Legacy of the Sabretooth

It was an ordinary evening. The moon hung bright in the sky, casting its silvery glow, while a gentle breeze rustled the small trees in the garden.

Old Clyde and Mrs. Clyde were discussing Victor's recent progress. At just 18 years old, he had already begun teaching himself university-level courses and mastered multiple languages—not only mainstream ones like French and Spanish but even Mandarin and Japanese. Beyond academics, he had also delved into combat manuals, learning fighting techniques purely through books and sparring sessions with Old Clyde. Though his skills were rudimentary compared to someone like Master Splinter—the rat who, found a ninjutsu scroll in a sewer and trained the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—Victor's determination was unmatched. His frequent muscle strains from botched maneuvers meant little, as his healing factor erased the pain before he even felt it.

Truthfully, Victor didn't need combat skills. With his regenerative abilities, he could charge into any fight recklessly, knowing few could kill him. Yet, as a transmigrator, he understood the looming threats of this world. Future villains and heroes would grow unimaginably powerful, and relying solely on his healing factor would spell doom—especially if this was a comic-book reality, where planet-shattering beings rendered his powers trivial. Even hiding wouldn't save him if the world faced cosmic resets or apocalyptic crises.

Driven by urgency, Victor immersed himself in combat (and lethal) techniques, along with diverse fields of knowledge. Through relentless practice, he discovered that skills honed in his mental space translated to the real world, accelerating his mastery—though battling humans differed vastly from sparring the sabertooth tiger haunting his psyche.

Speaking of the beast: Victor had finally conquered his feral instincts. By devouring research on sabertooths and large-game hunting tactics, he'd subdued the primal "tiger" in his mind. After countless mental battles, the creature cowered in a corner, ceding territory to Victor's expanding consciousness. Now, even basic books couldn't satiate his hunger for knowledge. Specialized texts were scarce in this era, despite the Clydes' wealth as plantation owners—a dilemma that sparked their latest discussion about Victor's education.

Yet, there was another problem: Victor hadn't aged physically since 12, his growth stunted despite his superhuman strength and intellect. The Clydes, having lost one son, Luther, to tragedy, clung fiercely to Victor. They'd accepted his explanation of a "wild" supernatural side effect now tamed, burying Luther's memory deep to avoid reopening wounds. To outsiders, the Clydes were reclusive mourners; in truth, they hid Victor's agelessness to evade suspicion.

Victor, however, felt content. The 19th century seemed peaceful compared to future catastrophes. He relished this time to grow stronger, smarter, and bond with his family. But peace, he'd soon learn, was fragile—especially in 1800s Florida.

Unbeknownst to him, the Seminole people, displaced by U.S. soldiers like Old Clyde years prior, were striking back. After a recent failed military raid, a band of Seminole warriors descended on the Clydes' town under cover of night.

The sheriff—a veteran of the Seminole Wars—was first to spot the distant torches snaking toward the town. Recognizing the chaotic advance as an Indigenous raid, he fired warning shots and sprinted to the church, urging the priest to sound the alarm.

"Lord! Why must such disaster fall upon us?!" Upon hearing the news, the priest prayed and climbed the bell tower, rang the bell at the top of the church and began the meeting of the townspeople.

The townspeople were initially alarmed by the sheriff's gunfire and then heard the church bell ringing to summon the crowd.

All the men dropped what they were doing and went to gather towards the church, and because of the first shot from the sheriff, the men grabbed their weapons and prepared themselves. In case of possible and unforeseen needs.

At that moment, the Indians who came to attack the city also stopped hearing the city bell and began to speed up their run towards the city.

This night of blood would alter Victor's fate forever…