Looking at the wind rushing forward and the leopards reacting to Rivere's words.
On instinct his senses made him react.
They were now completely in overdrive.
His hearing was clearer and more detailed, his vision was adjustable, his skin became more sensitive to the environment around him, the wide range of smells hit his nose in one swift attack and well he didn't find it pleasant being able to taste what was in the air.
Kicking into action he pulled a leopard as it leapt at him into a hug, it dug its claws into his back.
A loud groan escaped his mouth but the action was planned.
When the air finally struck, deadly and powerful.
Shredding the place around him.
The leopard took the brunt of the attack instead, blood exploded out of the wounds and it died on the spot.
Letting it go its claws dug deeper into him, making him pull them out, blood oozing out of each hole dripped down his back.
'I can feel it again, my senses they're in overdrive. Maybe this is a new ability I have.'
I want you all to remember this, talking to yourself mid fight not a good idea.
His gut tugged at him like it was trying to come out of his body.
Narrowly he avoided the main attack that would have killed him for sure but instead he just received a deadly scratch across the abdomen.
"Arghh...! That really hurts!"
The leopards had pounced again sensing his distraction, now they saw he was weakened and vulnerable on the ground.
"Hurry!" Rivere urged them on, "knock him unconscious, we can't keep our Lord waiting!"
'So you're not the main boss huh, you answer to someone.'
Natsuki thought, looking at the incoming danger.
His weapons were destroyed and he was badly injured, the only thing he had left were his senses.
The fear of death hit harder than anything so far, his dragon heart feeling the desperation began to pump faster.
Instantly he felt a surge of heat inside his body, the pain began subsiding slowly.
But the injuries remained.
'The heart comes with tricks I guess, I'll think of what to call all this stuff later.'
He paused.
'If I survive that is.'
Standing he moved the mana through his body.
Most skilled people were able to do this subconsciously, it was like how their heart beat blood around their bodies in a constant flow.
Still being inexperienced he had to do it himself, but this took a huge amount of stamina and added mental strain as well.
Still he began to build up as much as he could before they arrived.
Then in one large and fatal attack he released a huge wall of fire.
It took the leopards by surprise, not reacting fast enough the flames landed straight on and scorched them badly.
Falling down to the ground, they whimpered in pain and were paralysed by the pain as well.
Their wings were almost completely burnt off, fur was missing replaced by burnt flesh and some had completely burnt body parts
'Wow did I really do that? This dragon heart really is at another level, I wonder how much stronger I can become if I master it.'
He smiled almost confident but he knew that the bird was at another level.
The wind strikes it sent down were trouble enough but he could tell they weren't coming down at full strength.
"I was told not to underestimate you and I did anyway. Looks like I'll need to get serious."
The bird had presence, Natsuki had to admit to himself, it radiated power, an aura of mana so thick it would have been suffocating the way he was before.
But now he was different and adapting quickly.
"Then bring it on bird! I ain't scared of you."
"You talk too much human, vermin like you aren't even worthy to be standing in the same forest as me!"
The bird dived downwards.
Spreading its wings it sent wave after wave after wave of wind.
Natsuki could feel the normal air being split in half as the air it created soared towards him.
Not being able to breathe was a problem, it created the risk of becoming weak, breathless and shaky.
But he couldn't dodge either, too many were coming at once and the bird itself was also diving in.
Quickly he began making tiny walls of fire that resided in the air where the gush of wind was going to hit him from.
The fire extinguished the air as it flew down, deflecting what he could with fire he placed on his hands.
It was effective but straining, quickly he began to feel tired and exhausted.
Then some got through and when one did another followed until multiple passed through and he was now completely covered in cuts.
Blood soaked his trousers and the pieces of cloth he wrapped around his body fell as tinier pieces.
But he was still standing, sore but still standing, blood dropped off him like sweat but he just looked up ready for what comes next.
"Is that all you got you oversized dodo!"
Clearly annoyed it swooped down and picked him up, digging the tips of its talons onto his shoulders locking him in place.
'I'm stuck!'
"Oversized dodo!" Its voice boomed loud with anger, "I am a majestic eagle, I command the winds, all creatures tremble at the thought or whisper of my name! And you refer to me as that thing, you'll pay! My Lord will deal with you rightly after I've made sure you're completely helpless!"
'It's angry, angry is good. Anger means mistakes. I just hope they're big ones... wait... how do I know this?'
Then it flipped twice in the air, the air became so thin he couldn't breathe anything in at all.
Before he knew it he was headed towards the ground incredibly fast.
He hit the ground.
Back first.
An audible snap echoed through the space and Natsuki cried out loudly in pain.
He was completely paralysed, his spine had just snapped in two.
Rivere landed, covering him with one foot, then he shoved his claw straight down his stomach.
Natsuki coughed out blood in large amounts, it overflowed dripping from his mouth.
Then he stared up at Rivere with dazed eyes and completely weak.
"All talk but no real power. I should just finish you off myself."
'No I can't die, I don't wanna die, not here not now when I'm finally so close to a normal maybe even luxurious life.'
He began begging eternally.
A hunger to survive ignited within him, then suddenly the ring began to glow a bright ominous purple and his spine snapped back in place.
"I'm not about to die now!"