Chapter 42: Inferno Rhino
"ROOOOOAR!!"
The ground trembled violently, the sheer weight of the beast's movements sending shockwaves through the earth. Dust and loose pebbles scattered as trees swayed under the pressure of its aura. The oppressive heat in the air thickened, making it hard to breathe.
Xiao Rongyu's expression hardened as she retrieved her sword from her spatial ring in a fluid motion. The blade hummed with a fiery glow, reflecting the golden light of her elemental affinity. She tightened her grip, muscles coiling in preparation.
Xiao Chen, on the other hand, remained indifferent, a wide grin forming on his face. "Judging from its aura, it's only a low-grade four beast," he remarked, eyes flickering with interest.
Mistshadow trembled under the beast's oppressive presence, her body instinctively retreating despite her recent breakthrough. The difference between a grade three and a grade four beast was like the gap between heaven and earth. The very air thickened with scorching heat, and the ground trembled beneath an approaching force. It wasn't just about raw strength—the ability to harness elemental energy made all the difference.
Then, the massive figure emerged from the dense foliage.
A towering, armored rhino stepped into the clearing, its body covered in thick scales that shimmered like molten rock. Its deep crimson horn radiated intense heat, distorting the air around it. Steam erupted from its nostrils in fierce bursts, causing the ground beneath it to sizzle.
Xiao Chen's grin widened. "An Inferno Rhino."
Though classified as a low-grade four beast, it was notorious for being more powerful than some mid-grade four beasts due to its fire affinity and signature technique. A formidable opponent, but not one that interested him.
The Inferno Rhino's deep red eyes burned with madness as it locked onto them. The beast was intelligent enough to sense their strength, and its blood boiled at the audacity of these humans standing in its presence. It was a shame it couldn't gauge Xiao Chen's strength because of his restrained aura.
Xiao Chen turned to Xiao Rongyu, whose aura flared as she readied her sword, her expression serious.
"Rong, this one's yours."
She blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Huh? Didn't you say you wanted to fight grade four beasts?" She arched an eyebrow.
Xiao Chen chuckled. "Both of you have fire affinity. It would be interesting to watch. Besides, although this beast is strong, it's not the challenge I'm looking for."
Tapping Mistshadow's head lightly, he turned away and strolled toward a large tree, settling underneath it as if watching a play unfold. Mistshadow followed hesitantly but relaxed slightly under Xiao Chen's composure. With a lazy stretch, Xiao Chen leaned back against the tree trunk and flashed a thumbs-up at Xiao Rongyu.
The Inferno Rhino let out a furious roar, its rage boiling over as it realized it was being ignored. It stomped its feet, sending a shockwave through the ground. Hot steam erupted violently from its nostrils, creating a pressure wave that warped the air.
Then, with earth-shattering momentum, it charged—not at Xiao Rongyu, but straight toward Xiao Chen and Mistshadow.
Xiao Chen, eyes still closed, remained unmoved.
Mistshadow tensed, ready to leap away, but Xiao Chen's presence was like an unshakable mountain.
The Inferno Rhino's anger surged. Its molten scales pulsed, the fiery glow intensifying as it prepared to unleash its elemental attack. A firestorm stampede—its signature ability, capable of reducing everything in its path to ashes.
Just as the beast was about to unleash its fury—
A golden flash tore through the air.
Xiao Rongyu's figure flickered like a flame, appearing before the Inferno Rhino in an instant. Her sword slashed through the air, infused with a potent mix of elemental iQ and spiritual iQ, sending forth a barrage of fiery sword lights.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each strike crashed against the Inferno Rhino's armored hide, causing sparks to scatter into the wind. Though the beast suffered no visible damage, it was forced back several steps, its momentum completely broken.
The Inferno Rhino's eyes locked onto Xiao Rongyu, burning with newfound rage.
Her golden eyes grew cold, her aura flaring. "Your opponent is me. You are not allowed to touch a single hair on his head."
Xiao Chen's eyes cracked open at her words. He turned his gaze toward her, watching as she stood tall, defending him like a divine warrior. Her slender frame, wrapped in flowing robes, held an unyielding posture, sword pointed directly at the beast. Her golden hair cascaded down her back, swaying gently in the heat.
Xiao Chen chuckled softly before closing his eyes again. "She'll be fine."
With that, he returned to his meditative state, completely at ease.
...
A soft breeze rustled through the dense foliage, carrying the scent of charred leaves and scorched earth. The midday sun hung high, casting elongated shadows across the battlefield. Xiao Rongyu stood beside a towering ancient tree, her sword gripped tightly in her delicate hands. The blade gleamed with fiery light, reflecting the burning determination in her amber eyes.
Before her, the Inferno Rhino stood in all its terrifying might—its hulking frame clad in molten-scaled armor, its massive hooves pressing into the cracked earth. Its deep crimson horn radiated immense heat, distorting the air around it like a mirage. A guttural growl rumbled from its throat as it locked onto Xiao Rongyu, muscles tensing.
Then—
BOOM!
The Inferno Rhino kicked off the ground, the sheer explosive force of its movement leaving a crater in its wake. The world seemed to shake as its enormous body burst forward, engulfed in a fiery afterimage.
Xiao Rongyu's pupils shrank.
"Inferno Burst!"
She recognized the signature technique of the Inferno Rhino—a devastating charge that turned the beast into a living meteor, capable of flattening anything in its path. The sheer speed defied expectations for a beast of its size.
Yet—
"Vermillion Steps—Flare Dodge!"
In that split second, Xiao Rongyu's body blurred into a streak of golden-red light. She vanished, her afterimage dispersing in a shower of embers. The Inferno Rhino thundered past, missing her by inches, as she reappeared a few meters away.
The beast did not stop. The moment its attack failed to connect, its momentum carried it forward—crashing headlong into the ancient tree behind her!
CRACK!
The massive tree splintered upon impact, its bark bursting into flames as the Inferno Rhino's deep crimson horn became embedded in the trunk. Flames licked at the wood, smoke rising as the scent of burnt timber filled the air. The Inferno Rhino let out a deafening roar, its rage evident as it struggled to free itself.
Xiao Rongyu smirked coldly. "Too slow."
Her eyes gleamed. Raising her sword, she channeled her elemental iQ into the blade, causing it to ignite with golden-red flames. The heat pulsed outward, distorting the surroundings like a furnace reaching critical temperatures.
Her aura shifted—sharp, fierce, and domineering.
"Burning Blade, First Form—Blazing Slash!"
With a flicker of movement, she unleashed a crescent-shaped arc of fire, slashing toward the Inferno Rhino.
SLASH!
The fiery attack crashed into the beast's armored hide. The Rhino roared in fury, a deep gouge appearing along its side, crimson blood sizzling against its molten scales. But—
It did not fall.
Xiao Rongyu's expression stiffened. Despite her powerful strike, the wound was shallow, barely impeding the Inferno Rhino's movements.
What?!
For a moment, disbelief flickered in her eyes. But it was only fleeting. Her gaze quickly turned cold, and a sharp glint flashed through her pupils.
"So this is the famed defense of an Inferno Rhino… tough indeed. But not unbreakable."
The air around her trembled as her amber eyes ignited into a fiery red hue, her aura undergoing a transformation. The rising heat warped the space around her, the very air seeming to shimmer with intensity.
Her voice rang out—low, commanding, filled with unwavering resolve.
"Burning Blade, Second Form—Inferno Wave!"
She slashed forward.
A devastating blast of flames surged from her sword, sweeping across the battlefield like a blazing tidal wave. The roaring fire engulfed the Inferno Rhino, drowning it in an inferno of golden-red flames.
"ROAAAAARRR!!"
The Inferno Rhino bellowed in agony, its massive body rearing as golden-red flames consumed it. The molten scales cracked, embers spilling from the fissures like volcanic eruptions. The acrid stench of burning flesh and sulfur thickened the air, mixing with the swirling heatwaves.
Yet, even as the fire raged, even as its body burned—the beast refused to fall.
Its bloodshot eyes locked onto Xiao Rongyu, no longer just with rage, but with something deeper. A primal instinct. A refusal to submit.