Chapter 107: The Fierce Battle Against the Level 4 Twin-Headed Hellhound

Determined, Zhang Ran woke from a deep sleep that morning, swallowed half a tube of high-energy food for a simple breakfast, and then left his apartment. He quickly departed from Black Eagle City, speeding toward the wilderness.

After advancing to a Level 3 Evolver, Zhang Ran’s physical condition had significantly improved, and his vitality was much stronger. For Level 0 mutated creatures, which instinctively avoid danger and seek profit, they would generally keep their distance from him. Even Level 1 mutations dared not attack him proactively.

After an hour and forty minutes of trekking in silence, Zhang Ran arrived at a region about 110 kilometers from Black Eagle Corporation. This area was suitable for hunting Level 3 to Level 4 Evolvers.

Another hour and a half passed, and after persistent searching, Zhang Ran had already discovered and slain two Level 3 mutated beasts. Just as he continued exploring, his eyes suddenly brightened.

In front of him appeared a creature about one and a half meters tall and two meters long, its entire body pitch black with strange patterns on its back. It had two heads and a body resembling that of a hunting dog, eyes gleaming fiercely, exuding an overwhelming ferocity.

“Two-headed Demon Patterned Hound! Chip, scan its attributes!” Zhang Ran immediately recognized it based on its distinct features and silently commanded his chip to analyze it.

In the training camp, instructors mainly taught about Level 0 to Level 3 mutated creatures, only briefly mentioning Levels 4 to 6. However, after reaching Level 3 Evolver, Zhang Ran spent over ten thousand Black Eagle Coins at the city’s trading center to purchase detailed information, which he fed into his chip to ensure he knew his enemy well and could win every battle.

“Ding! Mission accepted, commencing scan...” The chip’s prompt sounded in Zhang Ran’s ear as he focused.

“Ding! Scan complete. Please accept the predicted data for the Two-headed Demon Patterned Hound!” Five seconds later, after scanning, modeling, and analysis, the chip successfully projected the creature’s attributes, and another alert appeared in Zhang Ran’s mental sea.

With the prompt came a silver glow formed by streaming data flashing before Zhang Ran’s eyes. The light quickly arranged and combined, forming a transparent, high-tech data window.

“[Target Name: Two-headed Demon Patterned Hound]

[Target Type: Mutated Beast]

[Hunting Level: Level 4]

[Special Abilities: Pattern Enhancement, Charge Strike, Demonic Bite, Reinforced Claws]

[Strength: 9.7]

[Constitution: 8.5]

[Agility: 9.4]

[Spirit: 3.1]

[Weakness: ......]”

On the left side of the window was a colorful three-dimensional model depicting the creature, with its weak points marked in red.

On the right were detailed attribute bars describing the hound’s comprehensive stats.

“Excellent, a Level 4 Two-headed Demon Patterned Hound — a fairly common specimen among Level 4 creatures. This will be the perfect opportunity to test my training progress and help me successfully condense my second evolution point!” Zhang Ran nodded with interest, his eyes burning with battle intent as he faced the distant beast. Then, with a thought, he activated his “Boiling Blood” ability.

As Zhang Ran concentrated, the rune marked with a blood-fire pattern in the third position of his Evolution Tree suddenly glowed brightly. A mysterious power surged from the “Boiling Blood” rune, exiting his mental sea and flowing into his body.

Streams of energy from the rune infused Zhang Ran’s body, stimulating his heart to beat faster.

With the heart’s accelerating rhythm, Zhang Ran’s blood flowed more rapidly, rushing toward his heart to be compressed and heated, transforming into scorching boiling blood that pumped through his veins.

This fiery blood coursed through his vessels, instantly activating his tissues and making them exceedingly lively, temporarily enhancing his physical strength.

Moreover, some of the boiling blood reached his brain, continuously stimulating his brain cells, sharpening his spirit, inflaming his fighting will, and strengthening his mental power.

Grasping his heavy broadsword, Broken Army, Zhang Ran transformed into a shadow and strode boldly across the wilderness, charging fiercely toward the Level 4 Two-headed Demon Patterned Hound.

As Zhang Ran spotted the beast, it also noticed him, eyeing him with the predatory gaze of a hunter, its eyes full of greed. Then, the demonic patterns on its back lit up one by one, emitting black light as a dense dark aura enveloped its body.

This was the hound’s ability, “Pattern Enhancement,” similar in effect to “Boiling Blood.” It temporarily bolstered the hound’s physical attributes, slightly increasing its strength and combat prowess.

However, although “Pattern Enhancement” resembled “Boiling Blood,” it only raised the hound’s Strength, Constitution, and Agility by 10%, and Spirit by 5%, far less impactful than “Boiling Blood.” Yet, it had the advantage of lighter side effects.

Having activated “Pattern Enhancement,” the hound’s speed surged once more. It swiftly maneuvered its limbs and lunged at Zhang Ran with incredible swiftness. At the same time, it unleashed “Reinforced Claws,” its razor-sharp claws gleaming silver as they fiercely swiped at Zhang Ran’s face.

“Clang!”

Their forms crossed over the wilderness in a full sprint. Zhang Ran’s Broken Army clashed fiercely with the hound’s claws midair, producing a crisp clang. Brilliant sparks flew in all directions.

The hound’s strength was rated at 9.7, increased to 10.7 with “Pattern Enhancement.” Zhang Ran’s own strength source measured 9.139, slightly lower. But his “Boiling Blood” ability was superior to “Pattern Enhancement,” so his actual power was marginally greater. With a mighty swing, Zhang Ran struck the beast back.