The cursed winged sabretooth tiger circled me, its malevolence a tangible weight in the air. Its black wings, veined with pulsating crimson, flared with every beat, sending gusts of wind rippling through the battered battlefield. Its glowing eyes gleamed with a mixture of fury and desperation, calculating every move I made.
My body, though rejuvenated by my natural resilience, bore the scars of this relentless battle. My scales, once unmarred and shimmering like polished obsidian, were now cracked and dulled in several places. The once-pristine battlefield was a scarred and chaotic ruin, littered with the remains of the lesser cursed beasts that had fallen earlier. Pools of dark blood seeped into the earth, mingling with shards of broken rock from my Earth Spire strikes.
Above us, the sky churned with storm clouds, an ominous reflection of the chaos below. The cries of distant battles reached my ears. The fire ants—insidious creatures with molten cores and burning mandibles—had been locked in a vicious skirmish with the cursed tigers of lesser rank. The ants' molten spray hissed and crackled as it met the enchanted fur of the tigers, their battlefield ablaze with searing orange and crimson light.
But here, in my arena, only one cursed tiger remained. And it would not flee.
***
The tiger's power was undeniable. Standing nearly ten meters tall at the shoulder, it loomed like a shadow of death. Its body was lean yet bristling with muscle, its fur shimmering faintly as if coated in an oily sheen. Every motion was liquid grace and controlled violence.
Its cursed wings, vast and jagged like a demon's cloak, flared wider as it prepared its next assault. The veins of crimson light pulsing through them seemed alive, feeding on the chaos of the battlefield. The tiger's eyes, twin orbs of burning red, bore into mine, daring me to falter.
I was the Earth Dragon—my body, a fortress of power. Towering over thirty meters from snout to tail, my form was a testament to centuries of evolution. My scales, thick as mountain stone and glistening with a faint emerald sheen, pulsed with mana. The horns atop my head curved backward, wicked and sharp, while the glow in my golden eyes reflected a century of dominion.
***
The cursed tiger moved first. It darted to my left, a blur of black and red. Its glowing claws slashed toward my exposed flank, the cursed energy crackling with malice. I turned to meet it, but its speed outmatched even my reflexes.
"Rending Strike."
Its claws connected, tearing deep gashes into my side. The pain burned like fire, a sharp contrast to the cold earth beneath my feet. I roared, the sound rumbling through the battlefield like thunder, but the tiger had already retreated, its movements precise and calculated.
It leapt again, this time toward my face. I reared back, summoning the earth to shield me.
"Earth Wall."
A barrier of stone erupted between us, but the tiger twisted mid-air, avoiding the structure with an agility that defied belief. It came at me from above, its claws aimed for my crown.
I ducked, slamming my forelimbs into the ground. A ripple of mana coursed through the earth, and a massive pillar shot upward.
"Earth Pillar Strike."
The tiger anticipated the move, kicking off the pillar to gain height. It hovered above me, its wings beating furiously. I could feel the heat of its cursed energy radiating downward, the air thick with the scent of burning ozone.
It dove, its claws glowing brighter.
***
As our battle intensified, the distant skirmish between the fire ants and the lesser cursed tigers reached a crescendo. The fire ants, small compared to my own titanic form, were relentless in their assault. Each ant was the size of a boulder, their bodies encased in molten exoskeletons that dripped with liquid fire. Their eyes, glowing embers of molten fury, locked onto their prey with single-minded determination.
The cursed tigers fought valiantly, their enhanced speed and cursed power allowing them to hold their ground against the swarm. But the ants were winning. For every tiger that fell, the ants swarmed over the carcass, devouring it with voracious efficiency. Their molten mandibles melted flesh and bone alike, leaving nothing behind but scorched earth.
The sight was a stark reminder of the chaos that plagued this land. I would not let these cursed creatures— tigers—threaten my domain.
***
The tiger dove toward me, its claws extended. I met it head-on, my body coiling like a spring before releasing all my strength in a single, decisive motion.
"Dragon's Tail Strike."
My tail lashed out, faster than the eye could follow. It connected with the tiger's midsection, the impact sending it hurtling through the air. The force shattered nearby trees and boulders as the beast crashed into the ground, carving a deep trench in its wake.
Before it could recover, I charged forward, summoning the earth to rise with me. Jagged spires erupted from the ground, forcing the tiger into a corner.
It roared, its wings beating furiously as it struggled to stand. Blood poured from its wounds, staining its cursed fur a deeper black. Still, it fought on.
The tiger leapt upward, its wings carrying it high above the battlefield. Its glowing eyes locked onto me, and I could feel its mana gathering.
"Blazing Wingstrike."
The air around it ignited as it dove toward me, its wings slashing downward with burning fury. I braced myself, summoning a defensive barrier of stone.
The impact was catastrophic. The barrier shattered, the force of the attack sending shockwaves through the earth. I stumbled, my scales searing from the heat of its strike.
But I would not yield.
***
The tiger circled back, breathing heavily. Its movements were slower now, its energy waning. Blood loss and the toll of the battle had pushed it to its limits.
I inhaled deeply, drawing mana from the earth beneath me. The ground pulsed with life, feeding my strength as I prepared my final attack.
The tiger lunged, its claws glowing once more with cursed energy.
I met it head-on.
"Dragon's Maw."
My jaws closed around its foreleg, the bones shattering under the force. It howled in agony, its remaining energy flaring in a desperate attempt to break free.
With a surge of strength, I slammed the tiger into the ground. My claws dug into its chest, pinning it in place. Its struggles grew weaker until, finally, its body went limp.
The battlefield fell silent.