“Quick!”
Aeron hurried as he leaped from tree to tree, what he said was actually not for the monkeys but for himself. The monkeys were much faster than he was, so in actuality, his speed was the problem. Unlike when he was riding Spirit, he was currently just traveling through his own feet. Not long after he ran, the sound of the Grey Eagle’s wing flapping through the air sounded nearer and nearer.
Booom!
There was a loud sound, Aeron saw the Grey Eagle crashing into the trees right above him, it was currently crumpled in a weird position, seemingly protecting something on its body, its wings were folded on its body while its head was buried on its chest.
‘No’
Aeron thought as he froze, the Grey Eagle crashed right in front of him. The Grey Eagle moved, one of its wings had a nasty gash, but the crash probably broke it further as it struggled to raise its wing. The Grey Eagle laid something gently on the ground as it tried to stand and raise its wing. Although it could stand, raising its wings was an impossible task, even Aeron could judge it. High-Grade Beasts were much smarter, the Grey Eagle knew it couldn’t raise its wing, but it still tried.
Screeech
Aeron started to run away, but he suddenly heard the Grey Eagle screech with grief, despair, and indignation. Aeron still kept running but he was slowly decreasing his speed.
Screeech!
Aeron heard it again, this time the emotions were more apparent. Aeron knew that High-Grade Beasts were proud to the point that would even allow them to face death with nonchalance, especially beasts like eagles, lions, and wolves, unless the enemy had strength enough for it to despair.
“Stupid!”
Aeron scolded himself as he went back to where the Grey Eagle fell. He had remembered the object that the Grey Eagle was carrying with gentleness and protected with its whole body. If he wasn’t wrong, then it should’ve been an egg. The stronger the beast was, the harder it was for them to conceive, the more protective they were of their offspring, it was for this reason that infant beasts were much rarer than High-Grade Beasts.
Crrrrr
What Aeron saw stung his eyes, the Grey Eagle was brushing its egg with its head, the rare scene was filled with grief, but the warmth and gentleness overpowered such emotion. A single tear suddenly fell from the Grey Eagle’s eyes. It traveled through its beak and slowly fell unto the egg.
Snap!
The area was filled with branches and debris, Aeron had stepped on the lone branch.
Screeeech!
The Grey Eagle was alerted, it stood vigilantly, its wings covered the egg as its piercing gaze followed Aeron, its eyes seemed to have recognized him as it just looked at him.
“I’m here to help”
Aeron said, raising his hands to show he meant no harm. The Grey Eagle seemed to understand, but it was doubtful while looking at Aeron. It was a good thing for Aeron, from vigilance, it turned into doubt, at the least, it wouldn’t attack Aeron for the meantime.
“I’m here to help”
Aeron repeated himself as he stood still, he was currently thinking of ideas, truth be told he didn’t know what he should do, he had returned on impulse. Even if the Grey Eagle calmed down, if he tried to do anything like taming it, it would probably insta-kill him.
‘What to do! What to do!’
Aeron hastily thought, he didn’t want to make Arthur and the Monkeys appear as it might worsen the situation, but the Hyenas were probably nearing.
Hahahhahah
‘Speak of the devil’
Aeron cursed on his mind; the situation was currently getting worse by the second. The Grey Eagle’s gaze left Aeron, as it turned its gaze on another direction, the hyenas had caught up. The High-Grade Hyena was nowhere to be seen, but there were hundreds of hyenas approaching their direction.
Screeech!
The Grey Eagle screeched angrily as blades of green light formed around it.
Swee Swee Swee Swee
The green blades cut through the air, as they pierced the hyenas approaching the Grey Eagle.
Sikk Sikk Siikk Sikk
Blood splattered as the hyenas failed to dodge the attack, some were even cut in half.
Hahahahha
Another hyena call and even more hyenas appeared, this time there were about twenty Mid-Grade Hyenas appearing within the group. They all launched [Sonic Bullet] as they appeared, green aura suddenly covered the Grey Eagle, the aura covering it greatly weakened the attacks, but the Grey Eagle was still hit, this only happened because of its weakened state.
Screeech!
Green blades materialized around the Grey Eagle again as it launched another attack, even the Mid-Grade Hyenas were unable to dodge, though some survive, the majority were cut and disabled.
Boom!
A red projectile suddenly hit the Grey Eagle, more blood gushed from its wounds as it tried to endure the hit, if it couldn’t, then the egg it was protecting would be crushed by itself. It almost staggered but it still held on. The attack that the High-Grade Hyena let out was actually the [Sonic Bullet] skill, but after it was infused with the High-Grade Hyena’s aura, its power increased exponentially. If not for the Grey Eagle diffusing the aura of the [Sonic Bullet] before it hit it, then the attack would’ve dealt more damage.
Hahahahahaha
The High-Grade Hyena let out another cry as more hyenas appeared, there were lesser amounts of Mid-Grade Hyenas this time.
“This cowardly beast”
Aeron gritted his teeth, he felt anger and rage after seeing how the High-Grade Hyena dealt with the Grey Eagle, but he also knew that this was one of the inherent nature of a Hyena. The Hyena was one of the few High-Grade Beast that feared the strong, while preyed on the weak. Aeron had already thought about why it was only now that it tried to attack the Grey Eagle, if he was not wrong then the Grey Eagle should have already been severely injured when it came to the forest, if not then it would’ve directly gone back to its nest. Even though the Grey Eagle had been injured, the High-Grade Hyena didn’t immediately attack, it probably sneaked attack the Grey Eagle when it least expected.
Screeech! Booom!
The Grey Eagle attacked again, but the only ones that were dying were the Low-Grade Hyenas, and every time the attack was finished, the High-Grade Hyena would launch a sneak attack at the weakened Grey Eagle.
‘What can I do’
Aeron thought, the situation wasn’t promising, he was starting to regret his decision to go back, but when he saw the determined Grey Eagle, all he could think of was how to help it. When he saw the eyes of the Grey Eagle, his determination to help further strengthened, but there was nothing he could think of. If he tried to make the monkeys help and attack the hyenas, then the High-Grade Hyena would kill them, even Arthur wouldn’t last facing the High-Grade Hyena.
“Damned aura!”
Aeron curse, aura wasn’t foreign to him, this was the ability acquired by those who breakthrough level 5, which means at level 6, a human or beast would be able to control aura. Aura was the result of soul power, body strength, and the amount of mana inside the individual’s body. Aura was also the reason why there was a huge gulf between level 5 creatures, be it human or beast with level 6 Professionals or High-Grade Beast, without aura of your own then you wouldn’t be able to attack or defend against one with an aura.
Aeron’s curse reminded the Grey Eagle of his existence, a green gust of wind suddenly surrounded Aeron before pulling him closer towards the Grey Eagle.
“What!”
Aeron exclaimed; he didn’t know what was happening but he knew that he needed to calm down. This was not the time to panic as it would only alarm the Grey Eagle, however smart the Grey Eagle was, it would still be affected by unwanted reactions.
“Ahh”
Aeron suddenly dropped on the ground as another [Sonic Bullet] struck the Grey Eagle, Aeron could see how the Grey Eagle was barely enduring the assault, it was only holding on because of its offspring.
Crrrrrr
The Grey Eagle gently brought the egg towards Aeron, it prodded the egg on Aeron’s direction.
“You want me to take it?”
Aeron asked bewildered, he had never thought that the Grey Eagle would be willing to give away its egg, if Aeron wasn’t wrong then the reason for the gash on the Grey Eagle’s wing was because of a human’s attack, and the reason why it had attacked him was because a human stole its egg, it was a High-Grade Beast after all, a prideful one at that, it would’ve never attacked Aeron without a reason. This was what he gathered after seeing the wound on the Grey Eagle’s wing. But now the Grey Eagle was offering it to him instead.
The Grey Eagle stared intently at him, waiting for his reaction, this was its decision as it had no other choice. Even though it was unsure of what the future of its offspring would be in the hands of the puny creature in front of it, there was still a chance for survival. The Grey Eagle’s gaze was unnerving to Aeron as it was a beast that could kill him on a whim considering the power gap and distance between them.
“Alright then, I promise I’ll help you take care of this egg instead”
Aeron said as he picked the egg up, he didn’t know if the Grey Eagle understood him, but it started to stand up.
SCREEEECH
The screech this time was full of anger, it seemed like the Grey Eagle has decided to fight the High-Grade Hyena to let Aeron escape.
Hahahhaha
The hyena replied with its own cry, but this time the Low-Grade and Mid-Grade Hyena’s eyes reddened as they rushed at the Grey Eagle.
“Berserk”
Aeron said as he saw the whole scene, afterward he immediately started running away. This was the only thing he could do for the Grey Eagle. But such a beautiful and valiant beast, Aeron had really wanted to save it. Aeron wasn’t even thinking of something like having it repay him by becoming his pet, unlike a normal beast, the Grey Eagle was already rational, it was hard to describe but if he had to find a word for it then it would be, spirituality.
“Alexander, lead 10 other monkeys, bring this egg and find somewhere to hide, remember not to go out if Arthur does not call for you”
Aeron said as he had Alexander and 10 other brown monkeys to go and hide with the egg, he didn’t know why, but he had the feeling that if he didn’t try his best to help, then he would regret it for the rest of his life.
“Arthur, Lancelot, Gwaine, Percival, and Elyan, go and assist the Grey Eagle, use your speed and agility and never stay in one place, I’ll be watching from afar, I’ll unsummon you if you get hurt”
Aeron ordered, this was the only thing he could think of to help the Grey Eagle, he couldn’t do much and only stay away and watch the situation while trusting Arthur and his silver knights’ abilities.
“Richie, Richmond, Bruno, Erick, and Rambo go with them, but don’t attack near the High-Grade Beast, pick off the hyenas as carefully as you can, as for the rest, stay near me”
Aeron had wanted to make the black monkeys help directly too, but unlike Arthur and the silver monkeys, the black monkeys wouldn’t be able to take a hit from a High-Grade Beast, at the least with Arthur and the silver monkeys, Aeron would still be able to unsummon them in time.
“Kiii!”
Arthur replied before they armored up, their figures flashed as they leapt from tree to tree. Richie and the other black monkeys disappeared into the dark areas of the forest.
Screeeech!
The grey eagle was preparing a large attack as its uninjured wing glowed bright green, a green ethereal wing manifested from it as it gathered more strength.
Hahhahhhaha
The hyenas were red-eyed as they got nearer the Grey Eagle, and a huge crimson hyena with black spots appeared a distance away from the Grey Eagle. It stood tall at almost 10 meters high, its body rippled with strength as its aura burned like blood-red flames.
“Bloody Hyena”
Aeron said as he remembered what it was, this High-Grade Beast was famed not just for its ferocity and brutality, but also because of its cowardice though some just say it was cunning. Of course, it depended on the situation, if the enemy was weaker or rather far weaker than it was, then, it would display a cruel behavior through its own strength, but if the enemy was on par, or much stronger than it, then it would hide and retreat. If the Grey Eagle wasn’t seriously injured then this Bloody Hyena would never even think of approaching it.
Hahahahahah
The Bloody Hyena taunted the Grey Eagle, the Grey Eagle was successfully taunted as it swung its wings.
Vhuuuuu!
The huge wing-like attack cut through the air, the hyenas were in berserk so none of them tried to dodge it, the result was that they were annihilated by the attack, all the hyenas were cut in half. The earth shook as the trees started to fall; every tree that was hit by the attack was cut cleanly.
A huge dust storm erupted as a huge swathe of trees were cut. The Grey Eagle looked visibly exhausted as its body heaved, its eyes looked tired as if it was ready to let go.
SCREEECH!
It raised its head to the sky as it screeched to wake itself up, it would stand and fight as long as it could, to buy time and to maybe even kill the repugnant and cowardly beast before it. The smoke of dust suddenly deformed as the Bloody Hyena appeared before the Grey Eagle, it didn’t seem to be injured as it lunged at the broken wing of the Grey Eagle.
Grrarr!
It bit off a huge chunk out of the Grey Eagle’s wing, there was also a reason why the Grey Eagle would lose against the Bloody Hyena, its wings were too big and the trees around it hindered its mobility, but instead of a cry of pain. The Grey Eagle attacked the Bloody Hyena before it could run away, its beak was infused with aura as its head swerved towards the Bloody Hyena, but as the attack landed, the Bloody Hyena suddenly exploded like a balloon filled with water.
“Blood Substitution”
Aeron murmured, this was a shifting skill just like the Black Monkey’s skill, but it was a bit more special compared to a normal shifting skill. The blood explosion covered a huge area, covering whatever was near it with blood. The Grey Eagle wasn’t able to retreat quickly as a huge part of its head became covered with blood.
Screeeech!
The Grey Eagle screeched in pain as the blood dyed parts of its body suddenly started to throb.
