"Who's there?"

Orsato felt an intense sense of threat, so he immediately gave up on killing Mary. His immense body quickly lashed backward. The Golden Python he had shifted into was most agile.

"Bang."

Force met force but Orsato's heavy blow seemed to have met an incomparably sturdy wall, having no effect at all.

By the time he turned back, he found that behind him was an almighty beast of unparalleled size, whose body exuded a powerful force, faintly suppressive in terms of its bloodline.

"A high-tier almighty beast bloodline?"

Orsato was widely knowledgeable and immediately recognized that Merlin had a high-tier almighty beast bloodline. Orsato was astounded to his core. This was a high-tier almighty beast bloodline. Even among those leaders of the rebel armies who had become full-shifters, none of them had a high-tier almighty beast bloodline.

If an existence with high-tier almighty beast bloodline reached the point of full-shift, that could truly be called terrifying.

"How is this high-tier almighty beast bloodline possible? Who are you really?"

Orsato wore a look of precaution. Although he could tell that his opponent was merely a third-form shifter, the fearsomeness of high-tier almighty beast bloodlines had always existed in legends. He had never experienced it for himself, so naturally, he was extremely wary.

"Count Stanwin was my father!"

Merlin's voice sounded calm. He had followed Mary and the rest into Cedar City and watched them being exposed, right up until Orsato's attack. He had hoped to catch Orsato off guard.

However, it was merely a surprise move for Orsato's Golden Python was extremely agile. Merlin's sneak attack did not give him much advantage.

Nonetheless, since this ambush had failed, he would defeat Orsato head-on. Merlin was intending to kill Orsato.

"Boom."

Merlin raised his massive claws. The Blood-eye Dragon had claws as well, vigorous and robust ones, which were frightening.

"Pow."

Merlin's swipe threw the Golden Python to one side, crashing heavily into the ground. Orsato was rather incredulous. Strength was his Golden Python's forte, but now in this match of force, he could not even withstand one blow from Merlin, who was merely a third-form shifter.

"This high-tier bloodline is powerful indeed. Even so, it's not so easy to kill me. You'll end up like your father. I'll rip your body into eight pieces and throw it to the wild dogs for food!"

A savage look appeared on Orsato's face, following which his colossal body turned into a golden ray that sped toward Merlin.

"Deadly Constriction!"

The golden ray that Orsato had turned into swiftly wound around Merlin's large frame. This was the Golden Python's strongest technique. Back then, Count Stanwin was killed by Deadly Constriction.

"Dragon's Roar!"

Merlin unleashed a booming roar. Although the Blood-eye Dragon was only a Vipera Dragon, it was equipped with some characteristics of the sacred-level almighty beast such as the Dragon's Roar. With one roar, Orsato felt his mind sinking as he became limp and powerless as if he was about to fall apart. He could not help but feel dumbstruck.

As for Merlin's Blood-eye Dragon, it seized this opportunity to explode with immense strength. The claws grabbed the Golden Python and ruthlessly tore it apart.

"Rip."

The Golden Python's Deadly Constriction was formidable, and most tricks would be useless in getting out of the struggle. However, Merlin had utilized the high-tier almighty beast's special technique to escape the Golden Python's hold and even injured the Golden Python grievously.

"Die!"

Merlin's gigantic mass surged forward as he lifted a huge paw, stamping down furiously.

"Boom."

The entire castle floor was quaking, and cracks even appeared over the walls as if on the verge of collapse. This frightened Mary so much that she dashed into the castle, wanting to save her younger sister.

"D*mn it, how is it so strong?"

It was the first time Orsato had felt so sullen. No matter what tricks he had used, he could not handle Merlin. In this current situation, Merlin would crush Orsato completely. Even though Merlin was only a mere third-form shifter, he had come infinitely close to those full-shift contenders with mid-tier bloodlines.

Merlin began galloping once again. His height had reached eight meters, and he looked like a small hill. As he raced forward at full strength, the entire ground was shaking.

"Flee, flee! Corner it and kill it, you all must kill this monster!"

Orsato was finally afraid. Merlin's Blood-eye Dragon would completely crush his Golden Python. His only advantage over Merlin might just be his speed.

Nonetheless, his speed was not that fast either, and he was caught firmly in Merlin's jaws.

"Trying to escape? Orsato, you'll never escape!"

Merlin's gigantic body immediately gave chase wildly, wrecking all obstacles in its path.

"Rumble rumble rumble."

Orsato purposefully wriggled into some of the back rooms, but Merlin did not have such an agile body. His Blood-eye Dragon crashed through any part of the castle directly and destroyed anything in its path with brute force. Faced with his powerful claws, even a castle could be easily demolished.

"D*mn it, Python Army, kill him, kill this monster!"

Orsato was fleeing madly. Scars had emerged over his body, leaving behind bloodstains. He was already significantly injured, so he frantically shouted to his Python Army.

"Honorable General, what's going on?"

Soon, the members of the Python Army under Orsato's command had arrived, but when they spotted Merlin's terrifying body, they revealed looks of dread.

"Go on, go and stop him."

Orsato still maintained his authority. Therefore, although the members of the Python Army were rather frightened, they still shapeshifted and rushed out. These members, especially Orsato's personal guards, were second-form shifters at least. Although they had low-tier bloodlines, there were many of them. Holding off Merlin momentarily was not a problem.

Thus, when he saw that his subordinates had rushed out, Orsato no longer delayed and immediately fled. He dared not get too close to Merlin. Otherwise, that feeling of constant danger would drive him insane.

Ever since Orsato had established the Python Army, though he had not won every battle, he was never as pathetic as he was now, nearly dying in Merlin's hands.

"Roar…"

Merlin did not hesitate at all, immediately wielding his roar. The thunderous roar could be heard by all in Cedar City. Just the sound of it alone was enough to strike fear into those with low-tier almighty beast bloodlines.

Moreover, Merlin was equipped with such powerful strength. After the Dragon's Roar, his body immediately dashed straight ahead. The crowd of personal guards could not block him at all.

"D*mn it, this guy is Count Stanwin's son. He's so powerful… Hold on, didn't Count Stanwin have the Deinosuchus bloodline? His son ought to have inherited the Deinosuchus bloodline but this person before us possesses a high-tier bloodline. Is he a Host?"

At this moment, a flabbergasted look came into Orsato's eyes. A Host who dared to merge with a high-tier almighty beast's will was certainly a lunatic.

"A lunatic, a lunatic, this guy's a lunatic. Does he dare to host a high-tier almighty beast's will? Sooner or later he'd be devoured by the almighty beast's will. I'd better escape, the further the better!"

After Orsato understood Merlin's identity as a Host, he did not hesitate in the slightest. He was even willing to abandon the Python Army, immediately escaping from the city. He wanted to distance himself from this "lunatic" Merlin.