The Cheetah's "Smile"

"Urgh—"

Jabari was hoisted into the air, both hands desperately clawing at the deadly restraint tightening around his neck.

He had even forgotten he was a wizard, completely failing to remember the Wand in his hand. His face rapidly turned purplish red, and his eyes bulged from lack of oxygen.

Through his blurred vision, he saw the long-vanished lizard hanging from a branch overhead, its scales glinting with a cold sheen, its eyes cruelly watching him struggle on the verge of death.

This lizard... this lizard... really wanted to kill him!

Fear of death surged over him like a tide, and his vision began to darken.

"Diffindo!"

Clementine, whose entire body had gone stiff, finally reacted. Her spell shot forth like lightning and struck the lizard's tongue with precision.

"Thud!"

Jabari crashed heavily to the ground, gasping for breath. Before he could recover, there came a rush of wind overhead—

The Lizard Golem actually leaped down from the tree and landed directly on top of him, its claws locking around Jabari's throat.

"Pfft—"

Jabari's eyes bulged as he sprayed out a mist of blood. He felt several of his ribs break under that blow, while intense pain shot through his thigh as well.

"Jabari!"

Clementine screamed.

It was not because they shared any deep camaraderie. It was because, at that moment, she realized Jabari had lost the ability to keep fighting, leaving her alone to face the two Golems again!

When the lizard turned its head toward her, the girl did not attack again. She instinctively took two steps back, her eyes darting toward a gap between the nearby trees.

Before she could figure out what she was going to do, the distant cheetah suddenly lowered its body and backed up to gather momentum. The next second, it shot out