Chapter 44: Two Great Abilities, the Power of Blood Plunder

Apart from the strengthening of his mental power and the upgrading of his chip, even more mysterious and unimaginable changes were taking place within Zhang Ran’s mind. Currents of evolutionary force converged in his consciousness, ultimately coalescing at the center of his mind into two circular runes, radiating an enchanting brilliance and containing boundless, enigmatic power.

With a single thought, Zhang Ran “saw” the two runes in his mind. The rune on the left side was green, bearing the shape of a tree, emanating inexhaustible vitality. The rune on the right was red, adorned with a vivid blood droplet, exuding a faint aura of menace.

“Two ability runes? What’s going on?”

Sensing the pair of runes within his mind, Zhang Ran’s eyes revealed a trace of incredulity. Each rune corresponded to an ability, and with two runes, it meant Zhang Ran had directly acquired two abilities upon reaching Level 1 as an Evolver.

According to what he’d learned at Black Hawk Youth Training Camp, after successfully advancing to a Level 1 Evolver, the evolutionary force would condense a single ability rune in their mind, granting them one ability. Yet, no one had ever mentioned a case where two ability runes appeared as it had for him.

“Why do I possess two ability runes? Is it because my talent is extraordinary? Well, there’s no point dwelling on it. Whatever the reason, an extra ability can only be an advantage.”

Zhang Ran chose not to delve deeply into the reason behind his dual ability runes. Instead, he focused his consciousness on the red rune to the right.

“Ability Name: Blood Plunder

Ability Effect: Upon activating this ability, you can unleash up to five blood spikes from your body to attack opponents, dealing piercing damage. If the blood spikes penetrate the enemy’s defenses, you can further siphon their blood, temporarily storing it as blood energy. Enemies whose blood is plundered will fall into a weakened state. When needed, you may refine the absorbed blood energy to restore your own stamina.”

As Zhang Ran willed it, the rune in his mind flickered, and streams of information surged forth, fully revealing the ability’s functions to him.

“Excellent! Judging by the description, Blood Plunder belongs to the combat domain, focusing on single-target attacks but capable of handling multiple foes at once. It even possesses a recovery feature—a truly versatile power! Now, let’s see what you can do!”

Satisfied by the details of Blood Plunder, Zhang Ran nodded approvingly. Then, with a thought, he activated the rune in his mind.

With his intention, the Blood Plunder rune gleamed sharply, and a blood spike—red, needle-thin, glinting coldly—shot from Zhang Ran’s fingertip toward the space ahead, whistling as it went.

“What speed!”

Sensing the velocity of the blood spike, Zhang Ran’s eyes brightened. In his perception, the spike’s speed rivaled that of bullets fired from older pistols. At close range, it would be devastating against enemies.

“Let’s test its destructive power!”

He took a Black Hawk coin with a value of ten from his marching pack’s money pouch. With a thought, the blood spike swiftly retracted into his body, then stabbed again toward the silver Black Hawk coin before him.

With a sharp sound, in less than a tenth of a second, the blood spike struck and pierced through the coin.

“What impressive force!”

Gazing at the coin, now penetrated by the blood spike, Zhang Ran’s eyes flashed with delight. Though the ten-value Black Hawk coin was made from ordinary steel, classified as the lowest-grade Level 1 alloy, the way the spike pierced it suggested it could penetrate Level 2 alloys or materials as well.

Generally, the defenses of Level 1 to 3 mutant beasts and Evolvers equate to Level 2 materials or alloys. If nothing unexpected occurred, Zhang Ran’s blood spike could effectively breach their defenses. As for the actual blood-plundering effect, only practice would reveal its true efficacy.

“A splendid ability! If all goes well, this power could easily be rated at least C-grade, perhaps even B-grade!”

Feeling the effects of his blood-based ability, Zhang Ran nodded in satisfaction, a smile spreading across his face.

Abilities, apart from being divided into five major domains, are also categorized by grade. The lowest is E-grade, followed by D, C, B, and A. The higher the grade, the greater the power or effect—and the rarer the ability.

Common E-grade abilities include Strength Enhancement, Night Vision, and Firearm Control. These are rather mediocre, often considered lackluster, but they’re the most prevalent. If an Evolver awakens an E-grade ability, it’s unlikely they could defeat a mutant beast of the same level with just that power. Without additional opportunities, they would struggle to gather enough evolutionary energy to advance further, and would likely remain at Level 1 for life.

Still, even a Level 1 Evolver enjoys much greater strength and status than a pre-Evolver. Average lifespans rise from thirty for ordinary people and forty for pre-Evolvers to around sixty, making them rare even in the wilderness.

D-grade abilities are more competent, able to effectively counter mutant beasts of the same level. Common D-grade abilities include Flaming Fist, Fireball, and Heavy Bullet. Those who awaken D-grade abilities generally have the potential to advance to Level 3 and unlock a second power, offering promising prospects.

C-grade abilities are even stronger than D-grade, allowing their wielders to easily defeat two mutant beasts of equal level. This makes it easier to accumulate evolutionary energy and advance in rank. As the backbone of the Evolvers, C-grade holders have a good chance of reaching Level 6, awakening a third ability, and perhaps progressing further. Common C-grade abilities include Explosive Fireball, Hyper Bullet, and Blood Cleave.

Beyond C-grade lie B, A, and even S-grade abilities—far more powerful and much rarer. Typically, such abilities don’t appear as an Evolver’s first rune, but are reserved for high-level Evolvers.

After careful analysis, Zhang Ran was convinced that Blood Plunder’s power surpassed the C-grade abilities described at Black Hawk Youth Training Camp—perhaps even reaching the realm of B-grade. This realization filled him with excitement.