Swift Raptor

Biodata

History

Attack on the Special Operations Squad

A Shadow Alliance seventh-level warrior lured the Swift Raptor toward the Radiant Church’s camp. His plan was to inflict heavy losses and draw away the Church’s strongest defenders, weakening security around a coveted Level Nine magical beast cub 19.

The Swift Raptor encountered Shiheng’s special operations squad immediately after its victory over the Level Six Black Bear King. Its first tail strike broke Kelan Kai’s arm and knocked him unconscious. It then attacked Nalan Ruoshui, but Hogg intercepted the blow with his body. His Divine Beast Bloodline allowed him to survive, though he was left unable to fight 17.

When the beast turned its tail toward Kelin Xiaoman, Shiheng stepped between them. His anger, fear, and determination pushed his Berserk state beyond its previous limits, raising his combat strength to the peak of the seventh level 18.

Battle and Pursuit

Shiheng shattered some of the Swift Raptor’s scales, only for it to cover the exposed flesh by shifting intact scales over the wound. Unable to exploit a lasting opening, he resorted to relentless attacks. They fought for an entire day and night, leaving Shiheng grievously wounded while the beast gradually weakened and began to fear him 18.

Kelin Xiaoman attempted to heal Shiheng during the struggle, but her limited magical power could only slow the worsening of his injuries 18.

After another quarter-hour of fighting, the Swift Raptor fled. During the pursuit, it charged through the three Shadow Alliance warriors responsible for the scheme: its skull killed the two sixth-level attendants outright, while the force of its charge incapacitated their seventh-level leader. Shiheng killed the wounded leader before continuing after the beast 19.

The running battle covered seven hundred li, crossing the mountain range’s outskirts and entering its middle region. Their clashes killed fifth- and sixth-level magical beasts along the route, while their overwhelming auras frightened others away 19 20.

Death at the Precipice

Cornered at a towering precipice, the Swift Raptor turned to fight. Both combatants accumulated severe wounds through repeated head-on collisions. At dusk, the beast committed its remaining strength to a final lunge; Shiheng sidestepped it and delivered a fatal punch to its skull 19 20.

Shiheng’s Berserk state ended immediately afterward, leaving him barely able to stand. Kelin Xiaoman, who had followed the battle trail alone, caught him before he fell over the cliff 20.

Recovery and Search for the Missing Companions

Xiaoman used the Swift Raptor’s tendons to descend the cliff with Shiheng and dug a concealed cave for shelter. She then moved its corpse into the cave and covered it to prevent its blood scent from attracting predators. During the following night, she repeatedly restored her mana and healed Shiheng, refusing to abandon her efforts because he had saved her from the beast’s tail strike 21 22.

After seven days of recuperation, Shiheng had recovered from his injuries, but his meridians remained damaged and he could not yet use Berserk. He developed a Berserk Cultivation Secret Method and taught it to Xiaoman. Recalling how he had protected her from the Swift Raptor helped her recognize her own desire to protect those she cared about; after two days of practice, she grasped the Berserk Art 23.

Meanwhile, Hogg and the remaining companions withdrew to camp to recover. Hillman searched the outskirts by day while Nalan Ruoshui and her sister cared for the wounded, then returned to protect them at night. Kelan Kai survived, but lost the arm injured in the attack. Once the group had largely recovered, they entered the mountain range’s middle reaches to search for Shiheng and Xiaoman 25.

After leaving the cave and overcoming the beasts blocking their return, Shiheng and Xiaoman reunited with the others. Shiheng expressed particular regret upon seeing Kelan Kai’s empty sleeve and explained that his injuries from fighting the Swift Raptor had delayed him 26.

Concealment of the Victory

When the squad returned to camp, Hogg concealed the Swift Raptor’s death. Instead, he reported that the beast had turned on the Shadow Alliance conspirators and that the squad had subsequently killed the three warriors 29.

The group wanted to avoid scrutiny: killing a frenzied Level Seven Swift Raptor was considered a feat requiring eighth-level combat strength. Revealing their victory would have exposed capabilities far beyond what others expected of them 29.

The legion commander’s response confirmed that the Shadow Alliance had used the threat against the camp to pressure the Church into abandoning its contest for the Level Nine cub. Despite the scheme, the Radiant Church ultimately secured the cub 29.

Later Remembrance

The attack remained an important memory for Kelan Kai’s family. His mother remembered Shiheng as the benefactor whose intervention had saved her son from being killed by the seventh-level Swift Raptor, rather than merely losing an arm. When Shiheng later visited Kelan Kai in the border city, she insisted on personally thanking him 198.

During that reunion, Shiheng used divine power to regenerate Kelan Kai’s missing left arm, finally reversing the lasting physical loss associated with the encounter 198.

Appearance

• Size and build: An enormous, mountain-like body supported by four thick limbs 17 18 19.
• Armor: Hard dragon scales covering its body 18.
• Eyes: Cold, slit pupils; its eyes are later described as scarlet 17 19.
• Natural weapons: A long, powerful tail, sharp claws and fangs, a hard skull, and a horn 17 19 20 24.
• Hide: Thick, tough, and highly waterproof 24.

Personality

The Swift Raptor initially regarded its human opponents with contempt, displaying a mocking gaze before Shiheng’s sudden increase in strength surprised it. It was also intelligent enough to protect damaged areas of its armor rather than leave a weakness exposed 18.

Its aggression gave way to fear as Shiheng continued fighting despite grievous injuries. Survival eventually took priority over combat, prompting it to flee without regard for anyone in its path. Once trapped at the precipice, it returned to desperate ferocity 18 19.

Power Progression

Abilities & Skills

Physical Strength and Natural Weapons

The Swift Raptor relied on powerful bodily attacks rather than any demonstrated spellcasting 17 19 20.

• Tail strikes: Moved fast enough to appear as a black blur and incapacitated Kelan Kai and Hogg in separate blows 17.
• Claws and fangs: Its claws tore wounds down to Shiheng’s bones during their prolonged battle 18 20.
• Charging impact: Killed two sixth-level warriors and gravely wounded a seventh-level warrior without stopping its escape 19.
• Scale fragments: Shattered pieces of its armor also cut Shiheng during the battle, adding to his blood loss 18.

Scale Armor and Endurance

Its body was described as hard as iron, with scales that Shiheng had to break through to reach vulnerable flesh 18 20.

• Shifted intact scales over an exposed wound through rapid bodily movements, preventing repeated attacks on the same opening 18.
• Endured a day and night of combat before fleeing, then continued fighting during the pursuit and final confrontation 18 19 20.
• Its defenses were not absolute: sustained damage exhausted it, and Shiheng’s final skull strike killed it 20.

Speed and Combat Pressure

Despite its size, the Swift Raptor moved swiftly across difficult terrain 19.

• Fled through dense forests, rivers, and rugged mountain paths without those obstacles halting its movement 19.
• Could not outrun Shiheng, who steadily closed the distance 19.
• Produced combat power approaching the eighth level during their struggle; its confirmed rank remained peak Level Seven 19 20.
• Its battle aura helped drive nearby magical beasts away, making the trail safer for Kelin Xiaoman to follow 20.
• Its initial aura alone made the squad shudder and struggle to breathe, demonstrating pressure several times stronger than the Black Bear King’s 17.

Uses of Its Remains

• Tendon rope: Kelin Xiaoman extracted and knotted its tendons into a rope, anchoring it to the corpse’s tail to lower herself and the unconscious Shiheng down the cliff 21.
• Concealed carcass: Xiaoman dragged the corpse into their cave and covered it with stones and debris to suppress the blood scent and avoid attracting predators 21.
• Food and cultivation nourishment: Its spiritual-energy-tempered meat sustained the pair during recovery. Regular consumption helped strengthen Xiaoman’s physical foundation as she advanced to a middle-stage First-Level Warrior 22 24.
• Meat quality: Years of nourishment by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gave its flesh firm, springy fibers rich in vitality. Even roasted without seasoning, it was exceptionally tender, juicy, and fragrant 22.
• Hide wrapping: They packed the remaining meat in its waterproof hide when leaving the cave 24.
• Horn sword: Shiheng fashioned its horn into a short sword for Xiaoman after she became a warrior 24.
• Use in battle: Xiaoman wielded the horn sword during her first real fight after mastering Berserk, using it against the Shadowfang Beasts that ambushed the pair 24.
• Attraction for predators: Blood left at the death site drew five Shadowfang Beasts to the area. They later attacked the pair for the remaining raptor meat 24.