As the red-robed lion-man observed the frenzied onslaught of the crows, he beckoned with a commanding gesture.
"Unleash the Beasts!"
In response to his call, a multitude of ordinary-looking felines emerged from his dimensional storage. They were a wide variety of cat breeds, some of which were domestic, some of which were exotic, and each of them was decked out in vivid colors and had distinctive characteristics.
With agile movements, they lunged at the erratic crows, swiftly engaging them in battle.
''Although these birds do not appear normal, they are unquestionably not predators. '' The lion-man stared in awe as the spirit crows demonstrated their abnormally high rate of speed and acknowledged their peculiarity. Yet, he also recognized their limitations.
In contrast to the crows, the beasts he conjured up were true hunters, having honed their skills through instinct. Though not as swift in the air, they compensated with impeccable agility, reflexes, and a profound understanding of the ground—their natural domain.
With each measured leap, the cats effortlessly intercepted the attacking crows, swiftly grounding them. Their greater numbers, which were twice as high as those of the crows, proved to be an advantage. The cats' natural hunting skills, combined with the lion-man's painstaking instructions, gave them a significant advantage in this fight.
''There appears to be more.''
However, the battle was far from over. The sharp eyes of the lion-man were able to make out additional crows flying down from the faraway sky in response to the command given by Arora.
It is highly likely that Arora led her other crows to this location with the intention of reinforcing the ones that were already present. They were previously dispersed in all directions while she searched for the Region Boss, but now they were converging here in order to disturb the Lion Men team.
But the lion man did not hesitate to use his skill to ensure his victory, leaving nothing to chance even though the cats appeared to still have the upper hand in this fight despite the arrival of newly arrived crows.
''Roar of the Wild. '' The lion-man roared in a tone that was low but deep as he raised the wooden-looking staff that was held in his hand.
And right at that very second, a peculiar occurrence took place. The fur on the cats, as well as the lion-men engaged in battle with the Region Boss, suddenly stood on end, and their muscles tightened with increased tension.
"It's only a matter of time now. I must find that cowardly enemy team before our master finishes off the Region Boss," the red-robed lion-man murmured, observing the heightened speed and strength of the cats and his fellow lion-men, their attacks now infused with an additional 30% power.
He did not waste a single second, and right away he opened his dimensional storage space once more and called forth another pack of cats. This time, the cats were significantly smaller in size, and their entire bodies were black in color.
The cats emerged with a soft "meow" and calmly gathered around the lion man, paying no attention to the ongoing assault from the spirit crows that were flying above them.
The lion man took swift action and activated another skill by raising his wand above his head.
"Wings of Courage."
In an instant, wings covered in black fur sprouted from the backs of the small black kittens, complementing their tiny bodies.
After committing to memory the location from which the initial flock of crows had come, the lion man then pointed his finger in that general direction and commanded, "Go."
Without hesitation, all the cats took flight, their black wings fluttering in perfect synchrony as they moved like shadows through the air, heading towards their assigned destination.
Having entrusted this task to the flying kitten squadron, the red-robed lion man shifted his attention to his other nine teammates engaged in the battle with the Region Boss. Now all that needed to be done was for the spirit beasts to pinpoint the location of the opposing team.
Amidst the relentless battle, the red-robed lion man closely monitored the Region Boss's diminishing health using his investigative skill. With a sense of urgency, he raised his voice to inform his master. "My liege, it has only 3% health remaining. At this rate, its demise will be sealed within the next 10 minutes."
"Good, good," the lion man leader remarked with satisfaction, his immense sword still held firmly in his grasp. He observed the substantial damage caused by his previous attack—a sweeping wave of crimson energy that tore through the Region Boss's gelatinous form, dislodging a thick layer of mucus that scattered in all directions.
''Any news of those cowards? '' Seeking an update on their elusive adversaries, the lion man leader inquired about the progress in locating the enemy team.
"I haven't been able to locate them yet, but it's only a matter of time..." the red-robed lion man began to respond, but his words trailed off as his eyes widened in shock. He turned his gaze towards the direction where he had dispatched his flying cats, a perplexed expression etched across his face.
"What happened? How?" The red-robed lion man's voice echoed with a mix of concern and bewilderment. His connection to the spirit beasts, whose presence he had sensed mere moments ago, had abruptly been severed, leaving him with a sense of unease.
''What happened? '' Noticing this situation, the lion-man leader asked with a frown.
The red-robed lion man, visibly unsettled, relayed the sudden turn of events. "My liege, I'm not sure. I have lost all connection with the spirit soldiers I dispatched to find the enemy team. It's as if they all perished in an instant."
The lion man did not have a skill that allowed him to share a direct vision with his cats like Arora did with her spirit crows. Therefore, he was unaware of what had transpired with them or the reasons why his connection had all of a sudden been severed. But there was only one explanation for this, and that explanation was that all of the spirit beasts had perished.
'How can they all die at the same time and so suddenly? '
In shock, the red-robed lion man pondered. The cats numbered in the dozens, and even if none of them had combat abilities, their survivability must have been high since they were investigative-type soldiers. The fact that they had succumbed simultaneously indicated a significant threat—one that exceeded expectations.
"Send another group," the lion man leader commanded, his frown deepening. Though he harbored little doubt about his own invincibility in the match, the prospect of an enemy launching surprise attacks at such a critical juncture, when the Region Boss was on the verge of defeat, displeased him greatly.
''Yes, my liege," the red-robed lion-man responded, his voice tinged with a mix of determination and tension. He swiftly summoned another group of black cats from his dimensional storage, giving each of their wings with his support skill, "Wings of courage."
With a renewed sense of purpose, the black-winged cats took flight, following the path of their fallen brethren.
'I do not know what caused them all to die at once, but at least if they encounter that thing again in that many numbers, a few of them must survive, ' The red-robed lion-man held onto hope that this time, some of them would survive the encounter and provide valuable information about the mysterious threat.
''What!? ''
However, to his dismay, within a few minutes, he lost all connection with the newly dispatched cats as well. Confusion and disbelief washed over him, leaving him at a loss for explanations.
'Could there be another Region Boss in such close proximity? ' the red-robed lion-man muttered to himself, grappling with the unexpected turn of events.
He began to speculate that the death of every spirit beast was due to the presence of the other Region Boss on their traveling path, but he could not be sure.
"Did you locate the enemy team?" The lion-man leader inquired once more.
His report to the leader, lion-man was filled with a mixture of panic and fear. "I apologize, my liege, but my spirit beasts have perished once again. I couldn't locate the enemy team. However, it is highly likely that they encountered with the other Region Boss. If I am correct, the other Region Boss should be nearby."
''Are you sure? I've never seen two Region Bosses so close together. '' The lead lion-man inquired thoughtfully and suspiciously, briefly withdrawing from the battle.
The Region Bosses have always ruled over their own territories and have never traveled outside of those regions. Additionally, due to the fact that each region boss is in charge of their own territory, the territories of the bosses, who are typically encountered in E-Rank matches, were never in close proximity to one another.
Because of this, it was completely unreasonable for the two bosses to be in such close proximity to one another.
"Unforeseen circumstances may arise, and we must adapt accordingly," the leader lion-man asserted, suppressing any doubts that may have lingered. "Dispatch another group to confirm. If indeed there is another Region Boss nearby, it shall become our next target."
Even though their group typically possessed the necessary strength to defeat the Region Bosses, it was frequently a time-consuming process to track them down within this enormous region. Therefore, if the other Region Boss was indeed that close to them at this moment, it was an opportunity that should not be passed up. Even the team of Arora, which he had been aiming for not too long ago, slipped his mind, and he immediately set his next target as the Region Boss.
"Your wish is my command, my liege," the red-robed lion-man responded, his voice filled with a renewed sense of determination. Observing the leader lion-man's contented demeanor, he felt his own excitement surge within him. Without hesitation, he made the necessary preparations to dispatch another group to confirm his earlier hypothesis.
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