The three-eyed-panther was on the brink of leaping toward the defenseless boy, its muscles tensed for the attack.
However, a split second before it could strike, every hair on its body bristled, signaling an imminent threat.
With a sense of urgency, the panther whipped its head to the left in the direction of danger, all of its three eyes wide with panic.
Emerging from the dark depths of the forest came a colossal creature, moving with deliberate slowness, its head held high like a majestic monarch observing its subjects from above.
The creature's whole body was clad in thick, obsidian black scales, each as tough as the strongest metal across the entire Firaa continent.
Atop its head, two dark white horns resembling a diadem adorned it like the crown of a king, enhancing its dominating presence.
Although it was around two meters wide, its immense body stretched almost endlessly into the darkness, measuring nearly fifty meters in length.
As it moved, it effortlessly crushed and pulverized everything in its path beneath its majestic form, leaving destruction in its wake.
With deliberate indifference, The Basilisk approached the tree, its movements calculated and purposeful.
As it reached the tree, it lifted its head, raising its massive body to the same level as the branch where both the beast and the boy were present.
Its crimson eyes, gleaming with powerful intent, shifted towards the boy at first and then to the three-eyed panther.
The scene was surreal, almost fantastical, and it was clear to anyone witnessing this rare encounter who held the upper hand.
Despite the three-eyed panther's formidable size and reputation as a dangerous predator in the kingdom, the presence of the basilisk was on another level entirely.
The Basilisk's very essence exuded an aura of supremacy that even the most daring creatures in the kingdom would dare not challenge.
The three-eyed panther, though majestic in its own right at three meters in length, appeared minuscule compared to the colossal giant, akin to a commoner bowing before the emperor of a vast, powerful empire.
The three-eyed-panther reigned supreme over the southern forest near Red Hawk town, its domain undisputed for countless years.
It wasn't a blood-hungry mindless predator that goes outside its range to look for prey as it possessed a refined intellect, comprehending the delicate balance of nature.
While it refrained from bloodshed outside its realm, it fiercely defended its territory against any type of intruders hunting anything and everything in the forest that dared to trespass its domain.
Hunters and adventurers from nearby towns feared the legend of the three-eyed panther, never daring to venture deep into the forest.
But the arrival of two intruders at the same time irked the panther's ego.
While it perceived no threat from the boy invading its nest, the presence of the Basilisk posed an entirely different challenge.
Confusion clouded the eyes of the three-eyed panther nestled in this forest for decades.
Never had it caught even a hint of the Basilisk's presence, not once in all its years of vigilance.
If it had been aware of such a scary creature sharing its domain, it would have long ago sought after a new nest elsewhere.
Yet, in this moment of unexpected confrontation, despite the tremors of fear rippling through its frame, the three-eyed panther's action displayed a fierce readiness to confront this newfound adversary head-on.
Though the panther's intellect was primitive compared to the Basilisks', it sensed a clash of powers that stirred its primal instincts.
As the panther prepared itself to defend against any kind of attack from the basilisk, the serpent king intensified its gaze toward the three-eyed beast with a hint of scorn and mockery, further fueling the panther's anger.
It seemed as though the basilisk was sneering, implying that the panther wasn't even worthy of being its opponent.
Infuriated and embarrassed by the basilisk's disdain, the three-eyed panther abandoned its defensive stance.
Instead, it pounced directly at the basilisk's head, jaws gaping wide, its knife-like teeth gleaming as it aimed to tear into the serpent's flesh
Surprisingly, the basilisk remained motionless, maintaining its position as it observed the mutated panther flying toward it.
Even though uncertain about the basilisk's inaction, the panther pressed on toward the creature, intent on biting into its body.
However, it soon became evident that it was merely a futile attempt on its part.
When the panther's sharp teeth met the basilisk's skin, instead of inflicting any kind of damage and weakening it, all that echoed was a resounding
'CLANG!!!.'
Sensing that something was amiss, the panther swiftly pulled itself over and leaped to a safe distance away from the basilisk to assess the situation.
Suddenly, a deep pang of pain shot through its mouth as it realized that some of its razor-sharp teeth were now cracked.
Fear and anger both crept into its eyes at the same time as it looked toward the giant serpent.
The basilisk's apparent indifference, its refusal to acknowledge the three-eyed panther as a worthy adversary, led the beast to a stark realization.
It understood that the conventional methods of battling were pointless against such a mythical adversary.
The panther's central eye shut abruptly, reopening moments later with blood seeping from it. Its amber-colored eye shifted to a bright cyan color, with droplets of blood tracing its path down the eye.
A surge of new energy emanated from the middle eye, enveloping the entire beast in a dazzling, radiant light.
Astoundingly, the panther's body underwent a complete metamorphosis, slimming down significantly.
Its once dark black fur transformed into a lighter gray shade, adorned with dark black spots across its body.
Its ears elongated, the previously cracked teeth reshaped into longer, sharper points with two pairs of canines protruding prominently from its mouth.
The pupils in both eyes, except for the center one, split into two, giving the beast an abnormal appearance.
While the three-eyed panther's original form with its six legs and three eyes was already uncommon, its current manifestation resembled something straight out of a nightmare, a monstrous entity deep from the depths of hell.
At last, the once-indifferent basilisk shifted its focus to the transformed panther, its demeanor turning serious, a clear indication of the danger posed by the sudden evolution of the three-eyed beast.
The three-eyed panther once again began its attack as it leaped toward the basilisk.
The panther didn't merely leap but soared toward the now-serious basilisk with incredible speed, too fast for any ordinary mortal eyes to follow.
In an instant, the panther closed the gap, its sharp nails raking across the basilisk's scales, producing a piercing screech that echoed through the silent, dark forest.
The basilisk reacted with a slight shiver, as it immediately turned its head towards the panther's position. Sensing impending danger, the panther jumped backward once more, putting a safe distance between itself and the serpent.
The Basilisk turned its head towards the spot on its body where the panther had struck.
Despite the panther's metamorphosis into a more agile, faster, and new powerful form, it hadn't managed to draw a single drop of blood from the basilisk.
However, the basilisk noticed a faint scratch on its mighty obsidian scales where the three-eyed panther had made contact.
Its dark crimson eyes narrowed in rage and annoyance as a sudden, radiant glow emanated from them.
Slowly, it turned its head toward the smug-looking three-eyed panther.
The panther responded with a deep growl, clearly indicating its readiness to confront the serpent king once more.
The Basilisk, which had previously dismissed the three-eyed panther as unworthy, finally acknowledged its opponent and made its move for the first time.