C25 Sinister Six

"Heh, foolish humans, all you have is a sharp tongue."

Sinister Six let out a cold laugh, his blood-red eyes brimming with lethal intent.

The more advanced the creature, the more challenging the progression.

Take the scarlet macaw, for instance, which requires the Arctic Banyan from the Diamond Realm just to reach the first rank.

And each subsequent upgrade is tougher than the last.

That's merely for the elite. What about a leader, or a Lord?

Or even a king?

Currently, Gator and Goldie need a tremendous amount of energy to level up even one star rank. Without the system tackling the major hurdle of rank, they'd likely be stuck at the second rank for quite some time.

The Blood-Eye Demon Tiger, being of Lord quality as a spirit animal, is no exception.

Despite his formidable combat strength, he's capped at the fifth rank with five stars.

The resources and effort required to ascend to the sixth rank are immense.

Nevertheless, he's more than capable of handling two leaders and a low-level Lord.

"Human, meet your end!"

Sinister Six bellowed, his Lordly presence radiating outward.

In an instant, the red-haired gorilla went slack, nearly dropping to his knees in submission.

Fong Ju's spirit animal fared no better, its pupils shrinking and neck fur bristling.

The dominance of a Lord over a leader was terrifyingly unexpected.

A seventh-rank leader seemed almost powerless before a fifth-rank Lord.

"Little runt, figured out how you want to die yet?"

Sinister Six couldn't be bothered to glance at the leaders, instead turning to taunt Goldie.

"Little chick... are you talking to me?"

Goldie paused, scanning the surroundings, only to find that he seemed to fit the "little chick" description.

"It's you who's the little chick, your whole family's a bunch of little chicks!"

With a screech, Goldie transformed into a bolt of lightning, closing the distance to Sinister Six in a flash.

Sssst!

His attack was razor-sharp, slicing through Sinister Six's hide.

Goldie's transformation from elite to Lord through two evolutions had drastically amplified his attributes and skills to an almost ludicrous degree.

Among his peers, only the regal dragon species could hope to overpower him.

With a swift maneuver, Sinister Six's neck was ripped open, gushing bright red blood that stained the ground a deep crimson. Yet, the wound miraculously healed in under two seconds.

"Little Chick, I'll concede you're strong," Sinister Six sneered, his tiger-like face dripping with scorn. "But often, size equates to combat prowess. The same strike from me would leave a wound dozens of times larger on you. A hit from you barely tickles, while one from me could split you in two. What's your move?"

Before Sinister Six could finish his taunt, a green blur streaked by, followed by a sharp snap.

Crack!

The blow was swift, vicious, and merciless. Sinister Six reeled from the pain as several teeth were knocked loose.

"Who's there?"

Sinister Six bellowed, his blood-red eyes locked onto Zhou Mu's position.

"Another Lord, and a dragon species at that?"

Gator revealed itself, no longer concealing the majestic aura of a true dragon, which made Sinister Six's eyelids twitch uncontrollably. Dragons were the epitome of invincibility, unmatched by any spirit animal at the same level, and even the rare god and demon species paled in comparison.

"Had you been at the fifth rank, I'd have retreated without a second thought. But you're merely third rank..." Sinister Six's voice dripped with malice as he suppressed his astonishment. "I'll give you one chance to leave, and I'll let bygones be bygones. Otherwise, don't blame me for not holding back."

The Gator responded with a disdainful hiss, its round eyes conveying utter contempt.

"You're asking for it!"

Though Gator couldn't articulate words, Sinister Six got the message loud and clear. Overcome with rage, he lunged forward.

The Gator met his advance with equal ferocity. Its slender tail sliced through the air, striking Sinister Six squarely.

Thud!

The sound was heavy and jarring, the impact immense. Sinister Six tumbled to the side, his nose smashed, one eye bursting, a picture of utter defeat.

Gator was anything but at ease. Its tail's scales were sent flying, exposing the raw flesh beneath. The very tip burst open, leaving the stark white bones exposed to the air. Zhou Mu's heart twisted in pain at the sight of Gator's condition. Yet, he couldn't approach; he had to keep his distance. The fallout from the clash of the two Lords alone could leave him gravely injured. Any attempt to intervene would only add to Gator's troubles and be of no help.

"Damn it!" Zhou Mu's fists tightened in frustration, seething with rage at the Sinister Six's malevolence and his own helplessness.

"Roar!" "Hiss!" The simultaneous roars and hisses marked the Lords' renewed confrontation. Sinister Six clamped its jaws onto Gator's tail, while Gator coiled its body around its adversary. Meanwhile, Gator wasn't just playing defense. A cloud of green poison mist furiously spewed at Sinister Six, and Gator's four sharp fangs plunged deep into its neck.

The tide seemed to turn in Gator's favor. Barring any unforeseen events, Gator would likely emerge victorious but not without sustaining severe injuries in the process of killing Sinister Six. However, reality can be far harsher than one's expectations. Realizing it was trapped in a fight to the death, Sinister Six resolved to go down fighting.

"You think killing me is that easy? Hahahaha, let's go down together!" The tiger's maw echoed with maniacal laughter. What skill Sinister Six had unleashed was unknown, but its body began to swell rapidly, forcibly stretching Gator's body.

"Crack!" "Crack!" The sound of fabric tearing filled the air as Gator's scales shattered and its sturdy frame was ripped open with gashes. If this continued, Gator's body would be severed into pieces, and even if it miraculously survived, full recovery would be a distant hope.

Without a moment's hesitation, Zhou Mu forcefully returned Gator to the protective confines of the Soul Contract's special space.

"Heh, is that it? Where's your pride now? Your bravery? Gone?" Sinister Six sneered, the dark Qi swirling around it as its body continued to bloat.

"I won't gamble with its life. In the end, death is the most I'll face."

Zhou Mu's face was a mask of impassivity, yet inside, he was ready to make a break for it.

If he didn't intervene, Gator stood a chance of dying, and then he'd be forced to confront the Sinister Six directly.

Taking Gator into his care meant a head-on battle with the Sinister Six either way.

The end result would be the same, so why let Gator die needlessly?

Deep down, of course, there was another reason.

Gator shared his bloodline, making him the closest thing to family he had in this unfamiliar world.

He wanted Gator to survive, to continue living alongside him.

"Wow, such a profound bond between master and servant!" Sinister Six taunted, clicking his tongue in a mocking tone, his face twisted with derision.

"And if it were that little chick, would you make the same choice?"