Chapter 330 On time (Part 1)
The red-robed lion man anxiously observed as his newly summoned group of cats departed, filled with anticipation and hopes of locating the second Region Boss. With one boss already on the verge of defeat, discovering the whereabouts of the other would be a sure way for them to rack up a kill count, especially considering the ample time remaining in the match.
"Huh?" The lion man exclaimed, his voice laced with surprise and confusion, as he suddenly realized he had lost contact with his cats once again.
''What's going on here? '' The lion man cried out when he felt that he had lost contact with his cats again.
This time, however, the perplexing aspect was the speed at which he lost connection. It happened far earlier than before, leaving him puzzled and searching for an explanation.
And there is only one explanation that could possibly account for that.
'Is the Region Boss getting closer? Is it actually moving in our direction? 'The lion man thought, trying to make sense of what was happening.
He was certain that the entity responsible for slaughtering his spirit beasts was the Region Boss, as he couldn't fathom any item holder possessing such power and abilities in an E-Rank match. Yet, the notion of a Region Boss leaving its designated territory and venturing towards them seemed absurd.
"What is it?" The leader lion man momentarily paused his intense battle against the Region Boss, now dwindling to a mere 2% HP, to approach the red-robed lion man.
"My liege, something strange is occurring," the red-robed lion man revealed, beginning to explain the inexplicable situation.
"That is indeed peculiar. I have never encountered a scenario where a Region Boss abandons its territory to invade another's," the leader lion man responded thoughtfully, his expression darkening with a mix of furrowed brows and a growing sense of suspicion.
''Unless another item holder pissed it off and made it come after them. ''
Hearing this prediction, the red-robed lion man's anger flared up, his expression turning fierce. If his master's assumption was correct and one of the enemy teams had provoked the Region Boss to target them, it meant there was a deliberate plan in motion to steal their kill.
"They are trying to steal our kill by distracting us with other Region Boss," the red-robed lion man finally said, realizing the true intentions of the enemy team.
However, their assumptions were soon shattered as they witnessed an unexpected turn of events.
The leader lion man's attention was abruptly captured by the sight of numerous black dots approaching from the distance, rapidly descending from the sky. It did not take him long to realize that the black dots he saw in the distance were actually black cats with wings on their backs with a little squinting and the help of his body enchantments.
''Did not you say your spirit beasts were dead? '' He questioned with skepticism.
''My liege, what do you mean? I lost contact with all of them. So I am pretty sure they are no longer alive.'' The red-robed lion man looked in the same direction, but he could not see far enough to understand what was being said.
"It appears that there was another reason for the loss of contact. If my eyes do not deceive me, they are all alive and heading towards us with great speed," the leader lion man said.
"What!?" The lion man cried out in astonishment, taken aback by the revelation that his cats were still alive.
'What could have caused the loss of contact then? ' he wondered, his mind filled with questions.
As the lion man contemplated this mystery, he was abruptly jolted from his thoughts by the alarmed tone in his leader's voice.
"What the hell is that?" the leader lion man exclaimed urgently, his gaze fixed on the distant point where the cats were approaching. His once-arrogant and self-assured expression had changed to one of unease.
For some time now, he had sensed something peculiar about the cats flying towards them, and now, it seemed they were fleeing from something ominous.
And then he soon proved that his guess was correct as he noticed another approaching figure rapidly closing in behind the cats.
Although still unable to discern the identity of this entity due to the distance, the leader lion man could perceive the engulfing black flames emanating from its body, exuding intense heat. Moreover, the incredible speed at which it was advancing indicated that it was anything but ordinary.
''Get ready. We will leave this place once we have slain the Region Boss," the leader lion man declared, finally tearing his gaze away from the approaching threat. Gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, he turned and moved towards the ailing Region Boss.
While the red-robed lion man didn't fully grasp the cause of his master's unease, he chose not to question it, observing the peculiar behavior with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Yes, my liege," the red-robed lion man replied, aligning himself with his leader's decision, despite his limited understanding of the situation.
His attention then turned to the dwindling HP bar of the Region Boss, which now stood at a mere 2%.
"Just a few more minutes," the lion man calculated swiftly, sensing the imminent danger approaching them.
Both the sudden and unexplained break in connection with his spirit beasts and the uneasy manner in which his master carried himself were sufficient to instill fear in him.
While he felt increasingly uneasy on the inside, he kept his focus on the Region Boss's rapidly deteriorating health. And when the Boss had one percent of his health left, he let out a shout.
"My liege, it's at 1% now!"
Whenever the lion man engaged in combat with a mob or a Region Boss, he always presumed that his leader would want to deal the killing blow himself. After all, the final blow would not only raise the contribution margin, but it would also distribute experience points in a manner that was proportional.
Thus, he was taken aback when he received an unexpected response.
"Keep attacking," the leader lion man commanded.
The order surprised not only the red-robed lion man but also the other eight lion men. Instead of ordering them to back off, their leader instructed them to continue their assault.
This meant that their master had no intention of delivering the final strike and simply wanted to dispatch the Region Boss as swiftly as possible.
The red-robed man pondered the significance of this unusual behavior. It was the first time he had witnessed his master acting in such a manner, especially when dealing with a valuable foe like a Region Boss. The fear and apprehension radiating from within him had reached an unprecedented level.
'What could possibly be approaching? ' the red-robed man wondered, his mind racing with anticipation and anxiety.
Turning his gaze back to the horizon, the lion man hoped to catch a glimpse of whatever had so profoundly alarmed his master. Fortunately, this time, his eyes didn't fail him.
He was able to see the very same cats that he had sent earlier, which were thought to be dead, flying through the air like dark specks getting closer and closer to them.
After observing his cats' rapid approach for a moment, the lion man noticed something else trailing behind them, skimming across the ground at an even higher velocity.
What is that?" The sight that entered the lion man's field of vision sent his unease spiraling to unprecedented heights. It appeared as a small, pitch-black ball of fire.
Although he couldn't discern its true nature, the lion man was certain that this enigmatic entity was the cause of his severed soul ties with his cats and the source of his master's restlessness and urgency.
Quickly calculating the distance and speed of the approaching entity, the lion man relayed the information to his master.
"My liege, the enemy is approximately 3000 meters away and will arrive in approximately 2 minutes."
The leader lion man heard the report but offered no response. Instead, his attacks on the Region Boss grew even more aggressive, as if he aimed to conclude the battle with utmost haste.
After killing the region boss, whose health had already dropped to 1% in less than a minute, they could easily leave this area with the time still left.
"He is still 2500 meters away, but we only need a few more seconds," the red-robed man nervously contemplated his attention split between the diminishing HP bar of the Region Boss and the advancing ball of black fire.
Regardless of the true identity of the approaching entity, everyone was confident that by the time it arrived, they would have successfully eliminated the Region Boss and gained ample opportunity to flee the scene.
But, unfortunately, their expectations were shattered as reality unfolded before them.
The red-robed lion man observed his comrades engaged in fierce combat, their determination unwavering, while his mind continued to calculate the ever-diminishing distance separating Raydon from their position.
2300 meters.
2100 meters.
They were on the brink of victory, on the cusp of delivering the final blow to the Region Boss.
However, as the distance dwindled and reached the critical mark of 2000 meters, an indescribable sensation washed over them, an experience that would forever be etched into their memories.
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