One-Strike Annihilation

Frost and freezing mist materialized out of thin air, swiftly enveloping Ghost Car. Just as before, the monster had no time even to deploy its High-Heat Field before ice crept across every inch of its body.

In the blink of an eye, a bitterly cold layer of ice had frozen the monster solid once more.

Almost simultaneously, Tianyang, forewarned by Lida, leaped out of hiding.

The boy's silver-gray hair fluttered in the air, scattering tiny glimmers as the Star Essence within him instantly reached peak activity. He leaned forward and stamped one foot against the ground. In that instant, the world in his vision became a dazzling array of streaming light.

By the time he stopped, he was already beneath Ghost Car's body.

Just as Lida had said, the ice extended only as far as the area around Ghost Car's mouthparts, leaving Tianyang a "passage" to enter and escape!

Lida's startled cry suddenly came through the communicator. "Not good! Its body cavity is heating up! Tianyang, hurry!"

The boy crouched, touched his palms lightly to the ground, then thrust his arms straight.

His entire body shot like a cannonball into the monster's body cavity. Passing through the three concentric layers of sharp teeth, Tianyang looked up. Thick blood vessels and nerves filled Ghost Car's interior, along with cocoons the size of adult human heads.

Those cocoons emitted red light, just like a Will Cage.

The temperature inside rose at an alarming rate. The hem of Tianyang's long black uniform coat suddenly burst into flame. The boy remained oblivious, his gaze turning deep and distant.

In his vision, everything within the body cavity began to fade, except for one cocoon that remained perfectly clear.

As though sensing Tianyang's attention, that cocoon suddenly split open, and an eyeball rolled out from within!

An eerie red glow drifted inside that eyeball.

Will Cage!

Tianyang's coat was already on fire, and the flames swiftly spread to his chest.

The boy's distant gaze suddenly sharpened. Star Essence roared within him, flowing along his arm into the Particle Warblade.

Pushing off a thick blood vessel nearby, Tianyang changed direction and darted toward the eyeball. A frantic light shone from within it.

The temperature inside the cavity climbed even faster.

Tianyang's hair began to burn.

In an instant, the boy reached the space above the eyeball. His Particle Warblade, brimming with power, slashed straight down!

A jet-black blade gleam hung across the center of the eyeball. Then seven or eight black rays burst from within it, crisscrossing one another.

The eyeball abruptly closed. A moment later, it shattered into tens of thousands of tiny particles.

One-Strike Annihilation!

At the same time, a surge of red light suddenly poured out from the depths of the body cavity. Wherever it passed, swaths of Ghost Car's internal tissue turned to charcoal.

Tianyang dropped toward the mouthparts below. He had already stripped off his burning coat, and he kicked against a blood vessel on the way down to accelerate his descent.

The red light pursued him relentlessly, surging like a tide.

Searing flames suddenly erupted from Tianyang's hands, back, and the soles of his feet.

By the time the boy fell through the mouthparts, he had become a fireball. Upon hitting the ground, Tianyang rolled desperately. Lida, waiting nearby, rushed over in time. Adjusting her Star Essence, she released a cloud of freezing mist over him.

Only then did the flames on the boy's body go out.

The instant the fire was extinguished, Tianyang stripped off his armor.

The Assaulter Defense Armor had already been heated red-hot. Not only had it burned his clothes underneath into strips, it had also scalded his body a vivid red.

When he looked back at Ghost Car, the ice coating the monster was falling away, but the red glow inside its body cavity and across its surface had begun to fade. Its insectlike legs slowly curled inward. Finally, the red crystals covering its body shattered one after another, and its flesh began to rot and dissolve...

Dead?

Was this monster finally dead?

Even as he watched, Tianyang could scarcely believe it. Then a searing pain in his palm made him realize he was still gripping the red-hot Particle Warblade.

With a clang, the Particle Warblade fell to the ground.

As the boy's tension eased, he finally collapsed. Before his consciousness sank into darkness, he heard Han Shu shouting and footsteps rushing toward him.

He had no idea how much time passed.

Only then did Tianyang regain consciousness. Slowly opening his eyes, he found himself lying in a hospital bed. Beside him came the sounds of a working vital signs monitor, while the smell of disinfectant hung in the air.

It took him quite a while to realize he was in the intensive care unit of the field medical vehicle.

The automatic door slid open, followed by Xun's delighted voice. "You're awake?"

Tianyang instinctively tried to sit up, but the slightest movement sent excruciating pain through his entire body.

"Don't get up. You have extensive burns. Your life is no longer in danger, but you should still avoid moving for now." Xun came over, pulled a diagnostic panel toward her, and began scanning him.

"Is he awake?"

Luo Shan also walked in. The field doctor, with her alluring figure, looked utterly exhausted, but she still smiled at Tianyang. "You should thank Xun. She may only be a rank 1 Sage, but her ability, Light of Compassion, has extremely powerful healing effects. During the two days you were unconscious, she used it on you at least three times a day. That's a considerable strain on a beginner's body."

Tianyang looked at the girl. "Thank you."

Xun gave him a reserved smile and shook her head.

Footsteps approached.

"How is he? How's the kid doing?" It was Han Shu's voice. A moment later, a towering figure entered the intensive care unit. Sure enough, it was Han Shu.

Seeing Tianyang awake, he immediately clapped the boy on the shoulder. "I knew you were too tough to die!"

The blow nearly knocked Tianyang unconscious again.

Xun cried out as well. "Captain Han Shu, he's still very weak! Are you trying to kill him?"

Han Shu looked embarrassed at once. "Well, I wasn't thinking, and..."

Luo Shan pressed a hand to her forehead, looking pained. "Do you think everyone's built like a wild ox, like you? All right, stop making trouble here. Out you go."

Han Shu scratched his hedgehog-like hair. "All right, all right. Rest up, kid. Get back on your feet soon."

Over the next two days, Xun continued to cast Light of Compassion on Tianyang three times a day. Bathed in that light, warm as the morning sun, Tianyang could feel his injuries healing rapidly.

Quite a few people visited him during those two days.

To his surprise, even Cang Du came with Old Xu. He never said a word the entire time, though, looking as if Old Xu had dragged him there against his will.

By the third day, Tianyang could get out of bed and move around. When Xun removed his bandages, he saw the charcoal-like skin peeling away from his body, revealing fresh pink skin beneath.

After spending over an hour removing all the dead skin and applying ointment, Xun announced, "You can leave intensive care now."

It was the best news Tianyang had heard in days.

He changed into fresh clothes, put his defense armor back on, then donned the new uniform coat Han Shu had personally brought him yesterday. Tianyang walked out of the intensive care unit.

Outside, Cang Du stood leaning against the wall, his arms folded and his hair tied in a ponytail.

Seeing Tianyang emerge, he said coldly, "Come with me. The funeral's about to start. Everyone's waiting for you."

Tianyang froze. A funeral? Whose funeral?

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Extra update on Monday!