Arthur's grin widened as he watched Neko struggle with her own thoughts. The internal conflict playing out on her tiny, furred face was almost too amusing to bear.
"Finally, the day has come," he muttered under his breath, his smirk growing. Slowly, he raised his hand toward her. "Let me pet you."
Neko's eyes narrowed as she glared at his approaching hand. Her tail flicked with irritation, but her body betrayed her.
"Why am I moving towards him-nya? I can't let him touch me! I'm the proud princess of the Primordial Felidae clan-nya! How am I unable to resist this human's commands-nya?!"
Despite her fierce internal protests, Neko's head tilted slightly, her soft fur brushing against Arthur's palm.
She rubbed against his hand, her ears twitching as his fingers gently scratched behind them. A soft purr began to rumble from her chest despite her defiant thoughts.
"It feels… kind of nice-nya… No, no, this is unacceptable-nya! But… this human… maybe he isn't so bad-nya. Even though he separated me from my parents-nya… It's been fun being with him. He lets me rest, and even gives me these new feelings-nya. Still… how dare he make me feel this way-nya!"
Arthur's expression softened slightly as he noticed the purring. "Oh, so you do enjoy it, huh?" he teased, his tone light. "You act so tough, but deep down, you're just a little softie."
Neko shot him a half-hearted glare, though the corners of her mouth twitched as if she couldn't decide whether to growl or smile.
"He can hear my thoughts-nya? No, I don't think so-nya. I think he's just saying that to mess with me-nya."
Arthur didn't confirm or deny it, leaving her to stew in her uncertainty. Instead, he gently scratched under her chin again, earning another reluctant purr.
'Let's keep it that way,' he thought to himself, the amusement clear on his face. He decided against revealing his newfound ability just yet—it was more fun watching her try to figure it out.
"Maybe… maybe this human isn't so bad-nya. Although, he hasn't summoned me for a long time-nya. Why did it take him so long-nya? Doesn't he care about me-nya?"
Arthur smiled, before muttering softly as if he was talking to himself.
"This Felidae is my favourite summon, she is my first one after all. Even though acts haughty and mighty all the time."
Neko froze for a moment, her tail twitching slightly as Arthur's words sank in. Her ears flicked back and forth as if trying to pretend she hadn't heard him.
"What did he just say-nya? Favourite summon-nya? Does he really mean that-nya? Or is he just trying to get on my good side-nya?"
Arthur chuckled and shifted his focus to the battlefield, where his summons were continuing their onslaught.
Borak stood at the front lines, his massive form a wall of unshakable defense. His hooves stomped the ground, shaking the earth and intimidating any monster that dared approach.
"Horde Lead!" Borak unleashed his signature ability, emitting a powerful snort that made the boars around him follow his orders.
Borak charged forward with tusks aimed at a towering lizard-like creature. He rammed into it with enough force to send it skidding back, its claws scraping the dirt as it tried to regain footing.
Not far from Borak, Sunless moved like a ghost among the chaos. His body seemed to flicker in and out of existence, blending with the shadows as he struck from unpredictable angles.
"Dark Shield!" A swirling aura of black energy enveloped him as he deflected a barrage of arrows from a nearby group of monsters. The shield absorbed the attacks effortlessly, allowing Sunless to close the distance with ease.
Sunless growled, his voice low and menacing. With a swipe of his claw, he unleashed a flurry of strikes, his claws ripping them to shreds. The monsters didn't even have time to react before they collapsed to the ground.
On the other side of the battlefield, Lupin darted between enemies, his speed unmatched.
His Enhanced Speed talent made him a blur of fur and fangs as he targeted a group of wolves.
"Howl of Fury!" Lupin let out a ferocious howl that echoed across the battlefield, boosting his own attack speed by 25% and giving a slight morale boost to his teammates.
The wolves snarled in response, but they were no match for Lupin's agility. He weaved around their attacks effortlessly, striking with surgical precision.
His claws raked across one wolf's throat while his teeth sank into another's hind leg, bringing it down in seconds.
Arthur nodded approvingly. "Keep it up, guys. You are doing amazing, let's get rid of them before the countdown starts, hehe."
[Countdown: 0 Hours: 1 Minute: 46 seconds
Sylvaris moved through the battlefield with lethal power, his silver scales gleaming under the faint light as he coiled and uncoiled with terrifying grace.
His golden eyes glinted with a predatory gleam as he observed the swarm of monsters surrounding him.
A low, ominous hiss escaped his jaws, sending a shiver through the air.
The monsters hesitated for a fraction of a second, unsure of how to approach the massive serpent. Sylvaris wasted no time, his tail rising high above the ground, muscles rippling with power.
With a sudden, earth-shaking motion, Sylvaris slammed his tail into the ground.
The impact was catastrophic.
The earth split apart under the force of his Land Smash, sending tree trunks flying and shaking the very foundation of the battlefield.
Shockwaves rippled outward in a violent circle, knocking monsters off their feet and throwing smaller creatures into the air like leaves caught in a storm.
A massive bear that had been charging at Sylvaris stumbled, its claws digging into the dirt in an attempt to regain balance. Before it could react, Sylvaris lashed out with his tail again, the powerful strike sending the bear sprawling to the ground in a motionless heap.
[You have slain level 4 bear]
[You have slain level 4 wolf]