Chapter 53: Consecutive Strikes

The terrain near the pond was low-lying, so Shen Lie and the other two found a slightly elevated spot to observe downward with binoculars. Beside them, Duan Yu began whispering explanations.

"Over there are the gourd vines—see them? They're all covered in gourds, and a few are quite large; those must hold even more inside!"

"Look over there, those big bushes—that’s where the Ma Feng are hiding. Those splashes in the water? That’s the fish causing them. These mutated fish can shoot water jets, and their speed is incredible. We must never get too close to the pond."

"And that big toad—wait, where did that big toad go?"

As Duan Yu spoke, he suddenly let out a soft exclamation. Suddenly, an oppressive wave of scorching heat roared down from above.

All three, seasoned and battle-hardened awakeners, reacted instantly without hesitation, rolling aside to avoid the incoming threat.

“Whoosh!”

A massive fireball, over a meter in diameter, crashed down from the sky, landing exactly where they had just been hiding. It blasted a huge crater into the ground, and the surrounding plants were charred into black ash.

Still shaken, the three quickly stood, alert and scanning the surroundings for the attacker. Then, about a hundred meters away in the grassland, they spotted a colossal creature crouching, its two bulging eyes looking at them with contempt.

Despite Duan Yu’s earlier description, when Shen Lie saw the creature up close, he couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth in disbelief. That was no toad—it was a giant beast disguised as one!

“That’s the toad you mentioned?” Shen Lie swallowed nervously as he stared at the scaly monster in the distance.

“Yes, that’s it. Once we take this guy down, nothing else—no Ma Feng or those little fish—can stop us!” Duan Yu’s gaze was grave but tinged with excitement.

“Take it down?” Shen Lie rolled his eyes inwardly. It sounded easy when Duan Yu said it, but Shen Lie thought, “Why don’t you go handle it then?” This beast looked formidable, and he doubted he and Du Lili alone could deal with it.

“How do you feel about this?” Despite his hesitation, Shen Lie asked Du Lili for her opinion. He still wasn’t sure how strong she had become—perhaps she had a way to counter this monster.

“Probably not,” Du Lili replied, nodding toward the crater left by the fireball. “Its flames are exceptionally powerful. I’m a flame user too, but I doubt I can control fire at that level.”

Shen Lie and Duan Yu glanced over and noticed two large blue stones at the edge of the crater, cracked and half-blackened from the intense heat.

This was almost on the level of the True Samadhi Flame, Shen Lie thought, feeling a surge of dread. But retreat wasn’t an option now—the giant toad had fixed its gaze on them. Its massive bulk was bounding toward them, each leap smashing the ground into four shallow pits.

Though the toad looked bulky, it moved with surprising agility. In a few bounds, it was right before them. With no choice, the three prepared to fight.

“Fire Dragon Technique!” Du Lili struck first. A six-meter-long fiery dragon appeared swirling in the air, aiming at the toad’s head.

The fire dragon moved at lightning speed, giving the toad no chance to dodge. It slammed into the creature’s head with searing heat and crushing force, eliciting a terrible screech. The beast rolled several times before coming to a halt.

“Du Tianwang, mighty as ever!” Shen Lie and Duan Yu were stunned by her strike. Duan Yu, thinking the toad was finished, shouted and charged forward.

Like Wang Qingshan before him, Duan Yu was a speed-type awakener, wielding a steel long knife with a pistol holstered at his waist.

In a flash, Duan Yu appeared beside the toad, raising his knife high, ready to deliver a finishing blow.

Suddenly, Shen Lie noticed a slight movement in the toad’s throat. His face turned pale as he shouted, “Watch out, Duan Yu, run!”

Duan Yu was obedient; the moment Shen Lie yelled, he tossed aside his knife and used his speed ability to dart away like a streak.

As Duan Yu moved, the toad’s enormous eyes snapped open, and it opened its massive mouth, unleashing a fiery wave!

The attack was an area blast, catching Duan Yu off guard despite the warning. A flying spark landed on his back, causing him to howl in pain and roll wildly across the ground until he reached Shen Lie and Du Lili’s side.

Du Lili quickly used Fire Dragon Technique again to interrupt the toad’s assault. Shen Lie applied an antidote developed by Professor Liu to Duan Yu’s burns, then watched the toad’s movements coldly.

“Damn, this monster’s evolved intelligence? Even feigning death?” Duan Yu said warily after the antidote dulled the pain and he stood up.

Shen Lie knew this was troublesome. A monster’s strength alone wasn’t frightening, but intelligence made it unpredictable. Humanity’s dominance came from far-reaching wisdom, but this toad’s behavior unsettled him. Could humans truly remain atop the world’s hierarchy?

“I hope this is just a fluke,” Du Lili said gravely, aware of the implications.

But there was no time for speculation—the immediate crisis needed resolving. Shen Lie swung his short hammer, then glanced at Du Lili.

“Together!” he called.

Shen Lie’s hammer swung through the air as he activated the Cataclysm Hammer skill.

Simultaneously, Du Lili unleashed her Fire Dragon Technique once more. Duan Yu, lacking ranged attacks, didn’t use his ability but drew his pistol and fired a few shots to distract the creature.

Their combined assault was formidable. The toad, relatively slow, failed to dodge Shen Lie’s hammer or Du Lili’s flames. The hammer struck it squarely, stiffening its body, then the fire blasted it hard. The creature howled in pain and turned to flee.

Shen Lie noticed the hammer’s electric power had a strong effect, causing stiffness and weakening its defenses. A surge of confidence and ferocity rose within him.

“Strike while it’s weak!” His body suddenly glowed golden, and faint images of two golden bull horns appeared above his head.

“You think you can run, beast? Moo!” Shen Lie shouted, charging forward.

“Savage Ram!”

This was Shen Lie’s first time using this new skill in battle. Filled with raging energy, he felt like a human cannonball, intent on crashing into the target and exploding.

Du Lili and Duan Yu watched in amazement. Shen Lie had always been calm and low-key; suddenly, he had unleashed a wild, fierce side they’d never seen.

Shen Lie’s golden form collided with the toad with the force of a meteor striking Earth. The air crackled with the sound of teeth grinding. The toad was hurled into a smooth arc, landing hard not far away.

Seizing the momentum, Shen Lie swung the Cataclysm Hammer again. Before the toad could rise, a giant golden hammer shadow crushed it down. Then Shen Lie charged again, ramming the creature into the air once more.

It was like a combo from a fighting game—each blow more exhilarating than the last. Finally, the giant toad lay limp, motionless. A fiery red orb slipped from its mouth as it slowly lost life.

The battle was won.