The Diamond Flesh Black Panther.

It was early in the morning,the time when Rune went about securing metals and all in the neighbouring shops and blacksmiths workshops when One Eye and his two subordinates forcefully entered Rune's shop.

What greeted them left them speechless. The shop was so different from what it was a long time ago before it closed and ceased its operation. Their greedy eyes drank in the exquisite weapons neatly arranged in the glass casings.

" That bitch sure knows a little about weapons, nevertheless,we are going to collect all this soon enough. Let's go and talk to her." One eye said as he led his man up the stairs, leisurely taking them one at a time.

They were not in a hurry. And they were not afraid either. What could they be afraid of when their boss was a Jade Body Level cultivator? And right now they had the grace of the black panther of Manroe, a formidable opponent at the Diamond Flesh Cultivation Level.

Mrs Amaroc was singing to herself, cooking breakfast for Rune and herself when she heard Grey menacingly growling and moving towards the stairs. The hairs on its back ruffled and stood up. Its eyes turned red and its teeth became sharper and longer.

In the four months since its birth, it has grown as large as a calf. At this rate, soon it wouldn't be able to fit through the door way! It had become a ferocious beast that sent other beast companions shrinking back to their owners with its presence only.

....

Rune was a few blocks away when he felt the change in Grey's emotions before visual pictures came through into his mind.

.....

"Grey, what is it?" Mrs Amaroc had never seen this side of Grey. She had always thought Grey as a good mannered oversized wolf, never causing trouble. Always sleeping by the mat near the fire place.

One eye felt the powerful aura suppressing him on the stairs. His legs couldn't even move one more step up. Sweat broke through on his eyebrows. This wasn't good at all.

The black panther felt the aura of a wolf-like beast covering it like a blanket. It shook its soul and attacked with its own soul strength.

'roar!!!'

The panther's roar vibrated through the whole block. Pedestrians on the road stood looking at the closed shop's entrance.

This was a high tier beast companion if the aura leaking through to them was anything to go by.

" What is happening?"

" I don't know, but The Crimson Gang had entered this shop, they broke through the locks there"

"What a pity, the owner is done for"

"It's that widow who lost her husband a year ago"

" There are two auras coming from within, do you think Mrs aura has a beast this powerful?"

"They should be both belonging to the Gang"

" What a pity, she is a good woman, even sells her clothes on credit without charging interest if you negotiate with her"

" Who is that?"

These were random talkings by people now crowding around the shop.

And the last question, of course, referred to Rune who had entered the shop.

.....

When Mrs Amaroc finally saw the three man and the now leading panther, her face turned pale with fright. Everyone knew of the Crimson's dirty hand, One eye!

"Roooaaaaar!!!!"

A more powerful roar sent the three handymen falling back. Without warning, the Ridgeback Wolf powerfully pounced on the black panther.

They both tumbled with crashing noise to the ground floor in the shop. The three men dashed to the door only to find the reportedly servant of Mrs Amaroc standing there, door firmly closed behind him.

His eyes looked beastly, more like those of the wolf beast behind them! More menacing even.

Is this really the servant? They were in confusion and in a rush to get out of here before one of the attacks of those beasts behind decimated them.

" So you are ?" Rune asked the leader

"One Eye, now get out of the way boy if you know what's good for you!"

Rune drew Severance, The Betrayer of the Void, and dragon flames glowed down its length. This was an artifact that kingdoms would wage war against each other for.

One eye felt the power of that weapon from where he stood. This wasn't a normal treasure! This was a weapon of utter destruction. Its keen edges sent shivers down his spine and his legs wobbled.

As for his two companions, they were both on the ground, one already bleeding blood from his nose.

"Grey, take that panther out of here" Rune instructed his beast friend as he opened the door wide.

Bam! Boom!

One swipe of Grey's paw send the panther flying and crashing outside. The spectating crowd broke into chaos. They didn't want to be in the cross fire.

A large wolf stood in the entrance to the shop, its head held low. It sniffed the air and leisurely moved forward, powerful paws softly and quietly drawing it closer to the nearly recovered black panther.

Everyone who saw this was flabbergasted, a wolf defeating a panther!? But they had not seen anything yet.

The panther lunged at the approaching ridgeback wolf with its maws stretched wide open. Grey easily jumped to the side and sank her teeth into the passing panthers neck, arresting its momentum.

With a powerful jack of its head to the side, it tore the panther's neck, ending its life. Blood splayed in all directions.

'Hahoooooo!'

Grey looked in the sky and hwoooed into the morning sky.

The spectators were shocked. Their eyes bulged open and their jaws nearly hit the cobblestones under their feet. No one could comprehend this. That was a pinnacle panther beast, killed in broad daylight like an everyday thing.

What was that beast? Was it really a wolf? Why is its back ruffled?

The eerily silence was broken by the man who came out of the shop with a sack bundle hanging over his shoulder.

He had seen everything that had transpired. Only the heavens knows why he had been spared.

This Mrs Amaroc was a shrewd lady, a low lying dragon amongst antelopes!

If only he knew how far from the truth he was.