The cavern shook violently as the Magical Lion Beast landed in front of the students, its golden mane flaring with arcane energy. Its eyes burned like miniature suns, each movement radiating sheer dominance. The ground beneath it cracked, unable to handle the sheer pressure of its power.
For a moment, silence fell. Then—
"Attack!" Siddhartha commanded.
The front-line mages unleashed their magic. Fire mages hurled blazing projectiles, their flames roaring through the cave. Lightning users, including Eva, struck with rapid, crackling bursts of electricity aimed at the beast's vital spots. Even Kara, leading the charge, dashed forward with raw aggression, her fists wreathed in stone and hardened by her earth magic.
The attacks connected. A torrent of fire, lightning, and reinforced melee strikes slammed into the Magical Lion Beast. The explosion of energy illuminated the cavern with a blinding light.
But when the light faded, the beast remained unmoved.
The fire had vanished, absorbed by the beast's shimmering fur. The lightning crackled over its body before dissipating harmlessly. Kara's punch, which could shatter boulders, had barely left a mark on its golden hide.
The students faltered.
"No way…" one of the fire mages whispered.
"It absorbed everything?" Pedro murmured, his light magic flickering slightly.
The Magical Lion Beast lifted its head, its mouth opening just enough for a low, guttural growl to roll through the cave. Then, with terrifying speed, it moved.
It lunged at the group with impossible agility. Kara barely had time to react as a massive golden paw came swiping toward her. She threw up an earth shield, but the moment the claw connected, the shield shattered like glass. The force sent her skidding back, her feet carving trenches into the ground.
The beast didn't stop.
Turning its attention to the offensive mages, it inhaled deeply. A golden glow built up in its throat, growing brighter and brighter.
"It's going to counterattack! Scatter!" Siddhartha shouted.
Too late.
The Magical Lion Beast roared.
A golden shockwave exploded outward, obliterating everything in its path. The fire mages were thrown back like ragdolls, their spells vanishing midair. Lightning users screamed as the sheer force disrupted their magic flow, leaving them momentarily vulnerable.
Samson barely managed to brace himself before the shockwave reached him. He gritted his teeth as the energy washed over him, sending him sliding backward.
His watch's glow pulsed wildly.
Samson looked down. The strange purple light was getting stronger. The watch was reacting to something—but what?
He clenched his fist, feeling his own mana stirring within him. This isn't normal.
Something was different about this beast. Something was triggering his watch.
The students struggled to their feet, shaken but not defeated.
"We need to switch tactics!" Eva growled, wiping blood from her lip. "We can't hit it with pure elemental attacks. It absorbs magic!"
Kara spat on the ground, glaring at the beast. "Then we hit it with something else."
Siddhartha nodded. "Physical attacks might be our best bet. Non-elemental strikes!"
Kara was the first to act. She rushed forward, weaving around the beast's swipes with sheer speed. The moment she got an opening, she jumped, bringing her fist crashing down onto its back.
Boom!
The impact sent a shockwave through the cave. The lion let out a grunt, but it wasn't enough to take it down. It twisted midair, its massive tail whipping toward Kara.
She barely had time to react.
Just as the tail was about to smash into her—
A bolt of lightning shot forward.
Eva.
The lightning user had launched a precision strike—not at the lion, but at Kara's feet, giving her an extra push to dodge midair.
Kara barely landed before rolling away, gritting her teeth. "Tch. That was close."
The students began adjusting their approach, coordinating non-elemental strikes, but Samson was still focused on his watch.
The glow wasn't fading.
Why is it reacting to this beast?
Then, for the first time, something clicked.
The lion absorbed fire and lightning… but my watch uses both.
His magic.
His spirit beast transformations.
Samson's heart pounded. Was his watch reacting because it recognized something? Could the Magical Lion Beast be related to his power?
His mind raced through the possibilities. The watch had never activated without his will before. But now—it was resonating.
Was this beast linked to the watch's secrets?
He didn't have time to dwell on it. The battle raged on, but they were still losing.
They needed something more.
And Samson had a feeling that whatever it was…
It was connected to his watch.
To his powers.
And he was about to find out why.