C10 The Second Awakening!(2)

Nevertheless, the distraction drew away many mighty Mutated Beasts, lessening the burden on Hsu Yuvran and Dongfang Bai considerably.

At that moment, both were knee-deep in the sea of beasts and near the brink of exhaustion, struggling to keep fighting.

They had overestimated their combat abilities and underestimated the ferociousness of the sea of beasts.

The sea of beasts teemed with Mutated Beasts they had never encountered—creatures of great power with unpredictable and crafty attacks.

While gasping for air, Hsu Yuvran said, "Dongfang, I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I was careless."

To conserve her energy, Dongfang Bai didn't reply. Instead, she clenched her teeth and flung Air Grenades with all her might.

Suddenly, Hsu Yuvran shouted, "I'm so itchy! What's going on with my back?"

Dongfang Bai stole a glance at Hsu Yuvran's back. His clothes were in tatters, and his exposed skin was covered with red rashes, triggering Dongfang Bai's trypophobia.

Summoning her last energy reserves, Dongfang Bai yelled, "You've got red rashes all over your back! Your virus is flaring up!"

Hsu Yuvran was stunned, asking, "What? Didn't we know that these Mutated Beasts wouldn't infect us?"

Why has the virus activated now? This could be fatal.

Luckily, the only symptom was unbearable itching that Hsu Yuvran struggled to ignore.

He wanted to scratch the itch desperately but knew he couldn't.

His shield was their strongest defense, and his Earth Spike was their most effective weapon.

Fighting the urge, Hsu Yuvran endured the itching with all the determination he could muster.

It was a relief that the itch had no other side effects; otherwise, they would have been doomed.

Privately, Hsu Yuvran hoped this virus differed from rabies.

'Could it lead to the awakening of a new skill?

In such dire straits, could this be the key to their survival?'

He also noticed unusual movements on the other side of the city wall. Several figures leaped down and charged toward them, cutting through the sea of beasts.

'Are these guys reinforcements?' Hsu Yuvran wondered aloud.

'Wow, these guys are powerful,' he couldn't help but marvel.

But it'll take those Awakened folks some time to cut through this swarm. Can we even hold out that long?' he pondered.

On one side, several Awakened Cultivators had angrily leaped off the city wall, rushing to their aid.

On the other side, he and Dongfang Bai struggled in the epicenter of the beastly horde.

'We can't rely on the army's firepower; they're too worried about friendly fire. Look at those soldiers, their fists clenched in tension,' he noticed.

Platoon Leader Liang and Vice-Platoon Leader Li were also fixed on the scene, their faces lined with concern.

They genuinely wanted to save those two, but they were not equipped to do so.

The situation had already been reported up the chain of command via the military network.

'The orders from above are clear: prioritize based on the number of survivors,' he sighed internally.

Maybe they haven't realized it yet, but the virus has changed the era. The rise of the Awakened will disrupt so many established norms.

As quickly as it had come, Hsu Yuvran's unbearable itch vanished.

'Wow, I can't even feel that agonizing itch anymore,' he marveled, relieved.

'But what's this new sensation in my head? It's completely different from summoning my shield or spikes,' he wondered.

Suddenly, a chime sounded in his mind. "Basic Attribute Upgrade!"

Another chime followed. "Awakening Skill Activated!"

'Yes! I've got a new skill! Time to turn the tables on these beasts,' he cheered internally.

'Wait, what was that first 'Ding' about?' he paused.

'Did my basic attributes just get an upgrade?'

As if confirming his thoughts, a burst of newfound strength erupted within him. With a single sweep of his shield, he sent a wave of Mutated Beasts flying far away.

He quickly withdrew his consciousness, realizing that the information on the screen had shifted.

Under the section labeled "Basic Attributes," it now read–

[Character Attributes: Bronze Warrior.]

[Available Resources:Rabies Virus, Rota Virus.]

'Being infected with a new kind of virus transformed my shield from black iron to bronze? Did I also level up?' he wondered.

'No, not a Bronze Holy Warrior.

Just a Bronze Warrior.' he corrected himself.

He felt a significant boost in both strength and speed. This newfound power surged through him, filling him with an incredible sense of fulfillment.

'I can also distribute the Rota Virus now?' he thought, pondering the possibilities.

'I should post a thread and see who's interested.

This is kind of urgent,' he considered, growing increasingly anxious.

His spiritual sense swept over another section of the screen, curious to discover any new abilities he might have gained.

Under the section titled "Awakening Skills," two main attributes were listed:

Earth and Mutated.

Under Earth Attribute, there were two abilities:

[2. Earth Spike: Form three bronze spikes from earth elements to pierce through enemies, effective for attacks at the bronze level. (Can be upgraded)]

In the Mutated Attribute section, he found:

[1. Ice Armor: In any watery environment, create a set of frost armor for all-around protection, effective against bronze-level physical attacks. Its elemental resistance was weak as well. (Can be upgraded)]

[2. Cold Aura: In any area with water, generate a cold atmosphere that slows down every one within its range. The effect was limited to those stronger than the bronze level. (Can be upgraded)]

It appeared that his Earth-based abilities remained unchanged, but a new set of mutated attributes had surfaced.

'Was ice the mutated attribute?

I wonder what kind of mutated attribute that was. It looked mighty, starting with a Bronze Level Awakening Skill.

Was it because I was too afraid to die that all my Awakening Skills ended up being defensive or support types?

Where was the promised magical artillery? Where was the devastating power? Where was the insane damage output?'

The three soul-searching questions resurfaced!

'How did I end up being a Magic Attribute Tank?

Forget it; staying alive is what matters most. Survival was the ultimate goal.

If I have to be a tank, so be it. First, I'll fight my way out.'

He withdrew his consciousness and focused his mental energy. With a wave of his hand toward a nearby ditch, a faint chill filled the air around him.

The cold air radiated from him, its density low enough not to affect visibility, only slightly lowering the temperature.

But anyone who entered this cold aura inexplicably slowed down, including Dongfang Bai, who was also in its range.

Dongfang Bai looked surprised and asked, "What did you do?"

Pretending to be shocked, Hsu Yuvran said, "What kind of Awakening Skill is this? A slowing effect?"

"You're incredible!" Dongfang Bai exclaimed joyfully. In such a chaotic battle, an area slowing skill was a god-tier support ability.

A performance worthy of an Oscar!

Mutated beasts within two to three meters of him seemed affected by the cold, and their speed noticeably reduced.

Although the effect was minimal, it was enough time for the two of them to react—either dodge or counterattack.

The skill was particularly effective against weaker mutated beasts.

While the stronger mutated beasts were not much affected, the absence of extra disturbances made the fight easier for the duo.

Hsu Yuvran focused his mind once again. With a raise of his hand, water vapor in the air rapidly condensed.

He let out an enraged roar, "Appear!"

"Crack, crack." Sharp, crisp cracks resonated in the air.

In an instant, he was fully clad in a transparent armor made of frost.

Donning his Frost Armor, Hsu Yuvran resembled an ancient War God who had descended upon Earth, awe-inspiring and unmatched in his majesty.

With a thunderous shout, he bellowed, "Get out of my way!"

He swept Dongfang Bai into his arms, protecting her against his chest. Spinning wildly, the large shield and his frost-armored body sent a horde of Mutated Beasts flying.

The claws and teeth of the Mutated Beasts managed to do nothing more than scratch his Frost Armor, failing to injure him.

Following his second Awakening, his basic attributes had escalated to those of a Bronze Warrior.

He had mastered two Mutated Attribute Awakening Skills: one was a support-type skill called Cold Qi, and the other was a defensive-type skill known as Frost Armor.

Once again, his divine skills manifested, unstoppable and laying waste all obstacles in his path.