Greile's warning angered Osar, not because she was wrong but because his actions were now questioned even by his fellow Drakar who looked up to him as their strongest.
Now questions of doubt began to creep up in their minds concerning him, and he knew this. They'd wonder why so many are needed to catch just one tulsa, didn't that mean they were weaker? Including Osar himself.
Although not his direct intention, this was the result Aron made by putting them into such a position.
Many of the Drakar now gathered in the bloody area, awaiting Osar's next move. However, his next words surprised not only the Drakar, but Aron as well.
"All of you, return to the dwelling, I will hunt this tulsa alone!" Osar's voice was loud and clear when he made this declaration, surprising many of his own people in the process.
Greile was the first one who wanted to speak up but then she hesitated, reminding herself that she was at Aron's mercy and that such a situation would benefit him.
A part of her felt that if they continued to close into the forest then even Aron would struggle against the numbers and fall, thereby freeing her of his hold on her, but such a risk carried not only the weight of her life but that of her entire people, something she just wasn't willing to risk.
Many other Drakar however did speak up and tried to convince Osar otherwise but it was a futile attempt as his stubborn character couldn't be moved.
Soon one after another the Drakar took to the skies and began to fly away in the direction of the mountains, leaving only Osar and Greile on the bloody scene.
After he felt his people had travelled far enough, Osar slammed the spikey head of his tail into the ground and roared out.
"Come out and face me tulsa! Just you and I!"
Whether it was out of pride or concern for the lives of his people, it was clear Osar wanted to face Aron alone now.
The downpour had only gotten heavier as time passed, the bloody puddles on the scene becoming many in number.
Splash~
One such small puddle attracted Osar's undivided attention when it produced a heavy splash, the cause? Aron's heavy boot stepping in it.
This would mark the second time Osar came face to face with Aron but the atmosphere this time was completely different. Osar lacked the unbound confidence he had at the beginning whereas Aron gained a more frightening aura.
His blood coated stained armor gave the proud Osar a look of concern that he tried his best to mask.
"Pride really does lead to the downfall of many." Aron voice was low and calm, yet it reverberated in the ears of Osar, the subtle mocking very apparent to any who heard it.
Osar slammed his spiky tail into the ground once more, as if to intimidate his opponent before providing a reply. "It has nothing to do with pride, I don't need anyone to defeat a lowly tulsa like yourself!"
To this, a chuckle could be heard from under Aron's helm. "Is that so? Then come, show me just how you plan to achieve that feat."
Aron was never one to waste time on idle banter, but he did enjoy unnerving his opponents as that would also provide an advantage in battle.
He didn't see Osar as much different from Manuvv, he was confident he could beat the Drakar before him without even needing to employ his aspects.
"Grrr."
Osar no longer spoke and just growled at Aron who had enough of his mocking.
His large wings fluttered furiously and caused a large gust of wind to be sent in Aron's direction.
This in itself was harmless but it did cause a lot of muddy water to spring up and block Aron's vision. Normally such a tactic would provide Osar an advantage but…
As Osar tried to make use of the cover he created by launching a quick attack on Aron. He was shocked to find an opening appear on the water and Aron's fist emerge, aimed right for his chest.
Boom!~
Osar's pupils shrunk and he crossed his arms over his chest by instinct alone before the brutal impact was made.
A loud boom resounded from the collision of heavy armor and solid scales, but the victor of that exchange was all too clear when Osar was sent flying a few meters back.
The shockwave from the interaction causing the muddy cover Osar had created to scatter, making the scene clear once again.
Greile observed with furrowed scaly brows as Aron stood proud and unbothered while Osar was crouching down with the under area of his arms bleeding, some of his scales there now hanging loosely.
The moment he tried using a visual advantage on someone who fought by following mana signatures, was the moment Osar's lose was set.
"I've delt with creatures like you before, you dominate a region with no natural rival and feel yourself invincible. It's angering, isn't it? The realization of not being as strong as you thought you were."
"Be quiet!!"
Osar raged at Aron's words, taking them as more mocking towards him. His movements were now erratic and disorganized, he was moving with rage and rage alone.
He quickly closed the distance between himself and Aron before attempting to strike him with the spiky head of his tail.
Because of its weight, Osar could only swing it once before needing a few more seconds to launch another swing, unfortunately for him, every second mattered in battles such as this.
Due to the recklessness of his wing, his attack was dodged by Aron with little effort and a counter was launched in the form of a clean fist to the face.
Bam!~
Once again Osar got sent back many meters, blood now running from his mouth and his vision growing hazy. The blow was so hard that it nearly made him unconscious, he remained awake only through will power.
"I once felt the same, the difference between you and I in that regard is that I accepted it and began to strive for strength whereas you still cling onto your false perspective."
Aron approached Osar and stomped on his head, burying it into a muddy puddle.
"You can't beat me, no amount of struggling or screaming will change that. This is your reality, you're no longer the predator you were so proud of being. Now you can either die here and have your people soon follow, or you could surrender and live to see the olden ones fall."
Osar could hear Aron clearly, despite the unfamiliar pain he was feeling, he could definitely hear him.
His words reverberated in the mind of the defeated Drakar over and over again. Any resistance he had was thoroughly squashed when Aron stomped on his head.
He couldn't stand, no matter how hard he tried and he couldn't retaliate. It was a pitiful and complete defeat that he had a hard time accepting but was there any other truth?
Now he was given a cruel ultimatum.
No matter how stubborn he was, Osar now knew that Aron was fully capable of backing his words. His people would be doomed, even more so without his guidance if they faced him.
So, despite being given a choice, there was only one real option open for Osar.