"So? Need any help?" the white tiger asked once more seeing that everyone was dumbfounded.
"No. I can kill all of them," Drake replied turning his head back to the humans.
"Sure, but you should make it fast, there were about a hundred of them that entered the forest, and their leader is not someone you can deal with." the white tiger smirked.
As soon as Drake heard that, he gritted his teeth.
"You should mind your own business."
"I am, that is why I want to help you," the white tiger refuted. "I imagine these bastards came here looking for you two, but it's not like they will leave me be if they see me."
"You bet we won't," the leader said, breaking a talisman. "How could we ignore a white tiger when we see one? You are as important as these monkeys in the eyes of our superiors. We have a capture on sight for both of your races.
"Even though we have no idea what these monkeys are, how can we not know the "King of Beasts" as you so shamelessly call yourselves."
"All the beasts we meet seem to forget their place as livestock and pet for us." another soldier laughed.
ROARR... The white tiger enraged charged toward the soldiers.
'What a naive beast. However, I need to thank him for his interruption and info. If I had gone berserk here, the rest of them would have surely caught up with me.' Drake formed an evil grin, and his belly swelled before releasing an Air Bullet targeting the group of Holy Knights.
"Men, I already informed the others, the will be arriving soon." The leader said before infusing Ki in his lance and piercing at the air bullet that Drake threw. "Let's kill the beasts before they arrive!"
The rest of them cheered then they split up with two facing the white tiger and two facing Drake.
When the air bullet was blocked by the leader, a loud bang sounded, followed by a fierce wind lasting for mere seconds. Then the leader charged towards Drake along with the other two.
Drake, not staying idle, used his staff to sweep their feet trying to make them fall off balance. One of the soldiers blocked his staff but underestimated Drake's power. He ended up being lifted on the air, crushing on the other one, making both of them fall down. Drake jumped on them trying to kill them before the leader closes the distance.
"STOP RIGHT THERE, BEAST!" The leader shouted, launching his lance towards Drake, forcing him to halt his steps.
Drake looked at him mockingly and then extended his staff, making a hole in the middle of one the downed soldier's chest.
"One dead, two to go." He announced emotionlessly.
'How can he own a magic weapon? Only Bishop rank and above are qualified to have one.' the leader was gobsmacked.
The other soldier hurriedly stood up, using his lance to stab Drake. But monkey's are famous for their agility, especially a god's descendant, so he quickly dodged it. Drake then shrank his staff, immediately swinging it, breaking some of the ribs of the soldier that stabbed him.
"This isn't even a challenge... Are you guys really at the peak of the Body Refinement realm? Maybe I can't judge another's strength well enough yet." Drake mocked them.
The leader had already reached his lance, picking it up. His face had an extremely serious look.
'How can this beast be so strong. He is clearly proficient in combat arts.'
While he was thinking of how to proceed with the fight, Drake moved to the other soldier who was on the ground, groaning, grabbed his neck and lifted him up.
"Ah... This is nice... " Drake muttered, slowly increasing the pressure in his hand. "Yes... This is the feeling I want." An evil laugh was heard from the monkey's mouth, making everyone feel a shiver down their spine.
Crack. Everyone heard the sound of bones breaking. The now lifeless body, previously being held by Drake, dropped on the floor.
Drake tilted his head to look at the leader.
"You know, this is not nearly enough to satisfy me. You already sent a sound transmission to your friends, no? That means they will come as well." Drake started laughing maniacally while his killing intent was emitting. "I will kill all of them sooner or later. Every goddamn thing that has the symbol of that bitch will die."
The white tiger had already finished killing the two that charged at him and was looking at Drake. Even though his race was the king of all beasts, right now he could only cower in front of this golden monkey.
Of course, the leader of the group was now regretting giving the order to capture them before waiting for others. He was slowly retreating planning to run and regroup with the others.
"You can run, I will give you a one-minute headstart," Drake said, instantly making the leader turn around and ran for his life.
One second later, he felt a sudden pain in his stomach and looking down he saw a lance protruding through a newly formed hole in it.
"I lied."
That was the last voice he heard before falling, refusing to believe that he died like that.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Drake asked the white tiger while he was walking towards Diana, lifting her up and throwing her inside the lake.
"Escape with you guys, obviously. I am quite familiar with the forest, so I know how to get out of here, but if I meet too many of them, I won't be able to handle them alone and neither will you." the white tiger replied. "It is better to for both of us to stick together for the time being."
A splattering sound was heard, and Diana jumped outside the lake coughing water.
"There are better ways to wake her up than that."
Drake shrugged his shoulder dismissing the white tiger's words and instead refuted him.
"There are better ways to fight than lose your calm when somebody hurt your pride with his words."
Ashamed, the white tiger turned to Diana who just regained her consciousness.
"You okay?" he asked her.
"Yeah..." she looked around and saw the corpses of the humans that captured her. "Thank you for saving me; my name is Diana. I will definitely repay you in the future."
"Haha, don't mind it. I am Arte of the White Tiger beast clan." The tiger replied. " I thought you would be as cold as the guy over there making the time we will spend together unbearable. I am glad I was wrong."
Diana then turned to look at Drake while lowering her head.
"I am sorry for causing you trouble and thank you for saving me."
Drake picked up her cloth, throwing at her without saying anything and he started searching the corpses. While Diana was dressing and discussing the battle that took place with Arte, he was picking up the armours and lances from the Holy Knights until his eyes fell at the now broken talisman.
"We should run now or else we will be surrounded."
Arte and Diana looked at him and nodded.
"Follow me Diana and what's your name guy." The white tiger laughed. "I am used to hunting in these parts and we just need to head that way." He turned to look towards the west. "Until we reach a river. It should be around two days travel from here."
"His name is Drake," Diana giggled before following him. "But he doesn't talk much."
Drake ignored their comments and took one last thoughtful look in the two bodies killed by Arte.
'He is strong. Almost at my level. I should really keep my guard up against him.' Drake thought.
They ran until night came when Arte took them to a cave, well hidden from the outside due to the extreme vegetation in the area. Drake stayed outside for some time, covering their tracks to delay their pursuers.
A few hours after they ran away, another group of Holy Knights arrived at the previous battlefield.
"These two were killed by the tiger, while two were killed by a staff. Probably a weapon that the monkeys were holding. The last one was strangled even though he got beaten first." the one checking the bodies announced.
"These five were at the peak of the Body Refinement realm. Any chance the beasts are above that?"
"This shouldn't be possible, according to the traces left; they had time to react to the attacks, if any of the beasts were at the Soul Refinement, it could have just suppressed their souls."
"So the golden monkeys are as strong as the legendary white tiger? We should inform lady Bishop immediately." said the leader of the new group, taking out a talisman transmitting everything they just found to Bishop Daniela.
She was riding on top of her white lion when she received the transmission.
'Oh? Not only they found out the monkeys, they even discovered a white tiger? Even if we lost five members, as long as we capture them, the higher-ups will be very pleased,' she thought while forming a smile. She then ordered her mount to turn around, rushing in the direction of her subordinates.
Back in the cave, after everybody ate something, Arte and Diana fell asleep to rest. But Drake could be seen cultivating.
Suddenly, he exhaled white smoke and his eyes opened up shining even in the dark.
'Finally, my body is completely refined by Ki. I should be able to have a breakthrough in the Soul Refinement realm within the next days.'