Lindsay Windson watched as Chris’s figure disappeared into the distance, her face etched with confusion. What exactly was Chris planning?
When she saw him heading toward the cave they had passed earlier, realization struck her. Chris wasn’t abandoning her because she was a burden. He was trying to protect her. He wanted to draw the terrifying pursuer away, alone, toward the cave.
Tears streamed down Lindsay’s face as understanding dawned. She knew what his actions meant. Chris was risking his life, fully aware of the mortal danger.
As the powerful figure drew closer, Lindsay clenched her teeth and fled in the opposite direction. Despite her worry for Chris, she couldn’t let his sacrifice go to waste.
Moments later, a man dressed in white appeared, hesitated for a brief moment, and then chased after Chris. To him, Lindsay was insignificant. Chris was his true target.
This white-robed man was a formidable warrior sent by Great Lyria’s High Sovereign, Morrison Steelhart. Killing Chris was the only way he could report back with success.
Watching the man pursue Chris, Lindsay broke down, sobbing. She believed Chris had no chance of survival. He had deliberately lured the enemy away to protect her.
Meanwhile, Chris darted into the cave without hesitation.
“Hahaha! Chris, you crippled Prince Thorne. Today will be the day you die!”
The white-robed man laughed coldly as he saw Chris vanish into the cave. The battle at Silver Crown had made Chris’s name known throughout Great Lyria. Morrison Steelhart had sent this elite warrior with one mission: to eliminate Chris.
Chris glanced back at his pursuer. He knew this man’s strength rivaled that of Ethan Stone. If caught, Chris had no illusions-his life would be forfeit.
But Chris remained calm. He understood there was no escape now. He had to fight with everything he had.
The white-robed man was closing in quickly, now only a few dozen meters away. Chris soon realized this wasn’t just any opponent; the man had reached the peak of the Solstice stage, surpassing even Ethan Stone.
The man smirked and struck with a powerful punch.
Boom!
The force sent Chris flying through the air.
Cough!
Blood sprayed from Chris’s mouth as he struggled to stabilize himself mid-air. The white-robed man’s strength was overwhelming. Chris wasn’t even capable of defending against a single blow.
Despite his injuries, Chris didn’t stop. He pushed forward, deeper into the cave.
“Huh?”
The white-robed man was momentarily surprised to see Chris still alive. A peak Solstice expert’s attack should have been fatal, even to a seasoned warrior in the early Solstice stage.
Chris had proven himself more formidable than rumors suggested.
“Chris, do you think you can escape from me? Today, you die!” the man growled as he charged deeper into the labyrinth-like cave.
The deeper they went, the more the cave resembled a maze, with countless openings and tunnels. Soon, the white-robed man lost track of Chris.
But he wasn’t worried. He was confident he could locate his prey again.
It didn’t take long before the man found his target. But when he caught up, his expression shifted to one of shock.
Standing beside Chris was a Skyclaw Tiger.
The realization hit him like a thunderbolt-this was a trap. Chris had led him here deliberately.
Chris smirked coldly. “Why are you hesitating? Weren’t you chasing me?”
The man’s expression darkened. The Skyclaw Tiger was a peak seventh-level beast, its strength equivalent to a peak Solstice expert.
Even though the white-robed man was at the same level, he had no desire to provoke such a creature unless absolutely necessary. Skyclaw Tigers were not only powerful but also relentless.
“Chris,” the man warned, his voice icy, “if you wake it, you’ll die just as surely as I will!”
The Skyclaw Tiger was in hibernation, but disturbing it would unleash its wrath. Chris would be signing his own death warrant.
Chris sneered. “What’s the matter? Are you afraid?”
With nowhere left to run, Chris had made up his mind. Awakening the Skyclaw Tiger was his only option.
Gripping his Dragon Slayer tightly, Chris swung the blade down hard onto the slumbering beast.
“No!” the white-robed man roared. “Stop, Chris!”
But it was too late. Chris’s blade struck the Skyclaw Tiger, and its eyes snapped open.
Boom!
A deafening roar filled the cavern, shaking its very walls.
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
The Skyclaw Tiger lifted its massive head and let out a series of furious howls. To be awakened from its slumber was an unforgivable offense.
The cave trembled violently as rocks began to fall from the ceiling.
The white-robed man’s face turned ashen as he realized the gravity of the situation. Meanwhile, Chris seized the opportunity and fled deeper into the cave.
The man also tried to retreat, but the Skyclaw Tiger’s fiery gaze locked onto him.
To the beast, the white-robed man was the most powerful presence in the cave. It naturally assumed he was the one responsible for disturbing its sleep.
“Damn you, Chris!” the man cursed, realizing he had been duped. Killing Chris was now impossible. Survival was the only priority.
Wasting no time, the man turned and bolted.
“Roar!”
The Skyclaw Tiger roared again and charged after him.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The beast tore through the cave, its massive frame smashing everything in its path. The ground quaked with every step as debris rained down.
Chris, navigating the treacherous tunnels, felt a pang of fear as the Skyclaw Tiger’s immense aura swept through the cavern. He knew this gamble had been perilous-one misstep, and he would have perished.
Once the Skyclaw Tiger shifted its focus to the white-robed man, Chris exhaled in relief.
Outside the cave, Lindsay Windson had arrived at the entrance. She looked up and saw the Skyclaw Tiger engaged in a ferocious battle with the white-robed man.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The sounds of their clash echoed across the land, shaking the very ground beneath her feet.