The monstrous porcupine before Xiao Feng lowered its head and charged forward like a locomotive. Exhausted and breathless, Xiao Feng suddenly found inspiration flashing through his mind in that perilous moment.
He pressed himself against the trunk of a large tree, eyes locked on the oncoming beast. As the porcupine closed to within three meters, Xiao Feng thrust the black alloy blade in his right hand forward, embedding it into the tree at an angle—its tip aimed precisely at the charging beast. His entire focus converged on that blade's gleaming point, his nerves taut like drawn wire.
He knew full well that the time afforded to him for escape was fleeting—every heartbeat counted.
For a beast as ferocious as this one, three meters was nothing. In the blink of an eye, the porcupine surged forward.
Just as its snout collided with the alloy blade, Xiao Feng launched himself backward, springing off the ground and tumbling aside with a roll, narrowly evading the creature's devastating momentum.
As he scrambled to his feet, Xiao Feng's eyes flicked back—just as he had hoped, the jet-black blade had pierced deep into the porcupine's snout, buried all the way to the hilt.
The porcupine let out a pained roar, thrashing violently as it turned to "look" at Xiao Feng, then lunged again with renewed fury. A smile curled at the corners of Xiao Feng's lips—this was only the beginning of his plan. Though the blade alone could not kill the D-class beast, it had created an opening, a sliver of opportunity he had carved out for himself through sheer wit.
But this was no time for triumph. Xiao Feng turned and sprinted once more—this time staying on open ground rather than retreating to the trees. He carefully regulated his pace, running just fast enough to keep the porcupine behind him but never too far, drawing it in.
When the distance between them had shrunk to just two meters, Xiao Feng pivoted mid-run, leapt high, and lunged directly at the creature's face.
In that suspended moment, with the forest spinning beneath him, Xiao Feng's face lit up with a sly, confident grin. Like a gecko, he landed firmly upon the beast's forehead, seizing the alloy blade still embedded there. With a smirk, he discharged a surge of powerful electricity straight into the porcupine's body.
The massive beast let out a piteous howl—"Aooo… Aooo…"—and collapsed to the ground, writhing in violent spasms.
Panting heavily, Xiao Feng stared at the fallen monster with a deep, unparalleled sense of satisfaction. This was a feat he had accomplished alone: the subjugation of a D-class magical beast. The core alone—the magic crystal—would be worth a fortune in Alliance credits. It was, quite literally, unbelievable.
Still grinning, he grasped the hilt of the alloy blade protruding from the beast's snout, placed both feet against its skull, and with a powerful heave, yanked it free. Then, stepping to the creature's soft belly, he raised the blade high and struck downward with all his might.
"Thump…" The blade struck, but the belly remained unscathed.
Xiao Feng shook his head in frustration. "Damn it, these D-class monsters really are something else—bullets can't even pierce their hides. What the hell am I supposed to do?"
With no better idea, he began circling the beast, scanning for a weakness. And then he saw it—just behind the base of its ear, two additional, hidden eyes. Realization dawned. That was how it had continued to pursue him even after its primary eyes were destroyed.
Sighing in mild exasperation, Xiao Feng periodically sent jolts of electricity through the creature to keep it paralyzed. He muttered under his breath, "If only Rice were here… He could've scorched its belly with those fire abilities of his, melted it clean open. Then I could just reach in and take the damn core."
The D-class beast before him was practically a treasure trove. Its hide alone could be crafted into bulletproof vests or military-grade armor—impervious to ordinary claws and fangs. Its bones could be forged into weapons. Its long, razor-sharp quills would make formidable defenses along the perimeter walls of any protection zone.
But for now, Xiao Feng had no idea how to transport or process such a massive creature. If he had chains or restraints, he could bind it temporarily—but he had none.
Just as he was lost in thought, a group of jungle devil monkeys that had been observing from a tree branch suddenly scattered with frantic cries, leaping away at astonishing speed.
Xiao Feng's eyes sharpened at once. He turned instinctively, alert. As a seasoned hunter, he knew what such behavior meant.
A chill passed through his thoughts: Even the D-class porcupine hadn't scared them away. If they're fleeing now... then something even more terrifying must be approaching.
Without hesitation, he abandoned the beast and vaulted into the branches above, hiding amidst the thick foliage. He peered downward, breath hushed, waiting.
What kind of monster could surpass a D-class? He needed to know.
Then, the sound came—branches snapping, leaves rustling, and a powerful slithering presence slicing through the undergrowth. Xiao Feng turned toward the sound and glimpsed, in the murk of the forest, three glowing green dots moving swiftly through the dark.
A pungent, suffocating stench rolled through the forest air.
Xiao Feng's brows furrowed.
A snake. A massive, scarlet serpent—its girth nearly a meter wide—slithered into view. Through the dim light, he could just discern three eyes glowing atop its head.
A three-eyed red serpent.
He glanced down at the display on his wrist device—it showed an orange-red dot rapidly approaching the green one.
Xiao Feng grimaced.
"Damn it… as if a D-class wasn't enough today. Now a C-class wants in on the action too…"
He didn't know whether to laugh or despair. The three-eyed red serpent was a C-class beast. If even a D-class had pushed him to his limits, how could he possibly contend with a C-class?
Powerless to intervene, he watched as the red serpent slithered toward the fallen porcupine. If it behaved like other serpents, it would attempt to coil around its prey. But this creature's body was covered in long, lethal spikes—entanglement would be suicidal.
Fortunately for the serpent, the porcupine remained paralyzed, still unable to rise. Without hesitation, the serpent flicked its tongue, then lunged and sank its fangs deep into the beast's exposed belly.
Xiao Feng's heart skipped a beat.
My D-class magic crystal!