C48 First Battle Steelback Bear

Chu Yi had always known that Lee Zi was an academic powerhouse, but in that moment, he couldn't help but see her in a new light. Lee Zi had managed to infer so much from mere footsteps, a feat Chu Yi doubted anyone else could achieve. Had he not been aware of the absence of a powerful Yuan Shen fluctuation from Lee Zi, he might have even suspected that she was just like him.

It was undeniable that Lee Zi's deductions were incredibly precise. They were facing five Demonic Beasts that resembled leopard cats, creatures clearly built for speed. It didn't take long for the five Demonic Beasts to confront Lee Zi and Chu Yi.

Chu Yi's knowledge of Demonic Beasts was scant, almost non-existent, but Lee Zi was a different story. She was a bona fide top student. "They're Lili Beasts," she declared.

Lili Beasts?

Chu Yi observed the small but fierce Demonic Beast snarling at them, reminiscent of the leopard cats he'd encountered in his past life, yet with notable differences, such as the Lili Beast's more lethal claws.

"Commander-level Lili Beasts can reach the Bronze level. An adult Lili Beast's strength ranges from two hundred to three hundred kilograms, relying on their agility and speed," Lee Zi explained, sharing her extensive knowledge.

Chu Yi gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. "Let's make this quick. These Lili Beasts aren't worth our time in combat..." Lee Zi was already in motion as she spoke.

With any other teammate, Lee Zi might have been more cautious, but she knew she was in the company of someone just as capable as herself. The brief skirmish, though merely a couple of probing exchanges, had given Lee Zi a glimpse of Chu Yi's formidable abilities.

For other students, a Lili Beast might have been an excellent challenge, but for Chu Yi and Lee Zi, they were simply not worth the effort. In a flash, Lee Zi had positioned herself before the five Lili Beasts. Known for their velocity, the speed-type Demonic Beasts were indeed swift, but Lee Zi was swifter. With a single, powerful punch, she opted for brute force, eschewing any other tactics.

Despite the Lili Beasts' limited intelligence, they could sense the terrifying force behind Lee Zi's punch.

In a flash, they attempted to flee, but it was already too late.

The Lili Beast in Lee Zi's sights had barely started to dodge when her punch connected, unleashing a burst of power that obliterated the creature, leaving it in pieces.

Aside from a handful of Bronze-level students, it would take the rest of the group of over forty students considerable time and effort to take down a single Lili Beast.

Yet, Lee Zi dispatched them in mere moments, showcasing her formidable strength.

Witnessing this, Chu Yi acted decisively. As Lee Zi dealt with one Lili Beast, he had already positioned himself in the escape path of another.

In matters of perception, Chu Yi's abilities were unmatched, even if Lee Zi's experience far surpassed his own.

Chu Yi's strike was the epitome of simplicity—a single punch that sent the Lili Beast flying into the distance.

Undoubtedly, Chu Yi's method was more straightforward, especially since the Lili Beast hadn't anticipated a human predicting and intercepting its escape route.

The sudden demise of two Lili Beasts made the remaining three bristle with fear.

Clearly, despite their low intellect, they were no fools; they recognized that the two humans before them were beyond their capability to challenge.

The key distinction between a Demonic Beast and a wild beast is intelligence. Even as the most basic Demonic Beast, the Lili Beasts had enough wisdom to know when to engage and when to flee.

So, without waiting for another move from Chu Yi or Lee Zi, the last three Lili Beasts made their escape.

The two did not pursue the fleeing beasts.

"Let's keep going," Lee Zi suggested.

"Typically, where Lili Beasts are found, Steelback Bears are also present."

"I suspect we'll have our challenge soon enough."

Steelback Bear?

Chu Yi looked puzzled.

Lee Zi's lips twitched in slight annoyance, but she patiently began to explain to Chu Yi.

The Steelback Bear is a formidable Demonic Beast that inevitably reaches the pinnacle of the Bronze level upon reaching adulthood. These creatures are typically solitary in nature.

A Bronze-level Steelback Bear is already a force to be reckoned with, boasting a back that lives up to its name – a back that surpasses even steel itself!

Despite being at the Bronze level, many would prefer to face a Silver Level Demonic Beast rather than confront a Steelback Bear. In gaming terms, it's akin to a tank – a Demonic Beast with incredibly thick skin and high defense that almost nobody wants to face off against. It's the kind of opponent that demands a head-on battle, regardless of who challenges it.

"If we run into a Steelback Bear later, I'll draw its attention while you look for a chance to launch a surprise attack," Lee Zi outlined her strategy.

However...

"I'll take on the role of distraction," Chu Yi declared with unwavering conviction. Lee Zi, who had something else in mind, seemed momentarily dazed after locking eyes with Chu Yi. Then, with an icy nod, she agreed, "Alright."

The Steelback Bear is notoriously difficult to handle, and even individuals as powerful as Lee Zi and Chu Yi are not immune to injury when facing one. Although the school has supplied plenty of potent medicines, the pain that comes with battling such a beast is very real. And who can truly guarantee complete safety?

Chu Yi would never risk engaging in such perilous endeavors if his partner were anyone else. But with Lee Zi...

Throughout their journey in the jungle, Lee Zi remained vigilant, leading the way and constantly on the lookout for unexpected dangers. Chu Yi, on the other hand, seemed to saunter carelessly, resembling a naive aristocrat on his first wilderness excursion, blissfully unaware of the lurking perils.

But in truth, Chu Yi's awareness extended throughout the surrounding area, ready to detect the slightest rustle or disturbance. Lee Zi would occasionally glance back at him, but she held her tongue upon seeing his composed demeanor.

Lee Zi was no fool. Chu Yi's ability to sense the Lili Beast from a great distance had already spoken volumes about his capabilities.

After about half an hour of walking, a slight smile finally graced Chu Yi's lips.

Lee Zi's pace also slowed as she too sensed something.

"It's definitely a Steelback Bear!"

Despite the distance still separating them, Lee Zi could feel the ground's vibration.

Deep in the forest, apart from the Steelback Bear, it was unlikely there would be any other Demonic Beast of such strength.

The Steelback Bear was approaching at a much slower pace than the Lili Beast, but it was inevitable that it would make an appearance.

Seconds later, Chu Yi spotted a flurry of birds scattering and the trees trembling ahead.

Then, the ground began to tremble subtly.

Chu Yi had finally laid eyes on it!

The Steelback Bear, despite its somewhat clunky name, was in fact a fearsome Demonic Beast.

Its terror stemmed not only from its power but also from its daunting appearance.

Standing over ten meters tall, it dwarfed even the largest bears from Chu Yi's past life.

With green, razor-sharp teeth that jutted out menacingly from its mouth, the Steelback Bear's chest appeared relatively normal, but its back was clad in what looked like white bony armor.

Lee Zi explained that this was the Steelback Bear's exoskeleton, composed of actual bone.

"Roar!"

Upon spotting Chu Yi and Lee Zi, the Steelback Bear let out an enraged roar.

The beast had a strong territorial instinct, attacking any creature that entered its domain, even if it was another Steelback Bear from its own kind.

Only nimble Demonic Beasts like the Lili Beast could survive within the Steelback Bear's territory, deterring any predators that might hunt them by leveraging the Steelback Bear's dominance.

To the Steelback Bear, Lee Zi and Chu Yi might have seemed insignificant in size, but they were still large enough to be considered threats or prey. The moment it saw them, it identified them as intruders in its territory.

In a flash, a massive claw, as large as that of a grown human, swiped towards where Chu Yi and Lee Zi stood.

Both Lee Zi and Chu Yi were faster than the Lili Beast, prepared for what was to come.

The Lili Beast managed to evade the Steelback Bear's assault, so it stood to reason that Chu Yi and Lee Zi could do the same. In a flash, they each darted to separate positions to avoid the bear's attack.

The sight of such a swift and seemingly insignificant creature dodging its attacks clearly infuriated the Steelback Bear. It let out another thunderous roar and lunged, swiping viciously at the spot where Lee Zi had just leapt.

Indeed, the Steelback Bear wasn't particularly fast, but its sheer size made up for it. A single swipe of its massive claws covered an alarmingly wide area. Moreover, with strength at the pinnacle of the Bronze Level among Demonic Beasts, even a slight brush could result in severe injury.

Sensing the raw power behind the Steelback Bear's spiteful swipe, Lee Zi kept leaping, not daring to linger in one spot for longer than a moment.

Had Lee Zi been alone, she would have struggled against the Steelback Bear, but she wasn't alone—Chu Yi was by her side. Noticing that the bear seemed fixated on Lee Zi, Chu Yi wasted no time in reacting.

Since their initial plan was no longer viable, they had to adapt on the fly. In a bold move, Chu Yi leapt onto the Steelback Bear's back and delivered a ferocious punch to its head.

Bang!

Chu Yi's complexion turned ashen, his hands quivering from the impact. "Damn, is this really a Steelback Bear? Feels more like a Steelhead Bear!"

It was incredibly hard and thick-skinned. Though Chu Yi hadn't used his full strength, a punch like that would typically reduce a Bronze Level Demonic Beast to rubble. Yet, all it did was further enrage the Steelback Bear.

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