Leo watched the massive thunder-patterned python charge toward him, its head as big as a truck, plowing through the swamp with quick speed.
Even with its thick scales, the python seemed agitated—something was wrong.
‘If it's just hunting me, why is it freaking out?’ Leo thought, scanning the swamp for answers.
A sudden, piercing cry cut through the air. Leo looked up and saw a giant black eagle circling overhead, its wings stretching nearly ten meters. His heart sank.
“That’s what’s got the python so terrified,” he muttered, tightening his grip on the sword. “It’s running for its life.”
The python sped up, smashing through mud and plants, sending earth and wood flying. The ground shook as it charged, heading straight for Leo. If he dodged, he'd lose his one shot at taming it. But before he could decide, another screech rang out.
The black eagle, looking like a bomber from the sky, swooped down with talons extended.
Its massive claws glinted with a cold, deadly light, tearing into the python’s body and sending chunks of flesh flying.
Blood sprayed across the swamp, painting the landscape in streaks of crimson.
Leo watched in awe as the python, enraged by the attack, reared up, thrashing its powerful head and trying to strike back.
However, the black eagle was far too fast, dodging each attempt with a simple flap of its wings, creating a whirlwind that scattered leaves and debris everywhere.
______________
Umbra Eagle
Level: 11
Health: 14,444
Strength : 1,158
Agility: 3,758
Skills: Umbra Veil, Eagle Claw
Umbra Veil: Creates a dense dark fog by spreading its wings, blinding everything beneath its cover.
Eagle Claw: Strengthens its talons to razor-sharp, near-indestructible weapons that can tear through armor.
"This agile predator soars with trough the sky, veiling its approach in a cloud of darkness before striking with claws forged by nature's fiercest instincts. Within its domain, few can escape the swiftness and brutality of its assault."
__________
Leo’s heart raced as he took in the eagle’s stats. No wonder the python was running—it couldn’t match its predator. The thought of taming the Umbra Eagle crossed his mind. With such a powerful ally, he'd be untouchable early on. But with its speed, hitting it with the Madou Cube seemed impossible.
While he hesitating, the python and eagle continued their fight.
The eagle kept landing hits, inflicting wound after wound on the massive serpent.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
The python’s thick scales and electric strikes from its fang barely fazed the eagle, which dodged easily each time.
The swamp around them turned into a battlefield, painted red with the python’s blood.
Suddenly, the python stopped moving, its massive form trembling with exhaustion and covered in deep wounds.
The eagle hovered above, its sharp eyes fixed on the python, waiting for the right moment to strike again.
But just then, the python made a sudden move, whipping its tail up in a surprise attack. The eagle flinched, pulling back, only to realize too late that it was a trick. The python wasn’t trying to strike—it was buying time to escape.
Without wasting a second, the python turned and slithered away, leaving a trail of blood as it headed toward a nearby valley surrounded by rocky cliffs.
Leo’s eyes followed the bloody path, tracking the python’s desperate retreat.
“The valley… if it makes it there, the eagle’s flight will be restricted by the rocks.”
The python slithered desperately into the narrow valley, blood smearing the ground as it went. Leo’s mind raced.
If the python survived and was weakened enough, it could be the perfect target for his cube. Or, if it somehow managed to kill the eagle in this tight space, Leo could tame it immediately after.
With that thought, Leo followed the blood trail into the rocky valley, moving carefully and watching for any sign of the creatures. Fallen stones and jagged rocks lined his path, with scattered feathers showing that the eagle had chased the python here, losing its advantage among the sharp cliffs and narrow peaks.
In the distance, he spotted the python, coiled tightly against a stone wall, its body covered in bloody wounds. Wrapped around one of its coils was the Umbra Eagle’s claw. The eagle’s black feathers were singed by the python’s electrical shocks, and although it kept snapping its beak at the snake, it was visibly weakened.
Leo’s heart pounded as he watched them locked in their final struggle. The eagle couldn’t take off in such a tight space, and the python, barely clinging to life, had just enough strength left to resist.
“This… this is my chance,” Leo murmured, his pulse quickening.
Both creatures were too exhausted to put up much of a fight. He had to act fast if he wanted to tame one of them. He fixed his sights on the Umbra Eagle—its speed and agility would make it an invaluable ally. Scrambling over the rocks, he closed the distance toward the eagle, his target in sight.
The eagle’s piercing gaze tracked Leo but quickly dismissed him as harmless. Trapped by the python’s coils, electricity sparking across its feathers, the bird seemed to focus solely on tearing apart the python’s tail, seeing Leo, a mere level 1, as no threat.
Leo, noticing the bird’s resistance to the python’s electric shocks, realized they must be natural enemies, with the eagle perhaps even having a slight resistance to the python’s attacks.
This bought him the perfect opportunity.
He crouched nearby, picking up a few small stones, and started lobbing them at the eagle.
The eagle tilted its head, momentarily confused by the harmless pebbles but paid him no further mind, going back to ripping at the python’s flesh.
With the eagle distracted, Leo slipped the Madou Cube into his hand, disguising it as just another stone, and aimed carefully. Taking a steady breath, he threw it along with the other pebbles, blending it seamlessly with the small rocks.
The cube struck the eagle’s wing, and as soon as it made contact, a flash of pure white light enveloped the creature, , swirling around it like silent fireworks.
Leo held his breath, feeling his heart pounding in his chest, waiting for the results.
[Capturing… 99%…100%…!!!]
[Madou Successfully Tamed!]
[Madou: Umbra Eagle
Name: (Please Give a Name)
Loyalty: 100%
Evolution : Locked
Note: Pet and host share a mental link, allowing commands to be given through thought alone.]
Leo let out a deep breath, relieved. His gamble had worked.
The eagle, now completely loyal, would be his powerful protector in this dangerous world. With its flight ability, he’d have a huge advantage. He nodded, satisfied. The white glow faded, and the eagle, now freed from the cube’s effect, looked at Leo with a surprising gentleness. If it weren’t still tangled in the python’s tail, it might have rubbed its head against him in affection.