The air inside the Ruins of Eldara was thick with ancient mana, heavy enough to make the average person's breath feel restricted. Leon moved forward cautiously, his Celestial Moon Panther prowling at his side while Nyx, the Phantom Stalker, remained hidden in the shadows.
The ruins were a vast underground labyrinth, once a temple dedicated to an ancient beast deity long forgotten by time. Stone pillars lined the massive hallways, each carved with depictions of legendary beasts locked in eternal battle.
> "This place was once a proving ground for the first Beast Tamers."
Leon knew this because, in his past life, the ruins had remained undiscovered for nearly a year after the game launched. When players finally found it, they realized it held one of the strongest tamable beasts in the entire Western Continent.
But by then, the beast had already grown far too powerful to be tamed.
This time, however, Leon was here first.
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The Guardian Awakens
As Leon stepped further inside, a deep rumbling echoed through the ruins. The ground beneath his feet shook violently, dust and small debris falling from the cracked stone ceiling.
A system notification flashed before him.
> [You have awakened the First Guardian of Eldara.]
[Trial of the Ancient Beastmasters: Commencing.]
Leon took a step back as the ground split apart, and from the depths of the ruin's stone floor, a massive golden-scaled lion emerged.
Its size rivaled a war elephant, and its emerald eyes glowed with a predatory intelligence.
Above its head, its status flashed:
> [Eldara Guardian – Divine Lion (Mythic) – Level 95]
Leon's expression remained calm, but deep down, he felt a rare twinge of excitement.
> "A Mythic-grade beast… I can't tame it yet, but if I weaken it enough…"
He raised a hand, signaling his beasts into position.
> "Let's test our strength."
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The Battle Begins
The Divine Lion let out a thunderous roar, sending a wave of golden energy crashing toward Leon.
> "Nyx, Shadow Warp!"
Nyx vanished into the shadows, dodging the attack completely, while the Celestial Moon Panther leapt to the side with blinding speed.
Leon's Abyssal Serpent lunged forward, releasing a spray of venom mist, but the lion countered instantly, slamming its claw into the ground. A shockwave dispelled the poison, and in the same motion, it sent a burst of divine fire toward Leon.
> "Thunderhorn, absorb the attack!"
Leon's Thunderhorn Stag rushed forward, its antlers glowing with lightning, absorbing a portion of the flames before redirecting them into a massive electrical explosion.
The Divine Lion staggered, but only for a moment.
It snarled, its emerald eyes narrowing as it prepared to unleash its next devastating attack.
Leon tightened his grip on his taming sigil.
> "I need to weaken it more before attempting a taming."
The battle was just getting started.
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