Our path to the end continued, each day bringing us closer to our goal.
But today… we saw it.
A monster of terrifying majesty.
It looked like a tiger, or rather… what a tiger might have become after fusing with nature and ruling these lands unchallenged for centuries. But this one wasn't a mere predator, nor even a lord among beasts.
It was their king.
Its massive silhouette stood out beneath the shadow of the canopy, far larger and more imposing than any tiger we had faced so far. Its fur, an abyssal black streaked with unnatural gold, seemed to absorb light, reflecting it only in fleeting flashes. But what set it apart wasn't just its colossal size or the power that radiated from each of its movements.
Its entire body seemed to be an extension of the forest itself.
The vines along its spine weren't mere plant parasites; they moved with its breath, like living tentacles, ready to strike at any threat. Scarlet flowers, larger and more vibrant than any of its kind, pulsed slowly, releasing an intoxicating scent so intense it was nearly suffocating. On its back, glowing mushrooms dotted its skin like ominous constellations, releasing bluish spores at regular intervals, dancing through the air like a spectral mist.
But the most terrifying thing… was its gaze.
Its eyes, a burning blue, weren't just piercing… They were aware.
And in that crushing silence, a cold shiver ran down my spine.
We weren't facing a mere creature.
We stood before a living legend.
The Sovereign of Tigers.
Exchanging a glance, we understood without a word. A chill of adrenaline and apprehension ran through us simultaneously.
This one… this monster… it wasn't an enemy we could face lightly.
Our combat symbiosis, fluid and deadly as it was, wouldn't be enough this time. Not against a creature of this magnitude. Not against a king.
Without a sound, we backed away, leaving its territory while controlling our breath, our posture. We couldn't attract its attention more than necessary.
We would need to prepare a plan. A meticulous, precise, relentless plan.
And even then, it might not be enough.
We'd need backup plans, escape routes, fallback strategies. For against such a formidable being, there would be no room for error.
A few days later, we were finally ready.
Every detail of the plan had been refined, every move calculated, every possibility anticipated. But against a creature of this caliber, we knew that no preparation could guarantee victory.
Before setting out, we took one final moment of calm, sitting by a discreet fire, sipping amber-hued tea. Its taste was slightly bitter, but a strange warmth quickly spread through my body. Cassandre had perfected her potions, and this infusion was more than a simple beverage: it was a reinforcement concentrate, temporarily boosting our physical and mental abilities.
She looked at me with a smile, her eyes sparkling with both excitement and worry.
— Alchemy really is useful, isn't it?
I returned a lopsided smile.
— Invaluable, especially when you're the one who masters it.
A faint blush colored her cheeks, but she quickly looked away, hiding her embarrassment behind a sip of tea.
Then the time came.
We moved in silence, hearts beating in sync with our muffled steps on the damp forest floor. Every shadow seemed to vibrate with electric tension, and when we reached the sovereign tiger's territory, the very air felt heavier.
And finally, there it was.
Massive. Imperial. Every breath it exhaled seemed to make the earth tremble.
Cassandre didn't hesitate a second. With absolute focus, she channeled her power and cast her buff on me, a golden aura enveloping me in a familiar warmth. Her spell had become stronger, refined through many battles.
She stepped closer, handed me a bag full of glass containers, each holding one of her fearsome concoctions. Then, without warning, she stood on tiptoe and placed a quick kiss on my cheek.
— Don't die, she murmured, her voice soft but firm.
I met her gaze, absorbing the sincerity of her words, and nodded.
Then she vanished behind me, finding her hiding spot, ready to intervene at the crucial moment.
I stayed there, alone before the beast.
The time for battle had come.
Activating my Stealth ability, I blended into the shadows, my body vanishing like an imperceptible breeze in the night.
Each step was calculated, every breath held, leaving behind only silence.
With a smooth motion, I uncorked a small flask and swallowed its contents, but not completely—I kept some in reserve, ready to use it at the right moment.
The sovereign tiger, majestic and imposing, stood before me, its deep breathing making the air vibrate. Its very presence imposed crushing pressure.
Suddenly, I dashed at it.
Like lightning splitting the sky, I struck the back of its skull with surgical precision, fast as the wind itself. A blow that would have felled any other creature.
But it…
With terrifying speed, it twisted, its claws flashing out to intercept my strike. The clash of our blows rang out like thunder.
Impossible…
It had reacted. Despite my speed enhanced by Cassandre's buff, despite the potion boosting my reflexes, despite my absolute stealth… it had sensed me.
This monster was on a whole different level.
I didn't waste a second.
Taking advantage of our exchange, I spat out the poison I had discreetly stored in my mouth, mixed with my own blood, extracted and infused before the battle.
The tiger, experienced and cunning, thought it was a classic feint to make it close its eyes. So it didn't flinch.
And that was exactly my intention.
The poisoned droplets splashed onto its muzzle, seeping into its nostrils and open mouth. A poison designed by Cassandre, amplified by my blood affinity, and crafted to instantly spread through the victim's bloodstream.
The trap was set.
Without waiting to see its reaction, I propelled myself backward, disappearing into the forest canopy, leaving behind a trail of shadow and silence.
The fight had only just begun.
I opened another flask, this one containing the antidote to Cassandre's poison. With a quick gesture, I raised it to my lips and drank it in one go. A wave of warmth surged through my body, instantly neutralizing all traces of venom.
The tiger let out a titanic roar.
It wasn't a mere cry of pain—it was a howl charged with primordial power. The air itself shook, an invisible shockwave spreading in all directions.
My heart skipped a beat.
A cold shiver ran down my spine as my muscles tensed under the crushing pressure. It was an intimidation skill. A threat so raw, so visceral, that my instincts screamed at me to flee, to kneel before this monarch of nature.
My hands trembled.
But Cassandre was there.
Her buff pulsed through my veins, driving away the fear. I clenched my fists, refocusing my mind. I couldn't give in.
I was already in motion.
My body reacted before the terror could set in. I ran in circles around the tiger, an elusive specter, my steps barely brushing the ground. Every breath was controlled, every gesture precise.
Without stopping, I opened the first flask, the one containing my poisoned blood, and poured its contents in a circle around the beast.
The circle was in place.
The trap was closing.
The blood spread around the tiger quivered, vibrating under my control.
Then, with a single mental command, it transformed.
Countless sharp spikes erupted from the ground, surging like serpents ready to strike. They didn't come only from my blood—they were infused with Cassandre's poisons, a deadly alchemy we had perfected over time.
It was a recent discovery: I could manipulate my blood even when mixed with other substances. A fearsome asset.
The spikes flew toward it from all directions, forming a deadly dome, a trap with no escape but a blade.
But this monster wasn't just a tiger.
With a single brutal and fluid motion, it swept the attack away with a thunderous claw strike.
The impact scattered the projectiles into a rain of blood and poison. Only one spike managed to graze it, slightly cutting its paw before shattering on the ground.
The tiger roared, a primal scream that shook the air around us.
But that was part of the plan.
The chaos of my first attack had given me the moment I needed to prepare my next move.
Opening my palms, I let blood flow in a controlled stream, shaping it quickly into a wide rectangle.
Then, with a precise motion, I hurled it at the beast at full speed.
As expected, the tiger reacted instantly, reducing the projectile to shards with a swipe of its paw.
But it didn't see what was right behind it.
Me.
Taking advantage of the fraction of a second its vision was blocked by the blood explosion, I dove straight at it.
And before it could react, my claws sank deep into its right eye.
Another roar, even more piercing.
Then, before it could sweep the air with its deadly claws, I vanished again, melting into the forest shadows.
The tiger's roar still echoed through the forest, a rumble of pure rage. It searched for me, wild eyes scanning the shadows, but I was already out of reach.
Behind a thick curtain of foliage, Cassandre had just cast a healing spell, and instantly, a soothing sensation spread through my body. My sore muscles stopped trembling, my wounds began to close, and the fatigue weighing on my shoulders lifted.
But there was no question of stopping now.
Springing back to my feet, I threw myself into the battle once more. Cassandre, understanding immediately, repositioned herself strategically.
Then, the unthinkable happened.
The sky tore open.
A blinding light lit up the canopy before a deafening crash echoed.
Lightning struck.
And it did not fall by chance.
The tiger.
Its colossal body was surrounded by crackling lightning, its fur glowing with a supernatural gleam. Pure energy coiled around it, sizzling, making the vines on its back twitch.
My heart clenched.
It could control lightning.
The very idea felt absurd. Unfair.
Never, not once, had I considered such a possibility.
But it didn't matter.
The plan remained the same.
The battle had to go on.
I clenched my fists.
I had to keep moving forward.