First Arrival in the Abyss (6), Tier 2 Mutated Ferocious Beast!

This day.

The hinterlands of the Level 1 Abyss.

"Swish!"

A massive, razor-sharp claw traced a cold arc several meters long, instantly cleaving a burly figure in two.

"Ah!!"

A shrill scream pierced the sky.

Watching helplessly as the pitch-black, gargantuan lion-like beast lowered its head to clamp onto her companion's upper torso, chewing loudly as blood, bone, and viscera shattered between its ivory-white fangs—the scene was horrific.

Liu Shi collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, paralyzed by terror.

"Ah, ahhh..."

She was the archer of their four-person team, and this was her third time descending into the Abyss. She never expected to encounter a Level 2 beast.

In the Level 1 Abyss, such an occurrence was incredibly rare.

But once encountered, for a newly formed hunter squad, it was a catastrophe with no room for struggle!

"Roar..."

Watching the Level 2 beast finish its meal, its nostrils venting hot breath as it emitted a low growl and headed in her direction, Liu Shi's face was instantly shrouded in despair and terror.

After her three companions were killed, it was her turn.

"Help... someone, save me...?"

"Save me... Dad, Mom... I don't want to die... I don't want to die..."

Seeing the beast less than ten meters away, her survival instinct erupted as she was completely broken by fear, screaming as she grabbed her bow and fired wildly.

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish... Arrows of wind formed by the effect of her B-rank talent, Wind Controller, shot toward the beast, but they were all deflected by its tough fur, failing to break its defense!

The lion-like beast closed in step by step, the thick stench of blood and the aura of death wafting from its maw like a tidal wave, threatening to drown Liu Shi completely!

"Don't come over..."

She lowered her bow, staring blankly up at the beast standing before her, tears of despair tracing her cheeks.

The lion-like beast, its eyes filled with slaughter and cruelty, looked down at the human ant before it. It raised a giant claw and then... slammed it down!

"Whoosh—!"

At that very moment, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air. A broken alloy spear transformed into a streak of light, piercing directly through the beast's giant claw and forcing it to let out a roar of both pain and fury.

"ROAR—!!"

"Finally, I've found a Level 2 beast." The boy's voice rang out.

The lion-like beast let out a low, dangerous growl, glaring angrily toward the source of the sound.

Liu Shi shifted her gaze in that direction as well.

A tall, upright figure emerged from the dim shadows. It was a boy with black hair and golden eyes, his features handsome. The faint light from the sky shone upon his face, half-lit and half-hidden, making him appear incredibly mysterious.

"Appraise," Jiang Yuan whispered as he looked at the beast.

[Abyss Beast]: Mutated Blood Lion.
[Grade]: Rare.
[Level]: LV14.
[Skills]: Charge, Claw Slash, Pressure, Mind Control.
[Evaluation]: A mutated abyssal creature with superior strength and health. It is the hegemon of its territory. If you are unfortunate enough to encounter one, flee immediately.

Jiang Yuan looked at the black giant lion, which was eight meters long and three meters tall, a flicker of excitement crossing his eyes.

"A Level 2 beast, and a rare grade at that! It's so rare! I wonder how much experience it will give me."

"You, you should run, don't throw your life away," the woman's weak voice sounded.

Jiang Yuan turned his head, only then surprised to discover Liu Shi's presence.

"Are you alright?"

"ROAR!!"

The lion-like beast slammed a paw into the ground, crushing the broken spear that had pierced its palm. It roared, pushed off with all four limbs, and leaped high into the air. Its massive shadow engulfed the ground as it crashed toward Jiang Yuan like a heavy truck.

Seeing this, despair flashed across Liu Shi's tear-stained face: "It's over... neither of us is getting out of here..."

The next second.

She saw the boy before her bend his knees and stomp hard, his entire body launching into the air like a beam of light, slamming into the belly of the Mutated Blood Lion!

"Boom!"

Two immense forces, wrapped in intense wind pressure, collided and exploded, sending a gale howling through the area!

The Mutated Blood Lion, massive as a truck, was sent flying backward. It soared high before crashing down heavily, shattering a pile of rocks and causing the very ground to tremble violently!

"!!!"

Under Liu Shi's shocked, dazed, and incredulous gaze.

Jiang Yuan landed on the ground and let out a soft sound of surprise: "It didn't die? As expected of a Tier 2 ferocious beast; its health bar is indeed much thicker."

"Then let's try out a new move."

Eager to give it a go, Jiang Yuan reached out and gripped the air, pulling a two-meter-long white Bone Spear from his system inventory.

This was made from the bones of a creature in the Abyss called a Bone Beast.

Even at Tier 1, the skeletal hardness of such a beast was comparable to D-grade alloy and fetched a high price on the market. Jiang Yuan had spent some effort extracting the tail vertebrae of that Bone Beast and polishing it into the shape of a simple spear to use as a temporary weapon in the Abyss, planning to consider reforging it with better materials once he left.

As the white Bone Spear entered his hand.

Jiang Yuan's aura shifted; his pale golden eyes were as indifferent as water, yet they radiated a biting sharpness capable of piercing through all things.

"ROAR--!!"

The three-meter-tall lion-shaped beast climbed out from the pile of stones, its steel-like fur standing on end as it roared in fury toward Jiang Yuan, the rolling sound waves appearing incredibly terrifying.

Blood-red light flickered in its fierce pupils, and the surrounding rubble began to float under a mysterious power.

Jiang Yuan nodded: "So that's how it is. It even gained a psychic-type skill after mutating; no wonder it could grow to Tier 2."

In a Level 1 Abyss, this Mutated Blood Lion was undoubtedly an overlord-level existence.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Massive boulders came whistling toward Jiang Yuan at high speed!

Jiang Yuan walked forward holding the Bone Spear in one hand, swinging it to slice through the boulders with effortless precision. The stones, as large as millstones, fell to his sides and behind him, emitting dull thuds as they struck the ground.

He took a step forward.

[God Speed]

Jiang Yuan's figure instantly crossed a hundred meters, appearing right in front of the lion-shaped beast.

The beast hadn't even had time to react.

"Void Splitter."

Jiang Yuan whispered, gripping the end of the Bone Spear with one hand and slashing forward violently. The sharp, cold-glinting tip of the spear traced a perfect arc through the air before vanishing in an instant.

"Swish--"

A straight, faint line appeared in the air, sweeping directly across the lion-shaped beast and the small hill behind it.

Time seemed to freeze for a split second.

The next moment.

Under Liu Shi's dazed gaze, the lion-shaped beast and the hill behind it were simultaneously split in two!

[Ding, you have killed Blood Lion (LV14), gained 584 EXP]

[Ding, your level has increased, current level LV9]