Astral Pet Store (WN)
chapter-85

Chapter 85: Intense Battle

Su Yanying didn’t have the time to worry about her pet having another master because the creature had already made a move.

Thunder Rush!

By covering its limbs in electricity, it bolted away like a missile, while people could only see a flashy trail left behind.

Thunder Rush allowed the rat to move at almost Mach 2 and instantly reach its opponent. Next, it created a blade made out of electricity and slashed at the Thunder Basilisk’s neck.

Several scales were knocked off, leaving a shallow cut behind.

Roar!

The Thunder Basilisk furiously gazed at the smaller enemy annoyingly hopping about.

“What was that??”

“The Lightning Rat!”

Once again, the onlookers didn’t know how they should react after witnessing such a reversal. They all recognized the Lightning Rat, but nobody expected it to actually hurt a seventh-rank Thunder Basilisk who had just reached adulthood.

As they believed, the Thunder Basilisk could scare off weaker opponents by simply standing there, or greatly intimidate stronger ones. How could the Lightning Rat make the first move?

Rats were supposed to be cowards!

All the people in the stadium, including the invited settlers, thought that the match had ended when the Fallen Phoenix fell. Yet they were proven wrong by a Lightning Rat they had been ignoring for a moment.

A Lightning Rat bold enough to challenge a basilisk. What kind of rat was that?

“What the…” Ye Hao also checked the new enemy in astonishment. When he looked further, he saw Su Yanying similarly shocked.

And he felt displeased. If his Thunder Basilisk failed to suppress the rat, he would be helping the rat look better instead.

“Heh, I see.” He took a deep breath and sent his killing intent to the basilisk.

He had decided to utterly destroy the little nuisance. No matter what happened during the match, people would only remember the winner.

Roar!

Affected by both its master’s emotions and its challenged ego, the Thunder Basilisk shrieked madly. The sound, combined with the natural aura of a mighty basilisk, echoed in the stadium, making all those present shudder in fear.

This was how people usually felt when going up against dragon-type Astral Pets. They’d lose their will to resist at the very beginning.

The participants of the tournament grew exceptionally restless. Since the Thunder Basilisk easily knocked them out before breaking through to the seventh-rank. They wondered what would happen if they were to repeat the matches right then. They’d forfeit beforehand, probably.

“Sh*t! That’s what you get for playing jokes on such an occasion!” Su Lingyue clenched her fists while looking at the miserable image of his brother. She was ready to go to his rescue at a moment’s notice because that basilisk could make short work of him anytime.

“Frigid Brine!”

Under Ye Hao’s command, the Thunder Basilisk unleashed freezing air that immediately expanded to freeze up the stage. Apart from causing a slippery footing, the basilisk could further increase the effect and freeze the Lightning Rat into an ice sculpture, unless the rat knew how to fly.

“Oh Gods…” The dropping temperature woke Su Yanying up from her shocked state as she realized what Ye Hao was trying to do.

Su Ping saw the Lightning Rat still gathering the gray energy of death and rolled his eyes. “Stop it. Your enemy won’t give you time to summon a powerful Undead. Use your brain!”

Hearing Su Ping’s spiritual order, the rat quickly canceled the skill it was casting. It didn’t like being around Su Ping, but it knew how to trust his decisions.

The rat tried to use Undead Calling because the best shot it used at the beginning failed to knock out the basilisk, and it felt anxious about finishing the job in time.

It assessed the battlefield more carefully and began retreating toward the edge of the stage yet to be covered in ice. Meanwhile, it used All-round Thunder Prison to destroy the approaching ice so it had a safe spot to stand on.

Using the same trick, it opened up a small path on the icy stage and slowly approached the Thunder Basilisk.

Ye Hao frowned and changed his tactic.

The silver eyes of the basilisk glowed as the creature Leered at the Lightning Rat to send the invasive spiritual energy that way.

“Thunder Roar!” Su Ping ordered.

Ordering the rat without a contract wasn’t as convenient, though the rat had spent enough time with him to efficiently heed his order.

Another deafening roar boomed inside the stadium despite the rat’s size, causing everyone to flinch yet again.

Su Yanying, being so close to the rat, almost jumped in fear.

Thunder Roar was a simple intimidation tactic amplified by the power of lightning. It had little effect against the Thunder Basilisk. But at the same time, the Lightning Rat was also moving freely without slowing down by the Leer skill.

“Did it fail??” Ye Hao widened his eyes. “Do it again!”

Roar!

The Lightning Rat kept breaking through the ice, unaffected.

Ye Hao had realized that the rat had something to counter the basilisk’s Leer. Though he couldn’t understand how Thunder Roar had played a part in this.

Without much time to think of a plan, he simply told the Thunder Basilisk to use Thunderstorm.

Su Ping saw several miniature thunderbolts swirling on the basilisk’s wings; checking the Lightning Rat’s position, he noticed that the skill would go off before the rat could reach the basilisk.

Damn it. It has a tiny brain after all.

Su Ping couldn’t complain. The Thunder Basilisk was a genuine high-rank pet that should not be underestimated, or the match would have ended after the first move. He just had to give more specific orders.

“Use Shadow Image and go in three different directions. Cast All-round Thunder Prison as bait, while your true body shall flank it from the side. Tell the other shadows to prepare Thunder Slash and Thunder Rush to get closer. Aim for its vital points and eyes, then send something into its mouth. Now move!”

The basilisk’s attacks were both flashy and deadly. Su Ping was worried that the Lightning Rat would lose for real if the fight was dragged for too long. He had to seize the best possible chance to end everything.