Suddenly, the Shiba Inu erupted with a deafening proclamation.

Silence followed.

Atop the city's defenses, all the Giant Beasts looked at one another, completely befuddled.

Is the dog barking?

Even though it was indeed a bark, did you abruptly jump up and, without any heed to consequences, start yelling at everyone just to curse at them?

Could it be that you're seeking revenge on the world because you've been single for too long?

Not only were those atop the battlements bewildered, but even the Shiba Inu himself was stunned midair. Then, an icy chill pierced his heart.

He couldn't make a sound anymore.

He turned to look at Huai Shi crouching on the ground, mouth wide open towards the sky, trying to catch a piece of meat.

Despair filled his heart.

「.」

Among the Lizard Men, Crystal Lizard Jonathan had already realized what was happening. It was as clear as a mirror. But he was also chilled to the bone by the eerie power Fu Yi demonstrated.

Which Creator is controlling the situation from behind the scenes?

Why does such exaggerated power exist?

Considering Fu Yi's tiny stature, it dawned on him even more.

Biological limits exist. Such radical skill allocation means she has to rely on her allies; otherwise, any simple pounce by anyone present could instantly send her packing, right?

Now, Huai Shi must be ready to protect Fu Yi from other attackers.

Probably members of the Astronomical Society have already reacted.

After all, anyone with a cursory glance at the map would...

He looked down at the map in the plugin and froze. Then, for the first time, he discovered that lizards could also break out in a cold sweat.

Cold sweat!

"What the hell?"

Jonathan gasped.

He couldn't see Fu Yi's name anymore.

She had disappeared from the Astronomical Society's map...

Since when?

He hadn't noticed at all! He could see it clearly just this morning.

No, if I look carefully, there seems to be a faint layer of translucent writing, but it's overlapping with Huai Shi's name... They're too close to each other!

The map's size was limited. This cheating plugin couldn't possibly be convenient enough to adjust the scale at will. As a result, when Fu Yi's translucent name overlapped with Huai Shi's, no one could imagine that the somewhat blurry pattern beneath actually represented another Explorer.

But what does this mean?

White names represented ordinary Explorers, light green names represented members of the Astronomical Society, dark green names represented core Scholars and Explorers granted cheating privileges, and black names represented the deceased.

But what about the translucent ones?

He was plunged into confusion, completely ignoring the distant cries of the Shiba Inu.

「.」

As the Wolf Beast clamped down with its iron teeth, the Shiba Inu was instantly drenched in blood. Finding strength from who knows where, it broke free from the carnage wrought by Huai Shi's three or four rows of sharp teeth. But both its hind legs and tail were completely severed, presenting a pitiful sight. It couldn't help but cry out bitterly, "Despicable!"

"Someone who copies even emoticons has no right to say that!"

Huai Shi spat, ejecting chewed remnants and molten iron droplets forward like a celestial maiden scattering flowers. "So shameless! I will punish you on behalf of the Department of Justice!"

The Great Sword swept across.

A flash of metallic light, fleeting.

Perhaps it was the good people of the Department of Justice bestowing justice from on high, for the Shiba Inu immediately bit the dust. Its death was undeniable.

Immediately after, Huai Shi suddenly felt an indescribable itch originating from his throat, as if millions of feathers were sweeping back and forth inside, making him desperately want to claw them out.

He couldn't help it and sneezed.

BOOM.

A burst of flame mixed with sparks erupted, carrying the stench of a long-unbrushed mouth. It spread outwards, vaguely forming a silhouette in mid-air.

Hmm, it kind of looks like a lion, quite convincing, ablaze as if ignited, and it even screamed...

Holy shit, it's real!

Huai Shi was startled. He didn't understand why his sneeze could produce a lion. Damn! Could it be I've turned into a Namekian, giving birth by vomiting?

Next, the lion's eyes stopped concealing their ferocity, and it pounced towards Huai Shi.

It had been staying invisible up to this point, planning to let the Giant Wolf and the Shiba Inu wear each other out so it could reap the benefits. Instead, by a twist of fate, it was revealed by Huai Shi's fiery sneeze.

But now that it had entered its attack range, in the moment Huai Shi was taken aback, it suddenly opened its mouth wide. A phantom of a gaping maw appeared mid-air, swooping down on Huai Shi.

The jaws snapped shut fiercely.

Missed by a hair!

The lion was furious and incredulous. Just as its massive jaws were about to clamp shut, it felt as if it had bitten into a small stone. An invisible barrier momentarily blocked it, and right after that, Huai Shi had widened the distance between them.

Where the phantom maw had descended, a deep depression now marked the earth.

Within the depression, rocks, plants, mushrooms, the remains of a rhinoceros, and even mud had been perfectly sliced away in a hemispherical shape, the cut surface as smooth as a mirror.

Huai Shi's dog-like face twisted with envy at the sight.

So envious...

Why don't I have such a cool move!

He lifted his eyes, red with the sting of jealousy, and glared fiercely at the bewildered lion. Then... Huai Shi took a deep breath.

He exhaled all the sourness of jealousy in his heart, the lingering fear after his narrow escape from death, and the last tickle in his throat!

A dazzling white light burst forth from his mouth!

That's iron.

Burning iron!

The originally viscous, molten steel now transformed into a mist of molten iron, so searingly bright it was hard to look at, sweeping out with Huai Shi's exhalation.

In an instant, a dense, incandescent silver light engulfed the lion.

A scream erupted suddenly and then ceased abruptly.

When a gust of wind carried away the rapidly condensing crimson Iron Sand, only the charred corpse of a lion remained.

"Damn!"

Huai Shi was overjoyed. "Fu Yi, Fu Yi, Fu Yi, did you see that? I have new Skills! So damn cool!"

It's my turn to be Emperor this year!

I finally have new Skills!

After a long period of development, through the utterly unreasonable method of fighting to the death, the spraying organ in Huai Shi's throat had finally fully developed.

The brand-new organ, hidden behind his tonsils, was now connected to Huai Shi's circulatory system. It could at any time draw his blood—which had mutated to be little different from liquid metal—undergo a series of unknown chemical reactions, and instantly vaporize it into a boiling iron mist. Combined with exhalation, it formed a Metallic Breath akin to a potent thermite reaction.

This is so much more badass than just spitting to kill enemies!

Huai Shi's tail wagged so frantically in excitement that he whipped his Great Sword around like an electric fan.

Right after that, he felt ominous gazes from all around.

A sudden surge of Death Perception emerged.

The moment the Shiba Inu died and the invisible lion was exposed, swift figures leaped out from every city gate. The Great Spirits of various countries descended onto the battlefield and launched a fierce assault on Huai Shi.

Level Three Fighter Strength! So terrifying! This child cannot be allowed to live!

Allowing a Hexagonal Warrior to continuously grow stronger on such a battlefield, so apt for evolution, was certainly not good news for other countries.

Under the covert orchestration of Twin Moon, not only had the invisible lion been agitated, but other Giant Beasts that were still watching had also simultaneously recognized the threat posed by this huge Husky.

They feared that before he could demolish his own house, their homes would be ravaged by Huai Shi!

An illusory Giant Wolf suddenly leaped out from the abrupt Moonlight, appearing behind Huai Shi, its claws slashing down like blades. From beneath the mud, dozens of thick tentacles burst out, entwining Huai Shi's limbs and even catching his deadly Great Sword. Countless insects poured from the opened city gates like a dense fog, their maws dripping with strong acid, enveloping everything... A Crystal Spider descended from the sky, its eight legs piercing into the earth. Then, with a screech, countless crystal blades crazily sprouted from the ground...

But even before them, quicker than their attacks, came Huai Shi's roar.

"How many floors must one bag of rice be carried?!"

Along with the Wolf Beast's howl, Jonathan, who had been slacking on the city walls for quite some time, finally received the pre-arranged signal. The Crystal Lizard suddenly soared into the air, dominating the sky above.

Its short, almost comically small claws stretched out to the sides from its bloated body.

Its blood, now like a magnetic fluid, surged rapidly. Power burst forth from the mutated organ in its chest, which was like a giant magnet, interfering with the planet's magnetic field.

The earth ROARED.

Countless stones went whistling into the sky.

Holding nothing back, he pushed himself to his absolute limit in an instant. Amidst the earth-shattering rumble, the magnetic field and gravity became as chaotic as deep-sea currents, grinding against each other and shooting dazzling sparks into the void.

All in, bet the farm.

This power wasn't directed at others but was applied directly onto Huai Shi's body. In an instant, the tremendous pressure nearly flattened him.

Innumerable scales scraped together, emitting sparks and shrill sounds.

And Huai Shi, dragging the Stone-moving Octopus that entangled him from beneath, soared into the sky along with the numerous boulders.

The massive, flailing octopus had no time to scream before it saw a bizarre smile spread across Huai Shi's dog-like face.

Huai Shi took another deep breath.

Canine Breath: Stage Three!

Incandescent, silvery, boiling metal erupted from Huai Shi's mouth. Under Fu Yi's Psychokinesis, it transformed into a searing blade of molten iron. As Huai Shi shook his head madly, the scorching spray shot out in all directions.

Like a high-pressure water jet, the torrent of metallic mist cleanly sliced everything it touched in two.

The octopus entangling Huai Shi was instantly diced into takoyaki. The terrifying residual heat that spread outwards tore the insect swarm to shreds, mangled it, and evaporated it into Ashes.

The encirclement crumbled in an instant. Huai Shi casually caught the exhausted Jonathan in his jaws as he fell from the sky, then flung him back onto the city wall with a toss of his head.

The Great Spirits of the Lizard Men finally reacted, throwing themselves into the battlefield with furious roars.

The chaotic battle commenced!

The grim spectacle of the eternal war had finally begun.