Chapter 8: The Magical Beast ‘Swift Raptor’ (Part 1)
The massive creature causing the ground to tremble finally appeared.
The moment they saw this colossal being, Linley and the other children were utterly stunned. Hillman, Lori, and Roger, however, reacted very quickly, stepping directly in front of the group of children, staring warily at the giant beast.
“A seventh-rank magical beast, the ‘Swift Raptor’!” Hillman’s face changed color, while Lori and Roger beside him felt their legs go weak.
“So… so big. Is this… is this the legendary magical beast?” Linley was completely awestruck.
From childhood to now, the largest animal Linley had ever seen was probably the warhorses passing through the town, those towering steeds standing a full one point eight meters tall. But compared to the behemoth before him, a warhorse was like an infant before a giant. The gap was immense.
Its massive body was as tall as a two-story building, and its length stretched a full twenty to thirty meters.
The magical beast: Swift Raptor!
The Swift Raptor’s entire body was covered in enormous, fiery red, hard scales. Each scale gleamed with a cold metallic luster, enough to chill anyone’s heart just by looking at it. The Swift Raptor’s four long, scale-covered legs were astonishingly thick, requiring two people to barely encircle them with their arms. The entire beast was fiery red, except for its claws, which were a cold, deep black.
Its tail, covered in fiery red scales and nearly half the length of its body, swept across the ground like a whip. With each casual lash, it carved deep furrows into the earth.
“Hmph—”
The Swift Raptor let out a low snort, and two streams of white smoke shot from its nostrils, carrying a sulfurous smell. Its lantern-sized, diamond-like, crystalline eyes glowed an eerie red. The Swift Raptor turned its massive head toward Linley and the group of youths, its cold red gaze freezing every child in place, too terrified to move.
“Chomp, chomp.” The Swift Raptor’s jaws worked as it chewed, revealing two rows of interlocking, saw-like teeth, both inner and outer. Each tooth was a stark, chilling white, sending a shiver through everyone’s heart. No one doubted their sharpness.
Linley felt as if his heart had stopped beating. At that moment, it seemed like all sounds from the outside world had vanished.
“This is too terrifying. Can anyone stand against this behemoth?” Linley was completely paralyzed with fear.
Just seeing this enormous magical beast made Linley feel utterly powerless. He believed that if the Swift Raptor’s whip-like tail swept across, it could easily reduce the sturdy stone houses of Wushan Town to rubble.
“Is this Wushan Town?” Suddenly, a cold voice came from above the Swift Raptor.
The stunned youths looked up blankly toward the Swift Raptor’s back. There, sitting cross-legged on the beast’s broad back, was a mysterious figure draped in a purple robe. The Swift Raptor was so massive that its back was wide and thick enough for someone to lie down or even roll around on.
“Honored magus, this is indeed Wushan Town. Is there anything I can do for you, honored magus?” Hillman’s voice rang out.
Hearing Hillman’s voice, everyone seemed to find their anchor, snapping out of their paralyzing fear. But all of them, including Lori and Roger, still dared not speak. They only stood behind Hillman, staring in terror at the massive Swift Raptor and the mysterious purple-robed magus.
“Wushan Town. Looks like I didn’t take the wrong path,” the mysterious figure in purple muttered softly.
Then, without another word, the Swift Raptor’s cold, massive red eyes swept over Linley and the others. It snorted two more puffs of smoke from its nostrils and resumed its advance into the town. Seeing the beast heading toward the town center, Hillman’s expression changed.
“Everyone stay here,” Hillman said, then immediately followed the Swift Raptor.
“Uncle Lori, what is that? Is it a magical beast?” Linley was the first to ask.
Lori swallowed hard, a trace of fear still in his eyes, but he nodded and said, “Yes, it’s a magical beast. But a very powerful one—a seventh-rank magical beast, the ‘Swift Raptor’!”
“Swift Raptor?”
Linley etched that name deep into his heart.
The Swift Raptor’s colossal body, its hard scales, its sharp claws, its powerful tail—everything about it was terrifying. Linley believed… a single Swift Raptor could probably wipe out his entire Wushan Town.
“The Swift Raptor’s scales provide incredible defense, and its attack power is horrifyingly immense. It’s also skilled in highly offensive fire-type magic!” Lori was still trembling inside as he explained to Linley. “Facing a terror like the Swift Raptor, even a thousand-man army would be slaughtered clean. Only a joint effort of sixth- and seventh-rank warriors and magi could truly pierce its scales and harm it.”
Linley’s heart shook.
A thousand-man army, slaughtered clean?
“But the most terrifying thing isn’t the Swift Raptor… it’s that mysterious figure in the purple robe,” Lori said, taking two deep breaths to calm his nerves.
Beside him, Roger nodded and added, “Right. To tame a Swift Raptor, you have to make it willingly become your servant. That means… this purple-robed figure has strength far surpassing the Swift Raptor. Judging by his attire, he should be a magus.”
“At least a seventh-rank magus, maybe even an eighth-rank one!” Roger clenched his fist involuntarily. “I can’t believe someone like that has come to our little town.”
Linley could feel the fear in the hearts of his uncles, Lori and Roger.
A seventh-rank magical beast, the ‘Swift Raptor,’ and a mysterious magus even stronger than it. It was truly spine-chilling.
“A magus, stronger than the Swift Raptor?” Linley still found it hard to believe.
The Swift Raptor’s terrifyingly massive body, its hard scales, sharp claws, sturdy tail… and the mysterious magus was so small in comparison.
“Roar~~”
Suddenly, a furious roar erupted from the center of Wushan Town.
“Not good.” Lori and Roger were greatly alarmed. Linley and the group of youths also grew worried. Was the Swift Raptor’s roar because of Wushan Town? Because of Uncle Hillman? No one knew.
“You all stay here.” Though terrified, Lori and Roger sprinted toward the town center.
Linley gritted his teeth. “Uncle Hillman!” Worried for his uncle and the others in town, Linley ran after them. Lori and Roger, their minds focused entirely on the Swift Raptor, didn’t even notice Linley following behind.
In just a moment, Lori and Roger reached the town center. Hillman was already there, watching from a distance.
“Why are you here?” Hillman scolded.
But when he saw Linley running up not far behind Lori and Roger, Hillman frowned. “Linley, it’s too dangerous here. Go back immediately.” Only then did Lori and Roger notice that Linley had followed them.
“Linley, what are you…?” Lori and Roger didn’t know what to say.
“Uncle Hillman, I’m not going back,” Linley refused.
Hillman shook his head helplessly. He knew Linley’s stubborn nature—once he set his mind on something, it was hard to change. “Fine. Stay right by my side. Don’t wander off. With me here, I’m confident I can keep you safe.”
“Thank you, Uncle Hillman. I promise I won’t run off,” Linley said happily.
At that moment, Hillman and the others, about a hundred meters from the Swift Raptor, quietly peered toward the scene of the conflict. In front of the massive beast stood a group of young people—four men and three women.
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