Chapter 120: Shattered Star of Destruction

With a thought from Zhang Ran, five razor-sharp Blood Spikes shot out from his body, slicing through the air with a series of sharp whistles as they streaked toward Sadaen’s back.

“Hmph. Break!”

Sensing the Blood Spikes hurtling toward him, Sadaen gave a cold snort. The great saber in his hands flashed through the air several times, sending out brilliant arcs of blade light that shattered all five Blood Spikes one after another.

Compared with mutant beasts, the human body was far more refined and agile. Humans generally possessed much faster reactions and superior evasive ability. Thus, although Blood Spikes were virtually unstoppable against mutated creatures, they were not nearly as effective when used against human opponents.

Seeing that the Blood Spikes had failed to break through Sadaen’s defenses, Zhang Ran was not surprised. Sadaen was, after all, a fifth-level evolutionist—and one of the stronger ones at that. Even Zhang Ran could not kill him instantly with ease, so it was only natural that Sadaen would not be struck so easily by the Blood Spikes.

“Good! Take this next move of mine—Gale Saber Technique!”

After blocking Zhang Ran’s attack, Sadaen roared again. A dazzling azure radiance suddenly lit up around his body, and with its appearance, his speed surged dramatically.

Then, as Sadaen swung his saber, the azure light rapidly converged within the weapon. As the blue energy poured into it, the great saber began to shine with a brilliant azure glow.

A moment later, Sadaen viciously swept his saber through the air, cleaving forth a swift and immensely powerful blade of azure wind. It tore through space and came hurtling toward Zhang Ran’s chest.

Like the Blazing Flame Saber Technique, the Gale Saber Technique was also a low-level C-rank ability. However, while the Blazing Flame Saber Technique focused on overwhelming power, the Gale Saber Technique emphasized speed and swiftness.

As the storm-like blade arc came slashing toward him, Zhang Ran once again stirred his thoughts and activated Blood Rush. In an instant, he transformed into a streak of blood-colored light and shot away at tremendous speed.

Yet the storm blade arc actually changed direction in midair, turning and giving chase.

“What a nuisance! It actually has a hidden tracking attribute.”

After stopping in the distance, Zhang Ran frowned slightly as he watched the storm blade arc pursue him relentlessly.

Across the wilderness, many abilities were possessed by multiple evolutionists. Yet in truth, even identical abilities would undergo certain changes in different evolutionists, adapting to their individual physical qualities. Some might even evolve a variety of special effects.

The Gale Saber Technique was not classified as a tracking-type ability in the corresponding Compendium of Common Abilities. Sadaen’s Gale Saber Technique, however, possessed tracking capabilities. This was the result of ability evolution.

Although Zhang Ran was somewhat surprised, he once again swung the Broken Army in his hand, slashing toward the storm blade arc.

The edge of Broken Army collided with the storm blade arc. In an instant, the blade arc was cleaved apart, transforming into countless smaller blades of wind that shot in every direction.

The miniature wind blades moved with astonishing speed, slicing through swathes of wild grass around them in an instant. Some of them also struck Zhang Ran.

Compared with the storm blade arc, the smaller wind blades were not particularly powerful—indeed, they were even weaker than pistol bullets. They naturally could not break through Zhang Ran’s defenses. They merely left a series of white marks across his body without even breaking his skin.

Broken Army, however, was not so fortunate. After directly clashing with the storm blade arc, another savage scar appeared along its blade.

Even so, Zhang Ran had no choice but to launch another assault, charging toward Sadaen.

…

Saber and sword flashed back and forth, blade light and sword marks interweaving in a dazzling display. In the blink of an eye, Zhang Ran and Sadaen had exchanged nearly forty blows.

As a fifth-level evolutionist, Sadaen possessed abundant stamina. However, after using his abilities repeatedly, his strength was being consumed at an astonishing rate, and he was beginning to grow tired.

Zhang Ran, on the other hand, was only a fourth-level evolutionist. Yet with the Tree of Evolution supporting him, his foundation was exceptionally solid, and his stamina was in no way inferior to Sadaen’s. His cells also recovered far more rapidly. With Blood Plunder storing his vital energy, he remained in a relatively vigorous state.

Although Zhang Ran held the advantage in stamina, after such an intense battle, the heavy sword Broken Army in his hands was nearly ruined. Numerous chips and cracks had appeared across it, making him secretly anxious.

Even though Broken Army had been forged from top-grade second-level alloy and enhanced with the Sharpness enchantment, it was only capable of supporting fourth-level combat. It was already struggling to withstand a battle at the fifth level.

Zhang Ran was not the only one growing anxious. As his stamina rapidly ebbed away, Sadaen was also becoming increasingly worried—and quietly regretting his decision.

According to the description on the bounty notice, the target was supposed to be only a second-level evolutionist. When Sadaen first spotted Zhang Ran in the Fringe Zone, he immediately realized that the information on the bounty notice was incorrect.

By regulation, Sadaen could have abandoned the mission at that point without consequence. He would only have needed to transmit the new intelligence, and he would not have been held responsible or required to pay compensation.

However, the bounty was extremely lucrative. Moreover, he had endured great hardship crossing the Outer Wasteland to reach Black Hawk Company, and he had complete confidence in his own strength. Thus, he had still chosen to attack Zhang Ran.

Now, after remaining locked in battle with Zhang Ran for so long without gaining the slightest advantage, Sadaen had less than thirty percent of his stamina remaining. His opponent, by contrast, maintained an extraordinarily steady presence.

Sadaen was growing more and more anxious.

At that moment, he swung the saber in his hands once again and activated the Gale Saber Technique, cleaving forth a vast and majestic storm blade arc imbued with terrifying power of the wind.

As the storm blade arc shot toward him, Zhang Ran once again raised the heavy sword Broken Army and slashed at the attack’s weakest point.

Under Zhang Ran’s strike, the storm blade arc was cleaved apart once more, transforming into countless tiny wind blades that shot in every direction.

At the same time, however, a sharp cracking sound suddenly rang out.

With that splintering crack, a series of fractures appeared across the heavy sword Broken Army in Zhang Ran’s hands. Then, it snapped cleanly in two.

Throughout Zhang Ran’s battle with Sadaen, Broken Army had endured repeated blows from Sadaen’s abilities and saber. Its interior had long since been riddled with damage. At last, unable to withstand the pressure any longer, it broke apart at that very moment, splitting into two pieces.

“Hahaha! Now that you’ve lost your weapon, how are you going to fight me? Die!”

Seeing only the hilt of Broken Army remaining in Zhang Ran’s hand, delight flashed through Sadaen’s eyes. He burst into laughter, then swung his saber once more and activated the Blazing Flame Saber Technique, cleaving forth a searing blade arc that came roaring toward Zhang Ran.