Chapter 30 - Extinct?

As the fight of the same species progressed, after using full power for a long time, they gradually began to wear out. However, the bull moose still had the strength to proceed with another few rounds.

Nevertheless, the Younger moose's activeness showed some result and started to push its opponent backwards slowly step by step. It seemed, the older moose couldn't endure continuous assaults, as its foe was full of energy and ambitions. But it had already passed that period a long time ago and the body was declining. The antlers didn't look as tough as its rival's own. They weren't below par yet and could destroy any moose on the lower ranks. But the present situation was a huge mess when it was confronting moose of the same rank, which most likely didn't have experience of any defeat.

As the younger moose was aware of the opponent's condition, decided to use additional power conversed inside its body for the goal to be accomplished. Every muscle on its body became visible and was activated like never before. Ulf could easily sense that a vast amount of qi was absorbed from the air inside the young moose's body. Of course, during the fight, both sides had been steadily drawing in and using the qi, but now the time of tramp cards came.

'Let's see what they have.' Ulf was very interested in the capabilities of late-grade beasts.

Young moose pressed down with antlers and also at the same time forced the opponent to take sudden action and to go backward. An unanticipated retreat caused the old moose to lose balance and gave the perfect chance to its foe. The young competitor knocked the old moose's head on the ground as hard as it could do. The older beast was forced to kneel down too. It looked tired as if it was going to give up anytime in this territorial fight and made desperate groans.

Getting a chance like that and not using it, must not have been the young beast's plan at all. It intended to thrust its majestic broad horns with lightning speed deeply into the foe's opened neck and abdomen together from the left side. A major move like that would freely make the opponent incapable to keep up with its previous pace if first of all, it would be able to survive the fatal injuries.

Looking at the process and realizing that the end of the fight was nearing, Ulf sensed through the spiritual energy that the creatures, which contained deadly threats, were getting closer, however, didn't dare to invade the grassland right away yet.

A plausible explanation for that would be that they were waiting until either of the fighters would be heavily injured because the late-grade beast moose was a very strong creature in the southern forest. Only against the wounded moose would they have a chance. Alongside that reason, all of them must have sensed other predators concealing themselves in the forest.

Some of them may even sensed or seen Ulf on the tree, but as he didn't use inner qi, the human with warrior rank power was just a snack to them. They didn't even bother with him, due to fear that ongoing battle's competitors would be alerted. The beast stage moose were entirely absorbed into their conflict and hadn't noticed how dangerous siege had been forming by the forest's other apex existences.

As for the fight, things didn't go how the young moose wished. When it was ready to crash the defenceless left side of the older competitor and guarantee the victory, an enormous aura and threat of death spread and could be sensed from below its head. Around the fallen moose, which mustn't have any ability to resist, huge changes took place.

Usually, its antlers looked colourless and old, instead of the younger beast's sunlight reflecting beautiful horns. However, in just a second, these dull antlers were brightened and started emitting light. The sudden eruption of dominance power caused violent waves of wind combined with a terrifying aura and raw qi.

'PEAK GRADE BEAST!' Ulf jumped in fright and nearby ran due to his strong survival instinct, which was warning him of the Insurmountable barrier only two or three hundred meters away.

Nothingness, he still stayed to observe for more. He had some confidence to escape from the peak beast stage moose in such dense forest when he could run on the branches of trees and the chaser couldn't. The only way for moose to catch up with him would be if it would bright massive destruction to clear the way. However Ulf didn't have any idea why the moose would get angry with him, so decided to wait on his spot.

'What the fuck does such a strong being want in this part of the forest? Is the southern forest really the so-called easiest place to roam and hunt?' Ulf started to doubt the tribe's intelligence.

Habitually, peak beasts were strongest inside the southern forest and they took the richest - central, inner part with resources of this place. However, here one of these strongest representatives preferred to stay out of such a region.

Regarding the undergoing a change, the Light around the antlers wasn't a reflection of sunlight but produced from the peak beast's body by collecting an astonishingly large amount of qi.

'Huge concentration of the same kind of qi recycled inside the beast and then into this procedure must have caused the antlers to lighten up.' Because of a dozen years, worthy experiences of the mind-body cultivation and little connection with the beasts gave Ulf enough means to have some theories about the occurring event.

He had been informed about this topic in the village by the hunters at the time of the javelin training period and now was sincerely very thankful to them. As others said, this ability was exclusive to peak beast existences.

After seeing the old moose's display of capacity, Ulf called this characteristic ability for peak grade beasts 'Innate Hardening'. Some may mistake this ability for qi manifestation, but there was a great difference between them. However, in reality, it should have been just a foundation for a higher version of itself - qi manifestation, that could be achieved, if the beast would evolve into the monster.

From Ulf's understanding, this ability is a kind of primitive version of qi manifestation. It could harden and power up some specific part of the body, but wasn't anywhere near to capability of qi manifestation, which could strengthen the whole body at least 4-5 times and even give users a new talent. The mountain rhino's defence was impenetrable and its agility - was unmatched, when it was using this technique. Likely, with its ultimate power, it would be able to even rival late-grade beast moose in front of him for some time.

Naturally, these ideas shaped into Ulf's mind, after the events of the day came to an end.

As for the battlefield of two powerhouses, the 'newly emerged' peak grade beast moose activated its tramp card - innate hardening and attacked from the lower right side of the young moose. The opponent, who didn't have time to grasp the turning point of the fight, could only use the right side horn to shield some vital parts and receive the approaching attack.

BAAM...

When two sides collided, it followed the huge tremor and everything around was mercilessly destroyed. The outcome became clear straight away. Young beast's right antler was half broken and the gut lanced, as for the body it was tossed dozens of meters away.

The fight was practically finished. The peak beast was still apex being inside the forest, even if this moose was very old. Maybe its power wasn't similar to past age's top condition, but somehow still could effort to tear apart any lower level opponent, with the rich combat experience and remaining domineering prowess.

'Perhaps, its old age was one of the reasons for leaving the central region of the forest?!' However, it wasn't still enough of an excuse for Ulf, that peak grade beast abandoned even a slim opportunity of getting more funds to promote on the beast stage.

About the opponent, it was in terrible shape. Naturally, such a mighty attack, broken antler and deep injury, demolished its will and any possibility of a continuing fight. Because of the broken horn, it would have a much harder time fighting against the other beast or moving on to the next rank. However, first of all, it needed to safely escape from the grassland.

The fight with the peak beast opponent had ended, but a new crisis had descended on it. The hidden predators, when they noticed the end of the fight and the heavily wounded competitor, considered it a golden opportunity.

The first creatures that came out from the forest were two...

'Lions? No... not normal lions.' Thought Ulf.

The couple had the almost same colour as the lions from the earth, just a bit lighter. One was bigger than another. This gave Ulf the idea that the bigger was male, and the smaller one - its partner female. However, one big difference from the normal lion, even if it was higher than 2,5 meters and bigger in the length, was that male was completely maneless. The female was comparably smaller in size.

'Lion without mane?' Ulf started thinking and soon got it. 'Don't tell me... can they be cave lions?'

He was greatly astonished seeing them. However, after fighting a colossal mountain rhino a few days ago, the cave lions weren't that big of a shock. Nevertheless, watching the earth's extinct species was a really fascinating and captivating phenomenon for Ulf. Right after stepping out from the forest, the couple started to spread their aura and graving sense of royalness.

Only then did both moose find out that there were other strong creatures around the grassland, as they were entirely engulfed in their conflict. They became hostile to the unwelcome guests, however, it wasn't the end.

ROAR

The very loud voice of some powerful creature shook the forest. Ulf instantly looked toward the southern part of the grassland and saw there were more massive predators than the newly emerged male cave lion. The beast had very long legs and a short body given its height. It was far from the Ulf, but with his estimation, this creature could be roughly 3 meters tall or more.

This disastrous creature looked like a bear but must have been deadlier than any other from this species on the earth.

'Another extinct animal from the earth?...' Ulf tried to recall the memories from the previous life.

'Yes, it must be... short-faced bear!! One of the most feared predators of ancient times.'

Ulf became excited, but also a little thoughtful about his odds of gaining anything here. Even though he was still going to stay till the end and try his fate in the approaching new brutal fight.