Balin and his alchemy group were in the midst of the conversation but chose to remain silent. His eyes had long turned bloodshot and his expression was dark.
One could hear the constant gnashing of his teeth as they walked along. His hatred for the Whip Princess increases by every second.
Then all of a sudden...
Bamm...
The silence was disrupted and they could see a large tree tumbling in the air, approaching them at breakneck speed.
Behind the extirpated tree was a bull with dark horn and flamboyant physique. Its eyes were filled with malice as it kicked the ground as if to call their attention.
It had a short tail with small hook-like spikes protruding from the tip. Its head was large, standing about two meters from the ground.
Its powerful legs dented the earth with every kick.
"Isn't that the Radiant-Horn Bull?" one of the alchemy apprentices questioned in surprise.
"Why does it have that eye? Did anyone of you angered its race!!?" another joked after analyzing the beast.
As if angered, it suddenly storm toward them. The group seeing this, quickly brought out their weapons to engage the beast.
They evaded the tree coming their way before waiting for the beast to come closer, as they spread around the beast.
The Radiant-Horn Bull was in the seventh stage of the Bronze realm while the strongest from the group had a cultivation base of fifth stage of the Bronze realm.
Radiant-Horn Bulls are very difficult to deal with, and this was already two stages above the strongest from the group.
Without waiting for it to come any closer, they closed in on the beast as they attacked with precision.
The beast's dark horn radiates a dark light which shot upward, splitting into many parts before descending on the enemy altogether.
Their expression contorted when they sensed the power of the attack. Each attack was equivalent to a full blow of a sixth stage beast of the Bronze realm.
Hamizz dived as fast as he could, passing underneath the beast and escaped the descending beam. He slashed at the bull's chest, as he slides past.
The Radiant-Horn Bull cried as it stormed the ground heavily, producing a shockwave.
The others used their techniques to fend off the beast's round assault.
They indeed outnumbered the beast; however, it seemed it didn't care about its injury as it rushed toward one of the alchemy apprentices.
The alchemy group were just standing at a corner while letting the others engage the beast.
Gabon
The moment Hamizz dived, he seeks out his right-hand man, who already knew what to do.
The face-scared Gabon was already up on a tree after successfully evading the energy beam. He took a precise shot at the target.
A gray streak suddenly flashed pass and lodged itself on the beast.
Groowwll
This time around, horrible scream escaped the beast's maw as it was forced to stop. Dark energy, shaped like a pin shot from its tail.
They were in large number as they shot towards the group.
Balin's group of alchemy who were watching were quick to shield themselves.
The arrow had hit the beast and pierced its eyelid. The attack severely weakened the beast by many times which resulted to its outburst.
Shiva waved her hands and a barrier appeared, keeping the alchemy apprentices behind her safe.
The instant the pin-like energy stopped coming out from the beast's tail, she removed the barrier and joined the battle by sending a gush of flame.
It hit the beast on its head, pushing it slightly backward. She swung her spear in the air and dashed out going for the Radiant-Horn Bull's head.
The six other soldiers with her advance forward as they tackled the beast.
The Radiant-Horn Bull series of attacks had already taken out some of the mercenaries, their current state was unknown.
Shiva thrust at the bull's neck which it managed to evade, while her team attacked from the rear going for its tail.
She was swift as she attacked the beast repeatedly. Her movements seemed to be faster than the beast's, as she went around it.
Cleaving the beast's tail would surely reduce its overall strength, crippling it for good. It was one of its most powerful means.
The beast detected someone was behind it and kicked with its legs which smashed the chest of the attacker, instantly sending her crashing through the trees.
She was a member of Shiva's group. She undoubtedly wouldn't be standing anytime soon!
The mercenaries were now at the back, letting Shiva's group push the beast. They also stood at the side previously when their group were being destroyed.
Beams of energy reprised, sending all of them back, except for Shiva who managed to destroy the beam and lodged her spear directly in the beast's nostrils.
The beast looked at her with fierce red eyes, and deep hatred was buried within.
She retracted her spear immediately and distant herself from the bull.
The Radiant-Horn Bull stamped it huff on the ground heavily as blood painted the earth. Signs of life seems to be diminishing gradually from it.
At the same time…
_______
Blood had been in search for Ballock ever since losing sight of him and was intercepted by beasts along the way. He had fought and won multiple battles along the way and was impressed with himself, of how much stronger he had become.
He swiftly stowed the carcass of the Twilight Bat he just handled and proceeded in a random direction. He had been going straight and thought it was a lost cause. He had to check other directions, perhaps he was hiding on purpose and secretly observing him.
He must be enjoying himself.
His time was not wasted at all as he fought beasts at any chance he got. He had fought with a ninth stage beast of the Iron realm, the Grazing Falcon, an aerial type of beast, and realized that beasts below the Bronze realm were child's play to him.
He easily handled the Grazing Falcon and became ecstatic. That was a feeling of being atop the food chain in the outer region. Crossing many beasts made him aware of what he was capable of even without skills to utilize his strength properly.
It gave him a slight sense of dominion.
He was at the 10th stage of the Iron realm after all. A stage never reached.
Blood, all of a sudden came to a stop as a scene ensued in his line of sight. A black-robed lady viciously thrust her spear which lodged perfectly in a Radiant-Horn Bull's muzzle.
The beast staggers as it fights to regain its balance. Its agonizing screams could be heard as it fixated its dark eyes on the figures who formed a ring around it.
The bull was clearly on its last leg.
Blood thought for a moment as he decided on how he could take advantage of the situation.
He needed Exps and this was no ordinary beast. It was a Bronze realm beast.
_______
Balin was reassured seeing the Radiant-Horned Bull at its demise. It wouldn't be long before it completely succumbs to fatigue.
He gave a signal to the leader of the mercenary group, to make sure he gave the finishing blow.
Shiva didn't attack the beast anymore and told her mates to take their distance. If the beast proved to be resilient, it left them no choice than to reengage. Three from her force were already lying on the ground.
Hamizz didn't plan to give the beast a slow death. He sent several attacks toward the beast which successfully hit the large target, enraging it further as it flipped its tall, unleashing several energy pins.
Blood was shocked as he had never seen such an attack. He reaffirmed his decision to explore beast regions frequently. It was simply out of his expectations.
He knew his parents wouldn't let him out of the city wall, so he could use only the city's forest which was sufficient.
He took cover behind a sturdy tree before changing his previous plot since it wouldn't work.
He quickly wore his hoody and crotch down as he carefully moved closer toward the beast, using thick grasses as cover.
His heart was beating fast as he tried to steady his breath.
The others including the beast were unaware of his presence, since all their attention was stolen by the moribund beast.
Blood hid behind a tree about five meters away from the bull. A cold look appeared in his eyes. He could tell it was a strong beast, so he wouldn't joke with it.
He hadn't battled the Bronze realm.
The bull seemed to flounder in his direction after Hamizz's attacks, and just as it was three meters away, he suddenly sprung forward taking the bull unaware...