A new tag blinked across the panel: SSSS-Rank Strength Talent — Raging Tide: enhancing… Raging Tide Lv1 → Lv2 → Promotion → Megalodon Dragon Bone (SSSSS-Rank Strength Talent).
After the fusion completed Chen Xiao felt his inner energy surge again. A fierce confidence rose in him—he itched to go test it on Horse-Face. But instead he paused and thought.
Raging Tide and Dragon Bone were both brute-strength talents; their overlap made fusion possible. Other talents, however, were too different in effect to fuse: Divine Wind, Moon Shadow and Aquatic Agility all boosted speed, but in very different domains — Divine Wind speeds aerial movement, Moon Shadow is supreme ground speed, and Aquatic Agility applies only in water. Aquatic Agility's effect, when read closely, felt narrow: it merely doubled agility in water. Who in this apocalypse went out of their way to fight at sea?
Then an idea struck: All Things Water. Chen Xiao willed All Things Water to wrap his body. Streams of water coalesced around him, and an urge to leap forward so powerful it could fling him dozens of meters washed through him. The steel corridor's rules kept him grounded for the moment, but he now knew the potential.
Besides Megalodon Dragon Bone and Aquatic Agility, two other talents had arrived: the SSSS-rank creation talent Megalodon Longsword, and the SSS-rank rule talent Weak Point. He read the descriptions carefully.
Megalodon Longsword was a talent-born weapon — a living implement that could project killing intent. Its true utility would have to be proved in combat. Weak Point was terrifying on paper: the Megalodon's "sixth sense" let the awakener detect pressure, current and bioelectric signals to locate vital spots. Once a weak point was exposed, the target's defenses would be reduced by rule-effects — a 75% weakening. Even for high-level opponents the minimum weakening remained 25%. In practice, Weak Point felt like an armor-piercing mechanic; paired with Nine-Foot Seal's restrictions, it would shred defenses without relying on the ram horn every time.
Satisfied that he understood the new abilities, Chen Xiao looked over at the others, who were still excitedly checking their own awakenings. Cao Linxuan caught his eye and glared; confidence slowly returned to the divine general's face. Chen Xiao ignored him — the game wasn't over with Cao still breathing.
He summoned his status panel by thought:
Creature ID: 230001Awakened: Prehistoric Tyrannosaurus Rex, Prehistoric MegalodonBloodline: Black GoatEvolution Value: 75,800Flesh Strength: Exceeds Phase 2 limit (cannot be displayed)Soul Strength: 50Animal Talents: {Megalodon Dragon Bone, Dragon's Breath, Dragonification, Reproduction, All Things Water, Stealth, All Directions Subdue, Divine Wind, Spirit Realm Gate, Nine-Foot Seal, Moon Shadow, Megalodon Longsword, Weak Point, Aquatic Agility}
His flesh strength was now beyond the measurement limit — so vast that nothing in the current display system could quantify it. His soul strength was still a humble fifty; he hadn't developed magic aptitudes. He wondered if the Black Goat bloodline would bar him from gaining magic talents, but he shelved the question.
Fourteen talents in total. That foundation alone explained why he could stand against gods.
"Brother Chen Xiao, how do you feel?" A Yao asked, eyes bright.
"Not bad," he said with a faint smile.
A Yao beamed. "I got an SS-rank talent~" Zhang Longqi snapped in surprise, "SS? Lucky! I only got S!" Jiang Ling laughed, "I'm S too, but it's good." Zhao Yuanhang rubbed his head: "SS, eh? Doesn't feel too special." Zhang Longqi wanted to deck him for whining. Cao Linxuan kept watching Chen Xiao with a cold calculation.
A low hum vibrated through the air; a white light burst forth. Everyone recognized the beat — the game was truly over.
They reappeared in the old city courtyard: gray tiles, a locust tree stretching its limbs into the moonlight. No sooner had Cao Linxuan blinked clear than a fist-shadow dropped like a mountain. The Mad Ghost Butcher — Chen Xiao — could not resist killing the moment the game released them.
Cao reacted with muscle memory faster than thought. Lightning spat from his hands, dark brown armor plates rose across his body — the physical sign of his new horse-form talents. He'd been lucky: a Horse awakening had given him two fresh talents — SS-rank defense Iron Hoof Heavy Armor and SS-rank speed Thousand Li Lv2. His speed talents had fused upward; by his boast he'd become the first in Huaxia of Thousand Li Lv2. Lightning, defense, speed, skills — he felt unstoppable. He advanced instead of retreating, determined to press his advantage.
"Brother Chen Xiao!" "Boss Mad Ghost — watch out!" the others called; fear edged their voices. Cao's sudden surge had everyone worried that he'd become a match for Chen Xiao.
Cao charged, lightning braided around him. The earth itself seemed to tense.
When Chen Xiao's fist landed, it wasn't just a strike — it was an executioner's bell. The force felt like divine punishment. Cao had expected some increase in Chen Xiao, perhaps parity. He had not expected this. The fist struck the barrier raised by Cao's silver gloves; the barrier shuddered, but could not withstand the blow. The sound of impact rolled like thunder.