Another event also took place when Nea was pulled into this world.
In another location in the forest, not too far from the gateway, there was a pitch-black cave next to a cliffside. The sound of squelching and gnawing emanated from deep within the dark cave, intermingled with the whistling of the wind.
From afar, a figure slowly approached the entrance of the cave.
* The firm, pungent smell of blood! I have arrived at the right place.
A man's booming voice echoed, silencing the noises within the cave. The squelching and gnawing sound gradually turned into fierce growls. From within the cave, the figure of a gigantic tiger slowly emerged. It was four times larger than a normal tiger. Its massive body was covered with pitch-black fur, streaked with swirling golden stripes; numerous large and small scars were interspersed among these. The fierce tiger fixed its angry gaze on the thickets just before the cave entrance. A man emerged from behind the bushes, confronting the bloodthirsty beast. It roared loudly, the sound echoing powerfully through the forest. Without wasting another moment, the tiger tensed its muscles and charged straight toward the daredevil standing before it, its mouth full of sharp, menacing teeth. The man reacted swiftly, twisting his body to dodge the tiger's pounce while simultaneously delivering a devastating knee strike to its chin. The blow staggered the beast slightly as it hit the ground. Dazed and taken aback, the monstrous tiger quickly shifted into a state of extreme fury. However, it had learned from its initial mistake. This time, instead of charging mindlessly, the tiger began to circle the man, cautiously assessing its opponent. This was the first time the tiger had ever received such a powerful blow from a human, as if struck by lightning, necessitating extra caution. It moved around its formidable adversary, seeking an opening to launch another attack. Reflected in its eyes was a prey of significant size, muscles rippling powerfully. This daredevil had an immense physique, easily twice the size of an average strong man. He was very much like the tiger itself in that regard.
Seizing what seemed like the perfect moment, the tiger roared and charged faster and stronger than before. Yet, the man adeptly dodged, narrowly avoiding a full hit. The tiger's claws extended further than before, grazing the man's chest. To an ordinary person, such a swipe from the tiger's paw could be fatal, likely ripping the body in half or, at the very least, causing severe injury. However, this man was different; the wound inflicted by the tiger on his chest appeared no more severe than a mere scratch from a cat.
Seeing that its attack was ineffective, the tiger grew increasingly furious. It continued to charge, intent on tearing the large man into hundreds of pieces. However, the more it clawed, the more it realized the futility of its efforts. It could make the man bleed a little, but that was all; it couldn't inflict any severe damage. After a relentless onslaught, the tiger began to stagger and sway. Blood flowed from its mouth, the impact of the blow it had received from the man starting to take effect. Although still angry and frustrated, the tiger realized the situation was entirely unfavourable. Gradually, its ferocity diminished, no longer as bold as before. Its pupils remained fixed on the man with extreme fury, but then it began to tuck its tail, preparing to flee from him. Just as the tiger turned to dash into the depths of the forest, it suddenly froze, unable to continue its escape. Its eyes stared intently into the void in front of it, ears drooped, a look of confusion in its eyes. The tiger stepped back as if sensing an invisible danger looming ahead.
The man didn't miss a beat, following the tiger as soon as it turned to run. When he noticed it abruptly stop, he quickly used his powerful arm to grab the tiger's tail and flung it against a rock wall with a loud crash, as easily as if it were a stuffed animal. The massive body of the tiger was buried under a pile of rocks and dirt, dust clouding the air. The force and suddenness of the throw were such that the tiger's tail was severed. He tossed the huge tail onto the ground and approached the cave entrance, near where he had just thrown the tiger. At the entrance lay a partially consumed human body. He knelt beside the corpse, tears welling up in his eyes.
Suddenly, the tiger sprang up from the pile of rocks and dirt, pouncing on the man and sinking its teeth deep into his neck. It seemed like this could be a fatal blow, but to the man, this bite was no more severe than a cat's nip.
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* Sorry!
The man whispered and then firmly grasped the tiger's head, turning his body 180 degrees and slamming it onto the ground with such force that it created a large crater. The once mighty beast now lay weak and bloodied, helpless against the overwhelming strength of a human, a creature that should have been its prey. This was its territory, the place where it was born and raised. Until now, more than two hundred years later, it had become a spirit tiger, more significant, stronger, and a hundred times faster than its peers. This creature could slaughter an entire village, and no one could stand against it - indeed, it had done so. Yet today, the invincible lord of the forest had been defeated by something it had always considered its prey.
The man lifted the tiger with one hand, then clamped its neck under his arm, squeezing tightly. The tiger struggled but could no longer escape. With its last bit of strength, it flailed and scratched around a few more times before finally succumbing to death.
* Gióng!
A clear voice rang out. A girl in a white dress appeared from the forest, running to embrace the muscular man. She looked at him with worried eyes and asked:
* Are you hurt anywhere?
* I am fine. Don't worry about me; it's just a few scratches, and they will heal quickly.
The man calmly replied.
* Oh! There's a dead body over there. Is that one of the villagers from the mountain's base? We are too late. What a pity!
The girl sadly said.
Gióng looked at the villager's corpse for a moment, then stood up and said:
* Let me carefully bury them, and then we can return to the camp together.
She gently nodded in agreement.
In the cave, there was a chaotic pile of human bones. After burying the body at the cave entrance, Gióng turned to fill the cold cave with bricks and stones. He didn't forget his trophy, proof of his victory over the threat to the innocent people. Lifting the tiger, he tore its head from its body and then cremated the corpse. After wrapping the tiger's head and tail in a cloth bag, Gióng and the girl began to leave, distancing themselves from the dark and wild forest. He lifted the girl with his strong arms and swiftly descended the mountain while she clung tightly to him, nestling into his embrace.
As they neared their camp, they suddenly heard another tiger's roar, softer this time, likely from a normal tiger. Exchanging glances, Gióng understood the girl's unspoken desire for him to investigate. Another villager might have been in danger. Quickly, they changed their course.
While moving swiftly, Gióng and the girl remained highly alert, their senses tuned to the surroundings. The forest, dense and mysterious, held many uncertainties, but Gióng's confidence and strength reassured the girl. The tiger's roar guided them as they navigated through the thick underbrush, ready to face whatever lay ahead. Suddenly, she saw something:
* Look there!
The girl pointed down the mountain. Following her direction, Gióng spotted a strangely dressed young man lying motionless on the ground, his condition looking dire. A tiger was charging towards him at a frightening speed.
Without hesitation, Gióng gently set the girl down, tossed aside the trophies of his previous victory, and dashed down the mountain with incredible speed. However, sensing he might not reach in time, he swiftly snapped off a large branch and hurled it with tremendous force towards the tiger. The situation was critical; the tiger's claws were mere moments away from the young man.
*Whoosh*
The tiger lunged... and missed. In that fleeting moment, Gióng was taken aback by the tiger's unusual misstep at such a close range. Confusion flashed in the tiger's eyes as it roared, readying for another attack, but then...
*Crash*
Gióng's hurled log hit the tiger with a thunderous impact. It pierced through the unlucky beast's body and even embedded itself into the ground, pinning the tiger right next to the young man. All of this unfolded in just a few brief seconds.
Gióng finally reached the spot in a moment. He approached to check on the person lying motionless. The boy was buried under a layer of dust and debris due to the recent collision between the wooden log and the ground. Gióng checked his pulse; it was still beating, so the boy was alive but with so many injuries, he realized he needed to get him to a medic immediately.
Gióng hoisted the boy onto his shoulders, turned back to pick up the girl, and then dashed off towards the column of white smoke drifting in the air.