Chapter 105: Fierce Battle with the Owlbear

Compared to summoned creatures, contracted pets possessed a significant advantage: they did not drain one's mental energy and could exist in this world permanently. The number of pets or slaves a person could contract was limited, determined primarily by their mental strength.

Having only a few contracts caused no adverse effects, but if the number grew too large, it would interfere with spellcasting and even lower the upper limit of one's mental capacity.

With his current mental strength, contracting one or two more creatures would not pose much of a problem. However, one utility dragon was enough; any future contracts would have to be chosen carefully, focusing on creatures with high potential.

As a relatively high-ranking Tier 1 magical beast, Paimon emitted an aura that naturally deterred weaker monsters. This left Chu Yun with quite a peaceful journey through the outer regions of the Rockfall Hills, finding it difficult to even locate a monster to farm.

Controlling one's aura was no simple task, and Paimon simply lacked the ability to do so.

There were many paths winding through the Rockfall Hills, though most were merely routes where the trees were sparse and easier to traverse, rather than proper roads paved by humans.

Unwilling to take a detour, Chu Yun headed straight toward the tallest peak at a rapid pace.

After traveling for about half an hour, the roar of a beast finally echoed in the distance. Chu Yun immediately hurried toward the source of the sound—these were potential soul sacrifices, and he could not afford to let them slip away.

As he drew closer to the battlefield, a monster with the head of an owl and the robust, powerful body of a bear came into view.

This was an Owlbear, its massive frame covered in thick, dense feathers. Owlbears were notoriously short-tempered; once they targeted a prey, the battle would only end with the death of one of the parties.

Typically, Owlbears hunted at night. However, due to the recent monster riots, their daily routines had become erratic, and their temperaments had grown even more volatile.

Judging by its size compared to the entries in the monster compendium, this was likely a Tier 1 elite Owlbear. Its opponents were a party of four adventurers who were clearly outmatched and struggling to survive.

"To venture here with such meager strength, they certainly are bold," Chu Yun murmured, feeling a trace of begrudging respect for their courage.

Had he been in their position, he would never have taken such a reckless risk.

But humans die for wealth just as birds die for food. The adventurers were losing ground rapidly. The shield-bearing warrior had already had his defense shattered by the Owlbear's heavy blows, while the archer's arrows failed to inflict even a scratch.

Of the remaining two, one had a partially severed arm, and the other was a rogue wielding a dagger. Even though the rogue had coated his blade in poison, it was entirely useless if he could not pierce the beast's thick hide.

"We shouldn't have come here..." the shield-bearer thought, his heart sinking into absolute despair.

Having shattered the shield, the Owlbear opened its sharp beak and pecked down viciously.

*Splat!*

A bloody hole was gouged into the shield-bearer's skull, and the Owlbear began to ravenously feast on his brain matter.

"Run! Run!" His companions shrieked, their morale completely shattered. The shield-bearer had been their captain and the strongest among them. With him dead, their only option was to flee.

The Owlbear had no intention of letting the others escape. Seeing its prey flee, it abandoned its half-eaten meal and gave chase.

Though these adventurers lacked strength, they were not foolish. They scattered in different directions, hoping to increase their chances of survival.

Instead of pursuing the injured adventurer, the Owlbear lunged after the swift rogue, clearly intent on leaving no survivors.

Despite its massive size—standing nearly three meters tall when upright—the Owlbear was surprisingly fast. Its bulk was not fat, but pure, dense muscle.

It was unclear if the rogue had spotted Chu Yun and Paimon, but he deliberately altered his path to flee in their direction.

Chu Yun raised an eyebrow. Any passing inclination he had to save the man vanished instantly.

The rogue's speed was no match for the Owlbear's explosive bursts. He was quickly overtaken, tackled to the ground, and slaughtered before he could even reach Chu Yun.

With the rogue dead, the Owlbear turned its attention to Chu Yun and Paimon.

Sensing an aura from Paimon that rivaled its own, the beast abandoned the chase for the remaining humans and let out a warning roar at the young dragon.

Not to be outdone, Paimon, carrying the pride of dragon lineage, glared back with disdain.

"Roar!"

With negotiations off the table, the battle began.

Chu Yun leapt down from Paimon's back and immediately began chanting. "Stone Skin!"

As the spell took effect, Paimon's scales hardened, glowing with a deep amber luster. Simultaneously, Paimon activated its own passive skill, Tough Hide.

*Crash!*

The two massive beasts collided, locked in a brutal, primitive clash of claws and fangs.

Magical beasts often eschewed magic when facing opponents of similar size, preferring the raw thrill of close-quarters melee.

The Owlbear's strength was roughly equal to Paimon's, but its sharp, hooked beak possessed immense piercing power, capable of bypassing Paimon's defenses.

Though Paimon's fangs were slightly less formidable, the young dragon possessed a high-level Bite skill. Its angles, force, and targeting of weak points were precise. It had already torn away a large clump of feathers from the Owlbear's neck, and was close to tearing into the flesh beneath.

Watching the chaotic brawl, Chu Yun pinched the bridge of his nose. While the raw violence was exhilarating enough to make him want to transform into a muscle-bound giant and join in, it was far from a rational way to fight.

"Paimon, use Fire Breath!" Chu Yun finally called out, unable to watch the mindless scuffle any longer.

Hearing Chu Yun's voice, Paimon snapped out of its bloodlust. Clamping its jaws tightly around the Owlbear's neck, the inner furnace of its chest began to churn.

*Boom!*

A torrent of white-hot flames erupted from Paimon's maw at point-blank range. The zero-distance blast was devastating, incinerating the remaining feathers and charring the flesh of the Owlbear's neck to a crisp.

The Owlbear shrieked in agony, swinging a massive, heavy paw directly at Paimon's head.

Reeling slightly from the backlash of its own point-blank blast, Paimon was caught off guard and took the blow full-force.

Fortunately, the dual protection of Stone Skin and Tough Hide mitigated a significant portion of the impact.

The Owlbear's ferocity was relentless. Even with a potentially fatal wound to its neck, it refused to back down, continuing its frenzied assault on Paimon.

Paimon's own draconic instincts flared up in response, but remembering Chu Yun's guidance, it began to play to its strengths rather than engage in a mindless brawl.

Activating Swift Wind, Paimon used its superior agility to leap backward and create distance. It then unleashed a barrage of Wind Blades, targeting the Owlbear's scorched neck.

The Owlbear roared in frustration, enraged that this overgrown lizard refused to fight hand-to-hand, and tried to close the gap once more.

However, acting on Chu Yun's command, Paimon used its earth-manipulation ability to kick up a blinding cloud of sand, throwing it directly into the Owlbear's wide, circular eyes.

With the distance maintained, the blinded Owlbear stood no chance. A sharp crescent of wind sliced cleanly through the open wound on its neck.

Though the strike did not completely decapitate the beast, it severed a third of its neck, sending a torrent of hot blood spraying into the air.