Chapter Twenty-One: Those Who Arrive with the Storm

With a heavy thud, the Raphinos crashed to the ground from the sky, letting out a piercing, mournful wail.

Luzhao peered closely at the barbs on the wings of the Raphinos and immediately recognized them.

“It’s that one!” she exclaimed. That encounter had brought Luzhao closer to death than ever before.

A pair of jet-black blade-like wings parted the bushes. Then, an elegant shadow cloaked in darkness emerged, its dragon eyes rimmed with crimson shadow, fixing on the Anjanath.

The Anjanath ignored the wailing Raphinos, instead glaring ferociously at the intruder.

“Nargacuga!” Su Yi whispered. This was the monster that had nearly killed him—the Crimson Meteor!

The Raphinos, its wings grievously wounded, struggled to its feet. It shrank the feathers around its neck, making itself appear as small and pitiable as possible—its way of surviving.

Nargacuga stepped silently onto the clearing. The Anjanath gave a guttural, rumbling growl, both monsters paying no heed to the Raphinos.

“Waaah…” The Raphinos wisely began to retreat, still whimpering softly.

Roar! Both Anjanath and Nargacuga snarled menacingly at the still-whining Raphinos, as if irritated by this noisy creature’s slow withdrawal.

Was this some kind of ancient forest bullying?

Waaah! Abandoning all pride, the Raphinos turned tail and fled in utter misery.

With the field cleared, it was now a contest for territory between the two apex predators.

Roar! The Anjanath bellowed, raising the heat membranes along its back and erecting its nasal crest, making itself appear even larger and more intimidating.

Nargacuga growled low, pacing around the Anjanath, searching for an opening, its razor-sharp wing blades twitching with anticipation.

The hot-tempered Anjanath struck first. It arched its neck, lowered its head, and charged in with heavy, rapid steps.

Nargacuga leapt nimbly, latching onto the Anjanath’s back. But before it could sink its fangs in, the Anjanath bucked mightily, slamming the Nargacuga into a massive tree.

The impact sounded with a dull thud as the great tree creaked and shuddered, on the verge of snapping.

Howling in pain, the enraged Nargacuga lunged for the Anjanath’s vulnerable heat membrane.

Flesh tore, blood splattered.

The Anjanath roared in agony, twisting to bite at Nargacuga’s tail. With savage strength, it seized the tail and smashed Nargacuga against the ground.

With a heavy thump, Nargacuga was slammed down. Suddenly, the barbs along its tail bristled, stabbing into the soft flesh of the Anj