Astral Pet Store (WN)
chapter-11

“You’re right. This is such a shame.”

The others nodded as well, feeling sorry for such a fact.

This low-rank pet must have a strong comprehending power, to be able to master such a complicated and sophisticated advanced skill.

However, it was such a waste that such comprehending power was found in a mere Lightning Rat!

The Lightning Rat’s descent was of a low kind. Even if it could evolve to a Thunderstorm Rat, it would only reach the third rank. The ceiling was not high enough. Even an incredible comprehending power would be of no use in such a case.

…

On the stage, the first round of this game had come to an end.

Su Yanying held the Lightning Rat that had thrown itself into her arms. She still found all this surreal. She would have never expected that she could win this first round of an otherwise fierce battle so easily. She had won without contributing at all, neither as the master of the Lightning Rat nor as a battle pet warrior.

A Lightning Rat helped her win in a breeze!

At this thought, her expression became twisted. She didn’t know if she could smile or cry about it.

On the other side of the stage, Zhang Xiao had just come around. His face was as white as a sheet when he looked at the seriously wounded Dragon Hound that was lying nearby, seemingly at the last gasp.

He clenched his teeth as he used the contract power to make the Dragon Hound withdraw to the contract space. Then, he turned around to glare at Su Yanying coldly.

He had underestimated his enemy!

He felt vexed. He should have known better. There had to be a reason why his opponent would send out a Lightning Rat in a pet tournament that had the focus of the world’s attention over it.

He didn’t know that this Lightning Rat was such a rare kind.

He had never heard of a Lightning Rat that could learn the pet skill of the seventh rank, “Thunder Slash”.

But, that was it!

His original plan was to win all three rounds and enjoy a glamourous victory but that was not possible anymore. As such, he had to put into full play his ability as a battle pet warrior. He couldn’t make the same mistake twice!

“Stone Rhino!”

Again, Zhang Xiao mobilized his contract power. In front of him glowed a faint yellow light. Then, the stage under his feet trembled slightly. A pet in the shape of a rhino that was even larger than the Dragon Hound came out.

This Stone Rhino was covered with hard rocks. Besides, there were sharp edges like fish bones along its spine. Few pets could defeat the Stone Rhino in a face-to-face combat!

“That is a pet of the earth family!”

Su Yanying immediately noticed the type of pet. Her expression changed.

At the same time, the Lightning Rat that was in her arms seemed to have picked up some signals. All of a sudden, the Lightning Rat moved and struggled away from her hug. Then, it turned around and stood in front of her. The Lightning Rat put on a fierce look and thick lightning was surging all over its body!

“Lightning Rat…” Su Yanying was dumbstruck.

Whoosh!

Instantly, the Lightning Rat dashed out. It was charging toward the Stone Rhino proactively!

The audience gasped on their seats.

Even the judge and the commentator were taken aback. At the same time, they found this confusing. As the master of the Lightning Rat, didn’t she know that pets of the earth family were arch-enemies of those of the thunder family? Why would she send out the Lightning Rat again?

“Hmm, courting death!”

Zhang Xiao sneered. “Smash it into pieces. Kill it!”

As he was giving the instructions, a starry glow appeared around him. With rapid speed, he released several astral skills with augmentation effects. “Second-rank strength augmentation, second-rank power of the blast, third-rank firmness augmentation…” Of those, the third one in particular, was the one he was adept at.

The reason for him to practice this “firmness augmentation” so diligently was so that he could cooperate with his Stone Rhino.

The Stone Rhino was strong and tough to begin with. If this quality was improved with “firmness augmentation,” not even his Dragon Hound could leave a mark on the Stone Rhino, not to mention the Lightning Rat!

Several of the halos that indicated those augmentation effects flashed by under the Stone Rhino’s feet. Then, those halos transformed into energy runes, circling the Stone Rhino and then immersing into its body. Although this process took little time, it did stir up exclamations in the venue.

The fact that he could cast three astral skills in a row so quickly and proficiently indicated that his ability had already surpassed that of many students present!

Moo!

The Stone Rhino let out a bellow in a low voice; then it exerted strength and pressed toward the Lightning Rat.

Across the Stone Rhino, Su Yanying was alerted once she saw Zhang Xiao casting those skills. She was about to add some to the Lightning Rat as well, but to her surprise, she noticed that the Lighting Rat had gone beyond the sphere of her energy transference.

Buzzing, buzzing!

The light generated by electricity came out again. The Lightning Rat was running toward the Stone Rhino.

The moment the two of them smashed into each other, the Lightning Rat was divided into two!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Two Lightning Rats ran past the Stone Rhino from both of its sides. At first look, people might think that the Lightning Rat was smashed into two different ones by the Stone Rhino!

“Thunder Shadow Illusion!”

At the leader’s seat close to the stage, the ones that were enjoying the games with a casual attitude suddenly opened their eyes wide.

“How is that even possible!” That red-haired lady kept her red lips ajar. Disbelief was written all over her face.

She could accept the presence of the seventh rank “Thunder Slash” skill. Why could the pet use the “Thunder Shadow Illusion” of the same rank?!

A low-rank Lightning Rat had learned two advanced pet skills??

She wasn’t the only one in disbelief. The ones next to her were stunned as well.

It was understandable if the Lightning Rat could learn one of such skills. After all, while coincidences didn’t always happen, chances were they were going to encounter one.

However, could it be regarded as a coincidence when two advanced skills were used?

“Is there something wrong with my eyes?” That strong guy could not help but blink several times.

Another person next to him forced a smile. “It might have been an illusion if you were alone. But it couldn’t be the case when all of us are watching. This Lighting Rat… is just too abnormal!”

“It has learned two advanced pet skills. This aptitude, this comprehending ability… not even those advanced pets of the thunder family could have done this, could they?”

“If I remember correctly, only that Skydoom Pterosaur of our old team leader can master those two skills. Right?”

After this thought, those people looked at each other. They could not utter a word.

An insignificant low-rank Lightning Rat had a comprehending ability on par with a Skydoom Pterosaur. How…?

On the stage.

The Lightning Rat that had cloned itself confused the Stone Rhino. The latter could not tell which one was real.

Even its master Zhang Xiao had become speechless due to his astonishment at the moment.

Zhang Xiao had heard of the advanced pet skill of the thunder family, Thunder Shadow Illusion, in the classes he had taken.

That being said, that was all theory. He didn’t know how to solve it!

Whoosh!

While Zhang Xiao was still at a loss, a figure as fast as lightning was on its way to him.

The Lightning Rat was of no threat to the Stone Rhino but it would be dangerous to Zhang Xiao.

“No!”

Having figured out the Lightning Rat’s intention, Zhang Xiao was greatly shaken. He called the Stone Rhino back to defend him through the contract but it was already too late.

“Astral Shield!”

In a hurry, Zhang Xiao mobilized the astral power within him to set up a transparent barrier that covered him up.

Pff!

The moment it was set up, the barrier was smashed.

Thunder Slash!

The Lightning Rat used the Thunder Slash once again. After the barrier was broken, the sharp edge made by compressed lightning did not stop and was coming toward Zhang Xiao!

Whoosh!

In the next second, Zhang Xiao disappeared all of a sudden.

He was in midair when he reappeared; he was being carried by an almost transparent bird. They landed on the ground slowly.

“Zhang Xiao lost the second round,” the judge announced in a cold voice. That peculiar bird that was carrying Zhang Xiao turned around and flew toward the judge, gradually disappearing into thin air.