Chapter 334
"Over in the Earth Zone, the Terra Clan and Harpies are locked in a race to the top of the mountain!" the announcer’s voice boomed through the arena. "Who will claim the flag first? The Harpies dominate the sky, but the Terra Clan has the ground on their side!"
The Zephyr Clan, seeing the dense trees, executed their own strategy. They wasted no time, leaping from tree to tree, the wind at their backs speeding their movements. With expert precision, they swung between branches, using the momentum of the wind to boost their speed.
Meanwhile, the Apeling students, realizing the race had begun, immediately shifted into their animal forms. Cheetahs, panthers, eagles, and ravens all emerged from their ranks, each adapting to the terrain. The big cats bounded ahead with incredible speed, while the birds soared above, scanning the landscape and calling out directions to their comrades below.
It wasn’t long before all the clans converged at the base of the towering mountain. The Terra Clan was still pressing with their advanatge as they continued swimming up the mountain undisturbed.
Above, the Harpies screeched in frustration, swooping down toward the Terra Clan as they tried to reclaim the high ground. Suddenly, a blast of wind from a Zephyr Clan member disrupted the harpies’ flight pattern, sending a few of them tumbling through the air before they could regain their balance.
The Apeling students weren’t far behind. Their panther and cheetah forms moved with grace, clawing their way up the mountain with feline agility. Overhead, the eagles and ravens circled, calling out strategies to those still climbing below.
"And now, all the clans are converging at the mountain!" the announcer’s voice rang out again. "It’s anyone’s game at this point, folks! The Zephyr Clan is using the wind to disrupt their competitors, but can they reach the flag before the Terra Clan digs their way to the top? And don’t count out the Apeling students—they’re moving like a well-oiled machine!"
High above, the Harpies, realizing they couldn’t stop the Terra Clan from below, pushed themselves even higher, determined to secure the flag. The leader of the Zephyr Clan, seeing this, frowned. He knew that if the Harpies gained the upper hand now, the flag would be lost to them.
Sensing the shift, the Zephyr Clan leader acted quickly. He stretched his hands skyward, summoning the winds to their full power. "With me!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the roar of the oncoming storm. His clan members followed suit, and the sky above the mountain began to churn. Dark clouds swirled into a vortex, and the winds began to howl with ferocity, bending trees and kicking up debris. The harpies faltered, their flight patterns disrupted by the violent gusts. Several of them tumbled through the air, wings struggling to stay open.
Yet the Terra Clan remained undisturbed, burrowing deeper into the stone beneath their feet, while the Apeling students slowed their progress, having to battle against the powerful winds.
Meanwhile, the Zephyr Clan laughed, the storm their ally. Their bodies became light as feathers, and they rode the winds effortlessly, gliding through the storm toward the summit, passing by their competitors with ease. But they had underestimated the harpies’ resolve.
Anger flashed in the eyes of one of the harpy leaders as she raised her arm toward the swirling clouds. Her wings shimmered and began to transform, turning into clouds themselves. With a single command, she manipulated the weather, bending the storm to her will. It wouldn’t have been possible for her alone but the Zephyr clan already gathered the clouds for her.