Feng Chen's blade collided with the Thunderquake Lion, the shockwave of their clash sending him hurtling through the air like a rag doll. He felt his back slam into a massive tree, the bark splintering under the impact as blood burst from his mouth, splattering onto the soaked earth.
His body shook violently, trembling from the pain that seemed to radiate through every inch of his being. He was utterly helpless. Blood pooled beneath him, mingling with the relentless downpour as the sky wept alongside his broken body.
The Thunderquake Lion, barely fazed, prowled forward with lethal grace. Its golden eyes glowed menacingly, and its claws gouged deep into the wet ground, leaving massive imprints as it approached its prey.
Drool dripped from its snarling jaws, sizzling like acid when it touched the earth. Feng Chen lay crumpled, unable to move even a single muscle. His limbs felt like lead, and the warmth of his life essence bled out of him with every passing second.
The lion loomed over him now, massive and predatory, its hulking form casting a shadow over his fragile body. He could feel its hot breath washing over him, rancid and foul, as it raised its enormous paw, claws gleaming like deadly spears poised to strike. The rain pelted his blood-streaked face as he lay there, powerless, staring at death itself.
Feng Chen closed his eyes, exhaustion tugging at his consciousness. His mind swirled with thoughts of regret and failure, replaying the scenes of his life. This was how it would end... not in a blaze of glory but beneath the claws of a beast, alone and forgotten.
"This is it…" Feng Chen thought as his strength ebbed away.
"I thought I would be the strongest... I thought the system would make me invincible... But I'm still weak. Maybe I didn't put in enough effort, just like in my past life. I'm going to die a loser after all."
The lion's claws descended, and Feng Chen braced for the inevitable end.
He waited... and waited... yet death did not come. His impatience grew, and after a long pause, he cracked open his eyes.
What he saw was nothing short of unbelievable.
The Thunderquake Lion lay on the ground, its massive body lifeless and still. Its blood pooled around its corpse, soaking into the earth. Standing over the lion's fallen body was another beast, one that dwarfed the lion in both size and presence.
It had the form of a colossal eagle, its wings stretching wide like the banners of death itself. Its feathers gleamed like metal, and its talons were soaked in fresh blood, still dripping from the kill.
The eagle's cold, predatory eyes shifted toward Feng Chen, who lay paralyzed in shock and awe. Its gaze bore down on him, its power radiating like an oppressive storm cloud, and for a moment, Feng Chen felt like an insect about to be crushed beneath the boot of a god.
The beast's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, as if contemplating whether or not to finish him off. But, without a sound, it spread its massive wings, clutching the lion's corpse in its talons. With a single powerful flap, it ascended into the sky, vanishing into the dark clouds above.
Feng Chen blinked, utterly dumbfounded by what had just transpired. He stared at the sky for a long moment, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. The rain continued to pour down, drenching his already soaked clothes, and he let out a weak laugh. A laugh of disbelief. A laugh of relief.
"Plot armor..." he muttered through shallow breaths.
"Right… how could I forget?"
He chuckled again, even though his ribs ached in protest. The absurdity of it all was just too much. He was alive... by some cosmic joke, he had survived.
"System~~," Feng Chen groaned, his voice still weak from the ordeal.
"The beast is dead, isn't it? You never said I had to kill it myself. So… how about those rewards?"
-----
System Notification:-
The host has successfully defeated the Thunderquake Lion. Initiating reward distribution...
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Feng Chen smirked, but the system's response was less than pleased. Another window materialized before his eyes.
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System Notification:-
... Seriously?! How do you keep getting away with this?! Damn plot armor! Even the gods themselves must hate me!
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Feng Chen blinked at the message, amused. "Come on, system, you know the rules... Doesn't matter how the beast dies as long as it's dead, right?"
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System Notification:-
Fine... you smug little brat. I should've known the world would let you weasel your way out of certain death! But mark my words, next time, I won't make it easy!
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The system was cursing every deity it could think of, silently contemplating its own existential crisis. If it had a body, it would have been shaking its fist at the sky, yelling obscenities at the heavens for allowing such absurdity to continue.
"System, Activate Manual Mode!"
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System Notification:-
Activating manual mode… Would you like to receive your rewards now?
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"Of course, manual mode works every time," Feng Chen muttered with a grin. He weakly raised his hand and pressed the button on the screen.
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System Notification:-
Rewards received:-
- Full Recovery
- Nascent Soul Realm Beast Core
- Yin-Yang Rejuvenation Pills
- Bloodthirst Lotus Pendant (Special Item)
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Suddenly, a surge of power coursed through Feng Chen's veins. His broken bones mended themselves in an instant, his muscles repaired, and the deep cuts and wounds across his body sealed up as if they had never existed. It was as though someone had hit the reset button on his body, restoring him to perfect condition.
He flexed his fingers, marveling at the newfound strength.
"Ahh… That's more like it!" he said, standing up with newfound vigor.
"Honestly, I could get used to this."
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System Notification:-
I swear... one day, your luck will run out...
… I'll make sure of it.
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Feng Chen laughed, completely dismissing the system's angry threats.
"Sure, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."
Another window appeared, catching his attention.
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System Notification:-
Time until the mysterious egg hatches: 10 hours.
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"Oh?" Feng Chen mused, rubbing his chin.
"So, the little guy is almost ready, huh? Only 10 hours left…"
He smiled at the thought, excitement bubbling up inside him. He couldn't wait to see what would hatch from the egg. With the kind of luck he had, it had to be something special, right?
He leaned back against the giant tree, resting his head against the bark as the rain began to taper off.
"Guess I'll take a nap until then… Maybe plot armor will continue to watch over me."
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System Notification:-
If there's any justice in this universe, you'll die in your sleep.
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Feng Chen chuckled and closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift into a light sleep. Ten hours... Soon enough, the egg would hatch, and things were bound to get interesting.