Chapter 100: Army Arrived!
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Five metres distance between them. The cat beast sensed him, wheeled, hiss echoing canyon. It lunged with speed shocking for its bulk. Kai slid under a slash, spear raking belly but failing to penetrate its thick fur. He felt turbulence above as claws scored rock where his head had been.
He sprang, stabbed hind‑leg tendon. Cat roared, tail whipping him aside. His ribs rattled (Ding! HP‑120). He rolled, popped up, triggered Tiny Tank.
Cat charged again. Kai jammed spear butt into sand, vault‑poled over its skull, twisting mid‑air to land astride shoulders. He stabbed behind the ear seam repeatedly. Blood gushed out, the beast bucked like a storm. He clung, but the cat rolled, crushing him against sand (Ding! HP‑160). Armor held.
He snarled, bit down, and activated Devourer’s Bite, his mandibles lengthening, aura surging. He latched onto the exposed wound, tearing its flesh. Cat shrieked, trying to shake him off. But venom from the bite (launched by sub‑skill) seeped into nerves, slowing it down.
Kai released, leapt clear, spear flicking final thrust through palate into brain. Cat slumped.
[Ding! System notifications:
Sand Saber‑Cat (3★) defeated.
EXP +300
Three star Core ×1]
Breathing ragged, Kai knelt down to pick up the star core, it pulsed gold. He invoked Essence Eater and an earthy‑copper tang, primal, essence liquid coursing down his throat.