Finding clues about the second Alpha proved to be harder than Kael had expected. Even after hours of searching, he didn't find any solid leads.
It was evening already, and he was finally noticing signs of exhaustion in himself. So, he decided to take a short break before continuing his search.
An Alpha Lionkin would at least be an Uncommon Stage Evolution Beast, so he wanted it to be his very first tamed beast.
Kael was walking back toward the Great Tree after washing his clothes and himself in the river. His clothes were still intact because Draven had protected him during the fall.
They were just a plain black shirt and pants along with rugged leather boots. They weren't anything fancy, but definitely better than leaves wrapped around like a loincloth.
'The battle was intense, and lions usually don't retreat, so the injuries must have been brutal. That means they couldn't have gotten far…'
But he had already searched around the entire area and even the hidden spots. Aside from a few beasts he couldn't beat, he found no signs of a Lionkin.
'Did that Flameclaw Lion already eat the Alpha?'
It was a possibility, as that would explain why they didn't find any bodies.
Kael sighed, realizing that his first day had been wasted just like that. It was dark already, and he wasn't confident enough to go hunting at night, even with his dragon physique.
Just when he was about to call it a day, his instincts tingled as his head snapped toward his right—where he spotted a pair of glowing eyes staring at him, radiating bloodlust.
The beast had tried to mask its presence, but there had been a momentary slip, and Kael's sharp instincts didn't fail to catch it.
Without a second thought, Kael jumped into action and rushed toward the lion. The beast realized that its position had been compromised, so it began to run instead of choosing to fight.
"Hey! Can we talk for a second?" Kael shouted, knowing full well it was a futile effort.
Still, he knew it was a lion, and he wanted them so he needed to at least try.
As expected, the lion just growled and increased its speed even more. There were scars and patches of dried blood on its body, which now seemed to be reopening under the pressure.
'Tsk! We can't go on like this.' Kael clicked his tongue and changed direction, using lightning to increase his speed drastically.
The lion was confused by Kael's sudden change in course, but it didn't stop running even for a second. It just continued to flee in a zigzag pattern, trying to shake off its enemy.
Then, all of a sudden, the lion came to a screeching halt, its paws digging into the ground, causing it to slide several meters under the momentum. Its eyes locked onto the irritating human before it.
Eyes filled with fury, the lion growled in a masculine, guttural voice, "Get away, Human."
'Oh, he can talk?' Kael raised an eyebrow, activating [Lightning Mantle] to cloak his body in crackling energy.
He sighed, fully grasping the situation. All beasts naturally hated humans, so just seeing Kael must have ignited that deep-rooted hatred, probably causing the earlier slip in his bloodlust control.
'Fortunately for you, I'm not a human anymore,' Kael thought as his eyes turned cold, and an oppressive aura began to spread out with him as the focal point.
His voice, barely above a whisper, echoed eerily around the lion, "Are you sure about that?"
The lion took a step back, his hind legs trembling under the crushing dominance. Kael's eyes seemed to ignite some primal fear inside him, making him shrink even further.
He had been taught since cubhood that backing away was a sign of cowardice, and cowards had no place in the pride.
But under the presence of this humanoid being before him, the lion simply couldn't muster any courage. He was already injured from the previous battle.
'He… He's not a human!'
That aura could never belong to a human. It was domineering, seething, beastly...and terrifying beyond anything he had felt before.
Seeing that the lion was intimidated, Kael smiled and retracted his dragon aura. "Good. I want to talk to you. I hope you won't reject my offer."
The lion slightly lowered his head and growled, "It's not like I have much of a choice. Speak. What are you, and what do you want?"
Kael noticed the subtle hint of respect in his tone and nodded approvingly. "I'm a newbie in this forest, but I mean no harm to you, at least, not yet. I saw the signs of a huge battle on that side of the forest."
The lion grimaced deeply.
"I can guess the situation, and I've already seen the other Alpha. So, I want to know where your Alpha is."
The lion's eyes suddenly flared up with rage. "So, you are colliding with that bastard?"
'Colliding? Did this guy learn to speak recently?' Kael blinked in amusement. "No, I'm not with him. Actually, I want to get rid of him from this area, so I thought we could join forces."
"You think I'll believe you?" the lion growled, baring his sharp fangs in warning.
[Second Evolution: Fanged Lion – E-Rank]
"You're wounded, and your Alpha is probably in worse condition. I believe you came out searching for herbs or something to heal your Alpha?" Kael wasn't afraid as he stepped closer.
Before the lion could snap at him, he quickly added, "Your condition is critical, and you know you'll die if you fight me. Tell me, can your Alpha survive if he loses you too?"
Finally, the lion hesitated, a flicker of sadness flashing in his glowing nocturnal eyes.
"I don't know if I can help you, but at least it's worth a shot, because I can see that you and your kind are dying," Kael pressed on, his voice firm but undeniably sincere.
He could have forcibly bonded with the lion since it was weak right now, but he didn't want to be a slave master. He wanted to become a Beast Tamer. Besides, if he was going to build a Beast Kingdom, he would need loyalty, not just fear.
The lion remained silent for a few moments, contemplating Kael's words. He knew he stood no chance against this strange being, and strangely, he felt an emotion that was difficult to name...something bordering trust.
More importantly, he knew Kael was telling the truth. If things stayed the way they were, his remaining pride would fall.
'She must survive… even if everyone else dies.'
The lion clenched his teeth and finally said, "Fine. I take you to family."
It was a risky move, but he had no other choice left.
"Good! Don't worry, we have same enemy," Kael comforted the lion, though he knew the words probably didn't help.
"Come after me!"
'You mean follow me?' Kael mused but still began to follow behind the lion.
It was also the first time he was seeing a Lionkin this close and in such detail.
He was at least 4 meters in length and stood around 2 meters tall at the shoulders, making him just slightly shorter than Kael himself. Golden fur and a dark mane gave him a majestic and regal appearance.
But now, there were large patches of fur and mane missing, and scars were etched across his skin, some old, faded and white, and others still raw and fresh.
This was a warrior who had clearly fought countless battles for the sake of his family.
Kael smiled slightly when he noticed the lion giving him a side-eye. He was still wary of Kael, and it showed in the way he walked—with his claws slightly extended, ready for a fight if needed.
"By the way, do you have a name?" Kael asked, even though he already had a good idea what the answer would be.
"As if! We were a small tribe, and nobody had enough power to name us."
'As expected. Wait! How is he speaking so fluently?' Kael was momentarily speechless.
He stared at the large cat walking beside him and asked again, "Do you want one? I can give you one, you know."