'Damn it! That hurt!'

  Aurel groaned as he struggled to get himself out of the trench his body had dug. The unexpected blow and the resulting carnage left his body aching all over, and the familiar taste of blood assaulted his senses.

  He crawled out of the trench and massaged his left shoulder, looking around. That attack had done a number on the forest, leaving a devastating trail of destruction behind. Trees had collapsed, reduced to a tenth of their original size. Despite the despairing levels of destruction, he had still not seen the monster that had sent him flying.

  Suddenly, his ears perked up when distant roars and screeches resounded all around him, closing in. 'I'm being surrounded.'

  Aurel's expression darkened as he swallowed, pushing down the blood in his throat. His body was already healing, but that blow had shaken his organs, leaving mild injuries behind. At the very least, he would need more than a few minutes to recover fully.

  As for the monsters surrounding him, Aurel was not very worried. While they posed a threat to him due to their numbers, none of them could stop him if he decided to retreat. What kept him from moving, however, was the monster that had struck him.

  'It might probably be one of those rare monsters…' Aurel reasoned as his eyes darted around, searching for any clue that might give the monster's position away.

  The rustling of vegetation, snarls and growls pervaded the surrounding forest. Aurel narrowed his eyes as he took in their appearance. The monsters all had similar features — quadrupedal creatures with rippling muscles that gleamed under the light.

  The monsters looked like a fusion of a tiger and a leopard, standing at an impressive five feet tall. They snarled and growled as they circled him at a distance, their combined killing intent making the air oppressive. Dark brown fur barely covered their bodies, and drool trickled down their long, exposed fangs.

  Aurel gulped at the sight of the monsters. From a preliminary count, the monsters numbered about seventy. This was not just a pack — it was a horde. And a terrifying one at that.

  'I have to get out of here.'

  Aurel had no intention of fighting the monsters if he could help it. There was no benefit to standing his ground in his current situation. He could be easily surrounded if things went south.

  At that point, escaping with his clothes shredded would be the least of his worries. Then there was the leader who had still not made an appearance after it sent him crushing through the forest.

  Aurel directed his gaze back to the trail of destruction, then to the exposed sky, noting the sun's position. Combining the two, he regained his bearings and deduced which route to take.

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  Almost as if the monsters could tell what he was thinking, they viciously snarled and charged at him, their prompt movements kicking dirt and wood splinters everywhere. With a smirk, Aurel exploded with superior speed, generating a muffled boom in his wake.

  His speed was blinding, his movements leaving afterimages in his wake. Facing the incoming wave of monsters, Aurel moved to leap over them. And as he expected, the monsters leapt to meet him head-on, their fangs and claws flashing.

  Aurel pulled back a hand as he channelled his essence, a magic circle manifesting. Blue tendrils of lightning crackled at his fingertips as his hand viciously shot forward, meeting claws and fangs in a devastating, thunderous eruption.

  The monsters unlucky enough to meet his lightning spell head-on took the brunt of the damage, their bodies flung backwards in wide arcs, tiny tendrils of lightning crackling across their bodies. Agonised cries rippled through the devastated forest grounds.

  With a clear path ahead of him, Aurel landed and pushed forward. But then the surrounding oppressive air intensified, suffocating. Aurel's instincts kicked in when the space a few meters to his right rippled and exploded.

  This time, however, Aurel was prepared. He knew that monster had been hiding, biding its time to make a move. He exploded with a surge of murderous intent as he instantaneously broke his momentum and planted a thunderous right foot into the ground.

  Aurel's left foot cut a deep arc in the ground, skillfully repositioning himself as he shot his left hand forward. From the direction of the rippling air, he finally caught a glimpse of the monster that had attacked him earlier. His eyes widened as he took in the monster's towering form.

  The monster looked like the other members of the horde. But unlike the minions, the leader reached a staggering seven feet, its form equally impressive. Rugged muscles covered every inch of its body, as though it had spent decades inside a gym.

  And from the aura he sensed from the monster, Aurel realised the beast was in the fourth realm of power. No wonder the beast operated with intelligence and cunning. It was a level that elevated the mind beyond the norm.

  The monster was undoubtedly powerful. Coupled with its exploded speed and power, the beast was a force to be reckoned with. Even so, it was not nearly enough to pose a threat to him.

  A devastating and tyrannical shockwave erupted with a thunderous boom. The shockwave tore through the ground, uprooting trees and blowing monsters back. Surprise flickered in Aurel's eyes as he was forced several meters back, his feet digging into the ruptured soil.

  'Such fierce power…'

  Aurel's hand tingled from the impact, his hand trembling. The beast had been equally forced back, but not as much as he was. That ability it wielded was honestly a good match for its ruthless cunning. It knew how to bring out its devastating power.

  The beast let out a growl, guttural and brimming with challenge and killing intent. It held Aurel's gaze and clawed at the ground; no doubt it felt the impact of that clash. The charging minions of the leading beast had ceased their charge, circling and snarling.

  Knowing the minions would not interfere, Aurel focused most of his attention on the monstrous beast. His eyes followed the beast's movement, prompting him to fall in sync. Aurel and the beast circled each other, assessing, evaluating.

  "You really don't want to go against me, buddy," Aurel stated in a cold tone, uncaring if the monster understood his intent. "It won't end well for you. Turn around and walk away."

  But the monstrous beast had other plans. It snarled and then lunged forward. Aurel narrowed his eyes when he noticed the sharp decrease in the beast's explosive speed.