An apex jaguar sauntered out of the shadows, with its eyes showing clarity unlike that of the other mindless beasts. It scanned the humans, calculating its next victim carefully.
Panic and dread immediately set in the chamber. This new monster was probably at the peak of 6-star difficulty, just a half-step below the 7-star realm.
The four strongest adventurer groups were already preoccupied with their own undead Jaguars.
Sir Jon was distracted for a second, allowing one of the Jaguars to cleave a large gash on his chest with its claws. But thanks to his armor, it was barely nothing more than a flesh wound.
It took the combined power and cooperation of the Knights to keep the Jaguar occupied. They didn't have the luxury to help anyone else but themselves.
Even Butch and his HammerStone group fighters felt the pressure increase in the chamber. Although they had superior numbers, they didn't have coordination like the Knights. He could feel some of his teammates losing focus and letting their fear take over their bodies.
The two other adventurer groups dealing with the Jaguar had no leeway for help either. This meant that the apex Jaguar was free to do as it pleased with no one to keep it in check.
Even though there were about a hundred other adventurers present in the room, their combined strength could not fight against a monster of this caliber. It would have been possible if they had practiced for this, but their lack of coordination would prevent them from defending just one lunge from the apex Jaguar. It would slowly whittle their numbers down, eventually killing them all.
Some of the adventurers already had their bodies half-turned towards the exit, with their minds just one push away from fleeing for their own safety. They would be safer with larger numbers, which was the cardinal rule as adventurers, but their fear of the Jaguar blinded them from recognizing this fact.
"Ooooh! Can I play with this cat?"
A relaxed voice echoed in the chamber, even catching the attention of the apex Jaguar.
It was Zion, who began punching the air in excitement. He looked at the apex jaguar not as a monster, but as a punching bag ready to take his strongest attacks.
"Zion… don't be rude. We don't know what Lord Michael wants to do," Sheina said, walking over to her younger brother and smacking his head.
"Just make sure to finish it off. I don't want to clean up after you," Jaku said, with his hands on his head casually.
"Umm…everyone is looking at us," Umisu said, hiding behind her big brother Jaku.
While everyone was frightened to their wits, these newcomers were walking and talking casually as if they were not dealing with a 6-star difficulty monster.
"Who are they?"
"Oh, that's the guys from the Reborn company!"
Butch and the HammerStone adventurers had to turn their heads, finally putting a face at the company that had been putting theirs into the dirt. They eyed the Dragonborns, gauging their strength as a comparison.
One of them held up a monocle to his eye and gazed at the Dragonborns. In his vision, he saw three floating lights hovering in each of their stomachs, signalling that they were in the 3-star realm.
He whispered his findings to Butch, who eyed the Dragonborns with even more confusion. Their attitude and casualness of the whole situation made it seem like they were a lot stronger than that.
"They're only 3-stars. I'm afraid they won't be able to deal with the apex Jaguar by themselves."
"Should we help them?"
"How? We can barely deal with the Jaguar in front of us!"
Butch raised his gauntlets and used a 5-star spell called [Erupting Lava Fist] as the Jaguar showed a vulnerability after failing to claw their shielded tank. A fiery red aura engulfed his arm, empowering it enough to allow him to punch the Jaguar into the stone brick walls, stunning it for a moment.
Meanwhile, the apex Jaguar finally made its move. Its body turned into a mist, before reappearing right in the middle of a group of adventurers. Its claws ripped the ground and created a shockwave that sent a couple of adventurers flying into the air.
As they came falling back down, they thought they were done for. But before their bodies slammed on the ground, their shadows grabbed ahold and softened the impact.
Zion looked back at Sheina with impatience.
"Look! Look!"
Sheina turned to Michael, who was busy deciphering the mana in the walls.
"Lord Michael. May we have permission to use our powers?" she asked him.
"Go," he said to them.
And with his explicit consent, Zion finally rushed towards the apex Jaguar, introducing himself with a punch right through its temple.
The Jaguar saw nothing but a blur as Zion jumped. It could do nothing as it felt a skull-crushing force on its head.
The apex Jaguar snarled, opening its jaws and chomped towards Zion as he fell to the ground.
The youngest Dragonborn smiled and punched its tusk, producing a shockwave that pushed both of them away from each other.
Everyone who watched this scene unfold couldn't believe their eyes. This Dragonborn was fighting toe to toe with the apex Jaguar, exchanging blows while barely incurring a scratch!
The apex Jaguar's eyes glinted in surprise. It didn't think that such a small creature could keep up with its attacks so easily.
As it looked at the taunting punches of Zion, the apex Jaguar's posture changed into one of seriousness. It bent its body low, with the ground cracking under its feet.
"Oooh…getting serious, are we?" Zion teased.
Necrotic energy gathered on the apex Jaguar's feet, imbuing it with the strength of a 6-star magic power.
It intended to skewer the annoying little fly in front of her.
But before it could lunge at Zion, a single arrow flew through the air and struck its shoulder, interrupting its spell. The bluish green energy in its paws flickered before disappearing.
It snarled at Sheina, who calmly took out another arrow from her quiver and kept it aimed at the Jaguar.
The 6-star monster, angry at these new pests, ripped out the arrow from its body before using its claws to lunge at Sheina.
TING!
Before its sharp talons could rip through the female Dragonborn, the Jaguar's paws were stopped in the middle of the air.
It was only when it looked down did it finally notice Jaku, who had his blades drawn and clashed with its claws.
The Jaguar didn't even see him arrive.
It retracted its claws and turned around, now using its tail to sweep the Dragonborns away into the wall.
But unfortunately for the Jaguar, Umisu was already there with her spear, thrusting its tip towards the tail and deflecting it away from them.
The apex Jaguar had to retreat for a second as it assessed its situation. Its eyes showed confusion as it never once thought that there was anyone in the chamber who could contend with its claws.
Yet, it was proven wrong. These Dragonborns showed their prowess.
The adventurers couldn't help but stare at the backs of the Dragonborns with amazement.
And there was only one thought in their mind.
'Where did these Reborn people come from?!'