I stared at the dark beast approaching me stealthily, its gaze locked on mine as though daring me to move and run.
And I took the dare.
"Run!" I yelled, my voice cracking as I stared at the approaching Shadow Panther.
Mia didn't move. She stood there, completely still, her sharp eyes fixed on the panther as though sizing it up.
"Are you deaf? I said run!" I shouted again, panic rising in my chest. I didn't know this woman, but I couldn't just let her die because of me.
She turned her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "Why would I run?"
My stomach dropped. "What the hell do you mean 'why'? That thing will rip us apart!"
But she didn't answer. Instead, her hand went to the hilt of her sword, the one I'd seen earlier when the Linglong Phoenix bonded with her. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Was she seriously planning to fight it?
"You've got a death wish," I muttered under my breath, my legs already moving as I turned to run. I couldn't fight that thing. I didn't even have a weapon! But after just a few steps, I stopped, cursing myself.
She wasn't running.
I glanced back, my chest tightening as I saw her still standing there, sword drawn, waiting for the panther to make its move.
What was wrong with this woman?!
"Damn it!" I growled, spinning around and running back toward her. I didn't know why I was doing this. She was a stranger, and clearly insane, but I couldn't just leave her there.
"What are you doing?" I hissed when I reached her. "Do you want to die?"
"Be quiet," she snapped, her eyes never leaving the panther. "You're distracting me."
I was about to argue, but the panther chose that moment to lunge. Its massive body hurtled through the air, claws extended, aiming straight for me.
Oh shit. It wasn't focused on her, it wanted me.
"Move!" Mia barked, shoving me aside.
I stumbled, barely avoiding the beast's swipe as its claws tore through the space where I'd been standing. I hit the ground hard, gasping for air as the panther landed, spinning around to face us again.
"I'm going to die," I muttered, dragging myself backward as the panther prepared to strike again. But Mia didn't flinch and I found myself wondering. Who was this woman?
She stepped forward, sword in hand, her movements calm and precise. When the panther lunged again, she sidestepped with incredible speed, her blade flashing as she slashed at its side. The beast roared in pain, turning to face her.
She was relentless. She was skilled and I scrambled back, watching her, my eyes wide with awe. She was the second person I had encountered and the both of them had weapons, why was I the only one without them? Was there something I missed?
I could only watch in stunned silence as she outmaneuvered the creature, her blade carving deep gashes into its sleek black fur.
The panther roared, its movements growing sluggish as blood dripped from its wounds. Mia seized the opportunity, leaping forward and plunging her sword into its chest.
The beast let out a final, deafening roar before collapsing to the ground, its amber eyes dimming as it took its last breath.
Mia stood over the panther's body, her sword still embedded in its chest. She didn't move for a moment, her breathing steady as though the fight had been nothing more than a mild inconvenience for her. Then, with a quick motion, she pulled her blade free, wiping it clean on the grass like it was nothing.
"What... the hell just happened?" I muttered, still on the ground, my body trembling from the adrenaline.
She turned to look at me, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "What? Scared of a little panther?"
I glared at her, my pride stinging. "A little panther? That thing nearly killed me!"
"You're still alive, aren't you?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe you should be thanking me instead of whining."
I opened my mouth to retort but stopped when I saw her crouch next to the panther's body. She pressed her hand against its chest, her eyes narrowing as if she was searching for something.
"What are you doing?" I asked, confused.
"Finding its beast stone," she said without looking at me.
"Beast stone?" I repeated, frowning. "What's that?"
She sighed, clearly annoyed. "Aggressive creatures like this don't just bond with anyone. You have to kill them and then you have to find where their beast stone is if you want to claim their beast souls. This one had its stone in its chest. Aggressive creatures like this have their stones in any place they wish. You just have to look"
"How do you even know that?" I demanded. "I thought you were forced into this game like the rest of us. I mean… how do you know this? Did you apply for the beast game?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she stood up, sheathing her sword as she looked at me with a mix of pity and amusement. "Let me guess, you were picked, weren't you? You're not prepared"
"No, I'm not," I snapped. "But clearly, you are. So why don't you explain how you know all this? And where's the Phoenix?"
"It's in my beast space," she said casually, as though that explained everything.
"Beast space?" I echoed, more confused than ever.
"A dimensional space where you can store your beasts," she explained, her tone impatient. "I'm guessing you don't have a beast yet since you don't know about it."
"Of course, I don't," I muttered, feeling more and more out of my depth.
She looked me over, her eyes sharp and calculating. "You're going to die out here if you keep wandering around like this. You're even bleeding, must be why you came for the phoenix"
"Thanks for the reminder," I said bitterly.
She ignored my sarcasm, turning away from me. "If you want to survive until the Beast games, follow me."
The system's voice interrupted before I could respond.
"Beast Trials Countdown: 24 hours Remaining."
Mia glanced back at me, her expression unreadable. "Make up your mind. I'm not waiting. I'll do something about your wound if you follow me but if you dont…"
And with that, she started walking. I hesitated, torn between swallowing my pride and staying alive.
"Damn it," I muttered, scrambling to my feet to follow her.