Leo and Lucy were dashing through the jungle quickly. Leo looked over and saw the worry on Lucy's face and he knew he needed to ready his resolve and prepare himself.
They finally made it to the clearing and found Leaf's lifeless body. Leo walked over to its carcass and placed his hand on it. "Thank you, for protecting them. Rest well Leaf."
Being part beast because of the core he fused with his body, Leo always felt close to the animals. Especially after the battle with the draconians and breaking through. Many days Leo would visit with the shadow beast in Machu Pichu with Pedro all the time.
"We are here. Show yourself Team Zodiac." Lucy yelled angerly.
Someone jumped out of the shadows and walked towards them. "Nice to see you, Lucy Nightengale."
"Tai Sun...Why go to these lengths?" Lucy asked.
The Dragon Knight threw over two bracelets. Lucy looked down and saw mana dampening bracelets. "Put those on, and we will let Pedro go."
"Where is he?" Leo interrupted.
"You have no room to talk, Leonardo the former Panthera Knight." A shadow walked from behind a tree holding her dagger to a little boys throat. "Put on the artifact before I kill him."
"Damn you, Ka Ling," Lucy said.
Lucy picked up the bracelet and threw the other one to Leo. Lucy then sent Leo a mana message.
"Leo, the guy before us, has broken through. We can't fight them, but they won't hurt me. When I attack Ka Ling, grab Pedro and escape."
Leo didn't want to show the surprise on his face, but there was no way he could leave without Lucy. Lucy looked at him, and he knew there was no room to argue. He received this look before when he tried to break a promise with Lucy to go on a walk. Instead, Leo wanted to train. In the end, he went on the trek with her.
Leo sighed tell Lucy he was ready. Lucy channeled wind mana into an arrow behind her and shot it at Ka Ling. The air blast slammed into Ka Ling before she even knew it.
Leo throughout his right arm and erected a rock wall between them. Using his strengthen leg muscles and movement technique he appeared next to Pedro.
"I got you. Rest for now." Seeing the exhausted and hurt Pedro, Leo was furious but took off running through the jungle.
"He is getting away."
"Tai Sun. I will surrender myself if you do not chase after him." Lucy pleaded.
Looking at the clever girl, Tai Sun agreed with her plan.
"Fine. I will not chase him."
Tai Sun was always a man of his word, and Lucy knew he wouldn't break it. She placed the bracelet on her wrist.
"Team after that man." Tai Sun looked Lucy dead in the eyes and said, "I didn't say they wouldn't chase him."
Ka Ling took off and two other shadows whipped through the trees. One of the shadows asked, "How did you let her get the jump on you?"
"Shut up, Du Yi." She snapped back.
"Let us focus on capturing this Panthera Knight. His mana aura tells me he is now a Core Builder." Zi Xin intervened.
"What he already broke through?" Ka Ling asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I sensed it too. Also his movement technique more of a body movement than mana. He reminds me of the beastmen we have fought."Du Yi remarked.
"Don't go easy on him. As soon as you catch him, use your full strength." Zi Xin reminded them.
The other two nodded in agreement.
Back at the site, Tai Sun was curious why Lucy wasn't worried about Leo and the kid. "Why are you so calm?" He asked.
"Your team will find out soon. Leo is not an easy opponent." Lucy said while giving an eerie smile. "Take me to the airship, please. Also, you better call off your dogs before they get too close to Machu Pichu. There are several Avatar warriors there, and even with your new strength, you won't be able to get away."
Tai Sun shuttered to think if all of those rock-men chased after them. "The ship is that way." Tai Sun picked up his communication device and said, "If you don't catch him in the next five minutes turn around and return."
"Nice call Team leader," Lucy said to taunt him. She then walked past him all on her own towards the ship.
The three peak Core Builders were rushing through the jungle and were surprised when they got the message.
"Why do you think he wants us to return without Panthera Knight?" Du Yi asked.
"I don't know..." Ka Ling said when Zi Xin pushed her out of the way of a spike made of stone.
The three of them stopped in their tracks. A man standing next to a tree was staring them down. Zi Xin spoke up and asked, "Where did the boy go, Leo?"
"I'd worry more about yourselves."
Slowly three beastmen walked from behind the tree next to Leo. Shadow, Goblin, and Mouse had the same pissed off look Leo had.
"Let me take the bitch who hurt our boy," Shadow said as she released her claws.
"Goblin looked at Leo, and Leo then said to him, "You and Mouse take the big guy. I will face small one myself."
"Leo, you sure?" Mouse asked. All three of them were early Core Builders and even if Leo was the strongest of the three, A peak Core Builder a world of difference in strength.
"Yes," Leo replied.
"Get ready. I think we won't be returning to the ship any time soon." Du Yi said to the other two.