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C1307 Rapax

Leonel's expression changed when he heard this. He knew that the old man was definitely talking about him, or else why would he bother to say something?

Leonel was also well aware that the old man only spoke without prompt when he was either passionate about something, or he would lose out from Leonel doing something stupid. Clearly, this was the latter.

If Leonel fell here, they would be stuck in a Sub-Dimensional Zone. Even if Wise Star Order could then clear it himself, he would end up stuck in a place like the Void Palace, all while severely weakened. In such a case, there would only be to possibilities. He would either die a horrible death, or he would become a pawn.

Obviously, he couldn't let Leonel just go giving up his life.

Leonel was able to grasp this in just a split moment, but he still didn't understand why. Was this person really so dangerous?

Despite not knowing the answer, Leonel's steps didn't falter. In fact, his forward speed became even faster. Without the slightest hesitation, he went all out. His Bronze Runes blossomed into existence, the crown of his Spear Domain Lineage Factor protruding from his head once more even as the Halo of his Metal Synergy Lineage Factor enveloped his body.

The crackles of ice danced through the air like shimmering mist as Leonel burst through the final clearing. The gorgeous silver and sky blue armor coated him from head to toe even as his wings spread out from his body.

Running away would have been a foolish option. He still believed that an enemy that could hide from his Internal Sight was too dangerous to keep at a distance, especially when it had such powerful long ranged abilities.

In that case, the only option was to not take this meeting lightly. He would give it everything he had.

Leonel's beast skin armor was the last to erupt. The dancing dichotomy of bright silvers and blues to deep and dark blacks creating a gorgeous cinematic image. But, what Leonel saw on the other side of the clearing was anything but.

It wasn't a person targeting him at all. Rather… it was an alien almost insect-like creature.

It stood on digitigrade legs with claws so long they could have each been their own individual curved blades. Its head was an oblong shape, warped like a pill with its mouth protruding forward and the back of its skull doing the same in the reverse direction. Its head, though, was encased by a silver metallic shell, hiding its eyes away and only revealing a mouth that split open both vertically and horizontally to reveal glistening canines.

The metallic frame of the shell that covered the top half of its pill shaped head traveled down its back, quickly losing its whole look and twisting into the shape of what looked like a real spine that eventually curved into a scorpion-like tail.

The entire monstrosity stood at over three meters tall despite its hunched posture. Leonel could feel so much hidden power within his body that the numbers for what its top speed must be flew past his eyes, becoming bigger and bigger with every new parameters taken into account.

'What the hell, is this alien from Alien vs. Predator real?'

In this sort of life and death situation, Leonel truly did have such an immature thought. The reality, though, was that aside from the general shape of their bodies, this thing and alien were nothing alike. Even just by danger level alone… This monstrosity was on a whole different level.

Leonel hadn't even landed on the ground yet when a whipping tail suddenly attacked his head.

With a thought, Leonel immediately activated his Dark Ice Domain. While his spear Domains were still too lacking, his Dark Ice Domain was still at a Sixth Dimensional standard. Though it wasn't as powerful as it was on Planet Luxnix, Leonel could just barely over a five meter radius. That was just enough to slow the tail about to rip his head off for him to dodge backward, his expression becoming serious.

This thing was strong. Very strong. Far stronger than even the version of Myghell Leonel had fought just a few months ago.

'What the hell is this thing, old man.'

'Thing? That's a living, breathing being. You sound like a racist bigot.'

Of all the answers he was ready for, this was the only one that could have caught him completely off guard. If Leonel wasn't so good at splitting his minds, he might have been nailed to death by that damned tail.

'Can you be serious, please?'

'I am being serious. This is a Rapax. They're a race of people just like you humans and they happen to share a border with your Human Domain.'

Leonel's expression flickered, his spear swinging up to clash against a strong kick by the Rapax. However, the end result was him being sent flying backward, his feet eventually gliding against the ground hard.

'What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses?'

'They have extraordinarily powerful bodies. Even that needle that it used to attack you didn't utilize any Force at all, at least not in a conventional sort of way. They've also evolved to be completely invulnerable to mental attacks, it's a speciality of their natural metallic carapaces. It's also because of that that your Internal Sigh couldn't spot it, it gives them a huge advantage in this dense fog.'

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The Rapax displayed a dexterity Leonel thought he would never find in a sequence of kicks. Each felt like a heavy mountain pressing down on him. If not for his own sturdy defenses and powerful body, Leonel would have found him being self being battered and broken already.

'It's odd, though. Usually, the Void Palace wouldn't throw something like this at the new recruits so quickly… Must be because you entered with too many people.'

Wise Star Order chuckled even as Leonel continued to grunt.

To be continued