No chance!
Zhenjin and Zi Di hid near the cave entrance, watching the beasts fighting outside.
Throughout the battle, the Scale-Horned Black Panther Swarm remained orderly, keeping the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear trapped in the center.
If the boy and girl made a move outside, they would expose themselves to these wild animals.
The possibility of survival was low if they made such a risky attempt. Unless absolutely necessary, neither of them would take such an action.
The more Zhenjin watched, the more alarmed he became.
Though both sides battled fiercely, the Scale-Horned Black Panthers had the upper hand due to their greater numbers.
"Black Panthers usually live in family groups, not alone. To see so many panthers hunting together in a pack is unprecedented. On this island, not only have the life forms undergone terrifying mutations, but their habits have also drastically changed."
Zhenjin had some guesses about the origins of these Scale-Horned Black Panthers.
He remembered being chased by the Fire Poison Bee Swarm and encountering a mysterious beast resembling a panther during the escape. The beast finally fled in panic under the pressure of the Fire Poison Bee Swarm.
This beast was likely a Scale-Horned Black Panther. After fleeing, it probably returned to its group and, following the scent of Zhenjin and Zi Di's escape, led the panthers here.
"Rather than avenging themselves on the Fire Poison Bee Swarm, these panthers are more likely here to hunt me and Zi Di."
"In this sense, the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear took the disaster meant for us."
Despite this, Zhenjin felt no gratitude.
The Monkey-tailed Brown Bear first drove away the Fire Poison Bee Swarm and now fought against the panthers, creating an opportunity for survival for Zhenjin and Zi Di.
But if it emerged victorious and returned home, it would still turn on the boy and girl.
This was merely a coincidence.
Roar!
Suddenly, the panther leader jumped onto the bear's back, opening its jaws to bite the bear's neck.
The Monkey-tailed Brown Bear roared in fury, shaking its body wildly.
But the panther leader bit down hard, almost being thrown off, clinging to the bear's neck with its teeth.
The bear's thick skin and flesh only caused blood to flow. It reached out with its gorilla-like claws, sharp nails piercing deeply into the panther leader's body.
The panther leader held on tight, while the other panthers quickly jumped as well.
One by one, the panthers pounced on the bear, forcing it down to the ground.
"Here's the chance!" Seeing this, Zhenjin decisively grabbed Zi Di and ran out of the cave.
But then, the remaining panther spotted them, letting out a roar and pouncing towards them. The other panthers began to stir restlessly.
Forced by the Scale-Horned Black Panther, Zhenjin and Zi Di retreated back into the cave.
The panther didn't pursue them into the cave because the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear went berserk.
Its claws emitted scorching heat; the sharp, hard nails turned red, as if they were heated in a furnace.
The bear rolled frantically on the ground, throwing off most of the panthers.
Then it plunged its red-hot claws deep into the panther leader's body, causing blood to spurt from its mouth and nose during its frantic struggle.
Shizz!
Next moment, the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear violently ripped the panther leader in half!
Its claws glowed red-hot, exuding a scorching heat like steel freshly taken from a furnace.
Like red-hot iron, the claws could effortlessly pierce the panther's scales. With the bear's immense strength, they became deadly weapons!
In no time, nearly ten panthers were slaughtered, their corpses strewn on the ground!
The panic-stricken panther pack scattered, suffering significant losses.
Though the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear emerged victorious, it was in a dire state. Its right eye had been clawed out, and its entire body was wounded and bleeding. Some injuries on its limbs were so deep they revealed bone.
The most severe wound was on its neck, where the panther leader had bit, appearing to have nicked an artery.
Now, blood gushed continuously from the wound.
Severely injured, the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear didn't chase after the panthers but instead returned to the cave.
Zhenjin and Zi Di had no choice but to retreat further.
A wounded beast is often more dangerous!
Fortunately, due to its severe injuries, the bear didn't run; it walked back into the cave at a slow pace.
The boy and girl were forced further into the cave.
If the cave only had one path, they would ultimately face the bear in a final showdown.
But Zhenjin lacked confidence.
He previously had a Longsword, lost at the campfire. Now, the only weapons he and Zi Di had were two daggers—one with him, the other with Zi Di.
They retreated further.
The best-case scenario for them would be finding a side path in the cave.
However, an unexpected situation arose.
The Monkey-tailed Brown Bear stopped halfway, no longer advancing.
It paused, digging out ores from the cave wall with its claws and continuously swallowing them.
It was eating these burning hot ores!
Observing from the shadows, Zhenjin's eyes narrowed as he realized the bear's wounds stopped bleeding after it ate several ores. Its initially weak and unstable breathing gradually became steady.
Zhenjin understood completely.
"So these ores are the Monkey-tailed Brown Bear's food!"
Before, he had noticed many claw marks on the cave walls, thinking the bear was sharpening its claws. Now, it seemed the marks were from digging for food.
The Monkey-tailed Brown Bear's condition was rapidly improving.
Zhenjin and Zi Di exchanged glances, seeing the grave expressions on each other's faces.
They had two options.
One was to continue retreating, hoping to find a side path to avoid the bear.
The second option was to fight the bear. Seize the opportunity while the enemy is weak!
Both choices carried significant risks.
The first option forfeited the current advantage, allowing the bear to recuperate. If no side path existed, they would still face the bear in battle.
The second option of fighting the bear offered no guarantee of victory for Zhenjin. Seizing this opportunity was logical, but if a side passage existed and he still died fighting the bear, it would be a senseless fate.
Suddenly, Zi Di grabbed Zhenjin's hand. She said nothing, but her beautiful purple eyes conveyed her decision—she entrusted everything to him!
For a moment, Zhenjin was caught in the dilemma.
This was a life-or-death decision!
The crucial factor was it involved not only his life but also his fiancée Zi Di's life.
The heavy responsibility weighed on Zhenjin's shoulders.
His eyes flickered momentarily, then grew resolute with determination.
He squeezed Zi Di's hand, then released it.
Drawing his dagger, he moved slowly, quietly approaching the feeding Monkey-tailed Brown Bear.
Faced with uncertainty in both choices, without any reliable information to guide him, he chose to follow his instincts—favoring combat and attempting to seize control of his fate!
Even without a Longsword, holding just a short dagger.
Closer, closer still.
The distance between Zhenjin and the bear kept shrinking.
The bear continued feeding, perhaps feeling at home or too weary from the fierce battle to notice Zhenjin's approach.
But at that moment, Zhenjin's expression suddenly changed.
A memory surged to the forefront of his mind.
"Damn it, why now of all times!" Zhenjin cursed helplessly in his heart, temporarily lost in the flashback.
An old tavern, dimly lit, filled with noisy chatter.
"We won!"
"Drink up!"
Zhenjin found himself in a corner surrounded by knights in shiny armor. Naturally, he was one of them too.
These knights' armor, cloaks, or bodies bore fresh scars, but everyone was ecstatic.
It seemed like a post-battle celebration.
"Hoorah!" someone cheered, "Nothing can stop us Holy Temple Knights!"
"Thinking back, that fight was quite dangerous," someone else sighed.
Another knight, stroking his cup with a fearful voice, said, "I almost lost control of my mount."
The Holy Temple Knights' remarks drew a chuckle.
"What's so challenging about that? You kids are still too green." The voice attracted Zhenjin's and the other knights' attention.
The speaker was an elder.
He had graying whiskers, a sturdy build, and wore Holy Temple Knight armor, but with more ornate and majestic gold and silver embellishments than his peers.
The Holy Temple Knights had no rebuttals, only reverent looks at the elder.
The once boisterous tavern noise swiftly died down.
"Squad leader, tell us about it. I know you've been in countless great battles, like the Iron Flag Fortress siege and the Blood Knight extermination. Which one was the hardest?"
The old squad leader chuckled without speaking, downing his beer in one go.
As he set his cup down, a knight placed a full one before him.
This time, he took a small sip, almost drinking the beer foam.
His remaining solitary eye reflected nostalgia in the firelight.
"The toughest fight was six years ago at Jackal Valley."
"The Cold Pine Knights' annihilation battle!" someone exclaimed excitedly.
Several others gazed sharply at Zhenjin.
The old squad leader nodded, continuing, "Yes, at Jackal Valley. Those southern nobles are treacherous scoundrels, despicable, and capricious!"
"Our Holy Temple Knights marched for five days. Betrayed by our allies upon entering Jackal Valley, thousands of Cold Pine Knights besieged us."
"We had just withdrawn from the front lines. The first attack caught us off guard, costing us a third of our men, leaving just over a thousand, almost all wounded."
"We defended our ruined camp against wave after wave of Cold Pine Knight assaults."
"The second attack left us three hundred fewer."
"Two hundred and more fell in the third attack."
"After the fourth, only eighty remained."
"Exhausting all our Frenzy Potions with no supplies, things worsened when an enemy known as the Corrosioner used vile spells, corroding our weapons and armor horribly."
"Trapped with no way out, facing despair, the Cold Pine Knight leader demanded our surrender."
"Those southern nobles wanted us as bargaining chips with the Great Emperor."
"But they underestimated the Holy Temple Knights!"
"We debated briefly before launching an attack!"
"No swords, but we were Holy Temple Knights."
"No armor, but we were Holy Temple Knights."
"No horses, but we were Holy Temple Knights."
"No supplies, but we were Holy Temple Knights."
"No matter the enemy's numbers or strength, we never surrender."
"Because we are Holy Temple Knights!"