Leon decided that if this creature was truly hostile, he would give it at least one chance to back down. If it persisted in attacking, he would have absolutely no choice but to render it helpless or potentially kill it in self-defense.
As the beast got closer, Leon noticed with surprise that there was actually someone riding on the back of the flying creature.
A female rider.
His strategic thinking still remained essentially the same—defend if attacked, but avoid unnecessary escalation.
The beast charged forward rapidly and arrived at the high ground where he was standing. But it didn't directly attack him like he'd expected it to. Instead, it pulled up sharply and landed several meters away.
THUD! WHOOSH!
From on top of the creature descended a female of the same red-skinned species he'd observed in the settlement below.
As she landed, the very air around them seemed to tighten—a subtle shift in pressure, like a storm about to break but waiting for the first move.
