Chapter 78: A Battle of Equals, the Fight Rages On

Shaking his slightly numb hands, Di Ping suddenly broke into laughter. He wasn't afraid; rather, he was filled with a surge of intense fighting spirit, like a raging fire burning within his chest. His blood surged like a furious tide.

"Haha... What a thrill... Come again!"

Di Ping let out a mighty roar, his blood boiling. He gripped his sword with both hands, bent his knees slightly, and then, with a burst of force, propelled himself forward like a spring releasing its tension.

Though the mutated Tibetan Mastiff had been struck by Di Ping's sword, it wasn't injured. However, the powerful impact had left it dizzy and enraged. It couldn't believe that this small human had managed to cause it pain. Seeing Di Ping charge toward it again with another shout, the Tibetan Mastiff let out a fierce roar and lunged forward in response.

Clang...

The sound of steel meeting steel rang out. Di Ping's sword was about to strike the Mastiff's head again when it was intercepted by the beast's sharp claws. The claws, as sharp as daggers, collided with Di Ping's sword, creating a loud, ringing sound of metal against metal. The force of the clash deflected the sword slightly, and the Mastiff's enormous maw lunged toward Di Ping's neck.

"Not good!"

Di Ping's heart raced in alarm. He hadn't anticipated the Mastiff's cunning. Instead of directly engaging in combat, it had deflected his sword and attempted to bite him. Cursing inwardly, Di Ping didn't hesitate for a moment.

The Mastiff's gaping maw, exuding a strong, foul stench, was moments away from closing around his head. However, years of life-or-death battles had honed Di Ping's reflexes. In an instant, he used the momentum from the sword and claws' collision to pivot sharply, narrowly avoiding the Mastiff's bite. He then drove his right knee upward, landing a powerful blow to the Mastiff's jaw.

Thud!

The Mastiff yelped in pain as it was sent flying to the side. Di Ping's strength was terrifying—this strike felt like a thousand-pound blow. The Mastiff's jaw, a softer area, took the full brunt of the hit, and it flipped over, blood dripping from its mouth.

Thud, thud...

However, the strong recoil sent Di Ping staggering back several steps. His heart pounded with fear. Had he been a moment slower, he would have been caught by that deadly bite. The Mastiff's bite force was immense—once it clamped down, escaping would have been nearly impossible.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Di Ping checked his sword. The previous clash had been so loud it had numbed his ears, and he worried his weapon might have been damaged. When he inspected it, his expression changed. The sword had three deep gouges in it from the Mastiff's claws. It was hard to believe that the finely crafted sword could be outmatched by the beast's claws.

A chill ran through him. He hadn't expected the Mastiff's claws to be so dangerous. Had they struck him earlier, he would have been severely injured. This battle demanded his full attention. He needed to focus if he was to win. With renewed resolve, he flicked his sword and fixed his gaze on the Mastiff.

The mutated Tibetan Mastiff was also in distress. The earlier blow had been heavy, as evidenced by the blood dripping from the corner of its mouth.

Howl...

The Mastiff threw its head back and let out a long, wild howl. The howl seemed to awaken its berserker rage, and its fur bristled as a powerful force surged within it. Dust swirled around, as though a storm was passing through, and a crimson aura surrounded its body, as if its entire form was drenched in blood. Its bloodshot eyes gleamed with a crazed killing intent.

Berserk!

Di Ping's eyes widened in realization. He recognized that the Mastiff had activated its Berserk skill, a state in which its strength and speed would surge, becoming even more uncontrollable and dangerous. In this state, it would feel no pain and would stop at nothing to destroy its opponent. Engaging it head-on in this condition would be suicidal.

Watching the Mastiff charge at him again, Di Ping swiftly swung his sword.

Flame Enhancement!

A surge of fire erupted from his sword, sending a wave of intense heat through the air. With the Mastiff's newfound strength, a mere slash wouldn't be enough. Di Ping had no choice but to activate the Flame Enhancement skill to stand a chance.

The spectators were stunned. The mysterious figure in the black robe had clearly used magic earlier, but now, what was this red glow enveloping the mutated dog? And the speed with which the young man moved, as well as the flames engulfing his sword—what was going on?

This completely defied their understanding. Such phenomena were only seen in movies or novels, but now they were happening right before their eyes. What kind of world was this?

At that moment, Han Zhongguo and Ge Zhongping, who had never seen eye to eye, exchanged a brief glance. In their eyes, a certain spark of understanding flashed. They quickly turned their gazes away, their thoughts unknown to anyone but themselves.

Time passed in the blink of an eye.

The mutated Tibetan Mastiff silently charged at Di Ping again, kicking up a fierce wind. Its sharp claws gleamed with a cold light as they sliced through the air, creating a whistling sound as they aimed for Di Ping's shoulders.

Slash...

Di Ping didn't hesitate. He pushed off the ground, swiftly dodging to the right, and slashed his sword upward, targeting the Mastiff's soft belly.

"Damn it!"

The Mastiff reacted with lightning speed, twisting its massive body mid-air to avoid the sword strike. However, its hind legs suddenly shot out, aiming for Di Ping's abdomen. Di Ping cursed under his breath, retreating just in time to avoid the blow.

Howl...

Before Di Ping could regain his footing, the Mastiff landed and immediately twisted its body again, launching itself at Di Ping with lightning speed. Its jaws, wide open, were mere inches from his face.

Boom!

There was no time to dodge. Acting on instinct, Di Ping raised his leg and kicked the Mastiff in the jaw with all his strength. Though it was a casual kick, the power behind it was immense.

Howl...

The Mastiff's eyes flashed with pain, and it let out a pitiful cry as it was sent flying back.