One-Sided Slaughter of the Beast-Transformed Leopard

Walker rose to carry out his orders. A faint golden halo shimmered over the surface of his fur, a sign that he had been empowered by Hairy Head Sun Law Power.

He then pushed off with both feet and shot toward the fishing area like an arrow loosed from a bow. Law Power enveloped his body, making him several times faster than an ordinary gnoll.

Wentesi glanced at his retreating figure, then beat his dragon wings and soared into the sky, following behind.

The fishing area.

By now, the scene was a complete mess.

The kobold Kru was leading more than forty young and able-bodied members of his tribe, arrayed in groups of three, tightly surrounding a level-six Beast-Transformed Leopard covered in leopard spots.

Several corpses lay strewn across the ground, mostly those of patrolling gnolls, with two or three kobolds among them. All were mangled beyond recognition, their flesh a bloody mess.

Dark red blood had soaked into the earth, and the stench of blood hung among the trees.

The Three-Three Formation was a battle formation Wentesi had taught the kobolds.

Three kobold warriors supported one another like the horns of a beast, coordinating offense and defense. In the past, it had never failed them against low-level wild beasts and Devil Beasts.

But against the level-six Beast-Transformed Leopard's brute strength and sharp claws, they could barely fend off a few blows.

The kobolds in the formation could only press back to back, using their shields and bodies to withstand the impact of the leopard's claws.

After several more probing attacks from the Beast-Transformed Leopard, the kobolds in formation gradually began to tire. The Beast-Transformed Leopard seized the chance to wound and send several of them flying.

The kobolds' morale sank lower and lower, and their coordination at the key points of the formation gradually fell apart. Seeing this, Kru roared urgently:

"Hold on! I've already sent word to our red dragon master. He'll be here in a moment. Anyone who takes so much as half a step back will be executed on the spot!"

The roar finally steadied their morale somewhat, but Kru knew it was only drinking poison to quench thirst. If their red dragon master didn't come to their aid soon, then before long, he feared...

As Kru fretted, a streak of golden light came hurtling from the direction of the territory, trailing a howling wind as it charged straight at the Beast-Transformed Leopard!

Kru looked closely. It was a gnoll.

The gnoll was covered from head to toe in a faint golden glow, and even his pupils gleamed gold.

He charged straight at the Beast-Transformed Leopard and began fighting it, fearless in the face of death.

There was no method to his fighting, but he fought without fear of death, paying no heed to the Beast-Transformed Leopard's claws as they struck at him. He attacked without defending.

He was fighting with his life on the line.

Kru got a clear look at the gnoll's face, and his heart gave a sudden jolt. Wasn't that Walker, who had brazenly demanded the Dragon Blood Blessing last night?

That fellow was still alive?

According to Kru's plan, given their master's less than generous nature, such an arrogant, presumptuous gnoll should have been burned to death by a single breath of his dragon flame long ago.

How was he still alive?

His body was even giving off the golden light that had only recently appeared on their red dragon master.

No way. Walker didn't die? Then doesn't that mean my plan to lure him into it failed?

Kru's heart sank. Ever since their red dragon master had subdued the gnoll Walker and his subordinates, he had kept a close eye on the lot of them.

Originally, Kru's own kobold faction had been the only one under their red dragon master. Ever since Walker and the others had joined, he had felt a vague sense of threat.

Walker was a higher level and stronger than Kru, and he seemed to have greater potential too. At this rate, he posed a grave danger to Kru's position.

While Kru had been worrying about how to bring Walker down, the gnoll had advanced in level. Kru had immediately seen a good opportunity and casually mentioned the Dragon Blood Blessing.

He had also flattered Walker, saying that with talent as great as his, perhaps their master would grant him the Dragon Blood Blessing.

That gnoll Walker really was stupid enough to believe him. At first, he had even said he would think it over before deciding whether to go.

But after he returned from a trip to the toilet, he had arrogantly headed for the dragon's lair to ask their master for the Dragon Blood Blessing.

And now... he was still alive. What did that mean?

The Dragon Blood Blessing? A dragon-transformed gnoll?!

The thought flashed through Kru's mind, and he gazed at Walker with a complicated expression.

Walker paid no attention to the gazes around him. He had eyes only for the Beast-Transformed Leopard.

He was a gnoll warlord, with professional skills and physical attributes geared toward leadership and command. He was not skilled at close-quarters fights to the death.

Yet now he was fighting head-on through sheer ferocity, every move aimed at taking the Beast-Transformed Leopard down with him.

At first, the Beast-Transformed Leopard thought he was a fool who didn't know his own limits. Sensing that he was only level four, it looked at him with contempt and paid him no mind.

But after several exchanges, the more it fought, the more something seemed wrong. Not only was this gnoll tough-skinned, he wouldn't die, and the layer of golden light on him carried a scorching, purifying force.

Each time its claws touched him, they burned as though against hot iron, leaving even their tips faintly hot.

Man and leopard exchanged more than ten moves in the blink of an eye. Several wounds deep enough to expose bone had already opened on Walker's body, and his golden light had dimmed somewhat.

Yet Walker still clung on tenaciously, keeping the Beast-Transformed Leopard pinned in place through sheer determination. For a time, the two sides were locked in a stalemate.

Kru watched, dumbfounded. Had Walker actually withstood the level-six Beast-Transformed Leopard's attacks with that strange golden light?

But Kru knew this was an excellent chance to strike. He didn't dare hesitate and immediately shouted for his troops to advance in formation and support Walker!

Now was not the time to stab Walker in the back!

But just then, a gust of wind suddenly came from overhead.

Kru jerked his head up and saw a pair of crimson-gold dragon wings sweep past. It was their red dragon master, Wentesi, hovering in midair.

Wentesi swept his gaze over the corpses and bloodstains on the ground, his brows furrowing slightly.

Through their mental connection, he could also clearly sense that Walker's injuries were worsening.

Holding a level-six Beast-Transformed Leopard at bay as a level-four was already Walker's limit. His defeat was only a matter of time.

The Beast-Transformed Leopard also sensed the dragon might overhead, and alarm bells rang in its heart.

It was already frustrated by Walker's relentless entanglement. Now that it sensed the red dragon's presence, it had no desire to keep fighting and immediately tried to break away and flee.

But Walker clung to it like a bone-deep gangrene. Even covered in blood, he held it fast, refusing to retreat half a step no matter how deeply its claws dug into him.

For a time, the Beast-Transformed Leopard couldn't get free.

Wentesi took in the whole scene. With a thought, he ordered Walker to withdraw and stop engaging it.

He had already seen the Field of Merit's absolute obedience to orders and its fearlessness in the face of death. That was enough.

Walker paused, his assault suddenly easing as he staggered backward.

The Beast-Transformed Leopard was overjoyed, taking it for a perfect chance to escape. It twisted around and darted toward the depths of the forest.

But how could Wentesi let it escape?

As a level-five red dragon with Hairy Head Sun Law Power who had just cultivated the Golden Land, Wentesi's strength had greatly increased, and he wanted to test it out.

He folded his dragon wings and plunged down like a meteor. His jaws opened wide, and scorching dragon breath surged forth, carrying Hairy Head Sun Golden Flame with it!

Wentesi concentrated almost all the Hairy Head Sun Law Power in his body in his jaws and unleashed it along with his dragon breath.

The crimson pillar of fire, mixed with golden light, shot across the air like a red-hot iron spear and struck the Beast-Transformed Leopard with unerring accuracy.

The level-six Devil Beast didn't even have time to scream before the impact of the fire pillar sent it flying. The tremendous force carried it through four or five trees before it finally stopped, dust and smoke filling the air.

Wentesi beat his dragon wings and landed. Moving closer, he saw that the Beast-Transformed Leopard's skin and flesh had been torn open, exposing its internal organs and spine. A charred stench rose from it.

Now, only the effects of the Beast Transformation Curse sustained its last signs of life. Its breathing was faint, and it was on the verge of death.

(Beast Transformation Curse: at intervals, the cursed individual loses control and transforms into a specific wild beast. They fear silver, and the curse is highly contagious and difficult to eradicate.)

It's much weaker... than I imagined. Or am I too strong? Hairy Head Sun Law Power mixed into dragon breath really is terrifying.

Wentesi looked at the Beast-Transformed Leopard's mangled corpse on the ground, somewhat surprised.

The surviving gnolls and kobolds around him were already staring in a daze. Had their master killed the incredibly fierce Beast-Transformed Leopard from moments ago with a single breath of dragon fire?

He had killed it across a level gap!

That was far too powerful!

In the gnolls' and kobolds' simple view of the world, strength was everything.

The sight of their master killing the Beast-Transformed Leopard was so charismatic, so magnificent!

Everyone immediately dropped to their knees and shouted:

"Master's divine might! Master is invincible!"

Field of Merit Walker joined in the commotion and knelt as well, but what he shouted was, "Buddha! Buddha!"

Wentesi ignored the cheers and looked at the Beast-Transformed Leopard clinging to its last breath on the ground. He brought the tip of his claw down hard.

With a crisp squelch, the leopard's head burst like an overripe berry underfoot, white and red fluids splattering everywhere.

Wentesi looked at Kru to one side and instructed him calmly:

"Collect everything here, tally the losses, and report them to me later. Have Walker treat everyone wounded by the Beast-Transformed Leopard.

"Collect everything usable from this Beast-Transformed Leopard, but remember, you must not eat it."

This kind of Beast-Transformed Leopard carried the Beast Transformation Curse within it. It absolutely could not be touched, much less eaten.

Walker, meanwhile, had the Hairy Head Sun Law Power Wentesi had imparted to him, which could dispel a minor Beast Transformation Curse.

With that, he said no more. He spread his dragon wings and rose into the air, flying toward the dragon's lair.

He could finally cultivate properly! Now no one would disturb him!

Hairy Head Sun Method, here I come!