Son of the Hero King

565 CH 425: TIGER VS SNAKE (2)

Sitting on a rock while gazing at the moonlight, Gerald could sense the tension gradually thickening in the air.

Ideally, he wished for the situation to remain unchanged for a longer period. While this might lead to more casualties, it would make Wratharis less prone to deploying their heavy artillery prematurely.

Undoubtedly, it was Wratharis who was currently racing against the clock, not Lustburg.

Regrettably, the other side understood this as well.

The leaders in Wratharis were far from foolish, and they were bound to take action to shift the disadvantageous situation.

And that's when it happened.

ROAR!

Gerald wasn't surprised when he heard the roar of an enraged beast.

"Here they come."

It was ironic how those who held the fortress were the ones launching such a relentless assault, but that was the bitter reality of war.

'She will have to fight again.'

It saddened him to see a gentle soul like Nuwa forced into the bloodshed of battle, but such was the harsh reality of war.

'Be cautious, young one.'

He sighed and looked up, his face bathed in crimson light.

It appeared they wanted to begin with a bang.

ROAR!

The skirmish began with a massive crimson fireball hurtling toward the encampment at breakneck speed, ready to consume everything in its path.

The human soldiers were taken aback; they couldn't believe that the opposing side would launch such a fierce attack without hesitation.

"Mages, prepare the barriers!"

Viktor sprang into action. While some damage was inevitable, they could greatly mitigate it.

What they didn't know was that this was no ordinary fire. Several tanukis had combined their mana to create this potent attack, each sacrificing a significant portion of their lifespan. It was a taxing technique, but it offered efficiency and power, akin to the full might of a typical Duke-ranked mage, and in some cases, even surpassing it.

Watching the fireball descend, Bai Hu clenched his fist. Perhaps they could survive this night.

At least, that was what he initially believed, but—

—they had overlooked one crucial detail. There was no way they could have foreseen what happened next.

Whoosh!

[Smash]

Out of nowhere, a figure could be seen soaring toward the iridescent fireball. Onlookers opened their eyes wide, wondering if this person was simply reckless, attempting to stop the fiery onslaught.

Human soldiers shouted, while those from Wratharis smirked.

But soon, silence enveloped the battlefield as everyone struggled to comprehend the astonishing sight before them.

"Ah..."

Bai Hu let out a humorless laugh, his eyes twitching.

"What a monstrous sight."

This sentiment was shared by all on the battlefield, regardless of their affiliation. They witnessed the maid approaching the fireball, but instead of a cataclysmic clash, something entirely unexpected occurred.

Rather—

"Is she... devouring it?"

His wife's voice trembled as she asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes... Yes, I believe she is."

In front of them all, the gigantic crimson fireball vanished in an instant, leaving only residual heat as proof of its existence.

"Do we... still need to fight?"

Bai Hu closed his eyes. "I'll take care of her. Inform the others to initiate the assault, and the tanukis should prepare. This time, I won't allow anything to hinder them."

Without waiting for his wife's response, Bai Hu leaped into action. His form rapidly transformed as he ascended into the air.

He grew larger and more formidable, with fur enveloping his entire body, a striking mix of black and white that bestowed upon him a majestic appearance. He stood tall as a humanoid tiger, ready to fight to the death.

The moment he touched down, his focus zeroed in on his target—the one who could potentially end his life.

'She's young.'

Despite her youth, the young woman wore a blank expression, her cheeks slightly bloated, as though she had indulged in a hearty meal. It might have been endearing in different circumstances, but Bai Hu knew she was a paradoxical monster, much like Sun Wukong.

Bai Hu didn't bother with words or thoughts.

His mana surged through his body, following a specific path, imbuing him with energy.

[Zone: Late Heaven Trigram.]

A yin-yang circle, black and white, formed beneath his feet, encompassing both him and the young woman. Words appeared at each extremity of the Trigram, opposing each other.

Heaven and Earth, Wind and Thunder, Water and Fire, Mountain and Lake.

"Young lady, I am the Lord of the Tiger Clan. I don't know if I can defeat you, but— you'll regret not attacking me sooner."

[Heaven and Heart Formation.]

In an instant, the world shifted.

A brilliant light flashed, nearly blinding Nuwa. When her vision cleared, she found herself atop a mountain peak engulfed in clouds.

[Well, it seems you should have heeded the old man's advice.]

Nuwa had no words to rebut Echidna this time.

She was loss about what to do when a voice reached her,

[This is the Heaven and Earth formation. One of my proudest achievements. A power I developed especially to face monsters like that I would never be able to win against in a normal situation.]

The moment he spoke; Nuwa frowned as she started to feel heavy.

This situation seemed to be quite complicated.

[1]: Basically, in Chinese myth, After the advent of the theory of Five Elements, some Chinese myths arose about five differently colored tigers who balanced the energy of the universe: a black tiger governing water and the winter, a verdant tiger governing the earth and the spring, a red tiger governing fire and the summer, a white tiger governing metal and autumn, and a yellow tiger ruling the others.

The victims of tigers were sometimes thought to become ‘Changs’, undead slaves bound to lure other victims who took their place as ‘Changs’ in turn.

(AN: I remember back then I cursed at Masashi during the War arc of Naruto. Same with Fairy Tail and Bleach. War arc outside of war manga like Kingdoms, are generally bad or mid. Now I understand why, welp. Not easy writing. Hope I won’t get cursed.)