary monster, I first had to learn to tame wood, and then master fire to smelt metal.

  The System's clock kept ticking. Three years fly by when you have to complete a suicidal mission.

  I spent an entire afternoon searching the lake shores for a stone dense enough to chop wood. Finally, I found a dark, heavy rock. Basalt? Granite? Who knows, I was never a geology enthusiast, but this would work. With a sturdy vine, I tied it to a thick branch and started striking a small tree.

  Even as an adult, this species is frustratingly weak compared to the forest's predators. It took me an eternity to bring down that trunk, and by the time I finished, I was exhausted. If I wanted to build a raft and metal weapons, I needed help. I went to visit Uuk; I found him napping, as usual.

  —Hi, Uuk,— I greeted him politely.

  —Hello, little Samuel,— he replied without fully opening his crimson eyes.

  —Hey, do you know of any place where there are blood stones or green rocks? Maybe in some cave?

  —Perhaps... why do you ask?

  —I have an important mission and I need to craft weapons.

  —Weapons? What is that?

  I had forgotten that in Priya, the concept of tools or technology doesn't exist. I was a total anomaly in this ecosystem.

  —Do you remember when I told you about tools?— I reminded him. —They are objects I use to make everything easier. Weapons are tools for hunting or killing other animals.

  Uuk rose slowly, and his expression turned icy.

  —Do you wish to kill for fun, little Samuel?— His voice boomed with an authority that made me cower. —My race abhors killing if it is not strictly for food.

  I swallowed hard. It was the first time I saw Uuk truly annoyed, and his size made him terrifying.

  —It’s not for fun, it’s for survival,— I lied, trying to keep my voice steady. —Have you seen the creature that lives in the lake?

  —The Leviathan?

  —Exactly. I've been watching it, and it's very dangerous for my race; it won't let us use the lake.

  I had to embellish the truth. I don't really know why that entity wants the Leviathan's head, but I needed the pseudo-dragon's cooperation. Uuk stared at me for a long minute, as if trying to read my soul.

  —You have never done anything lacking logic,— he finally declared. —I suppose I can trust you. I will take you to a cave where those blood stones you seek are abundant.