Zara's eyes shrank in horror as she froze in her steps. The aura behind her sent a shiver down her spine. The feeling made her stomach twist uncomfortably. The aura behind was extremely domineering and made her instincts scream danger.
Every time she felt it, it was as if she was in the presence of her Master. The feeling was very strange, but it was the only way she could describe it, and the mere thought of thinking about it made her eyes flash with great disgust.
Zara's instincts had never failed her in the past. For her to feel uncomfortable in this person's presence only meant one thing: they were a threat just like the Scourge Beasts to the dragon's.
Zara breathed mist in the freezing air as she gritted her teeth. Thinking about those wretched creatures made her even more angry. If she was to choose between the mysterious boy who gave her chills and this unknown monster, she'd definitely choose the latter, but for now…
The dragonoid clenched her fist. "There is nothing to be scared about. This...this is the right time to take him out of the exam, so that he wouldn't become a trouble in the future."
Just as the domineering presence drew closer, about a dozen meters, Zara's palm flicked downward, and a sharp blade of ice materialized. The edges gleamed under the sunlight and were sharp enough to slice through metal with practical ease. With all her strength, Zara ignored Serena and twisted on her heels as she slashed backward!
The force behind the attack was immense, and sharp whistling sounds echoed in the forest that was now frozen due to Zara's previous attack.
The strike connected but didn't land clearly, which made Zara frown. Her opponent had blocked the attack with brute force, sliding back slightly.
Zara frowned. She had not seen the person who snuck up on her. She had only attacked with the intention to deal him a fatal blow that would leave him unable to compete in the entrance exam anymore. Her blade… it was meant to dig into flesh, so just how…?
Just then, her sharp blue eyes settled on the one who had blocked her attack, and her eyes couldn't help but tremble in rage and disbelief.
Standing there with frozen detail on its white and black fur was a small creature. It was Thirteen, and the panda had an extremely pissed-off expression on its face. Those round eyes, though deceptively cute, held a choking murderous intent at that moment.
Zara only knew about the python and obsidian-furred cat as she had noticed them during her journey trailing her, but this was the first time she was seeing this particular beast.
Zara stiffened. Though it was the first time she was seeing this panda, one thing was very familiar about it—and that was the aura! It was very similar to the two she had encountered, which was very similar to that boy's. It was as if...they all reeked of him.
'Did he send it to come and attack me?' Zara wondered as she stared at the panda who, despite its compact size, was exuding an overwhelming aura. Though it wasn't the kind that weighed down in battle like a mountain, it was still plenty powerful.
Thirteen stared at Zara, his chest heaving up and down in anger. Earlier, he had sensed the powerful murderous intent this person was directing towards Serena.
Serena was a friend! And all friends must be protected!
Dust clouds shot up as Thirteen stomped the ground and charged in like a cannonball. Just behind, Serena watched with a strange glint in her chocolate eyes. There was relief on her face, but then that relief vanished as she recalled the panda's temperament.
It was cute on the surface but a battle maniac underneath.
But the reason for Serena's worries was because she recalled how the enemy had taken down peak King-Tier beasts with ease. And what level was Thirteen? From its aura, Serena could tell he was an Intermediate tier creature. In other words…
"He doesn't stand a chance." Serena's admitted despite not wanting to accept it, and realizing this, Serena—who has a soft spot for all of Nox's pets—couldn't help but shout aloud, "Thirteen, get out of here!"
Her voice, however, seemed to only fade into the background, not even reaching the panda whose eyes were only fixed on the blue-haired girl who was about to hurt one of the people Nox cared about most.
[Enemies! Die!] the panda growled and was about to attack, but the charging beast came to an abrupt halt as it sensed something strange in the air.
Suddenly, the air crackled, and a deep rumble of thunder rolled through the frozen forest. Out of nowhere, a figure appeared between Zara and Thirteen, causing both Thirteen and Zara to flinch back.
The person that had appeared before them was tall and wore black, tight-fitted armor. A mask was placed on his face, which hid his features but not those sharp eyes. In his hand, an odachi—absurdly long and wide—crackled with arcs of lightning, sparks dancing on its blade. The sword hummed with energy, like it could tear through the very ground.
Serena froze mid-step, her bow half-raised.
Zara narrowed her eyes.
There was absolute silence, and for a moment, everyone just looked at each other as if waiting for the first person to make a move. The masked person was obviously an examinee after all.
At that moment, the masked figure turned to Thirteen and said in a soft, light voice that was filled with familiarity, as if he had known the panda for a lifetime, "You're still as hot-blooded as I remembered. Nice seeing you again, panda."
Thirteen's round eyes widened in confusion. He tilted his head. What was this person talking about? More importantly, why did his scent seem so familiar? The panda wanted to ask more questions; however, the only person that could communicate with it wasn't here.
The figure ignored him and Serena, who held her bow tightly and her grasp on her arrows. He turned to face Zara, who appeared calm in contrast to the tense atmosphere. The odachi's tip crackled as it pointed straight at her.
"An enemy of Nox is also my enemy," the figure declared coldly. "I'll be taking the fight from here."