Free Web NovelChapter 20: Chapter 20: Then Let’s Have a Showdown
WHOOSH—!
A sharp glint of light rose from the blade. The battle blade fell, blood sprayed, and an Earth Spike Rat was cleaved in two with a single strike.
He spun his blade, its edge flashing as his body weaved through the enemies like a swimming dragon.
His blade rose and fell with lethal efficiency.
His speed was pushed to the absolute limit!
He infused Qi into the blade, empowering it with immense strength, and swept through them almost completely unopposed.
In an instant, five or six Earth Spike Rats had fallen to the ground, the smell of blood filling the air.
Nearby, Tie Niu’s attacks were no less impressive.
Unleashing his martial skills, his blade energy crisscrossed the battlefield, cutting a wide swath through the enemy.
Half the Earth Spike Rats were slain by the two of them.
Meanwhile, Duan Feng was engaged in battle with the Level 3 Earth Spike Rat King.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Its fur stood on end as a volley of sharp spikes shot out, but he danced with his battle blade, and the Earth Spike Rat’s attacks couldn’t get close.
ROAR—!
A piercing shriek rang out, and the Level 3 Earth Spike Rat King began to emit a strange glow.
The ground within a five-meter radius instantly turned into a muddy swamp. Fortunately, Duan Feng reacted quickly enough, releasing his Qi to leap into the air like a soaring bird.
"Martial Art—Entwine!"
In mid-air, a green light shone from Duan Feng’s fingertips. Instantly, several vines burst from the ground, shooting rapidly toward the Earth Spike Rat King.
Each vine moved with incredible speed, and in a moment, they had wrapped tightly around the Earth Spike Rat King’s body.
"Gale Slash!"
He executed the martial skill. A five-meter-long blade of energy materialized and slashed directly at the ensnared Earth Spike Rat King.
ROAR—!
Sensing the danger, the Earth Spike Rat King’s eerie glow intensified, and the vines binding it instantly exploded.
SCHLICK!
At the same time, the five-meter blade of energy fell mercilessly, followed by a loud explosion.
BOOM—!
The power of this one slash was no less than that of a hand grenade. The surrounding weeds were flattened, a shockwave swept out, and a fierce wind howled.
A wound so deep the bone was visible appeared on the Earth Spike Rat King’s body, and purple fluid gushed out.
VMMMM—!
With a flash of eerie light, the Earth Spike Rat King’s figure vanished from its spot.
"Chen Yu, watch out!"
He had just finished off an Earth Spike Rat when Duan Feng and Tie Niu’s voices suddenly rang out at the same time.
A sense of crisis exploded in his heart.
He whipped his head around. The injured Earth Spike Rat King was less than a meter away.
Its eyes seethed with killing intent as its body lunged directly at Chen Yu.
The distance was too short. Even with his superhuman reflexes, he couldn’t dodge.
FWOOSH—!
In the nick of time, he unleashed his Freezing Skill. A terrifyingly frigid breath swept out, and the Earth Spike Rat King’s body was instantly encased in ice.
Its sharp claws were just an inch from his head.
’A perfect chance!’
Gripping his Vibrating Gold Battle Blade, Chen Yu’s Qi erupted. He seized the brief opening while it was frozen and slashed out with his blade.
PSHHHT—!
The blade flashed, purple fluid sprayed, and the enormous Earth Spike Rat collapsed in front of Chen Yu, its body twitching!
THWACK!
He followed up with another strike, and the Earth Spike Rat King’s head was severed. This time, it stopped moving for good.
"It’s... dead?!"
The two of them stared at the decapitated Earth Spike Rat King, their pupils constricting.
A Level 3 Earth Spike Rat King... killed just like that...
’This feels unreal!’
’Six hundred points...’
Chen Yu was ecstatic. His Source of Life had just shot up by six hundred points.
A Level 2 Mutant Beast was only worth about fifty points, but a Level 3 Mutant Beast was worth ten times that.
One Level 3 Earth Spike Rat King had yielded a full six hundred points.
This increase was even more than he had imagined.
He thought two or three hundred would have been the absolute limit, but he never expected to get six hundred points all at once.
A quantum leap!
SQUEAK—!!
Seeing their king get killed, the few remaining Earth Spike Rats let out sharp squeals.
With a SWOOSH, they burrowed into the ground and fled.
At that moment, Duan Feng and Tie Niu finally snapped back to their senses.
"He seemed to freeze the Earth Spike Rat just by blowing on it..." ƒrēewebnovel.com
Looking at Chen Yu, the two men exchanged a glance. They remembered the scene that had just unfolded with perfect clarity.
The Earth Spike Rat King had been frozen solid. Even now, traces of frigid air lingered.
On a blazing summer day, this trace of chill was as conspicuous as a lantern in the night.
For a Level 1 Martial Artist to turn the tables and kill a Level 3 Mutant Beast was basically impossible.
But nothing in this world is absolute. A normal Martial Artist couldn’t do it, but there was one type of person who could.
An Awakened!
The abilities of the Awakened were bizarre and varied; some could even control time.
This type of person couldn’t be measured by common sense.
’Is Chen Yu an Awakened?!’
When this thought surfaced, their minds were thrown into turmoil.
They quickly walked up to Chen Yu. Duan Feng and Tie Niu looked him up and down, and finally, Duan Feng couldn’t help but ask, "Chen Yu, did you just use some kind of special ability?"
Duan Feng had seen it clearly. Chen Yu had breathed out a puff of air from his mouth and frozen the Rat King.
Even if the Rat King was injured, and even if Chen Yu knew a martial art, it should have been impossible.
At such a close distance, there was no time to execute a martial art.
Only the ability of an Awakened could be released instantly.
Besides, a Level 1 Martial Artist couldn’t learn martial arts. Their acupoints weren’t open, so they couldn’t even project their Qi externally. Even if they learned one, they couldn’t use it.
Seeing the looks on their faces, Chen Yu was silent internally.
’I didn’t want to expose my Freezing Skill this early, but in a life-or-death crisis, you have to play the cards you’re dealt.’
’With my body’s Evolution, I’ll get other Skills later. Revealing one doesn’t matter.’
’Fine, I’ll lay my cards on the table. I’m an Awakened!’
On the surface, however, Chen Yu put on a confused expression.
"I dunno. It just sort of happened subconsciously."
Seeing Chen Yu’s baffled expression, the two men exchanged a look.
’Could it be that he just Awakened?’
The thought flashed through Duan Feng’s mind as he looked at Chen Yu.
It wasn’t impossible.
Some people only awakened their special abilities when their life’s potential was stimulated by a life-or-death crisis.
After all, something like awakening was impossible to predict.
Some people might awaken in their sleep.
The way one awakens is different for everyone.
Some are born Awakened, others awaken later in life.
Awakening is different for each person!
"Can you try it again?" Duan Feng asked, snapping back to the present.
"I’ll give it a try."
Chen Yu nodded, pretended to blow a few breaths, and then suddenly unleashed his Freezing Skill.
FWOOSH—!
A frigid current of air swept out, and the Rat King’s corpse on the ground was once again covered in a layer of frost.
!!!
Seeing this, their hearts skipped a beat.
This time, they were completely certain. Chen Yu must have awakened an Ice Ability.
He could freeze things just by breathing out.
An ability like that could be considered quite powerful.
After all, they had seen with their own eyes as Chen Yu froze a Level 3 Earth Spike Rat.
Even if it was injured, being able to freeze it was no simple feat.
If he used it more, the ability could continue to improve. The potential of most Awakened was astonishing.
’His ability is this strong right after awakening. How strong will he become if he keeps improving?’
"I never thought our Twelfth Mercenary Team would have an Awakened among us, hahaha."
Duan Feng’s face broke into a smile as he looked at Chen Yu.
"I was wondering why you seemed a little different today. So this was the reason," Tie Niu said with a sigh.
"..."
"Captain Duan, are we going to keep exploring the village?" Chen Yu couldn’t help but ask.
Duan Feng shook his head. "Not you. You’ve awakened a special ability. You’re the treasure of my Twelfth Team now."
"Tie Niu, you take him back to Qing City first. Remember, nothing can happen to him. If anything happens to him, you don’t have to bother coming back to Qing City either. Understand?" Duan Feng ordered Tie Niu with a stern expression.
Tie Niu nodded and patted his chest. "Don’t worry, Captain Duan. I’ll escort him back to Qing City safely."
Chen Yu: "(O_O)?"
’Why are we going back already?’
’Today’s patrol just started!’
’What am I supposed to do back there?’
