Cao Linxuan: "..."
As Creature ID 233900, Cao Linxuan felt numb. He had 2,100 points — an excellent result, easily respectable. Finishing third by 600 points was nothing to scoff at. But first place… 80,500 points? Was this some kind of joke? A glitch? He didn't have to look twice to know who had taken that score. The number made no sense. He slowly turned his head.
Chen Xiao smiled at him. The smile only grew more sinister in Cao Linxuan's eyes. Waves of fear rose up in him and refused to be stifled.
"Brother Chen Xiao! I'm third place!" A Yao's voice rang out, delighted. If not for the rules' barrier she would have flung herself at him.
Chen Xiao looked at A Yao fondly and laughed. "Well deserved, hahaha." A Yao grinned back. "But your score is insane! What did you do?" Chen Xiao shrugged. "Just luck, I guess."
Zhang Longqi, Zhao Yuanhang, and Jiang Ling stared at Chen Xiao's first-place score. At first it seemed absurd — then it made perfect sense. The stronger Chen Xiao was, the better life would be for them. When each of their own rankings was announced, the three of them lit up with pride.
Announcements rolled across the corridors; everywhere people gawked at Huaxia's staggering lead.
The few survivors from the Samba Homeland breathed relief. "Lucky we didn't provoke that monster," one said. "At least our leader was wise." They cursed the loss of the Wrist Watcher but were happy they'd all survived and could still awaken their second animals.
The Combat Nation, Free Nation, and Euro Alliance each had only one survivor left — defectors who'd stripped and left the game early. They felt unbelievably lucky.
In Sakura's corridor, Kawakima Aki leaned against the wall, hair a messy halo around her face. She ground her teeth. "Mad Ghost Butcher..." she spat.
Chen Xiao himself remained calm. The only thing that could quicken his pulse now was the thought of his second animal. In his previous life he'd known a single second-form animal awakener and envied them deeply. As long as it wasn't some worthless "Chicken Overlord," any Overlord would do — and now the time had come.
A system panel flickered for him:
[Creature ID: 230001][Total Points: 80,500][Awakening Method][Thirty Self-Selected Options][Guaranteed SSS-Rank][Detecting information of consumed animals][Detection Complete][Information Missing][Creating Information][Supplementing Information]
A long list scrolled up: free-range chicken, mountain goat, carp, dog, oriental shrimp... donkey, catfish, prehistoric smilodon, pigeon, horse, octopus, duck... pig, salmon, quail, prehistoric megalodon, abalone, spanish mackerel, swan...
Thirty animals in total — his selection pool. Chen Xiao's points placed him in an unrivaled position: even if he didn't draw a prehistoric creature by luck, the guarantee meant he could still pick an extremely powerful SSS rank option. That was huge.
He scanned the list carefully, top to bottom, then bottom to top. Only two were clearly prehistoric: the Smilodon and the Megalodon. Both were tempting. The Smilodon offered terrifying land predatory advantages, but the Megalodon crowned the ocean's food chain — the ultimate apex predator of prehistory. To Chen Xiao, the Megalodon felt like the peak pick: raw mass, unmatched bite, absolute dominance in its element.
He didn't hesitate.
He selected the Prehistoric Megalodon.
A soft chime sounded.
[Ding ——][Creature 230001 beginning animal awakening][Megalodon — Raging Tide (SSSS-Rank Strength Talent)]Description: The most terrifying predatory animal of ancient seas, up to twenty meters long and nearly fifty tons in weight, with bite force unmatched by any other creature. A true sea monster.Effect: Grants the awakener the Megalodon's physique and strength.
[Megalodon Longsword — SSSS-Rank Creation Talent]Description: The Megalodon's serrated teeth are its greatest weapon.Effect: A talent-born weapon that amplifies Raging Tide, the blade capable of channeling the Megalodon's killing intent. Note: targets may feel overwhelming fear.
[Weak Point — SSS-Rank Rule Talent]Description: The Megalodon's "sixth sense" detects water pressure, current velocity, and bioelectric signals, enabling precise strikes to vital points.Effect: Allows the awakener to locate an enemy's weak points; defenses are weakened by rule effects once exposed. Weakening: 75%. (Higher creature levels reduce the weakening, minimum 25%.)
[Aquatic Agility — SSS-Rank Skill Talent]Description: Though massive, the Megalodon is a top-tier aquatic hunter with astonishing speed.Effect: In water, Agility attribute is doubled.
Power surged through Chen Xiao as the transformation settled in. Tendons and muscles reconfigured — raw force uncoiling inside him. Under Dragon's Breath, his energy ballooned like a violent expansion. The Megalodon was monstrous. He'd awakened four talents at once: strength, creation, rule, and skill — a dazzling spread of capability.
Before he could study every line of the new talents, the system continued:
[Creature ID: 230001][Obtained Similar Talent][Triggering Fusion Conditions][Main Talent: Raging Tide]
Chen Xiao felt a chill of anticipation. The awakening had begun — and with it, a new chapter of force that would reshape the path ahead.