“Remember, they might be capable of using essence. It’s not likely but keep an eye out.” Musnuf just stayed put. He could hear Swallow backing off behind him. He was thinking of the tools on hand and if he could use something to distract the leopard.

He needed to wait for Swallow first. It didn’t take long. The leopard on the tree had its eyes closed but they flicked open all of a sudden. It raised its snout and sniffed the air. It scratched the tree with its paw.

It hopped off the tree and started padding away. Musnuf was guessing that the closer it got to the smell, the more agitated it would become.

He waited for a little while and then started. He made a small flame chain burst out of the ground. He didn’t make it attack the female leopard. The leopard was wary and it got up. It guided the cubs away from the fire. Some base instinct in its head trying to make sense of it.

Musnuf made that chain disappear and made another one sprout behind it. This time it burned its feet. It jumped away and growled but there was nothing for it to attack.

It guided the little cubs away from the fire. It was alert and anxious, Musnuf made another one pop up in front of its face.

He wanted to continue this for a while, to keep it on edge and exhaust it. However, after the third time it smacked its paw on the ground. Musnuf didn’t know what to make of the behavior when it turned its head and stared at him. It’s golden eyes stared at him.

He didn’t know what it’d done but it somehow knew where he was. Five chains burst out of the ground at the same time. Four for her legs and another one for her neck. It growled and broke through them. The fire had a minimal effect on its scales.

It was barreling straight towards him. He ran away behind a tree and dived behind a tree. He created an illusion which he was hoping blended into the foliage. He felt like he was holding a paper umbrella while a hundred pounds of pure muscle was coming for him.

His back was to the trunk and he was staring straight ahead. As long as the leopard didn’t step behind the tree, he would be fine. It stepped behind the tree.

Musnuf created a giant ball of fire and blasted it on its head. It was unaffected and walked through the fire. That gave him enough time to run away.

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He looked to his right and the cubs were right there. He created a giant flame ball and blasted it towards them. The leopard was fast, its reflexive strength on display. It slapped away the fireball and hit the ground running. It disappeared into the foliage.

Musnuf felt the foliage moving behind him. It could dive out whenever it wanted. Musnuf formed a giant illusion wall behind him. He just wanted to delay it for a few more seconds but it burst out of it. It was floating above him, its maw wide open. It gave him a strong sense of deja vu.

This time he stepped back and jammed his staff into the roof of its mouth. He formed a wide chain. One end was fastened to a tree and the other end grabbed its tail. He smacked it right into a tree. There was a series of awful crunches.

The leopard growled, it wasn’t done. Musnuf formed a sharp flash of light and started running to the cubs. He was here for them in the first place. He bent down to pick them up but the leopard had shaken off the blind. It slashed him on his back. He was sent hurtling forward. The leopard’s nose was gushing with blood but its eyes were filled with the same determination.

I should’ve taken care of it first. He’d been too impatient and now he was going to pay for it. His heart was pumping in his chest like a jackhammer. He conjured a flame ball and launched it at the cubs. The lion swatted it away and in that time he was on his feet. He formed a giant flame wall and started backing off. Something told him that wasn’t the right course of action. Turning his back had put him in a disadvantageous position already.

That’s when he thought of it. He blinded the leopard again but this time he used his chains to start dragging the cubs away in the opposite direction. The leopard roared and slashed the chain. The chains dispersed and it started nestling the cubs. He’d tried to reduce the temperature but it was still a flaming whip at the end of the day.

He rushed back into the foliage. None of this was working. If that leopard didn’t have cubs he would be dead.

That’s when he thought of it. It was a…pathetic solution but he decided to try it anyway. He formed flame balls and started hurling them at the leopard. He was aiming for the cubs. He started forming them over and over again. The leopard didn’t move. Its scales started burning up and it whined into the air.

It took about fifty direct hits for it to crumple on the ground, its back broken. It was still hugging the cubs bearing the full brunt of the attack.

He moved over to it. It growled and got off the ground. It was moving for him but it was too late. Its eyes were blinded, its nose burnt to a crisp. He’d aimed for the face in particular. He was guessing, it was operating from a primal instinct.

He moved behind it and slashed its leg. It whined and he backed off. It growled and whined but it was too late. The cubs were sobbing, it was sobbing and all of a sudden he felt horrible.

His first kill had been motivated by a desire to protect himself but what was this?