The hornbill jumped.
It slowly glided into the crater before coming to a stop a few meters ahead of the tiger.
Its wings spread wide, displaying the massive casque above its head.
A clear display of dominance.
Low reverberating growls rolled through the ruined battlefield before erupting into a deafening roar.
A vicious snarl followed, exposing ivory fangs slick with saliva.
One canine still missing.
Claws dug into broken earth.
One step.
Muscles tightened, waiting to explode.
Two steps.
Sunlight caught the tiger's eyes, turning them into molten gold, the irises narrowed into predatory slits.
Just before committing to the hunt—
The tiger stopped.
Behind it lingered the scent of blood.
Weak.
Fading.
It turned its head.
The human remained where he had fallen.
Motionless.
...
The tiger looked back toward the hornbill.
And did not advance further.
The hornbill remained still.
Its black eyes shifted briefly toward the unconscious human.
Then back to the tiger.
Understanding came quickly.
The beast was no longer challenging it.
It was guarding something.
A harsh clicking sound escaped the hornbill's beak.
Mocking.
Amused.
The tiger answered with another growl.
Lower this time.
A warning.
The hornbill took a single hop forward.
The crater trembled beneath the impact.
Then another.
Each movement deliberate.
Testing.
Waiting.
The tiger did not move to meet it.
Did not charge.
Did not retreat.
It simply remained between the hornbill and the unconscious human.
The realization settled fully.
The beast had chosen its ground.
Good.
That made things easier.
Violet-black energy began gathering around the hornbill's casque.
Thin arcs crackled across its feathers.
The surrounding air distorted.
Then the hornbill launched itself skyward.
Powerful wingbeats carried it above the crater as it began circling.
Waiting.
Searching.
The opening came moments later.
A black arc of lightning tore downward toward the unconscious human.
A wave of dust exploded across the battlefield.
When it settled, the tiger stood over the human.
The smell of burned fur drifted through the air.
The attack had landed.
Just not where it was intended.
The hornbill showed no surprise.
It had never expected the first strike to succeed.
Another bolt came from a different angle.
Faster.
The tiger reacted instantly.
Its jaws clamped onto the human's clothing before hurling him across the crater.
The lightning struck a heartbeat later.
Black electricity crawled across orange fur.
The tiger absorbed the attack without retreating.
Above, the hornbill's casque darkened further.
Asura energy gathered around it in increasingly violent currents.
This time there would be no probing strike.
The air screamed.
A far larger bolt erupted from the hornbill.
The tiger answered immediately.
Emerald flames burst from its maw.
The two attacks collided midair.
The atmosphere convulsed.
A violent shockwave exploded outward.
For a brief moment, the emerald flames pushed through the lightning.
The attack surged forward.
Closer.
Closer.
Then it faded before reaching the hornbill.
The strain finally revealing itself.
The hornbill attacked again.
Another bolt.
Another interception.
The tiger stepped into its path.
Then another.
Again.
And again.
Each exchange left fresh burns across its body.
The accumulated damage eventually forced the beast lower.
Its breathing grew heavier.
Its movements slowed.
The opportunity appeared.
The hornbill seized it instantly.
Its wings folded inward.
Its body dropped.
The long spear-like bill aimed directly at the tiger below.
It descended like a knight charging with a lance.
The impact shattered earth.
That was the hornbill's second mistake.
The tiger moved.
At the last possible moment.
The massive body twisted aside before rising onto its hind legs.
A crushing paw strike followed.
Black feathers exploded into the air.
The hornbill crashed sideways into the ground.
The tiger lunged immediately after.
Jaws snapping shut where the creature's neck had been a fraction of a second earlier.
Another burst of lightning detonated between them.
The hornbill barely escaped death.
It surged back into the air.
Not before the tiger claimed more feathers.
And corrupted flesh.
For the first time since descending into the crater, the hornbill was wounded.
Then realization struck.
The tiger was not nearly as affected by the lightning as it had appeared.
The burns were real.
The exhaustion was real.
But the weakness?
That had been exaggerated.
It had been baited into the charge.
An angry grating cackle escaped from the hornbill.
High above the battlefield, it stared down at the tiger.
The tiger stared back.
Calm.
Unmoving.
The pressure behind those golden eyes settled over the hornbill once more.
Danger.
This was not a mere beast.
The tiger had controlled the battle from the beginning.
Bloodlust exploded within the hornbill.
The ruined crater fell silent.
And within that sudden stillness...
Something shifted.