Chapter 71: Slaying the Werewolf Chieftain

When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred. The moment the Level 2 Werewolf Chieftain saw Zhang Ran—the man who had slain several of his most formidable subordinates—he let out a furious roar and charged toward Zhang Ran in great strides. He swung his massive ironwood club with savage force, bringing it crashing down toward Zhang Ran’s skull.

With a whoosh, the thick club tore through the air, carrying a fierce gale. Zhang Ran, however, had no intention of meeting the blow head-on; his body twisted to the side, nimbly evading the deadly strike with ease.

At the very same moment, Zhang Ran willed his mind to action, activating the “Blood Thorn” rune within his sea of consciousness, launching a counterattack against the Werewolf Chieftain. As Zhang Ran summoned his power, the first crimson rune on the Tree of Evolution within his mind flared brilliantly. Three blood-red thorns shot forth, darting viciously toward the chieftain.

Caught off guard by the sudden assault, the Werewolf Chieftain’s face flickered with panic. At that moment, his previous momentum was spent and new strength had yet to rise; he could barely twist his body, attempting to dodge the incoming blood thorns with awkward footwork.

But his efforts were futile. Unlike his own lumbering club, the blood thorns Zhang Ran released were far more agile. They twisted and turned through the air like living serpents, their razor-sharp tips homing in once more on the chieftain.

With a sickening sound, all three blood thorns struck the Werewolf Chieftain, hesitating only for an instant before easily piercing his hide and plunging deep into his flesh.

Though the chieftain’s physique boasted a toughness of five points—comparable to Level 1 alloy—for the blood thorns, it was as if his flesh offered no resistance at all. Even when Zhang Ran was a Level 1 Evolver, his blood thorns could penetrate Level 2 alloy with ease; now, as a Level 2 Evolver, their lethality had grown even greater.

The blood thorns bored into his body and instantly tore three gaping holes in the Werewolf Chieftain’s flesh, sending blood gushing forth. At the same time, Zhang Ran focused his mind, urging the blood thorns to relentlessly siphon the chieftain’s life-blood.

A howl of agony and fury erupted from the Werewolf Chieftain as searing pain tore through him. He swung his club in a wild arc, sweeping it around in a desperate attempt to batter Zhang Ran’s skull.

Yet Zhang Ran’s expression remained tranquil, his heart undisturbed. With a deft flick of his toe, he floated back several paces, effortlessly evading the chieftain’s furious assault.

Foiled twice in quick succession, the Werewolf Chieftain’s rage boiled over. He tossed aside his ironwood club with a snarl, then, with a bestial roar, his form blurred into a streak of darkness as he lunged at Zhang Ran. Twin claws flashed, slashing wildly toward Zhang Ran’s face from both sides.

This was the chieftain’s special ability—“Shadow Strike.” Once activated, it boosted his speed by fifty percent for a brief interval, allowing him to unleash a blistering assault.

With “Shadow Strike” in effect, the chieftain’s agility soared to 7.8 points—so swift that even Zhang Ran struggled to follow his movements. Yet, relying on his battle-honed instincts, Zhang Ran raised his military dagger to meet the attack head-on.

Steel clashed with a ringing note as Zhang Ran’s blade collided with the chieftain’s claws mid-air, sparks flying from the force of impact.

Though Zhang Ran’s strength had reached 5.876 points—slightly surpassing the chieftain’s 5.4—the werewolf’s agility now far outstripped his own, thanks to “Shadow Strike.” The sheer momentum of the blow sent Zhang Ran reeling backward, retreating several steps before regaining his balance. His arms tingled with numbness, and his blood surged tumultuously within him.

Meanwhile, the chieftain’s claws emerged unscathed from the clash against the Level 2 alloy dagger, their surfaces shimmering with a faint black light.

This black glow was the manifestation of the chieftain’s “Hardened Claws” ability, which greatly increased both sharpness and durability. Now, his claws were no less formidable than Level 2 alloy, capable of rending Evolvers and mutant beasts of equal rank with ease.

Having landed a solid hit, the Werewolf Chieftain’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He immediately activated “Shadow Strike” again, pouncing at Zhang Ran with renewed ferocity.

But this time, Zhang Ran was fully prepared. He lowered his center of gravity, steadied himself, and brandished his dagger to meet the chieftain’s charge.

Simultaneously, the blood thorns embedded in the chieftain’s body continued to ravenously drain his blood. Compared to humans, the werewolf’s massive frame held an even richer supply of blood, so at first, he failed to notice anything amiss. But as the seconds ticked by and his blood loss mounted, weakness and fatigue began to gnaw at his strength.

Thus, compared to his first “Shadow Strike,” the chieftain’s second assault—though still swift—was noticeably less forceful, and Zhang Ran blocked it with ease.

At last, the chieftain sensed that something was wrong. In merely ten seconds, nearly twenty percent of his blood had been siphoned away. As a result, his body rapidly weakened, and his skin grew faintly shriveled from the loss.

Seizing his enemy’s weakness, Zhang Ran switched from passive defense to all-out offense. He strode forward boldly, swinging his dagger in a vicious arc toward the chieftain’s throat.

Seeing Zhang Ran advancing, the chieftain instinctively raised his claws to parry. Steel and claw clashed once more in mid-air, the sound of metal ringing out.

But this time, Zhang Ran held firm, unmoving, while the Werewolf Chieftain staggered backward, eyes filled with disbelief.

Having forced his foe back, Zhang Ran pressed his advantage. He slashed with his dagger again, while simultaneously activating the “Blood Thorn” rune a second time. Two more blood thorns shot forth, aiming straight for the chieftain’s eyes.

The chieftain tried to fend off Zhang Ran’s attacks with his claws, but his body, now drained and enfeebled, was pushed back yet again.

And so, the two blood thorns crossed the space between them and plunged directly into the chieftain’s ears.

A pair of dull thuds sounded as the razor-thin thorns pierced through the ear canals, bored into the cochleae, and finally drove deep into the brain. The violent energy tore through his head, and in less than the blink of an eye, the Level 2 Werewolf Chieftain’s brain was reduced to a mangled mass of pink and white pulp.