【Master!】

The Hades Griffin was blasted away. Within a one-meter radius, Li's Pal packed quite a punch!

It was like a defense mechanism. If he could use his Authority, then at the very least, his Pal could manifest a powerful aura of pressure. But under the current circumstances...

Clutching the wound on his shoulder, Li stepped back, then jumped down from the rock. Another Hades Griffin pounced at him, but Li dodged just in time, and it slammed straight into the rock.

He felt a gust of wind skim past him. Nothing had even happened, yet several terrible claw marks had appeared on his arm!

The Hades Griffin had smashed several cracks into the rock. But this one seemed different from the Hades Griffin he'd faced earlier...

It was far stronger than the previous Hades Griffin!

What was going on with this Hades Griffin?

The Hades Griffins here were supposed to be nothing more than juveniles. But this one was the standout among them. Li had noticed its immense strength, and the Azure Netherflame around its neck was a deeper shade than the others'.

“Norton, honestly, I have a really bad feeling about this. Could this Hades Griffin already be able to use Azure Netherflame...?”

【Sorry, Master. I can't predict something like that.】

Right...

Norton was only an auxiliary system, after all. It wasn't powerful enough to know something like that. Li had to consider the possibility himself. The Azure Netherflame really was a deeper shade than the other Hades Griffins'. Maybe this one really could use it!

“Awooo!”

“Huh?”

The two white wolves howled, then pounced at the Hades Griffin!

The Hades Griffin was surrounded by the White Wolf Twins, and panic immediately set in. The one Li was facing at once looked toward the other wolf, too. It seemed to be the leader among them, almost like an older sibling. Now that its little brother or sister was in danger, it wanted to rush over and help.

The White Wolf Twins' roles were even clearer. The slightly larger wolf was viciously biting at the Hades Griffin's leg! The other seemed too timid to join in. It only darted forward to take a bite now and then before retreating, as if it were providing backup.

【Master! This is your chance!】

“Yeah! I know!”

This was his chance! The perfect chance! The best opportunity he could hope to seize right now!

【Master, run! You can't let this chance slip away! The White Wolf Twins have the Hades Griffin tied up—go!】

“Run!”

Li charged straight toward the rock! He didn't know if he could pull it off, but if he didn't take a gamble, he wouldn't be able to live with himself!

【Master, what are you doing?!】

What was he doing? Wasn't it obvious? He was doing what he had to do!

Li activated Pal and slammed straight into the rock!

Boom!!!

In that instant, the rock—already cracked by the Hades Griffin—finally shattered under Li's Pal!

【Master!】

“Shut up! Watch this! Ora!”

Li snatched up a piece of rock from the ground. With a sharp eye, he picked out the most jagged shard and hurled it at the Hades Griffin!

But just as the rock was about to hit...

Roar!!!

A tremendous dragon's roar rang through the entire canyon!