A Twist

The sound of the glass door opening was hard to hear over the downpour, but the rush of rainwater pouring inside still made everyone look toward the entrance at once.

The girl's face showed an unmistakable weariness. Her fiery red hair was especially striking, like a rose at the peak of its bloom, set off against skin as white as jade and snow.

Since Chen Xi had transmigrated, this was the first time she'd seen someone whose beauty could rival Lin Yue's.

"If you're looking to die, go outside by yourself!"

"Yeah!"

Angry shouts rose one after another, but the red-haired girl ignored them. She shut the door behind her, walked slowly into the street, and silently blocked Rain Lord's path.

As soon as she went outside, someone else quietly piled cardboard boxes by the glass door, sealing off the hot pot restaurant.

Chen Xi secretly pulled back a corner of the curtain. Seeing the girl's slender figure standing before Rain Lord, she was certain the girl would be cut in half by the flood the very next second.

Rain Lord seemed to notice the ant that had suddenly appeared in its path.

A cruel, almost human smile spread across its face. With a scoff, a torrent surged up behind it and rushed toward the girl.

How could it be so much stronger...?

Chen Xi could hardly believe her eyes. When she'd fought it, all it could do was control high-pressure jets of water.

Now Rain Lord's displayed power had clearly reached the Second Rank.

Could she have underestimated the Countermeasure Bureau's strength?

As Lin Yue pondered this, the red-haired girl moved.

Scorching flames burst from her chest, evaporating the terrifying flood with ease.

"Transcendent..." Lin Yue had clearly noticed the commotion outside, too.

They both recalled Rain Lord's singed fur from the previous cycle.

They'd originally thought Luo Li had done it, but it had actually been this unfamiliar girl before them.

"Should we join in?" Chen Xi asked, turning to her.

This sudden twist had thrown their plan into disarray.

It seemed the red-haired girl was the one who'd take the lead against Rain Lord. Helping her now might be the right choice.

Seeing how eager Chen Xi looked, Lin Yue made up her mind. "Let's go."

While they were talking, a second clash had already erupted outside.

After blocking the attack, the red-haired girl's flames rose higher and higher. The raindrops falling from the sky evaporated before they could even touch her.

She tensed her entire body and aimed at Rain Lord. One punch.

Blazing Flame Burst erupted, and raging fire surged toward the giant tiger like a tornado.

As the flames flew toward it, Rain Lord leaped lightly, dodging the deadly attack like an agile cat.

Before it could regain its footing, the red-haired girl's attacks came one after another.

The girl grew faster still, flames roaring around her with a hissing sound.

The battle between girl and beast swept across the entire street.

Ignoring the astonished looks of everyone inside the hot pot restaurant, Lin Yue and Chen Xi pushed open the door and stepped outside.

Raindrops landed on Chen Xi's brow, leaving a faint sting. Watching the pair fight in the distance, she immediately activated her Berserk ability.

The Succubus's distinctive horns spiraled out from her head. Chen Xi's usually cool demeanor took on a hint of seductive holiness, drawing frequent sidelong glances from Lin Yue.

"Can you keep up with them?" The blonde girl's eyes were full of concern.

From where she stood, the movements of girl and beast were almost impossible to follow.

"I can." After activating Berserk, Chen Xi's physical abilities were among the best at the First Rank.

The two before her were both Second Rank, but they mostly specialized in ranged attacks.

Chen Xi had barely taken a step when Lin Yue called out to her.

"Wait!" Meeting the black-haired girl's puzzled gaze, Lin Yue placed her palm against Chen Xi's chest.

Shadowy tendrils stretched out and took solid form, quickly condensing into a pitch-black suit of armor that covered Chen Xi from head to toe.

A full-face helmet concealed her head, while her black hair fell over her shoulders. It was impossible to tell whether she was male or female.

The shadow armor changed her build, making Chen Xi look like a medieval knight.

Once the armor had taken shape, Lin Yue severed her connection to the shadows.

"This is a new ability I've developed. I'll stay behind and use magic to keep repairing the shadow armor."

A playful look crossed her face. She clasped her hands behind her back. "Go on, my hero."

"I can't keep up with the fight, so I'll stay here."

She could barely dodge Rain Lord's water attacks as it was. Better to stay safely in the back.

Seeing the familiar gesture, Chen Xi smiled knowingly.

"Just wait for my triumphant return, Your Highness." She deliberately drew out the last words.

At her words, a blush immediately crept across Lin Yue's cheeks.

Pushing off with her feet, Chen Xi sprang forward.

The shadow armor offered far more utility than having Lin Yue's tendrils brace against the soles of her shoes.

Without Lin Yue's tendrils holding her back, Chen Xi's mobility was now through the roof.

She bounded ahead, covering dozens of meters in just a few seconds.

Seeing an armored monster wrapped in shadows charging toward her, Zhu Li panicked and nearly punched Chen Xi.

Fortunately, Chen Xi had never been one to play coy when it mattered. She immediately explained, "I'll keep it occupied in close combat. Take the chance to land as many punches as you can."

Zhu Li nodded.

The two of them flanked Rain Lord, cutting off its escape routes.

"Roar!!!"

Seeing two insects assume it was trying to run, Rain Lord let out another furious roar.

Ripples spread around it like a tsunami, and a vast sheet of water blotted out everyone's view.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

The roar of rushing water filled everyone's ears.

"Why did it suddenly go berserk...?" Seeing an attack that covered almost the entire battlefield, Chen Xi hurriedly dodged.

Why had it gone straight for a huge attack as soon as she arrived?

With no time to think, Chen Xi began to draw on the shadow armor's full power.

She swept out her right hand, and her shadow solidified, latching onto a distant streetlight. Chen Xi tightened her grip and swung through the street like Spider-Man.

The flood raged behind her, its supernatural current smashing every building in sight.

The survivors who had been hiding inside, hoping Rain Lord wouldn't come after them, all scrambled toward the area behind the red-haired girl.

Zhu Li had been preparing to flee, but when she saw the terrified faces, she hesitated for a moment, then chose to stay.

"Haah!!!"

She shouted, flames spraying from her body. A towering wall of fire rose like an unbreakable barrier, holding back the flood.

Chen Xi had been a little worried about Lin Yue, but when she saw her crouching behind Zhu Li, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

She stood on the slanted rooftop of a tall building and gazed at Rain Lord, swimming through the flood below.

Seeing the two ants that had surrounded it move away, Rain Lord gradually stopped controlling the water.

The attack was powerful, but it was hard to kill Transcendents with all kinds of abilities.

Chen Xi's sharp eyes caught sight of several Countermeasure Bureau agents who had somehow blended in behind Zhu Li.

Meeting Qiu Ye's gaze, the black-haired girl knew the real battle was about to begin.