Chapter 77: Battle Spirit Boils as the Giant Beast Faces Off

Not only the onlookers but even Di Ping himself was deeply shocked upon witnessing Jina wielding this spell again. It was even more terrifying than her previous use against the mutated herons. The flames burned relentlessly on the mutated dogs, no matter how they rolled or struggled, unable to shake off the fire. The ground they rolled on also caught fire in their wake.

For these ordinary mutated creatures, Jina's power was overwhelming. Di Ping once again regretted his previous choice. Wizards not only dealt massive damage but looked so cool doing it!

Just look at Jina—she simply pushed her hands forward, and countless fireballs flew in all directions. With a single move, she wiped out more than ten mutated dogs. If it had been him, he would have had to rush in and hack away at them. Though killing those ten dogs wouldn't have been too difficult, achieving such an effortless display of power like Jina was impossible for him. It would have left him drenched in blood.

At that moment, several small green energy orbs the size of ping-pong balls suddenly appeared from the bodies of the mutated dogs on the ground. These orbs slowly rose into the air, and upon reaching a height of about half a meter, they transformed into green beams of light, shooting directly into Di Ping's body.

Di Ping had seen this several times before and was no longer surprised. He simply heard the system's voice in his mind. Over time, he had grown accustomed to ignoring it, and this time, he simply took note of the 152 energy points he had received.

Now, his total energy, including the 12 points left over from his previous upgrade, totaled 164 points. With each level requiring 20 points, he could level up several times with this energy. However, Di Ping was cautious and did not dare to rush the process. Upgrading too quickly might result in losing control over his own power.

He inwardly grumbled about the system, thinking of how, in some novels, characters could level up by dozens of levels without issue, while he struggled even with just two levels. Wasn't the system supposed to be stronger?

"Beep... This is for the host's benefit. Rapid leveling won't solidify the foundation, making it difficult to grow stronger later."

While Di Ping was lost in thought, the system's voice startled him. He hadn't expected the system to respond to his inner musings.

He felt speechless. He didn't understand how this system worked. When he asked it questions, it would remain silent, but when he thought something, it would unexpectedly speak up. Regardless, the system wasn't one to engage in casual communication unless it deemed it necessary.

Di Ping understood, however, that the system was intentionally regulating his rate of leveling. It wanted him to lay a solid foundation before rushing into further power, and Di Ping was no fool. He stopped thinking about it and focused on the situation at hand.

Meanwhile, the mutated Tibetan Mastiff, clearly furious at the sight of its fallen comrades, seemed to abandon its fear of fire. Its natural ferocity and stubbornness ensured it would not retreat.

"Roar..."

The deep, guttural growl resonated through the underground mall, shaking everyone's hearts, making it difficult to breathe as the tension built.

The Tibetan Mastiff lowered its head, its blood-green eyes fixed on Jina, as it began walking toward the entrance. Its fur bristled, resembling a wild lion, poised to strike at any moment.

Jina was ready to step forward, but a hand stopped her. Di Ping emerged from behind her, his long sword hanging by his side. He fixed his gaze on the mutated Tibetan Mastiff and slowly advanced toward it, while Jina obediently stepped back. However, her hand remained at her chest, where a faint wave of energy emanated from her palm.

As Di Ping approached, the Tibetan Mastiff's eyes remained cold and unfeeling, showing no sign of hesitation or concern. It advanced, growling low in its throat with each step.

The people in the base watched in disbelief as the young man walked toward the beast. Was he mad? He was smaller than the mutated Tibetan Mastiff and dared to challenge it with nothing but a sword. Even before its mutation, the Tibetan Mastiff had been an extraordinary foe, and now, in its mutated form, it resembled a beast the size of an ox. Approaching it would be like delivering oneself as food.

"Howl..."

Suddenly, the Tibetan Mastiff let out a sharp growl. Its body crouched low, and its massive claws dug into the ground. With a powerful push, its enormous form launched forward like a cannonball, the speed of its charge creating a gust of wind that howled toward Di Ping, as if a storm were coming.

"Charge!"

Di Ping's voice rang out, and his body was immediately filled with a surge of energy. His muscles tightened, his blood boiled, and his strength surged forward. With a burst of force, he pushed off the ground, and a shockwave rippled outward, scattering dust in all directions. His body shot forward as if crossing space itself, leaving a blur of motion where he had once stood, appearing ten meters away in an instant.

"Slash!"

A cry rang out, and suddenly, a cold light flashed through the air, landing directly above the Tibetan Mastiff's head.

"Clang!"

The sound of steel ringing reverberated through the mall, followed by a shockwave that blasted outward, like a whirlwind passing through the space.

The man and beast collided with the force of two trains crashing head-on, their figures flying back at an even greater speed.

"Boom..."

The Tibetan Mastiff crashed to the ground, shaking its head, disoriented by the blow.

Meanwhile, Di Ping was sent flying more than three meters away, stumbling backward, his sword hand trembling. He staggered back several steps before finally regaining his balance. His chest felt tight, and he nearly vomited blood. His breath came in ragged gasps, his energy fluctuating wildly. His hands were numb, and his palms tingled with the aftermath of the clash.

He was shaken. He hadn't expected that despite all his strength, his full-powered strike with the sword had failed to break through the Tibetan Mastiff's defense. The slash skill didn't seem to have taken effect. Looking down at his slightly bent sword, he sighed in frustration. This sword was no longer keeping up with his growing strength.