Sovereign of Chaos

Chapter 13: Powerful Big Cat And Brave Ethan

"Wait for me, Lily!" Ethan didn't hesitate, chasing after her. The remaining youths exchanged troubled glances, unsure of what to do next.

It was clear that the big cat was headed towards Charles' house, and their mission had only been to cut down trees. They didn't want to get involved in such a dangerous situation, especially given their limited skills. The same thought crossed everyone's mind.

Charles could guess what they were thinking, so he didn't say much more. He took a deep breath, stomped his foot, and leaped onto the dark pine tree where Justin was. With both arms wrapped around Justin, he slowly descended.

"Everyone, the big cat is obviously headed for my home. I would be grateful to anyone who comes with me to slay the beast. If you don't want to go, I won't force you. Please, just take care of Justin. He's badly injured and needs to be taken to the town's medical clinic as soon as possible."

After saying that, Charles hurried towards the foot of the mountain.

At this hour, lights shone brightly throughout the village, with candles lit in every household. In the short time it took for the news of the big cat to spread, many brave young men had already gathered torches and were rushing to Charles' house.

Joseph had always been a generous and charitable man, so his good deeds were now paying off. As Ethan and Lily hurried along, they saw many people rushing about, armed with weapons such as knives, axes, hammers, and even hoes. The scene was bustling with activity.

"Hurry, everyone! We need to move faster so we don't let the big cat get away!" A young man said, excitement in his eyes.

"Indeed! The big cat has arrived just in time to accompany our drinks!" A shirtless young man, heedless of the cold, excitedly carried a hoe as he ran.

It wasn't far. Ethan and his companion raced along and soon arrived at the gates of the Charles family estate. Upon entering, Ethan was stunned by the sight. Torches burned brightly on the walls, illuminating the small courtyard filled with people, packed together like sardines, clutching weapons and anxiously watching a particular spot.

Their gaze was fixed on an enclosure – a vegetable garden fenced by a hedge about ten feet tall. Through the gaps in the fence, they could clearly see a massive white tiger, at least five feet tall, crouched on the ground. Its icy glare surveyed the crowd beyond the fence, as if sizing up prey. Blood oozed from its open jaws, evidence of its recent feast.

In the courtyard, the flickering light from the torches revealed pools of blood on the ground. Ethan could only imagine the carnage that had occurred.

"What can we do? My child is only eight years old! Damn this big cat!" A disheveled village woman sobbed, her eyes bloodshot. If not for the people restraining her, she would have charged straight into the enclosure to fight the beast.

"Ma'am, please try to compose yourself. Joseph has gone to the town to find an expert to help," a man nearby offered comfortingly.

"Wait for an expert from town? The big cat will have long fled by then! This flimsy fence won't hold it back for more than two charges," another man said.

"Well, what do you suggest? Do you have a better plan? Are you going to go in there and kill the big cat yourself?" The woman's companion sneered.

"You—"

After a moment of silence, Ethan turned to Lily, who had calmed down somewhat. "Lily, wait here for me. I'm going in to take a look."

Without waiting for a response, Ethan plunged into the crowd and approached the fence.

"Damn it, what are you doing? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Lily's face paled in shock, and she called out in concern.

"Sis, don't chase after him. Come with me inside. It's not safe out here," Thomas, who had been standing nearby, grabbed Lily and dismissively glanced at Ethan's retreating figure. "If that fool wants to get himself killed, why should you care?"

Ethan tightened his grip on his knife handle and stood near the fence, silently staring at the big cat within the enclosure. This big cat was clearly no ordinary creature. A typical big cat would weigh around 400 pounds and stand about four feet tall; this one was significantly larger.

Its pure white, unblemished fur, razor-sharp teeth, and the indifferent demeanor with which it regarded the people as if they were nothing, all combined to exert enormous pressure on Ethan. Was this a mutated big cat?

The thought made Ethan's heart skip a beat. Over the years, he had read about the Continent of Chaos and its geography and culture and had some understanding of animal mutations.

Bloodline mutations were an extremely rare yet undeniable phenomenon, with odds of occurrence often less than one in a million. Offspring from two entirely different species or even from the same species could mutate. Not only monsters, but even humans could mutate. According to Ethan's understanding, there was a rare type of blue-blooded human in the Boundless Primordial Chaos. Their blood was blue, their aptitude for cultivation was unparalleled, and their entire body was a treasure, making them the ultimate cauldron. For millions of years, they had been coveted by countless people, making them exceptionally scarce on the continent. Their existence had nearly vanished in the last few centuries, and whether any blue-blooded people remained was unknown.

Moreover, the vast majority of mutations were benign and led to increased strength. "What should I do?" Ethan licked his lips, pondering his options. A wooden fence like this one was unlikely to contain the beast. One solid charge from it could cause the fence to collapse.

Could he charge in and face the beast? Did he have the confidence to kill it with a single blow? Ethan hesitated. His quick knife could be drawn six times in a single breath! But if he failed to kill the creature with any of those strikes, it would surely flee, harming the villagers and disappearing into the forest, where no one could catch it.

It seemed as if they were caught in a deadlock. Beasts of this age or mutated species were typically dealt with by the town's garrison. The garrison of Stone Town consisted of at least 39 elite soldiers, all with a minimum of a level five Strong Blood Realm cultivation. Ethan had only just reached the sixth level of the Strong Blood Realm, making him merely an average member among them.

As Ethan hesitated, he suddenly noticed a commotion in the crowd. The creature was shaking its head and rising to its full height, its cold, white gaze fixated on the people outside the fence. Was it preparing to leave after being sated? Ethan's heart raced.

"Everyone, disperse and ready your crossbows!" Marcus unslung his bow, pulling it taut with an arrow aimed at the beast within the fence. "We must not let the creature escape; it will bring endless trouble to our Storm Clan's Village!"

"Ethan, what are you doing?" Marcus suddenly noticed Ethan cautiously approaching the fence, growing anxious. "Child, come back! It's dangerous!" Marcus felt sympathy for his young neighbor's plight and couldn't bear to see him enter the beast's maw.

"Has the boy gone mad?"

"Hmph, he's completely clueless!"