Chapter 24: Fierce Battle Against the Rune Tiger
The expressions on the faces of the mercenary group members changed instantly; the Rune Tiger had, after all, been roused. The Rune Tiger was not known for its speed, but rather for its immense physical strength and formidable defenses; its power was not to be underestimated—otherwise, it would not have been able to claim such a vast territory for itself in this region.
The mercenaries formed a defensive circle, shielding Du Xin and Xian Yue in their midst. A small speck in the sky rapidly grew larger as a massive, ice-blue bird swooped down to circle at a low altitude. Although this creature was widely renowned among humans, its raw combat power was not particularly exceptional; rather, it was celebrated for its incredible speed and magical prowess.
Less than two breaths later, the group felt a distinct tremor in the ground. A colossal tiger, marked with black stripes, emerged at the edge of their vision. Its towering frame—nearly two *zhang* (approx. 6.6 meters) in height—exerted an overwhelming sense of pressure upon the group. To conserve their strength for the trials that lay ahead, Zhong Shan decided that Du Xin and Xian Yue would limit themselves to casting only Tier 2 spells to harass the Rune Tiger—provided doing so posed no immediate danger to them—while the mercenary group would handle the actual task of killing it.
The Rune Tiger prowled warily in the distance; it, too, could sense the aura of danger radiating from the humans far away. However, its dignity as a "Beast King" would not permit such a challenge to go unanswered. The Rune Tiger waited, biding its time for the perfect moment to strike; the mercenary group waited as well—waiting for Xian Yue to unleash her magic.
As the Rune Tiger paced back and forth, it failed to notice a patch of wild grass at its feet that was growing with unnatural vigor. Facing a formidable enemy, the beast was currently on high alert, with its entire focus fixed upon the humans in the distance.
The moment the Rune Tiger stepped alongside the patch of grass, the blades swiftly coiled around its legs. The sharp tips of the grass blades instantly pierced deep into the tiger's massive thighs, injecting a potent fluid into its bloodstream while simultaneously siphoning off its blood to fuel their own growth.
This was the "Wither Trap"—the most lethal offensive spell among all Tier 2 Wood-element magics. The fluid it injected possessed powerful anesthetic properties. The mutated grass blades—spurred into existence by this magical stimulus—could only sustain themselves for half an hour; however, if they managed to absorb a sufficient quantity of blood within that thirty-minute window, they were capable of killing even a Tier 3 creature. Without a single verbal command, the mass of mercenaries surged forward. Four warriors bearing heavy shields charged at the vanguard, halting only when they were a dozen meters from the Magic-Patterned Tiger. They slammed their heavy shields directly into the earth; with the shields braced against their shoulders, the warriors—including Zhong Shan—swiftly dashed past the shield-bearers. Raising their weapons—be they massive axes or longswords—they readied themselves to strike. The scouts instantly melted into the cover of the woods, lying in wait for an opportunity to act. Two archers nimbly leaped onto nearby trees; taking aim, they loosed two long arrows in quick succession before instantly drawing their bows once more. Only four shield warriors remained behind, staying close to Du Xin and Xian Yue to provide protection.
All of this transpired in the span of a single second. Just then, the Magic-Patterned Tiger snapped out of its paralysis, instantly shattering the slender vines binding its legs. It was met by a barrage of weapons from all sides. The tiger reacted instantly, attempting to dodge, yet it still sustained three shallow wounds: a sword slash across its thigh, a puncture wound in its right ear—left by an arrow—and, most severe of all, a half-meter-long gash across its chest—the mark left by Zhong Shan.
Roaring in fury, the Magic-Patterned Tiger leaped into the fray, slashing downward with its powerful claws. The mercenaries scrambled to retreat, while the heavy-shield warriors rushed forward to brace against the impact. At that moment, Xian Yue flicked her wrist, instantly conjuring a layer of vines over the shields to help absorb the shock. By this point, the battle had been raging for a mere two seconds.
Du Xin, too, had only just fully reacted to the unfolding chaos. With a wave of his hand, his Ice Falcon shot forward like a missile. Simultaneously, he channeled energy into his right hand to conjure a massive spear of ice, hurling it straight at the enemy; with his left hand, he conjured an ice barrier around a warrior who was moments away from being struck by the tiger's lashing tail. As the Ice Falcon swooped in, the Magic-Patterned Tiger was forced to respond with full seriousness, instantly forfeiting its prime opportunity to attack. From a distance, a ceaseless barrage of arrows rained down; while none inflicted massive damage individually, they continuously tore open fresh wounds across the tiger's body. The tiger then noticed a massive Ice Spear hurtling toward it from afar; just as it prepared to leap backward to evade, it was momentarily snagged by a vine lashing out from behind. The Ice Spear struck true, piercing deep into its lower flank. The moment it embedded itself in the flesh, the spear detonated, instantly doubling the size of the wound. A gaping hole—nearly half a meter in diameter—appeared in its side, offering a gruesome glimpse of its deep crimson internal organs within.
The higher the rank of a magical beast, the greater its capacity for physical regeneration. In mere moments, a thin layer of muscle tissue began to spread across the wound, shielding the exposed internal organs.
Although the attack had not dealt a fatal blow, the Magic-Patterned Tiger's exhaustion was now plainly evident. Seizing this opportunity, Zhong Shan leaped into the air, hoisting his massive battle-axe high above his head. Du Xin instantly cast an Ice Shield to envelop him, while the other warriors surged forward, slashing their swords at various other parts of the tiger's body. Two arrows also found their mark, slipping through the gaps in the tiger's defenses. Yet, true to its reputation as a pinnacle among Rank 3 magical beasts, the tiger's body reacted with lightning speed. Its hind legs sprang to the right, evading a whipping vine; half of the incoming sword strikes sliced through empty air, while the rest were deflected by its foreclaws. However, Zhong Shan proved himself a veteran mercenary of the highest caliber; mid-air, he forcibly twisted his body—or perhaps, he had anticipated the tiger's movements all along. Having held back his full power initially, his subsequent downward chop now descended with even greater ferocity; the tiger's counter-strike—a lashing sweep of its tail—succeeded only in shattering the outer layer of the Ice Shield.
The massive battle-axe slammed into the tiger's flank, carving out yet another gaping wound—this one a full meter in length. The Magic-Patterned Tiger let out a pained roar—not because of the wound inflicted by Zhong Shan, but because of an arrow embedded in its right eye, with only the fletching still visible.
One could not help but marvel at the archer's cunning and formidable predictive abilities; had the Magic-Patterned Tiger chosen to dodge to the left instead, it would undoubtedly have been impaled by a second arrow aimed squarely at its left eye. Zhongshan's lips curled into a faint smile; he knew the battle was drawing to a close. Sure enough, the Magic-Patterned Tiger offered no further resistance; it managed only a final, desperate surge of power in its death throes—an outburst that was entirely deflected by Du Xin's two Ice Shields.
The entire battle, from start to finish, lasted a mere five minutes—a speed so astonishing it left one dumbfounded. Undoubtedly, Du Xin and Xianyue had played pivotal roles. Xianyue had seized the strategic initiative for the mercenary group, creating the perfect conditions for the archers to demonstrate their full prowess; Du Xin, meanwhile, was undeniably the one who had inflicted the initial, massive damage upon the Magic-Patterned Tiger, while also repeatedly shielding the group and creating opportunities for them to strike.
After swiftly butchering the carcass—taking with them a portion of the tiger meat, the spine, all of its teeth, and the highly prized pelt—the group pressed onward. They continued their march until they had exited the Magic-Patterned Tiger's territory; only when the sky began to darken did they decide to make camp.
It was a relatively safe location; the mercenary group chose to pitch their tents within a sheltered cleft between two cliffs. A campfire was kindled, and slabs of tiger meat were set to roast over the flames. Meanwhile, Du Xin accompanied Xianyue to the perimeter of the camp to set up a series of small magical traps. These traps possessed little offensive power, but their true value lay in their ability to serve as an early-warning system, alerting the group should any danger approach.
By the time they returned, the tiger meat was ready, and the mercenaries were already digging in. The camp was filled with laughter and cheerful chatter; this marked the very first time they had faced a Tier 3 magical beast without suffering a single casualty—or even a single injury. It was a moment that allowed everyone to finally let their guard down and truly relax.
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