The giant green-scaled monster blocked the door of the high school building!
It glared at the students with hungry, red eyes. Its forked tongue swung dangerously, dropping drops of sparkling acid that corroded the floor like butter.
It seemed to relish with delight the fear that settled on the pale students' faces.
Wu Xiuying held her breath. In that silent atmosphere, she seemed to sense the racing survivors' heartbeats. She just hoped they wouldn't do anything foolish they would later regret!
"Hua Mei, stay back. Fang Mo and Lian protect the right flank: Kong Lei, the left. Let no one fall back. And you students, get away from this as fast as possible!"
Wu Xiuying led them firmly, her voice calm and confident.
Her big golden eyes never left the monster; she studied every muscle under that green exoskeleton, looking for a weak spot she could exploit.
And she was quick to act.
She quickly consumed the Mana points to activate her Skill and create fireballs. The golden fires burst from her fingers as if gliding over her skin, quickly forming into glowing spheres.
She waved her arm and watched golden fire bubbles shoot toward the monster. They burst as they slammed into the creature, fire curling around its green, scaly body. But...
The Magic Skill that would easily consume a Level 12 monster barely tickled the mantis!
The monster roared furiously. It reared up on its hind legs and ran at full speed towards Wu Xiuying, impossible to follow with eyes.
To the monster, only Wu Xiuying's silhouette existed.
Its front legs, long and slender like scythes, shook the air while it lunged downward. Those sharp knives were ready to cut Wu Xiuying's pale neck!
Although Wu Xiuying had put all her Stats Points into Mana and Magic Power, she also had good agility and strength.
Like Dai Zen, she had defeated monsters above her level. The Existential Records she consumed were purer, enriching her body and soul.
Wu Xiuying put strength into her slender, long legs. She pulled back just in time.
The green scythe whistled, cutting off a lock of golden hair. She lifted a finger and wiped her cheeks, where a slight cut was visible.
Wu Xiuying looked straight ahead with cold eyes. She gritted her teeth and directly used half of her Mana reserve. Her legs trembled, and her breath hitched as she absorbed almost all of the magical energy at once.
She felt as weak as a person who has lost all the blood in her body. However, she was not about to give up.
She launched another shower of golden fireballs at the monster. The attacks came together in bursts that blinded the beast.
—Boom!—
The hot air rose, and the very structure of the building shook with fury. Cracks spread across the floor as stones shattered from the ceiling.
For a moment, Wu Xiuying thought she had defeated it.
However, as the dust settled, the monster's dark silhouette was revealed. Its cracked mouth twisted into a wicked grimace, revealing sharp, gleaming fangs before closing with an ominous crunch.
Before it recovered from Wu Xiuying's assault, Lian stepped forward. He reached out and concentrated his Mana to dominate the earth. The next moment, his body glowed brownish before spreading to the ground.
His Mana transformed the ground into sharp spears and arrows that Lian hurled at the creature. The wind whistled, and the boy's brown eyes glowed with anticipation.
—Crack!—
But none pierced the hard green carapace. The spears bounced and shattered, spraying the ground.
Lian's pale face paled even more, almost bloodless. As a Level 8 Evolutionary, he should have easily defeated a Level 9 monster! That meant the creature greatly outmatched them!
"Attack now, or we will be eaten alive!"
Wu Xiuying shouted as she attacked the monster with another set of fireballs. The creature struggled frantically, trapped by her magic effects.
While she did not have enough Magic Power to pierce the monster's defense, she certainly possessed enough to, at the very least, stun it for a few seconds.
"Yes!"
Fang Mo and Kong Lei rushed forward with their weapons at the ready.
Fang Mo activated his Skill to run at breakneck speed. As he towered next to the monster, he raised his spear and struck it with a roar, impacting with enough force to crack the floor where the monster's leg was suspended.
The hard exoskeleton cracked under the weight of the blow but resisted.
Enraged, the monster flapped its wings to scatter the debris, sending Fang Mo flying into the wall. Fang Mo's lips were drawn with blood as he slid to the ground.
At that instant, Kong Lei planted himself next to the monster. Seeing the creature's murderous gaze fixed on him, his face darkened, and he activated his Skill to endow his body with superhuman strength.
His skin became as hard as cast iron. Highly developed muscles were added to his arms and back. Breaking the boundary and roaring with fury, he threw a punch at the creature!
—Bang!—
Just a scratch.
'T-this is impossible!"
The monster spat corrosive substance in retaliation.
Despite its enormous size, the man managed to dodge the attack. The poison dug a hole in the ground upon impact as the roar of an engine approached the structure entrance.
Wu Xiuying concentrated, recognizing the sound—the roar of the bus!
"March, quick!"
She commanded as she again sent out waves of golden fire to envelop the monster.
"The creature is distracted—take your chance!"
Wu Xiuying knew the other Evolved people could do nothing against that creature. Magic and strength were useless compared to the monster's defense. So she shot them a look that said: 'You guys go too.'
Hua Mei hesitated, refusing to leave her. Her pale face looked worried for the leader's safety, her friend.
Lian did not move either. As a man of simple thoughts, he refused to abandon someone who, in the past, had reached out to him.
However, the other survivors did not need to think twice before they broke into a run for the exit, their footsteps echoing.
Fang Mo and Kong Lei fled alongside the survivors, helping them through the Badly Evolved.
"Both of you go, get out!"
"But Xiuying..."
"No buts!"
Wu Xiuying pursed her lips, drilling her golden eyes into the creature. If even she escaped, the monster would catch up to them in seconds.
"If you stay, you will only be a burden."
Lian clenched his fists, and Hua Mei held back tears, heartbroken.
At last, the backs of the two people turned around. The survivors and Evolved rushed out of the building.
Only Wu Xiuying and the monster remained: she was alone against the beast.