Zhu Jiu had no idea the werewolf and the muscular man were hiding in the nearby alley. He didn't have the luxury to care.
The battle with the aberrant had reached a critical stage.
"Huff... huff... damn it."
Fatty, unable to contribute much to the fight, resorted to distraction tactics. Even so, he was gasping for air, his body drenched in sweat.
"Is this thing immortal or what? It's like nothing works on it!"
Fatty's voice carried a mix of frustration and disbelief. The aberrant's wounds were healing rapidly. Zhu Jiu's earlier slashes, which had cut down to its bones, were now little more than faint scars.
As for the blows Fatty delivered with his staff, they barely even scratched the creature, akin to swatting an itch.
Zhu Jiu frowned. "Nothing is truly immortal. It must have a weakness—we just haven't found it yet."
Despite his confidence, Zhu Jiu felt the weight of the battle. His stamina was draining fast, and at this rate, he'd be worn down before the aberrant even started to falter.
The aberrant wasn't just resilient. Its combat prowess was equally terrifying.
Still, Zhu Jiu silently thanked his companion. If Fatty had fled at the outset, this battle would have been even more grueling.
Surprisingly, despite having numerous chances to escape, Fatty had stuck by Zhu Jiu's side.
For now, Zhu Jiu focused on steadying his breathing, trying to recover as much energy as possible.
But the aberrant wasn't about to give him that chance.
Sensing Zhu Jiu's intentions, the aberrant launched itself forward again, aiming to deny any respite.
Its powerful legs propelled it like a missile, its streamlined body cutting through the air. The claws on its hands gleamed dangerously, razor-sharp and capable of shredding even walls.
Zhu Jiu's eyes narrowed. As the aberrant lunged at him, he struck with both blades in a swift upward motion.
Bagua Blade: Dragging the Moon from the Sea!
This reverse grip technique was one of Bagua Blade's most cunning moves, nearly impossible to anticipate. Zhu Jiu had refrained from using it until now, saving it for this precise moment.
The aberrant was mid-air, its momentum leaving it vulnerable. With no footing to pivot or dodge, it had no choice but to take the blow head-on.
"Shriiip!"
The twin blades carved two deep gashes into the aberrant's torso, exposing bone but failing to sever it entirely.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Jiu stepped forward, pulling his right arm back to deliver a devastating downward slash.
Bagua Blade: Forward Strike!
This move was a thunderous, decisive blow. If it connected, it could easily cripple the aberrant.
"You call yourself immortal? Let's see you survive this!" Zhu Jiu roared, putting all his strength into the attack.
But at the last moment, the aberrant raised its left arm to block the blade.
"Crunch!"
The blade severed the arm completely, but the aberrant used the force of the strike to leap backward, evading further attacks.
"Slippery bastard."
Zhu Jiu kicked the severed arm toward the rear, unwilling to risk the aberrant somehow reattaching it.
In those few seconds, the wounds on the aberrant's torso began to close, the exposed bone quickly hidden under regrowing flesh.
Even more shocking, the stump of its severed arm sprouted tiny buds of flesh, rapidly regenerating into a new limb.
"Are you kidding me?! It can regenerate limbs? What is this, a mutant gecko?"
Fatty's eyes bulged as he struggled to comprehend what he was seeing.
"It can be killed," a crisp, confident voice suddenly cut through the tense atmosphere.
Both Zhu Jiu and Fatty turned toward the source.
A young woman in a white research coat stood nearby, holding a peculiar device resembling a telescope. Her calm demeanor and precise movements gave her the air of a scientist straight out of a film.
"This evolved infected can regenerate, but the process isn't without cost," the woman explained quickly, her voice steady despite the horrifying scene.
"It requires a specific energy source to heal itself. Right now, its energy levels have dropped to less than half of what it started with."
"You're saying I just need to wear it down until it runs out of energy?" Zhu Jiu asked, his voice sharp and to the point. He didn't waste time questioning her identity or intentions.
"That's one approach," the woman replied, setting down her device to reveal a striking, focused face.
"Alternatively, you could destroy its energy source. The black orb in its forehead emits a powerful energy field—it's likely the core of its regenerative ability. Destroy it, and the creature will be powerless."
"The orb in its forehead, huh?" Zhu Jiu nodded, her explanation aligning perfectly with his earlier observations.
He had encountered similar orbs before, known as dark energy condensates, and their importance was well-documented by his system.
"Fatty, you hear that?" Zhu Jiu barked. "I'll create an opening—you take out the orb."
"Easy peasy." Fatty grinned, his staff morphing into a gleaming, lethal spear.
The woman's eyes lit up at the display of Fatty's ability but said nothing, retreating to a safe distance.
A battle of this caliber was beyond her capabilities, and even a stray attack could kill her instantly.
"Let's go!"
Zhu Jiu charged forward like an arrow released from a bow, his right blade descending in a powerful arc.
The aberrant sidestepped, its reflexes sharp as ever, effortlessly evading the strike.
For a moment, it seemed as though the attack had failed.
But Zhu Jiu's left blade suddenly shot out, stabbing downward into the aberrant's foot and pinning it to the ground.
Bagua Blade: Collapsing Blade, Pinning Strike!
The downward slash had been a feint, meant only to create an opening for this precise move.
While the stab to its foot wasn't a lethal blow, it was enough to immobilize the aberrant for a split second.
Enraged, the aberrant lunged forward, its claws aimed at Zhu Jiu's head.
Zhu Jiu quickly raised his other blade horizontally, parrying the attack.
And in that instant, a gleaming spear thrust forward from behind Zhu Jiu, the tip aimed directly at the aberrant's forehead.
The aberrant, pinned and distracted, had no way to dodge the perfectly timed strike.
"Shkrrk!"
The spear pierced the aberrant's skull, the black orb in its forehead shattering with a sharp crack.
"Nice shot!" Zhu Jiu exclaimed, dodging backward to give Fatty room.
"Fat Grandpa delivers!" Fatty declared, twirling the spear with flair.
But before they could celebrate, the aberrant let out a deafening, anguished roar.
Its claws latched onto the spear, and with a sudden burst of strength, it lunged toward Fatty, blood and fury in its eyes.