Chapter 53: A Terrifying Attacker
Everyone saw the griffin diving towards them from the sky. The Druids gasped, but the mana around the sacred tree had been drained by Abyss. They were powerless to stop it.
Griffins were apex predators, their lion-like bodies and eagle wings making them formidable hunters. Even experienced hunters, without mid-level Dou Qi skills, were no match for them.
“Don’t panic! Stay at your posts! I’ll handle this!” Leona shouted, then leaped into the air, her body propelled upwards by her powerful Dou Qi.
The griffin, surprised by the small human blocking its path, sensed a primal fear emanating from her, despite her size.
Screech!
It roared, its powerful wings beating, its head lowered, its beak aimed at Leona like a battering ram.
Leona, hovering in mid-air, a confident smile on her face, raised a hand, intercepting the griffin’s attack.
Boom!
The impact of their collision, the griffin’s beak meeting Leona’s hand, created a shockwave, a sound like thunder, despite the lack of any physical contact between flesh and feathers.
Leona remained motionless, her small body suspended in mid-air, her smile unwavering, much to the Druids’ astonishment.
The griffin, stunned by the impact, its head ringing, flapped its wings, creating distance between them.
“So you’re not running? You’re attacking me directly? Next time, I won’t be so lenient,” Leona said, her voice carrying through the air, her smile revealing her sharp teeth.
Screech!
The griffin, either not understanding her words or simply refusing to heed her warning, charged again.
Leona’s eyes narrowed. She wouldn’t hold back this time.
The griffin’s beak, as hard as steel, snapped at her head.
Leona raised her hand, catching the griffin’s upper beak and pushing it downwards, disrupting its balance.
Screech!
The griffin, its massive body flailing, swiped at her with its claws. A griffin’s claws were incredibly sharp and strong, capable of tearing through flesh and bone. Few dared to face them directly.
But Leona wasn’t afraid. The griffin’s frantic attack seemed to move in slow motion. She casually raised her arm, her flesh glowing with orange Dou Qi flames, shielding her face.
Clang!
The griffin’s claws struck her arm, sparks flying as they met her Dou Qi, its power easily neutralizing the attack.
Leona then punched the griffin in the head, her small fist carrying immense force, its impact crushing the creature’s skull, its brain turning to mush. The griffin convulsed, its massive body falling from the sky.
“Leona, behind you!” Flora’s voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
Leona turned, seeing several feathers floating towards Abyss, who was still channeling his magic. The feathers pulsed with magical energy—they were clearly meant for him.
Flora’s quick thinking had slowed their descent, preventing them from reaching Abyss.
Leona, realizing the danger, her heart pounding, moved instantly, her Dou Qi forming two giant hands that snatched the feathers from the air, crushing them, then hurling them away.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The feathers exploded mid-air, each blast equivalent to a novice mage’s fireball. This griffin’s magic was far more potent than that of the other animals they had encountered.
“Damn it! I almost forgot they can use magic!” Leona muttered, then glanced at the falling griffin, its body transforming.
Its feathers were falling out, revealing its bare, scarred skin. Its wings broke apart, its body shrinking as it fell, its bones creaking and snapping. Its beak, crushed by Leona’s grip, retracted.
Thud!
The griffin landed, its lifeless body hitting the ground with a dull thud.
The Druids, except for those still focused on observing the mana flow, gasped at the sight of the corpse.
It was no longer a griffin, but a mangled elf, its flesh torn, its skin flayed, its body riddled with holes, like a discarded sack.
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