Dust rose up and tumbling noises sounded as the mushroom trees fell, causing ground-shaking and a pool of mushroom liquid.
Finn ran with a target in mind, tailing him was the Deer-bird that was dead set on killing him. It didn't hold back, letting the mushroom maze become victims of its wrath.
He ran through the maze with his Mana Sense guiding him towards his goal. He used the mana he had to improve the effects of this ability, granting him a more precise view of the atmosphere's mana and the surrounding creatures.
He ran in a zigzag manner, if not, the gust of wind blades the Deer-bird launched at him would have had an effect.
Reaching the edges of the mushroom maze, deep into the west of this forest, Finn dared not move forward.
Towards the direction of this edge, he launched a wide range, not too effective, disruptive howl, alerting the creatures that resided here.
Following that, he pivoted to his right, seeking cover.
Upon the Deer-bird arrival towards the edge where Finn stood before he pivoted, it turned towards where Finn hid.
The flapping sound from its long wings grew louder and more aggressive as it gathered its energy within its wing.
A large gust of wind blades from it would clear the tall mushrooms of the surroundings, revealing the hiding Fenrir and stripping it from any cover to hide.
Right before it could launch its attack at Finn, a huge brown muddy pincer, the size of a man, grabbed one of the hindlimbs of the Deer-bird. With an instinctive resistance, the pincer couldn't completely crush the struggling hindlimb.
Sensing the sudden appearance of a new foe, the Deer-bird changed its attack's target to the creature hiding beneath the ground.
The surrounding mushrooms fell rapidly, some of the attack hit the pincer, causing it to let go of the Deer-bird.
With its deer head now looking down, towards where the pincer came from, it shrieked at the creatures that hid underground as it circled above the debris of fallen mushrooms.
After a bit of silence, the debris shook open, revealing a huge, mud and mushroom juice covered crab.
It had long walking legs of about 1.5 meters a huge, two huge pincers that had a rocky surface, its antennas shaped like a horn, and black plain eyes that were glued to the Deer-bird.
Identifying its new foe, The Deer-bird lowered itself to the ground, aiming to split the crab apart with its claws.
Just then, another similar pincer appeared from under the debris of mushrooms, grasping the bird's two hindlimbs.
There were two crabs that ruled this part of the forest and the Deer-bird had failed to sense them because they used the earth to conceal themselves.
Far from where they were about to have a battle, Finn commented, 'Those were the monsters that wiped out Mr. Fenrir's pack. I'm going to use them to weaken the deer or even let them kill each other!'
He had gotten a rough battle experience that'll make his next encounter with a monster go better, the rest he had to do now was complete his promise to the owner of the body.
Two birds with one stone!
The second that crab appeared tried pulling the Deer-bird down into its territory.
But the long tail of the bird coiled around one of the pincers and strengthened as it squeezed hard, slowly crushing the pincer surface.
The crab released also tried to crush the bird's leg, but before it could, it changed from attacking to defense. The bird's tail was damaging it a lot, before it could reciprocate that damage, it might have already lost its pincers.
The deer-headed bird looked down at the struggling crab and hissed aloud.
Suddenly, the captured pincer had brown mana gathering around it, then hardened its surface to reduce the crushing.
That same time, the other crab instantly rushed over to protect its mate. It launched a pincer punch, forcing the Deer-bird back.
Now, the two crabs stood side by side facing off against the deer-headed bird.
Spreading its long wings as though it was welcoming a hug it shrieked at the long-legged mud crabs. The pincers of the crabs created loud clicking noises in response.
For trespassing their newly conquered territory, the crabs would kill their foe. And the prideful Deer-headed bird will kill the weak that dared attacking it.
Like that, it began. A battle of territory rulers staged by a young Fenrir.
~Swoosh!~
~Gbam!~
- - - - -
After confirming the two parties were in a fierce battle, Finn watched them from a mushroom that had fallen half-way.
Using his Mana Sense, he watched monsters, identifying the way these monsters that lacked a good intelligence fight.
He couldn't determine who would win, but watching them, he could guess their natural weaknesses and draft out what actions he'd carry out depending on the results.
5 minutes later, the winning party was about to emerge.
Standing in the pool of green blood and white mushroom juice that splattered all over the fallen mushrooms, the bodies of the crabs laid.
Their walking legs and pincers had been cut at the joint, their body turned upside down revealing their stomach.
Using the only wing that remained, the Deer-bird gathered a gust of wind blades around it.
Forming an arc with its wing, the blades cut open the crabs' stomach, causing a gush of green blood to pour out of them.
Standing in front of its dead foe, its hindlimbs were crushed, its body was battered and one of its wings was no longer functioning.
The Deer-bird was about to release a cry–it was meant to be a declaration of victory and dominance, but then, it sensed a new weak presence appear and turned towards it.
On top of a fallen mushroom, a White Fenrir stood, illuminated by the gathering luminescent insects, its blue eyes looking down on the Deer-bird.
Finn released a howl with considerable energy, solely concentrated on the injured bird bird.
The senses of the bird tumbled, and it began sensing the Fenrir in multiple directions.
Finn started his sequence of attacks.
Without hesitation, using his front left claw, he sent 5 energy arcs at the bird.
Instinctively sensing danger, the bird used its remaining wing to block that attack. Even in this dire state, it had energy to spare for a block.
Not shocked by this, Finn had jumped down from the mushroom he was standing, running on an arc path, towards the bird's behind.
Using the insights he gained from the battle, Finn used the energy within him to strengthen himself and increase his speed.
After regaining its senses, the bird creature looked around, but it could not find the White Fenrir. Its ability to detect mana was still disrupted, so that was useless.
Arriving at its back, Finn jumped, diving his claws into the neck of the deer-headed bird.
Sensing danger and smelling death, the bird aggressively tried hard to shake off the Fenrir, but it only fell due to its crushed, shaking limbs.
With a howl coming from him, Finn released the Claw Slash that he hadn't released earlier. The neck of the deer-headed bird creature was cut into 6 parts, ending its life.
Smugly, Finn mocked, 'Like I said, Predator turned Prey. I'm the one who emerged victorious.'