Thick smoke rose high into the sky, mixing the smell of burning gunpowder with the stench of burnt hair, creating a strange odor that made Su Xiao frown. The smoke obscured his view, making it hard for him to pinpoint the giant tiger's exact location.
"Roar~!!!"
The angry roar of the tiger echoed through the smoke. Hearing the roar made Su Xiao focus intently, but his muscles remained relaxed. Tensing up would slow him down and could lead to deadly mistakes in battle.
His long knife hung naturally at his side, the tip resting on the ground. The giant tiger was still hidden in the smoke, but Su Xiao could sense that it had already noticed him.
A strong wind blew through the jungle, dispersing the rising smoke. At that moment, a massive figure burst out of the smoke, accompanied by a hint of blue smoke—it was the giant tiger.
When the tiger came into view, it no longer looked as imposing. Large patches of its fur were burnt, singed hair clinging to its skin with sparks still flickering. Its huge body was covered in wounds, with countless iron nails embedded in its flesh.
The most serious injury was to one of its eyes, surrounded by nails, with dark red liquid oozing from the socket. Upon seeing the tiger's injuries, a smile crept onto Su Xiao's face. Such wounds would likely reduce its fighting ability by at least ninety percent, proving that his traps were very effective. Indeed, humans were the most dangerous creatures in nature.
The giant tiger charged at Su Xiao with a roar, closing the distance in just a few steps. Compared to this massive beast, Su Xiao was barely taller than its front legs. Yet, for some reason, his heart began to race; facing such a huge opponent excited him.
Before the tiger could reach him, Su Xiao pushed off the ground, sending dry leaves flying as he sprinted toward the tiger, swinging his long knife at its front paw.
"Thud."
Blood splattered as he cut a deep wound into the tiger's paw. The "Dragon Slashing Flash," rated a perfect 10, effortlessly sliced through the tiger's tough skin and deep into its muscle.
The tiger let out a painful roar. The previous explosion had already slowed its movements, and its mind was still a bit dazed. Just as the tiger prepared to counterattack, Su Xiao had already jumped to the side, positioning himself on the tiger's left, which was its blind spot due to the injured eye.
The tiger's massive paws swiped forward, gleaming with a metallic sheen. If Su Xiao got caught, it would be a painful price to pay, but the tiger couldn't touch him just yet. Seizing the opportunity, Su Xiao stepped forward, gripping the knife tightly, and struck again at the tiger's paw.
He targeted the paw out of necessity; the tiger stood at least four meters tall, making it hard to aim for its vital spots like the throat or head. With those two massive paws threatening him, Su Xiao couldn't afford to recklessly attack the tiger's critical areas.
But that was fine; he still had a few hours before the side quest's deadline, giving him time, while the tiger did not. After just a short fight, the ground around them was soaked in blood. It wouldn't be long before the tiger collapsed from blood loss, at which point it would be at his mercy.
The tiger sensed this too. Its one eye filled with hatred fixed on Su Xiao, and it began to consider retreating. This was the nature of beasts; in dire situations, most would choose to flee unless they had cubs to protect.
Survival instincts aren't just human; animals have them too, especially this clever giant tiger. It panted heavily, its claws digging deep into the ground, ready to escape at any moment.
With the battle reaching this point, Su Xiao wasn't about to let the tiger get away. He couldn't waste precious time setting traps. Just as the tiger showed signs of wanting to retreat, Su Xiao's "Dragon Slashing Flash" struck again, leaving several bloody gashes on the tiger's body.
Seeing the tiger's health drop to just 8%, it was clear it wouldn't survive. In the Reincarnation Paradise, there was no rage mode triggered when health fell below 10%. Instead, any creature would be extremely weak at that point.
Not to mention, the tiger could barely run now, its attacks were chaotic, and it was solely focused on escaping. When the tiger tried to flee for the sixth time, Su Xiao plunged his knife into its hind leg and pulled hard.
The sound of the blade slicing through muscle was distinct. Su Xiao felt the slight tremor in the knife as the muscle tore apart. The tiger let out a mournful cry, a deep wound appearing on its hind leg, revealing a severed tendon before the blood could fill the injury.
With that tendon cut, the tiger had lost its chance to escape. It was doomed. Perhaps realizing this, the tiger changed its demeanor, facing Su Xiao and letting out threatening roars.
Su Xiao stood boldly before the massive beast, his bare chest splattered with tiger blood. The warm, slick feeling of the blood ignited his ferocity, making him appear especially fierce at that moment.
Standing before this beast the size of a house, Su Xiao smiled—a gentle smile. The "Master of Kolbo Mountain" had ruled this place for many years without fearing any creature.
But at this moment, the giant beast felt a hint of fear toward Su Xiao because this smiling human might take its life.
"Roar~!"
A roar filled with anger and fear echoed throughout Kolbo Mountain. Su Xiao moved swiftly toward the giant tiger, constantly changing his position.
The tiger lowered its body, preparing to fight Su Xiao with all its might. One of its paws, carrying the scent of blood, lunged at Su Xiao's face. This strike was both quick and fierce; the tiger had hidden its speed, revealing it now in its dying moments, aiming to deliver a fatal blow to Su Xiao.
If that paw hit him, even if he survived, he would have to flee. Although Su Xiao seemed to have the upper hand, the reality was different. The gap in strength between him and the tiger was too great. Even after landing several strikes, the tiger's health bar had only dropped by about 1%, which was hardly significant, especially considering the tiger was rapidly losing blood.
But if he took a hit from that paw, the battle could end right there. The deadly paw was nearly upon him, yet Su Xiao maintained his forward momentum, actually moving toward it.
Just as the tiger's paw was about to strike him, Su Xiao spread his legs and knelt, lowering his center of gravity and leaning back. The bloody paw grazed his nose, the strong wind blowing his hair back.
His knees sank into the leaves on the ground as he narrowly avoided the tiger's strike. With one hand slapping the ground, Su Xiao leaped up, finding himself right beneath the tiger's head, its vulnerable throat exposed.
Without hesitation, Su Xiao struck down with his knife. Blood gushed out, covering him completely.
While Su Xiao fought for his life against the tiger, a small figure hid in a nearby bush, appearing to be a child.
"Wow, so strong."
The bushes rustled as a child's head peeked out, wearing a straw hat adorned with a few green leaves.
Guess who the child is? Hehe, you probably already know.
(End of Chapter)