This time, Ethan didn't wait.
The moment the lion charged, he moved forward and grabbed a broken branch from the ground without slowing down.
His body twisted smoothly, arm pulling back, and then—he let it fly.
The branch whistled through the air.
It struck the second lion right in the jaw.
A loud crack rang out.
The beast staggered, its head whipping to the side. It didn't fall, but the blow threw off its momentum.
Meanwhile, Mei didn't have time to think about how Ethan was such a good close-combat fighter.
As she surged forward, closing the gap in an instant. Her body twisted mid-run, one leg dragging behind her as power gathered at her fists. Blue light flared around her knuckles.
She slammed straight into the lion's side.
The impact sent it flying, crashing into the trees with a roar, quickly becoming a cough.
Branches cracked. Dust rose.
The beast didn't get back up.
Sera stood frozen in place.
She hadn't expected them to move so fast. Or hit so hard.
