章 1: Track
The wind howled, carrying cold, piercing raindrops that lashed against Borne's cheeks.
He rode atop his horse, gripping the reins tightly, his eyes sharp like a hawk's, fixed ahead.
Through the storm, the massive figure of the Thunder Tiger appeared and disappeared.
With each leap, its four hooves pounded the ground with full force, sending a spray of mud flying.
Every stride of the beast felt like thunder rolling through the air.
Faint sparks of electricity crackled between its limbs, as if the very earth trembled beneath its feet.
Its form was enormous yet nimble, weaving through rocks and trees.
Then, in an instant, it vanished into the darkness ahead.
Whenever lightning split the sky, Borne could always catch a glimpse of the Thunder Tiger's silver-gray fur.
Its shimmering light in the rain was like that of a ghost.
The warhorse was not to be outdone; its hooves thundered, accompanied by a rhythmic "tat-tat" as it galloped down the muddy mountain path.
Just then, a bolt of lightning struck down, splitting a nearby tree in half.
The tree fell directly onto the path in front of Borne.
It was about to crash into them!
"Radish!"
In the next moment, the horse's hooves flew through the air. Borne swiftly tightened the reins and squeezed his legs.
They swiftly leapt over the fallen tree.
Rainwater mixed with mud splashed up, landing on Borne's face and clothes.
But he had no time to care, gripping the reins once more, urging the warhorse to accelerate.
The warhorse snorted heavily.
At that moment, Borne noticed the Thunder Tiger suddenly twist its body and slip into the dense forest nearby.
"Can't let it escape!"
Borne immediately pressed himself flat against the horse's back, his legs curling tightly against its flanks.
The sound of branches tearing through his clothes reached his ears, and his face was marked with several scratches from the branches.
The horse, too, had been scratched by the branches.
Clenching his teeth with urgency in his heart, he held the reins tightly, closing in on the shadow of the Thunder Tiger.
With a flash of light ahead, they burst out of the dense forest and came to a small stream.
They plunged into the stream, sending water splashing.
The horse's hooves slipped on the smooth pebbles.
In an instant, Borne instinctively leaned to the side and ducked under the horse's belly.
The warhorse immediately regained its balance, continuing to charge forward with the momentum, and Borne quickly returned to the saddle.
His body pressed tightly against the horse's back, letting the rain blur his vision.
The wind howled in his ears, and suddenly, Borne heard a clap of thunder.
A bolt of lightning then tore through the sky, like a sword slicing through the darkness.
It illuminated the massive figure of the Thunder Tiger.
The Thunder Tiger suddenly turned, leaping onto a huge rock.
It stared down at Borne, the distance between them narrowing to mere inches.
Borne couldn't help but tremble; he bit down hard to stop himself from making a sound, his pupils constricting with fear.
"This is impossible!"
The warhorse beneath him trembled in fear as well.
The Thunder Tiger's eyes, glowing with electric light, fixed on him, its breath heavy and oppressive.
It revealed a terrifying expression, baring two rows of gleaming white fangs, accompanied by a series of low growls.
Small flashes of lightning occasionally flickered around it.
Its tail, like a whip, lashed through the air with each movement, accompanied by a rumble of thunder.
The Thunder Tiger's massive paws were larger than Borne's head.
Its fierce gaze, with bloodshot pupils, looked especially chilling under the flashes of lightning.
A distinct claw mark marred its forehead, still oozing a thin line of blood.
Its body was covered in gray fur with black stripes.
Borne pulled the reins tightly, and his horse reared up with a shrill neigh, its hind hooves sinking deep into the muddy ground.
The Thunder Tiger's eyes emitted a cold gleam in the darkness, accompanied by a rumbling roar from its mouth.
Its claws scraped across the rock, sending up a shower of sparks, as if ready to pounce at any moment.
But at that very instant!
The Thunder Tiger suddenly turned, leaping down from the giant rock, and charged toward the edge of the bottomless cliff.
Borne shouted, immediately flattening himself against the horse's back, charging forward.
Raindrops trickled down his cheeks, and the wind roared in his ears as they drew ever closer to the cliff.
Seeing the Thunder Tiger about to disappear into the darkness, Borne quickly pulled on the reins.
The warhorse abruptly halted at the cliff's edge, its front hooves raised high.
Borne gripped the reins tightly, his gaze fixed on the abyss below.
Down in the valley.
The rumble of thunder echoed, the curtain of rain enveloping the entire world.
The Thunder Tiger's figure vanished into the darkness.
The wind and rain around him grew more violent, and the fierce roar of the Thunder Tiger echoed through the mountains.
At this moment, Borne's mind was racing, knowing that the best course of action was to piece together all the information he had on the Thunder Tiger.
Remaining in this dangerous forest would only increase the risk of being killed.
Borne felt an overwhelming sense of urgency.
His heartbeat quickened, and his breathing grew rapid.
Raindrops collected on his eyelashes, forming tiny beads of water.
Thunder and rain clashed, creating a cacophony of sound.
Borne turned, ready to continue the pursuit.
He gently patted his horse's neck as he sat in the saddle.
The warhorse let out a soft neigh, seemingly responding to him.
Borne firmly gripped the reins in his hand.
His gaze was fixed on the hidden dense forest within the mountain range.
The Thunder Tiger's figure had already disappeared deep into the mountains.
As the horse ran along the mountain path, Borne's silhouette grew distant, merging into the darkness.
Gradually, his figure became one with the mountain and forest.
The roar of the Thunder Tiger remained deeply imprinted in his heart.
The danger was far from over, and Borne was still pondering why the Thunder Tiger had appeared here.
His mind recalled what his instructor had taught him and what he had read in books.
It shouldn't have been like this.
The more he thought about it, the more bizarre the Thunder Tiger's appearance seemed.
This particular Thunder Tiger was significantly larger than others of its kind, and it bore numerous scars, both old and new.
A suspicion formed in his mind.
Perhaps it had been chased by an even more powerful magical beast, forcing it to flee in such a hurry.
He still lacked enough information.
Following the narrow path, Borne continued his pursuit; his instincts told him that things were far from simple.
He reached into his satchel and pulled out a few rain-drenched Lowa tangerines.
Reaching out, he held a tangerine to the warhorse's mouth.
The horse extended its tongue, rolling the tangerine into its mouth and swallowing it.
"What do you think? What level is this Thunder Tiger? Could it be Advanced?"
The warhorse beneath him shook its head smartly, signaling a denial.
"So, that means the Thunder Tiger is at least Intermediate?" Borne asked.
This time, the warhorse did not give a clear response, as even the old horse seemed to believe that the Thunder Tiger's level couldn't be that low.
Having worked closely with the warhorse for a long time, Borne understood its meaning without further questioning.
He did not press the matter any further.
Blood and rain mingled on his cheeks, dripping down his face.
The sky crackled with continuous thunder, and Borne's face was intermittently illuminated by flashes of lightning, making it impossible to discern his expression.
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