âIn the course of the contest, you will choose one of your spirit beasts to compete with the one I choose. Whichever side is more capable wins, alright?â Ling Yueâs statement left Aâbone very much surprised and delighted.
In the wild womanâs viewpoint, her foe only had two baby animals as partners. That meanâs victory was firmly within her grasp! In fact, Aâbone was starting to feel guilty at taking the win so easily that itâs embarrassing.
âOut of consideration that you are taking such a huge disadvantage, I will let you choose what we will be competing in.â At the end of the day, sheâs still a simple-minded and pure person. In no way does she suspect her foe was setting up a trap for her to fall into.
âThe so-called spirit beasts are nothing more than animals with exceptional abilities. Why donât we compete in the air with our aerial flyers than?â
âFly?â Shooting a peek at the two fellas on her foeâs shoulder, Aâbone had a serious case of doubt whether or not that ugly black thing can fly at all.
âCheChe~â Knowing sheâs been held in contempt, Little Crow immediately protests!
âIf the conditions are set then you canât go changing it midway. We will compete in flying.â Making a whistling sound with her lips, Aâbone summons a Navel Eagle to her side.
This type of eagle was a specie specializing in high-altitude environments, also one of the few birds willing to make their nests thousands of feet above ground at the highest peak of the ancient forest.
âLittle Crow, itâs your turn now. Show her what you got okay.â Giving her friend there a pat on the head, Ling Yue indicates the little phoenix to take flight too after the Naval Eagle.
First perching herself up onto the city wall, the tiny black bird had intended to use this stage to showcase her amazing flying skills when a series of howling roars blasted her from below.
Puffing up her feathers at the provocation, little Crow has had it. Firing out like a mini cannon ball, her small tiny body suddenly transforms at a hundred meters into the air. No longer the small tiny bird that she appears to be on the outside, sheâs now a giant roc with a set of wind patterned wings spanning several meters in length.
Using this newly acquired wing span of considerable size, she easily bypasses her opponent that was long ahead of herself. Of course, as Ling Yueâs partner and closest friend, itâs only natural that Little Crow would pick up on the girlâs bad habits. Not only did she mock the poor eagle sheâs competing with by circling around it repeatedly, she also turned tail and outright intimidated the poor thing by issuing a pressuring call near the end, thus sending the Naval Eagle tumbling down from the air like a cashing plane.
âWhat? That, what is that?â Due shocking outcome of the contest, Aâbone was unable to respond properly even after it ended.
âThat is a Wind Roc, a sub specie capable of soaring up to ninety thousand meters into the air. Itâs currently considered the number one highest aerial flyer in these lands. Miss Aâbone, youâve lost.â Ling Yue issues a giggle at her own shameless display of a win.
âI⦠I havenât lost yet. Itâs clear you cheated. I know, your little black bird there is no ordinary bird, itâs an illusionary phoenix that hasnât grown up yet! I used my spirit beasts to compete while you used a sacred beast to compete, thatâs clearly unfair.â The wild woman finally realizes it that sheâs been had.
She actually knows about Little Crowâs true form? It seems Iâve misjudged this wild woman.
Surprised by this, Ling Yue just got a new impression of the girl.
âHow about it, Iâve caught you didnât I? If you got the ability then have another round with me and not use that phoenix. If you can win again then I will willingly become your servant.â Smug in her face, Aâbone was very cheeky in her keen eyesight. If not, she wouldâve been blinded and lost.
âBut I only have one spirit beast left. Besides, what if you lose a second time and still go back on your wordsâ¦â Showing a struggling face, Ling Yue appears to be tied by the dilemma.
âNo, I will never go back on my words this time,â Aâbone keeps peeking at the lazy looking fox on the girlâs shoulder. No matter how she looks at it, the idea of such a small critter beating her friends in the background was impossible.
Depressed by the look heâs getting, Little Squeak was seriously having his manhood questioned. Itâs not the first time heâs been looked down upon just because he has a cuddly face.
âAlright, I will believe you one more time. Letâs see, this time we will compete inâ¦â Putting on a troubled expression, Ling Yue appears to struggling to come up with the new conditions.
âLetâs see whose spirit beast is more powerful then. The last round was decided by you so this time itâs my turn to set the conditions.â Afraid her foe would refuse, Aâbone jumps the gun and issues out her command.
All of a sudden, the ground starts to shake and out came a giant elephant from the background thatâs equivalent to a small mountain. Unlike the other companions she brought along for the trip, this one was solely meant to carry her luggage. But due to the urgency of the situation, Aâbone finally decides to bring out her trump card.
Completely overwhelming in its size and stature, this creature was a very rare breed called, exactly as its skin color foretold, âPurple Elephantâ. Even among the vast numbers of spirit beasts living in the ancient forest, this specific one was among the strongest and the largest. Itâs no exaggeration to call it the king here because its level was at the peak of the ninth level.
âA spirit elephant eh, talk about being big. Hey Little Squeak, can you do this? If not, we can forfeit you know.â Shooting a questioning glance at her own shoulder, Ling Yue was quite provocative with that look.
âSqueak! (This is a matter of dignity and my manhood, I will show them whose boss!)â
With that quick vow, the tiny fox immediately somersaults himself over to the ground and before the mountain sized elephant.
Against this gargantuan difference in body size, itâs simply laughable. None here aside from a select few expects the fox to win here today, especially the confused Purple Elephant whoâs eyeing his foe there.
Aâbone canât be asking me to finish this little guy right? Heâs too small!
Slightly hesitant in moving his stumps so that he doesnât squash the little guy by mistake, he slowly swings his trunk to shoo the fox away.
However, this casual action only infuriated Little Squeak even more. He may be small, he may be cuddly, but heâs still a male fox! One can die and one can cry, but one canât be humiliated like this!
Giving off a dazzling glow in the red watermark on his forehead, Little Squeak suddenly issues out a violent roar that shook the very air. Then in an explosive display of power, he pounces like a predator hunting his prey.
This was pure suicide in the eyes of Aâbone and her friends. A small critter charging the king of the forest, it be a miracle if he didnât knock himself out from the impacting force alone.
But before their disregarding eyes could finish focusing in on the fox, that tiny body had already transformed.
That was a sturdy and unidentified creature. Symbolizing endless power with that fine physique, those radiant blue eyes were superseding destruction and desolation.