"Animal Hunters and Soldiers: Stay back. Provide support in the form of arrows" Frowning Tiger's orders were absolute. Although everyone was pumped by Arthur's charisma, if they went against the Mythic Classes and High Classes, the only result would be their deaths.
Unlike the prior horde, the 2nd wave wasn't as plentiful, but they were each powerful Magical Beasts. Animal Hunters and Soldiers would only be useless in front of these beasts. So the best they could do was to provide support from the back. Although their arrows would not harm the Mythic or High Classes in any way, hey were sure to irritate them. Frowning Tiger was hoping to make use of every little opportunity they could get. Irritated Mythic and High Class Magical Beasts were better than calm and logical ones. Plus, they could also cause confusion amongst the Insect Types by introducing flames. Insect Type Magical Beasts feared fire, so that was the best course of action. They had reserved their oil and heat resistant arrows for this very purpose.
"I leave this place to you," Frowning Tiger looked at the approaching horde and patted Samoa on his shoulder. The boy was surprised by the sudden thrusting of responsibility. But his eyes gleamed with confidence and determination.
"Yes Frowning Tiger Sir" Samoa nodded his head in reply. He could see Arthur standing before the men like a strong tower. His friend was doing his part. Since Samoa wasn't as strong as Arthur, only his intelligence and wit would be effective here. He was going to make use of that.
"Listen to his commands. Treat them like my own." Frowning Tiger turned to the Animal Hunters and Soldiers and commanded them. Then he patted Samoa on the back once again and dashed towards the incoming horde.
Feeling the figure of Frowning Tiger appear right beside him, Arthur smiled and greeted.
"Teacher," he said. The respect he had for this man hadn't been dulled by his new found strength.
"Where is your father," Frowning Tiger asked the question that was everyone's mind. Sure Arthur was doing a terrific job keeping morale up, but his father was a general through-and-through. If Head Fan were to be here, Frowning Tiger wouldn't have been in charge.
"He's waiting for the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast," Arthur furrowed his brows slightly and answered. Of course he wasn't going to tell his master that he was the one supposed to stay hidden initially, but had messed up that plan by rushing out to come to Samoa's aid.
"I see," Frowning Tiger stated, then he looked at Arthur with a knowing smile. Arthur scratched his cheek in embarrassment. It seemed that his master had figured it out anyway. It was easy. Frowning Tiger knew that Village Head Fan would never accept such a role and stay behind. He didn't know why Arthur came out first, but he concluded that the boy definitely disobeyed his father in doing so.
"He is better there," Arthur turned his head to gaze upon the figure of his friend barking out orders to the Animal Hunters and Soldiers. His friend wasn't strong enough to make a difference on the frontlines. But with his wisdom, providing support from behind would be very effective.
"He is," Frowning Tiger agreed.
"What are we waiting for," Rash Tiger smirked. He cracked his knuckles threateningly, eager to go after the Magical Beasts.
"A signal," Frowning Tiger replied. Before Rash Tiger could ask a follow up question, he heard the sounds of several arrows leaving their bows. He looked up and saw several flaming arrows flying through the air. Alongside the arrows were barrels full of oil. These barrels had been hoisted into the airspace above the Magical Beasts. They fell among the horde of Insect Types and broke apart.
"So is this the signal," Rash Tiger asked.
"It is," Frowning Tiger turned to look at Samoa and gave the boy a small smile of acknowledgement.
*Boom*
The flaming arrows fell onto the oil soaked insects and they caught fire immediately. Several panicked screeches filled the air as large cockroaches, beetles and other large Insect Types struggled to put the fire out. The beasts that weren't insects were also wary of the flames, with several of them taking detours to avoid the fiery wall that had been built before them.
"Now," Frowning Tiger exclaimed and dashed towards the Magical Beasts. His destination was the detour they were taking. Rash Tiger licked his lips hungrily and followed suit. He looked like a thirst deprived individual seeking for water. Both of them rushed towards the Magical Beasts like hurricanes. Since the other zones had converged with the first zone, all 19 Predators, including Blistering Cheetah's team and all 75 Thrashers were here. They followed Frowning Tiger's lead and rushed towards the beasts.
*Whoosh*
Blistering Cheetah's blurry figure dashed past Frowning Tiger's. Even though Frowning Tiger had a head start, in front of a speed freak like Blistering Cheetah, this head start was nothing. The other Cheetahs soon whizzed past Frowning Tiger as well. The last figure to get past Frowning Tiger was a Mongoose. His speed wasn't breathtaking like the Cheetahs, but he was still faster than Frowning Tiger and most of the other Predators. The four speedsters had determined expressions on their faces as they rushed to meet the incoming horde.
*Boom*
A sonic boom warped the air around them as a figure faster than anyone else darted past even the Cheetahs.
"Fast!"
Blistering Cheetah exclaimed in shook when this person overtook him. "It seems that my days as the fastest in the village are over," he thought to himself as a smile found its way onto his face.
*Bang*
The supremely fast figure appeared instantaneously in front of a High Level Magical Beast – the Red Roach. This creature was 4 meters tall with very hard carapace. It was one of the lucky insects that evaded the fiery storm and taken the detour. Its eyes glistened in excitement when it saw a human appear before it. It felt it was the luckiest beast in the world. It chomped down eagerly, but it was bound for disappointment.
*Whish*
A red light streaked past its head, and the armor it drew its confidence from was no match for this red light. Once the light flashed past, its head fell off its body and it collapsed. The tenacious beast writhed on the ground for several more seconds after its head had been lopped off, displaying its amazing vitality. Unfortunately, with its head cut off, this was useless.
Arthur didn't even pay attention to the stupid beast that he killed. Red Roaches were famous for one thing and it wasn't their near impenetrable defense. It was their low level of intelligence very much unlike any other High Class Magical Beast. Any other High Class Magical Beast that witnessed Arthur's insane speed would have retreated. Even the Middle and Low Classes had instincts that saved them from threatening situations. But the Red Roach didn't seem to have any of those either. It possessed the ability to evolve after surviving a threat, and this made it a dangerous foe to allow to get away when one faced them. But their stupidity ensured that they rarely sought to run away even when things were unfavorable for them. Those that had a little bit of wisdom and evolved became Mythic Class Magical Beasts called the Red Roach Emperor – or Empress depending on its gender. More often than not, it was the females that attained this level because they were smarter than the males. So meeting a Red Roach Emperor was rarer that meeting their Empress counterparts.
This low intelligence spoke for itself when several roaches dashed towards Arthur even though he had killed one of their species with a single blow. Several of them rushed towards Arthur, screeching in excitement instead of fear.
"Fools" Arthur spat out and went into their midst.
He swung Durandal around a few times, and with every swing, at least three roaches fell. His strikes were very accurate, and each roach that died, died without a head on its corpse.
"What is this feeling," Arthur savored the feeling of euphoria he was experiencing. Every kill made him stronger, and every bit of strength increased his affinity with Durandal. He felt content, and strangely eager to take more lives. There was a strange power welling up inside him, waiting to explode. Every time he killed a beast, this power increased further. When the nth roach fell to his sword, he felt that the strange well of power was full, and couldn't take anymore. He felt he had to let it go so that he could be free again.
"Explode!"
Arthur exclaimed, and a red light burst out of his sword and into the crowd of Magical Beasts. The red light was large and daunting. It traveled past every single roach, reaping their lives. Even the Red Roach Empress who was behind the group of roaches, waiting for the opportune moment to strike wasn't spared. And it was a Mythic Class Magical Beast. However, even taking the life of the Red Roach Empress wasn't enough to satiate this red light. It traveled past three other Mythic Class Beasts, and took them out swiftly. The unfortunate High Classes in its way also had their lives robbed.
Arthur marveled at the power of the sword light. "I'd call you Reaper," Arthur smirked and continued on his rampage.