Rain warrior

The Southern Province is known for its heavy rains, and many of the magical beasts there possess water or lightning attributes.

Borne recalled a passage from the Beasts Compendium.

But it had been over ten years since he last saw a Thunder Tiger. Due to the high value of the Thunder Tiger, its fur and head were highly coveted by nobles.

Thus, in the early years, many nobles initiated large-scale hunts of the Thunder Tiger.

Additionally, the Beast Core of the Thunder Tiger was a prized item for many mages and warriors. It could be absorbed by warriors to enhance their cultivation.

It could also strengthen a mage's spells.

As a result, even a Beast Core the size of a red date could fetch dozens of gold coins on the market.

And now, a wounded and massive Thunder Tiger suddenly reappeared here, suggesting this Thunder Tiger might be different from the others.

Borne guided his warhorse, deducing the Thunder Tiger's likely path after its escape.

"That creature jumped off from the edge of the cliff; it might be on the mountainside now."

At that moment, Borne jolted, recalling the fierce expression of the Thunder Tiger by the cliff.

And that scar on its forehead.

He began to speculate about that scar — if there was a more powerful beast, who could it be? Mighty Bear? Bloodlust Leopard? Countless doubts began to form in his mind.

"No, no, the mission is the priority."

Borne halted his speculations.

He then carefully searched for traces along the mountain path, on the damp soil, not wanting to miss any possible clues.

His visibility was limited in the pouring rain.

So, he decided to use the light stone in his bag to illuminate his way.

The light from the stone flickered in the storm, but for Borne, it was sufficient.

Suddenly, he noticed some unusual signs on the ground.

On the muddy surface, washed by the rain, there were a few irregular paw prints. Borne immediately halted his warhorse and leaned over to inspect these traces.

At a glance, he noticed these paw prints were much smaller compared to those of the Thunder Tiger.

Not far from the claw marks, Borne also found a horseshoe.

"What is something like this doing here?"

Before he could think further, a shrill scream came from the mountainside.

Borne quickly straightened up and raised the reins, and the warhorse sped toward the mountainside at its fastest pace.

Galloping along the rugged mountain path, the mountain wind howled past.

The horse's breathing was rapid and powerful, its chest muscles heaving violently with the rhythm of the run.

Borne's gaze was fixed ahead; the mountain path was steep and narrow, but he drove the horse forward without hesitation.

Reaching the mountainside.

Following the tracks on the ground, he found the source of the scream.

The sky was filled with thick clouds, completely obscuring the moon and the night sky.

The pitch-black atmosphere offered no light.

The scent of blood in the wind was strong, mixed with the smell of soil, and Borne's heart skipped a beat.

"Not good, it might be here."

Borne pushed through the grass, arriving at a spot where the ground was soaked with blood.

He could faintly see a hungry Wolfbeast kneeling beside a mangled corpse. Moving closer,he realized the body had been torn apart beyond recognition.

Next to the corpse lay the carcass of a warhorse with its innards hollowed out.

Raindrops pattered against the corpses, producing a steady dripping sound.

This was accompanied by the sound of tearing and swallowing as the Wolfbeast chewed on chunks of flesh.

Its eyes were filled with ferocity, and each bite seemed especially brutal.

Borne's appearance interrupted the Wolfbeast's meal.

The creature's keen ears immediately picked up on the slightest disturbance.

Its head jerked up, its glowing green eyes locking onto Borne through the pouring rain.

At that moment, a flash of lightning illuminated the scene, allowing Borne to clearly see the appearance of the Wolfbeast.

Its body was small, slightly smaller than the warhorse.

Its face was smeared with blood, its expression extremely fierce.

It bared its blood-soaked fangs, emitting a low, threatening growl from its throat, as if declaring the start of a fight.

The Wolfbeast hunched its rain-soaked body, ready to pounce on the new prey before it at any moment.

Borne's right hand gripped his war hammer tightly, the veins on his arm bulging. He took a deep breath, his left hand gently tugging on the reins, prompting the warhorse to step in place, maintaining a flexible stance.

In the stormy night, a bloody battle began.

Just then, the thunder roared, and the Wolfbeast let out a howl, its hind legs suddenly kicking off the ground. Its body shot toward Borne like a black lightning bolt.

Borne's arm muscles tensed, his left hand pulling firmly on the reins. Under his command, the warhorse deftly sidestepped, immediately dodging the Wolfbeast's frontal assault.

The Wolfbeast's claws sliced through the air, producing a sharp, whistling sound, but it missed its target.

In that instant, Borne seized the opportunity, raising his war hammer high, raindrops trailing off in the wind as he brought it down toward the Wolfbeast's head.

Boom!

The war hammer struck the Wolfbeast's thick skull with a deafening crash, as if smashing into solid steel.

The Wolfbeast jerked its head violently, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Although the hammer blow hadn't completely shattered its tough skull, the immense force had clearly caused it both pain and alarm.

It let out a roar of rage, retreating several steps, its scarlet eyes growing even wilder in the curtain of rain.

Borne didn't relent; his wrist twisted, quickly changing direction, intending to charge at the Wolfbeast again.

But just then, a fierce growl suddenly reached his ears.

His body tensed immediately, and he scanned his surroundings, spotting another Wolfbeast emerging from the shadows of the trees nearby.

This Wolfbeast was larger than the first, its thick gray-black fur and tail quivering in the howling wind.

Its sharp fangs, stained like bloody daggers, and its eyes were filled with an endless murderous intent.

Borne's gaze was locked on the two Wolfbeasts in front of him.

The two creatures were slowly closing in, moving in a coordinated and oppressive manner, flanking him from both the left and right.

Under Borne's control, the warhorse moved slowly.

He had almost no opportunity for a direct attack. Any wrong move could result in a fatal outcome.

"What should I do?"

Borne began to think amidst the pouring rain.

He used the corner of his eye to track the movements of the two Wolfbeasts.

Silently, he strategized his escape.

A reckless attack on one would likely expose his back, giving the other Wolfbeast a deadly opportunity.

Suddenly, the Wolfbeast on his right lunged, letting out a roar as its powerful forelimbs sprang forward like a drawn bow. 

Its sharp claws slashed rapidly toward Borne's side.

Reacting swiftly, Borne squeezed his legs together, and the warhorse leapt to the left, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike.

Rainwater splashed from the beast's swipe, blinding Borne momentarily.

Almost simultaneously, the Wolfbeast on the left charged forward, closing in on Borne atop his warhorse.

Borne gritted his teeth; there was no time to swing his war hammer.

Suddenly, an arrow shot through the air, slicing the rain with a swift, piercing sound.