[Air Palm]!
-40x4 Mana
As Windy charged toward the eagle, Jonn launched another assault, manifesting an air and mana palm even larger and denser than his previous attempt.
This time, however, the enemy’s response differed. The eagle fixed Jonn with a penetrating gaze, accurately gauging its opponent’s true level. Though caught off guard earlier, it now recognized that the enemy mage matched its own strength.
The eagle parted its beak and unleashed a song, shattering Jonn’s previous {Spell} with a sound that resonated for milliseconds amidst its counterattack. It evaded Jonn’s strike while advancing toward him again. No longer intimidated by a supposedly superior foe, it moved without hesitation or uncertainty. Its movements became swift and precise, raising both Windy’s and Jonn’s alertness.
Jonn’s eyes widened as the enemy closed in to mere inches, feeling the rush of air from the black and white creature’s extended wings. He caught every detail of the beast’s yellow beak as its razor-sharp talons struck toward him.
[Arcane Sight] activated, enabling [Analysis] and his other {Skills} to function even without the Celestial Magnifying Glass’ aid.
For a split second, time seemed to freeze as information about the creature flooded his consciousness. Though unable to see the status of this being that clearly hated him, he observed its injuries: fractured bones, a bitten wing, and continuous mana depletion. He also recognized that any strike to his vital points would prove lethal!
Jonn’s arms moved instinctively, his face contorting in anticipation of pain as he raised them as shields, having no alternative.
I desperately need a defensive {Spell} and proper armor!
His mind raced to the vulnerabilities exposed in this battle, recalling Count Francus’ cave armor—which he’d left behind because of its weight.
Instead, he wore only basic armor, which offered minimal resistance against the eagle’s violent assault.
Deep gashes appeared across both his forearms as the metal plates split in two, the eagle’s talons penetrating deep into his flesh.
Blood streamed from his wounds, staining the eagle’s feathers, but the creature showed no satisfaction. It struck with its razor-sharp beak, consumed by fury at having been deceived. Now that it had its prey within reach, it wouldn’t relent!
“Aaagh!”
Jonn’s lamented cry pierced the air as the creature’s beak tore into his right shoulder, a chill running through him as the system’s warnings, though transparent, showed his rapidly deteriorating condition.
-88 Health points.
Deep bleeding detected. You will lose 2 units of Health per second for 30 seconds!
-33 Health points.
Health: 436/557
Stamina: 358/556
As the eagle savagely assaulted its prey, its feathers suddenly bristled with alarm. It glanced sideways and beat its wings, propelling itself 50 centimeters backward from Jonn.
Two mana blades sliced through the space where the level 3 beast had been, while Annabelle darted across the blackened terrain, using her powerful legs to spring onto Roulf before launching herself skyward toward the vicious bird attacking her beloved master.
Roulf’s fury manifested physically as he reared up, his hooves striking the ground with such force that the surrounding earth trembled.
“Moooo!”
The massive bull’s twin horns erupted in flames, while traces of mana leaked from his eyes.
With his bellow, orange flames burst from his mouth, surging toward the level 3 eagle that had already wounded Ice and now painted Jonn’s body with gashes and punctures.
Despite being only a level 2 bull, Roulf’s assault forced the injured eagle to withdraw, giving Jonn precious moments to launch a counterattack.
While Annabelle and Roulf diverted the creature’s attention, the remaining birds finally struck, assailing Jonn from multiple angles, preventing him from acting against the leader of the birds.
“Aaagh!”
-75 Health points.
Deep bleeding detected. You will lose 3 units of Health per second for 15 seconds!
By now, Jonn’s injuries had accumulated to the point where his regeneration could no longer keep pace with the life-threatening blood loss.
His mana reserves plummeted by another 200 units, spent to reinforce his skin and mitigate the damage inflicted by these ferocious avian aggressors.
It was at this critical moment that Windy reared up on her hind legs and charged at the audacious birds targeting her master. With powerful strikes from her forelegs, the horse battered two of the birds, slamming them to the ground and shattering multiple bones.
Jonn, seizing the opportunity through his [Projection], hurled two knives at another pair of birds that were swooping close, their talons, and beaks poised to strike.
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Fortune favored him, as these beasts, though formidable, were not of his caliber. Two more creatures, smaller than the village chickens, plummeted to the obsidian floor of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow, Jonn’s weapons firmly embedded in their bodies.
By now, Ice had finally rejoined the group, limping with many fractures and bruised muscles, yet still conscious and combat-ready. He pounced on the birds Windy had wounded, affording Jonn the chance to focus his attention on the eagle engaged with Roulf and Annabelle.
Having dispatched the last of the five birds with another [Air Palm], Jonn left Ice to finish the grounded avians. He then spurred Windy towards the level 3 eagle.
The eagle’s earlier might have diminished considerably. It had spent a significant portion of its mana reserves on defenses and attacks against Jonn, followed by its skirmish with Annabelle and Roulf.
Annabelle, while not overwhelmingly powerful, compensated with her swift ground maneuvers. Aided by the ferocious and physically imposing bull, she had evaded the worst of the assault, losing only a few feathers to the weakened eagle’s attacks. Roulf, despite his size limitations, had endured. The two dozen cuts and punctures inflicted by the eagle barely dented the bull’s [Health]. In fact, Roulf appeared to be faring better than his opponent, having singed a good portion of the black and white eagle’s plumage.
The eagle found itself encircled. The cunning hen, capable of launching long-range assaults, fixed it with a vicious glare. Meanwhile, the flame-wreathed bull, one leg slightly bent, prepared to charge, seeking an opportunity to impale the bird with its horns.
Surveying the scene, the eagle realized its comrades had fallen. The urge to flee penetrated its battle-hardened mind, filling it with self-loathing.
What kind of beast retreated from combat? Surely, a glorious death here would be preferable to the shame of retreat!
its resolve remained firm, yet its will to live burned equally fierce.
It beat its wings once more, attempting to take flight, but as had been the case for the past two minutes, its efforts were thwarted by the relentless attacks of those farm animals.
The eagle was on the verge of screaming in frustration, but again, the enemy’s {Spell} struck, robbing it of its voice. Exhausted, wounded, and with less than 20% of its mana reserves remaining, it opted not to waste energy breaking this vile {Spell}. Instead, it fixed its gaze on the approaching mounted enemy, silently cursing him.
How it despised mages!
Mages were repugnant beings, individuals brimming with deceit, like their {Spells}. They were nothing like the honorable beasts who developed special powers and robust bodies through their own merit. Mages relied on artifacts, long-range attacks, and combat techniques—methods not nurtured by their innate power, scorned by wild beasts.
Regrettably, the eagle had fallen victim to the enemy’s initial {Spell} in today’s battle, entering the fray already weakened by the damage from [Air Palm] and Ice’s initial bite.
As the enemy charged towards it atop that ridiculous horse, unleashing yet another palm strike while brandishing a magic sword, it dodged—but with none of its earlier grace or power. It knew defeat was imminent, not just due to its inability to take flight, but also its weakness and the overwhelming numbers against it.
”You’ll pay for this, human mage!” The creature projected mentally, a thought that even [Hex of Silence] couldn’t suppress.
The eagle’s words elicited a look of surprise on Jonn’s face. He hadn’t anticipated that the remaining enemy would possess intelligence comparable to Annabelle’s!
“The leader of the horde will hunt you down! He’ll rend your body and feed it to the dogs!”
Jonn pressed on with his assault, his animals flanking him. They corralled the creature, constricting its movement and limiting its ability to counterattack.
When he was at an appropriate distance, Jonn rose atop Windy and leaped, sword in hand, his body pulsing with mana.
Jonn adjusted his aim mid-air, driving his blade into the eagle’s less injured wing.
The sword sank deeper into the beast’s body even as the bird launched a final, desperate counterattack.
Jonn winced at the sharp pain of the bird’s cuts and pecks, but a heartbeat later, he crashed down upon the creature. His weight pinned the eagle against the ground, effectively immobilizing it.
Swiftly, he pressed one forearm against the bird’s neck while his free hand—now empty of both weapon and wand—secured the eagle’s legs.
The eagle thrashed, attempting to strike with its wings, but to no avail. One wing hung limp, gravely wounded by Jonn’s recent strike, while the other had been rendered nearly useless by Ice’s earlier bite and Roulf’s searing flames.
Roulf advanced towards the fallen foe, halting with his head looming over the bird’s. The bull parted his jaws slightly, his gaze fixed on Jonn, silently seeking approval to incinerate their enemy.
Jonn knew what Roulf was up to, but he surprised his animals. “Let’s keep it alive for now.”
Then, Jonn retrieved some cord from his gear and bound the creature’s body, legs, and wings, immobilizing it and preventing any chance of flight or claw attacks. He then bought a sack, carefully placing the eagle inside. This not only blocked the bird’s vision of their intended path, but would also conceal their unusual captive from any creatures they might encounter.
“We’re heading back to the village,” Jonn declared resolutely as he hoisted the sack containing the eagle onto his back. He then swiftly gathered the five fallen bird bodies.
These avian bodies were placed in a separate bag and transferred to his spatial ring, a convenient storage for non-living items.
None of his animal companions questioned his decision.
Roulf quelled his bloodlust, while Annabelle reclaimed her perch atop the bull’s head. She alone emerged uninjured from the battle, though her mana reserves were nearly depleted.
Jonn didn’t need to closely examine Ice to know that with proper medical attention and rest, the white wolf would recover. He made a mental note to tend to Ice’s injuries once they were back in the village. Now they were in an open field, not far from where Annabelle had indicated earlier that there were beasts and animals with the potential to become beasts.
Jonn had depleted more than 60% of his [Mana], and his [Health] and [Stamina] had dwindled to precarious levels. Retreat was the wisest course of action.
As soon as he had everything he wanted with him, he set off less than a minute after the threats of the black and white eagle, who was silent in Jonn’s bag, unable to sing amid the punishment of the [Hex of Silence].
As they embarked on their journey back to the village, the eagle persisted in its threats against Jonn and the village animals. It ranted about how they should have killed it outright and how its kin would stop at nothing to annihilate them all.
The eagle liked to talk a lot and eventually earned it a swift blow, rendering it unconscious.
At last, Jonn observed his status stabilizing. His wounds ceased their incessant bleeding, and the alarming loss of points finally halted.
Jonn Irondoom
Level 3 (33%) (Acolyte)
Health: 256/557
Mana: 631/1,650 (+60)
Stamina: 175/556
[Attributes]
Strength 50.5 (+2) Agility 50.6 Dexterity 48.9 (+2) (+10) Constitution 55.7 Endurance 55.6 Intelligence 165 (+6) Wisdom 150 (+6) Charisma 37.5 (+3) (+10) Luck 34.5 (+2)
Sigh! I can’t believe just one flock did all this damage... I might be strong against ordinary humans, but I’m still weak against beasts. I need to find a way to fix this.
As he ruminated on his shortcomings, Jonn glanced over his shoulder at the bag slung across his back, where the eagle lay motionless, unconscious.
Maybe I can get some answers from this creature. Let’s see. This thing loves to talk. Maybe it’ll have some good info for me once we get to the village. Apart from that, the priority now is to rest. I’ll figure out what to do with the [Exotic Animals] tomorrow.