Chapter 532: Muscle Bug
Chapter 532: Muscle Bug
Familiar Arena battles, especially low-level Familiar Arena battles, often see younger contestants and the disparity in Artifacts and Spirit Patterns. It’s not unheard of for a low-level familiar to defeat an intermediate beast.
However, in this match, all the obvious advantages were on Cash’s side.
Not only was he older, but his familiar was also a level higher, and he even used an Artifact. This made the spectators who bet on him feel their blood boil, with many on the verge of heart palpitations.
For a moment, the audience stands were filled with curses and flying spittle.
The few who didn’t speak up weren’t necessarily better in temperament or quality; they simply hadn’t placed any bets.
Amid the angry shouts, Cash’s demeanor was starting to crack.
However, he had already mastered facial control, so it wasn’t obvious.
"You’ve underestimated me", Cash said coldly.
Qiao Sang blurted out, "Did I? You’re already using an Artifact."
Cash: "…."
Using Artifacts in Familiar Arena battles is quite normal!
Cash felt a bit annoyed by the retort and was about to prepare a harsher comeback.
At that moment, a mechanical voice announced:
"Summon countdown, 3… 2… 1…"
Cash quickly formed the hand seals and summoned his second familiar.
"Will Cash lose again?" someone in the audience stands asked.
The person beside him snorted, "I don’t care if he wins or loses."
A white woman sighed, "I hope he doesn’t lose."
"Are you a fan of his?"
"No, I bet on him to win 2:1."
"…."
On the field, a large, mostly green insect familiar appeared in the Gray Star Array. Its body was covered in muscles, with a small, flat head, red boxing gloves on its claws, and two pairs of translucent wings.
"The Muscle Bug has appeared", the announcer said. "While the Muscle Bug isn’t as powerful as the Palm Strike Lad, its opponent is the Steel Sparrow. The Muscle Bug has the flight attribute, which should put considerable pressure on the Steel Sparrow in the air."
"Indeed", the young white man agreed. "The reason the Palm Strike Lad was hit first by the Steel Sparrow earlier was not only due to the Steel Sparrow’s excellent control over its body but also because the Palm Strike Lad leaped into the air for close combat. On the ground, the Palm Strike Lad’s consecutive attack speed would have been faster, and it’s hard to say who would have hit whom first."
As he spoke, the battle began.
The Muscle Bug flapped its wings and quickly flew toward the Steel Sparrow.
As it approached, it clenched its fists and struck out.
The Steel Sparrow immediately moved, creating distance to dodge.
The Muscle Bug twisted its body and changed the direction of its punch.
Logically, at this distance, the punch shouldn’t have been able to hit the Steel Sparrow. However, Qiao Sang felt a sudden, intense sense of danger.
She instinctively shouted:
"Dodge!"
The Steel Sparrow hesitated for 0.1 seconds. Wasn’t it already dodging?
As the thought crossed its mind, in the next 0.1 seconds, it understood.
It needed to dodge in a different direction.
"Ganggang."
From the previous battle, the Steel Sparrow had developed some trust in its new Beastmaster. Without hesitation, it flapped its wings and dove straight down.
In mid-air, a large, white energy fist suddenly appeared in front of the Muscle Bug’s punch, soaring toward the Steel Sparrow’s original position.
What kind of skill is this… Qiao Sang glanced at the red boxing gloves on the Muscle Bug’s fists, wondering if it was another Artifact.
The next second, the announcer provided the answer:
"It seems the new contestant, Qiao Sang, is quite knowledgeable about Artifacts. She knew that the Energy Glove can transform a Combat-type Companion’s punches into energy attacks, extending their reach. This is why she had the Steel Sparrow dodge in advance."
"I think it's likely that Qiao Sang has watched Cash's matches." The white young man held a different opinion:
"There are too many Artifacts on the market, and it's impossible to know the methods and functions of all of them. The Energy Glove isn't a particularly famous Artifact. It can only be used by Combat-type Companions, and the key to Combat-type Companion Moves still lies in their Strength. The Energy Glove only increases the range of Combat-type Companion attacks while reducing their Strength."
This thing is indeed an Artifact... Qiao Sang was multitasking, listening with her ears while her eyes never left the field.
From the Muscle Bug's displayed attack power, it appeared to be an Intermediate Beast. Although it had a flight attribute, its flying speed was clearly not fast, suggesting that it had focused on training combat-type Skills...
While Qiao Sang was analyzing, the Muscle Bug flapped its wings, instantly creating a powerful gale.
Yellow dust was whipped up, shrouding the surroundings and blocking most of the view. Then it charged straight in.
Steel Sparrow reacted quickly, spreading its wings and flapping them forcefully. Several air-condensed blades suddenly cut through the haze.
However, when the world before her became clear, the Muscle Bug was already swinging its fist at Steel Sparrow.
"Sonic Punch!" Cash's voice was tinged with excitement.
Hearing his Beastmaster's command, the Muscle Bug's fist was enveloped in a layer of white energy as it swung down.
Sonic Punch, a combat-type Intermediate Skill, is known for its speed, accuracy, and ferocity. It's all about the speed... Qiao Sang's expression grew serious.
She suddenly realized an issue.
When Fangy and the others were still Basic Familiars, she would pay close attention to every step and almost give commands for every action.
But as time passed and Fangy and the others evolved into High-Class Beast Companions, she mostly let them handle things on their own, except in critical moments. This was a sign of trust in their combat skills and a habit.
However, this habit now seemed less applicable to Steel Sparrow.
Steel Sparrow was still a Basic Familiar, facing an opponent who was a year ahead. Its combat skills couldn't be compared to Fangy and the others.
Just now, by multitasking and not fully focusing on the match, Steel Sparrow had fallen into a passive state.
Given the speed of the Sonic Punch and the current distance, giving a command like "dodge" would be useless and might even distract Steel Sparrow.
All she could do now was hope that Steel Sparrow could withstand the Sonic Punch... Qiao Sang worried.
In mid-air, Steel Sparrow's pupils narrowed, and its wings instinctively crossed in front of its body, turning a gleaming iron gray.
"Xuan xuan!"
The Muscle Bug's Sonic Punch swung down mercilessly.
"Bang!"
The Iron Wall and the Sonic Punch collided, causing a chaotic rush of air.
Cash's excited expression faded slightly the next second.
The scene of Steel Sparrow being sent flying to the ground didn't happen. It only retreated diagonally about two meters before stabilizing.
At that moment, Cash suddenly realized that Steel Sparrow wasn't just a Basic Familiar; it was also a renowned steel-type familiar for its defense among elementary familiars.
(End of Chapter)
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