Ooh, Pretty Tiger

Jenna sat at the table, looking at a message before her vision with an inquisitive gaze. 'Hmm… I wonder how to activate this?'

While Jenna was lost in her gaze, Aisha looked at Rella. "So Rella, What's the fastest way to make money? I feel bad about destroying Wendell's shop, and I'd like to pay him back quickly."

Rella thought for a moment, bringing her hand to her chin. She looked around the group, seemingly sizing them up, before sighing. "Haa… Well, I wouldn't have suggested it yesterday, but…."

Rella took a sip of her water, casting a long glance at the other people around the table. "I don't understand it at all. And it really irritates me. But, with all of you suddenly becoming cultivators, a couple of you even above myself, I think we can do it."

"We'll make money the same way that most cultivators do. Hunting spirit beasts."

Hearing that, an excited grin rose onto Timothee's face. "Now that sounds interesting."

…

The sun floated high in the sky, bathing the land in its radiance. Various people walked up and down the streets, flaunting wares and shouting prices. People wandered around, going about their various tasks.

A few miles from the town, a massive forest loomed. The dense greenery going on as far as the eye could see. Noises and cries of various beasts rang throughout, implementing fear in people's hearts.

Walking through the forest was a strange group of six individuals. Despite the dangers around them, the group wasn't being stealthy, not even attempting as they laughed and talked.

"Ahh!" Timothee yelled, walking at the head of the group with Aisha. "Where are the monsters?! We've been walking forever!"

Maybe they are afraid of you~?" Jenna teased. She was following the group, but she seemed partially distracted by something, a look of confusion and concentration on her doll-like face.

"Haha!" Timothee laughed boisterously. "As they should be!"

Timothee tilted his head toward the sky, looking at the trees above him. He breathed in deeply, filling his lungs with air, before yelling into the sky. "Come out and play, beasts! Soon, this handsome young man will be bored to death!"

Rella rode on Jaime's back, watching the boy with a distraught smile. She had rebuked the boy several times over the past hours, but nothing ever changed. Only Aisha was able to quiet the boy momentarily, but even she had given up on trying.

The group entered a large clearing, allowing them to see much further than before.

Aisha looked back at Rella. "So, how hard is it to kill the beasts?"

Rella frowned slightly, setting her chin on Jaime's hair. "I guess it depends on the level of the spirit beast. If we run into a low-level beast, it shouldn't pose any problems. Even mortals can occasionally get lucky and kill level one and two beasts."

"Mid-level beasts would be a little harder. Their bodies are tougher and they have a lot more power, but with you and Timothee, we should be fine. But, if we run into a high-level beast, it could be dangerous."

"High-level beasts are above what I can hunt, and they possess higher intelligence than the others. They often lay traps and use their strength better than the lesser beasts. Without any weapons, they would be hard to kill, but we could at least escape with our lives."

Rella's face got slightly serious as she continued. "However, if we run into a pinnacle beast, we should just run. Fighting against one without any weapons would just be suicide. I was unfortunate enough to run into some a couple of days ago, and only through sheer luck did I survive."

"If we find a pinnacle beast, our only chance is to run."

RAAAAAAAA!!!

A roar resounded through the clearing, shattering the air and stopping the group in their tracks.

From the edge of the clearing, a shadow dashed forward, stopping about ten meters from the group. The shadow was fast, almost too fast for Rella to keep track of.

Rising from the ground, the shadow slowly began to take shape, its features becoming more prominent.

Rising before the group was a massive black-furred tiger. The tiger stood two meters tall and spanned over four meters from nose to tail. Its fur was midnight black, and its red eyes gleaned with a predatory glint. A fierce snarl revealed the knife-like fangs hidden within its maw, waiting to grind its prey into mush.

Rella's expression froze, her face going paler than a ghost.

However, none of the others seemed to notice, paying too much attention to the newly arrived creature.

"Wow… What a beautiful tiger." Aisha mumbled, entranced by the tiger's deep black fur.

"So this is a spirit beast, huh?" Jaime asked, studying the tiger.

Jenna still seemed distracted by something unknown. She cast a glance up at the beast, but she didn't say anything. She just went back to scrutinizing her arm, seemingly lost in deep thought.

Cain was staring at the beast, completely awestruck. He'd never seen anything like this creature in his entire life.

"Ahahahaha!" A burst of boisterous laughter echoed through the clearing. "Finally!" Timothee beamed. "The gods have granted my wish!"

The muscles in Timothee's legs tensed as his gaze narrowed onto the tiger. With a beaming smile, Timothee yelled out. "Come and die for me!"

Timothee's decree echoed through the clearing as his body shot forward like a loaded spring, his burst of power throwing soil into the air.

Everyone watched in surprise at Timothee's speed. No one had seen him act since he stepped into the ranks of cultivation, and the power he showed was far above what a human could achieve.

Timothee closed the distance in an instant, appearing before the tiger with his fist pulled back, the muscles in his arm taught.

At that moment, Rella snapped out of her daze. "No!" She screamed out. "That's a pinnacle beast!"

But Rella's warning was too late.

BOOOOOOM!!!

A fierce explosion rang out, sending a fierce shockwave through the air.

Timothee's body was thrown like a broken doll. His limp body flying to the outskirts of the clearing, crashing harshly into a thick tree.

His body stayed there, slumped against the trunk, unmoving. No one knew if he was still alive.