Hailey's eagle claws, gleaming with razor-sharp light, had nearly reached Toby's eyes.
Hailey had already resolved to stop at nothing and kill the snakebird first. Even when she saw the pitch-black mist, she did not evade it, intending to force her way through.
But in the end, she still stopped—against her will.
The pitch-black mist Toby had exhaled seemed to possess the legendary gaze of a Gorgon. The instant Hailey's body touched that dark mist, a stony shell could visibly be seen spreading over her hand.
"Petrification toxin?!" By the time Hailey realized it, her hand could no longer move. Moreover, the stone shell was still steadily creeping up her body.
Fury and shock flashed through Hailey's eyes, along with a thread of resentment and despair.
If her attack had been intercepted or openly blocked, she could have accepted it.
Why did it have to be petrification?
Petrification was not an impossible toxin to cure, but if she missed this opportunity, finding another such perfect chance would be next to impossible.
Sure enough, after Toby exhaled the pitch-black mist, he raised his head high. Though he did not retreat, Hailey had already witnessed his body's defenses. Even when everyone had besieged him together, they had failed to break through. With only herself, it would be even more impossible. The only way to defeat this snakebird was to strike his eyes, but now that he had raised his head and was fully alert, launching a sneak attack under such circumstances was almost impossible.
She could not beat him head-on either. How could Hailey not despair?
Toby's eyes brimmed with killing intent. Under the influence of that terrifying murderous will, Hailey found it difficult even to move, let alone cleanse the toxin from her body.
Just as Hailey thought she would surely