Chapter 205 Chapter205-Life is a Play, It's All About Acting!
The spectral leopard, formed of malevolent energy, had no chance to react before being obliterated by the beam.
It was pierced through and dissipated into a burst of white light.
At the same time, the previously repelled group of Winged Tigers pounced again, effectively blocking the soldiers.
The Winged Tiger King was closing in on the young girl, so close that she could feel the force and pressure of the claws slicing through the air.
However, just as the Winged Tiger King was about to pounce on the girl, Howard, who had been concealed all this time, finally made his move.
Having interacted with the people of the Obscured Celestial Realm, Howard knew their combat style was akin to that of Assassins - first approaching the target stealthily, then launching a sudden, ghost-like attack.
Although there were other classes, Howard, unsure of the specifics, didn't act rashly.
Of course, to ensure he could defeat the level 70 Winged Tiger King, Howard activated his Draconic State!
Pfft!
Almost the instant Howard appeared behind the Winged Tiger King, his hands grabbed its tail, and he exerted a fierce pull, executing the skill Death Six-Step Throw.
In this real world, skills weren't as rigid as in games.
Death Six-Step Throw didn't require holding the opponent to perform the throw.
As soon as he grabbed the Winged Tiger King's tail, the skill was triggered.
Howard exerted his strength, pulling the entire body over and then slamming it heavily onto the ground.
Boom!
The massive body hit the ground, creating a reverberating shockwave.
Even with its formidable Defense Value, the Winged Tiger King was left disoriented, its head spinning from the impact.
Before the Winged Tiger King could react, Howard again grabbed its tail and flung it in another direction.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Loud noises reverberated continuously, causing even the nearby ground to shake violently.
The young girl and the many soldiers were completely stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing.
A seemingly slender human was tossing the massive Winged Tiger King around with ease!
After the initial shock, the girl was overwhelmed with joy – she was saved!
At that moment, Howard's image was indelibly etched in her heart.
The power of the 'hero saves the damsel in distress' trope was undeniable.
How else could such a classic narrative of the hero winning the lady's heart emerge?
However, the soldiers' momentary daze provided an opportunity for the surrounding Winged Tigers.
As the tigers closed in, their War Formation and long spears became ineffective.
If not for their heavy armor blocking the sharp claws, they might have all been slain by the Winged Tigers in that instant.
Fortunately, these battle-hardened warriors quickly regained their composure.
They swiftly altered their grip on the spears, stabbing fiercely at the approaching Winged Tigers with the sharp tips.
For a time, they managed to push back the group of Winged Tigers.
Meanwhile, Howard's Death Six-Step Throw skill ended, leaving the Winged Tiger King dazed and unable to stand steadily after being repeatedly slammed into the ground.
Yet, Howard's brow furrowed slightly.
Winning this easily might only elicit gratitude from the girl, making it difficult to evoke deeper emotions.
If she only felt gratitude, it wouldn't necessarily make her overlook some of his inconsistencies.
With this thought in mind, Howard immediately charged towards the Winged Tiger King.
He didn't use any special skills but instead engaged in a fierce physical combat with it.
Although the Winged Tiger King hadn't fully recovered, its physical strength was formidable.
In close combat, Howard soon found himself covered in wounds, with blood continuously seeping out.
Seeing this, the young girl involuntarily cried out in alarm, covering her mouth with her hands, her face pale with fear. She couldn't help but worry for Howard.
In her eyes, Howard was a passerby who had chosen to fight a boss-level creature like the Winged Tiger King to save her.
Seeing Howard injured, she inevitably felt a sense of guilt and a desire to repay him.
Of course, this was because the girl possessed a kind heart.
A more selfish person wouldn't feel any guilt over Howard's injuries, let alone if he had lost his life in the process of saving her.
Howard was continuously observing the girl.
Noticing a change in her expression, he knew his method was working.
He then deliberately exposed himself to the Winged Tiger King's claws.
With the Draconic State activated, Howard's Defense Value was extraordinary.
Despite the alarming appearance of his injuries and the continuous flow of blood, he wasn't seriously hurt.
However, there was a limit to everything.
Howard worried that his performance might become too obvious, or he might lose too much blood.
After acting for a short while, and seeing that the soldiers were about to finish off the Winged Tiger pack, he immediately executed the skill Mighty Thunder.
In an instant, countless bolts of lightning burst forth from Howard's body.
Under the dual enhancement of Draconic State and Mighty Thunder, Howard's physical strength rivaled that of a level 70 awakened.
The Winged Tiger King, merely a boss, stood no chance against him. Its HP rapidly plummeted.
As the Winged Tiger King's HP dropped to 5%, the threat of imminent death snapped it out of its daze.
Its pupils turned blood-red, and in the next moment, it let out a skyward howl.
Countless blood-red lights converged, focusing on its wings.
Soon, the wings, shimmering with blood-red light, became like two razor-sharp blades, radiating a chilling murderous aura.
With a ferocious roar, the Winged Tiger King's speed surged.
Its body slightly tilted, the wings transformed into twin blades slashing towards Howard.
Facing the Winged Tiger King's desperate counterattack, Howard was naturally cautious.
While still in the state of Mighty Thunder, he cast Draconic Magic—Thunderflame Dragon Wrath.
Almost instantaneously as the skill was activated, Howard's hands, legs, and even his head were enveloped in flames and lightning.
They swirled around him, creating a bizarre yet awe-inspiring sight, boosting his attributes by 500%.
At this moment, even if Howard used his body to meet the blood-red winged blades, he sustained minimal damage, causing the Winged Tiger King's winged blades to shatter.
Simultaneously, Howard and the Winged Tiger King's bodies collided.
Howard lowered his head fiercely and slammed it hard against the Winged Tiger King's skull.
Enhanced by Thunderflame Dragon Wrath, even a simple headbutt caused the Winged Tiger King's skull to emit a crisp sound, and its body collapsed onto the ground.
"-22995!"
A blood-red damage number appeared, depleting the Winged Tiger King's HP completely and causing a shower of gold coins to burst forth.
[ Ding! Congratulations awakened Howard, you have successfully slain the Level 70 Platinum-tier Boss—the Winged Tiger King, and earned 600000 experience points! ]
"So, it was just a Platinum-tier Boss, no wonder it was defeated with just two SS-level skills."
Howard realized this, but after landing, he pretended to be dizzy, staggering as if he might fall at any moment.
"What's wrong with you?!"
Startled by this scene, the young girl exclaimed and hurriedly approached.
Howard, a skilled actor, chose this moment to 'accidentally' fall, landing right into her arms.
Conveniently, his Death Mask fell off his face.
The young girl quickly caught Howard, and upon seeing his face clearly, she was momentarily frozen in place, her heart pounding wildly.
People are naturally drawn to visual appeal, favoring handsome men and beautiful women.
Coupled with Howard saving her life, in that instant, he became an indelible figure in the young girl's heart.
At this moment, the group of soldiers, having finally defeated the leaderless Winged Tigers, approached unsteadily.
Upon finding the young girl unharmed, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, if anything had happened to her, they all would have faced dire consequences.
"Miss… what happened to him?"
"Thank heavens, someone held off the Winged Tiger King, giving us time to deal with those Winged Tigers and saving the miss."
"Miss, shall we carry him back to the city to seek medical treatment?"
"If the lord of the city hears of this, he would surely want to heal him and would likely reward him generously!"
Hearing the soldiers' conversations, Howard, who was pretending to be unconscious, couldn't help but feel surprised.
It seemed the people of the Obscured Celestial Realm were quite decent.
However, they belonged to different planets, different planes, and were naturally opposing entities.
"No need for you to carry him!" The girl, her cheeks slightly flushed, spoke decisively: "He saved my life; I must personally thank him!"
"Also, the spoils from the Winged Tiger King he killed must not be taken by you. They must be reserved for him. After all, without him, you wouldn't have survived the Winged Tiger pack led by the Winged Tiger King."
Having said that, the girl, with a determined expression, carried Howard on her back and started walking forward.
Despite swaying with each step, she did not stop.
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