Reincarnated as a Mosquito, I Sucked the Reborn Empress to Tears

Chapter 176: Chapter 176: New Move, Soul-Bursting Flame Feather PLUS Version

The Attack Power challenge area.

Although it was called Attack Power, it was really a contest of a Demon Beast’s Destructive Power!

The method of challenge was simple and brutal: have your Contracted Beast attack a test panel.

These test panels were made from a combination of Top-Grade materials and advanced technology. They could read the instantaneous damage dealt by a Contracted Beast and convert it into a Damage Value.

Attack Power, or Destructive Power, is one of the most direct indicators of a Demon Beast’s combat strength. Consequently, the Attack Power challenge area was also the one with the most spectators!

Currently, the top ten on the record board were, without exception, all Contracted Beasts at the Fourth-Grade Middle or Late Stage. The higher the realm, the stronger the Attack Power. While this wasn’t an absolute rule, it held true ninety-nine percent of the time.

「…」

When Chu Sheng arrived at the Attack Power challenge area, he unexpectedly failed to attract much attention.

That was because everyone’s attention was currently focused on another student: Ye Xiao!

Hailed as one of the Beast Taming Academy’s most brilliant geniuses in a decade, he was only a sophomore but had already reached the realm of a Fourth-Grade Late Stage Beast Tamer. Rumor had it that he was even currently pushing for the Fifth-Grade!

One had to understand that even at a top-tier institution like Hong Kong Island University, students in the Fifth-Grade Realm were extremely rare. The Beast Taming Academy had been poorly resourced in recent years, so it was even more of a long shot for them; they only had twenty or thirty such students in total.

And even then, most of those students had only broken through to the Fifth-Grade in their senior year.

But Ye Xiao was on track to achieve it as a junior!

As a popular figure at the academy, Ye Xiao naturally drew more eyes than a cockroach. And just as eye-catching was the Contracted Beast he rode: the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion!

The Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion was enormous, nearly twice the size of an ordinary lion. The mane on its neck was a fiery crimson, and its claws were a reddish-gold, giving it an incredibly domineering appearance.

Ye Xiao rode the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion over, and the surrounding crowd couldn’t help but part ways for him, their eyes filled with envy.

“So cool! If I had a Contracted Beast that awesome, I could get any girl I want!”

“Ye Xiao is here! Looks like the Attack Power record board is finally going to see some changes!”

Seated high atop his beast, Ye Xiao basked in the admiring gazes from all around.

With his arrival, those who had been waiting in line consciously made way. A few Contracted Beasts that were in the middle of their tests were startled by the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion’s aura and aborted their challenges.

Ye Xiao took this all for granted. He rode the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion and swaggered forward.

But halfway there, the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion suddenly halted, hesitating to move forward.

’What’s going on?’

Ye Xiao frowned slightly and looked ahead, only to find the path completely empty. It was only when he glanced down that he saw a large cockroach blocking the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion’s path, its back to them, motionless.

Although the New Roach Battle Treasure was fifty centimeters long, it looked tiny in front of the colossal Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion. The scene had the distinct feel of a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

’What the hell? Where did this huge cockroach come from?’

Ye Xiao was speechless. ’A cockroach, of all things, in a place like this?’

’But this cockroach is kind of interesting. It wasn’t scared off by my Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion’s aura? Or… is its Spiritual Wisdom so low that it’s just scared stiff?’

Ye Xiao failed to notice that, for some reason, the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion beneath him was growing increasingly agitated.

A few students nearby, who had just followed from the Spiritual Wisdom Area, were now a bit worried:

“Wait, isn’t this cockroach’s Spiritual Wisdom Top-Grade? Why is it acting like it’s brain-dead now?”

“Get it out of the way! If the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion steps on it, it’s gonna get squashed into a pulp!”

Just then, a staff member from the Attack Power challenge area, fearing an accident, hurried over.

“Ye, this Cockroach Demon Beast is also here to take the challenge. There are several test panels free in the challenge area now. You don’t have to wait in line, you can go straight ahead.”

Huh?

Ye Xiao was utterly speechless.

“Seriously, are you kidding me? A cockroach is here to challenge Attack Power?”

“Insect-type Demon Beasts are inherently weak in combat, and on top of that, this is a damn cockroach. So what if it’s a little bigger? What’s it gonna do, scratch through the test panel?”

As Ye Xiao spoke, he glanced around the area.

“Hey, whose Contracted Beast is this? Take it back already. Don’t let it embarrass you out here.”

The crowd looked at one another, everyone sharing Ye Xiao’s opinion:

It was a widely accepted fact that individual insect-type beasts were weak in combat. They were generally used for special support roles. Having a cockroach challenge Attack Power really did seem like someone was just trying to cause trouble.

Seeing that no one spoke up, Ye Xiao didn’t give it much thought. He couldn’t be bothered to argue over a cockroach; even talking about it was beneath him.

“Lion, this thing’s probably scared stiff. Just step right over it.”

Upon hearing its master’s command, the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion subconsciously lifted a paw. But at that moment, it saw the large cockroach in front of it turn its head and give it a cool, indifferent glance.

The Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion was startled on the spot. It quickly retracted its paw, then cautiously—and with great exaggeration—made a wide circle to get around it.

“This is a little ridiculous. Wait, why do I get the feeling the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion is kind of afraid of that cockroach?”

“No way. It’s probably just afraid of stepping on it. After all, it’s still one of our academy’s Contracted Beasts.”

Seeing this, the crowd’s expressions turned a bit strange. Even Ye Xiao himself felt the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion was acting oddly. ’This is a Frenzied Lion! Its personality is inherently arrogant. Usually, it acts unbelievably wild around other Contracted Beasts!’

But he didn’t dwell on it and soon arrived at the testing area.

There were a total of five test panels in the testing area. A Contracted Beast only needed to stand in the designated zone and strike the panel directly in front of it. The panels could be used for multiple tests; after taking a hit, they would return to their original state in about a minute.

Just then, the test panel in front of Ye Xiao reset. He jumped down from his beast and spoke with brimming confidence.

“Lion, use your strongest move! Let’s see if you can shatter this test panel!”

At the command, wisps of flame instantly erupted from the Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion’s body. A massive fireball formed in its mouth, and with a powerful blast, it shot the fireball toward the test panel.

BOOM!

After a violent explosion, the test panel shuddered violently a few times before returning to normal. Simultaneously, the display above showed the instantaneous Damage Value of the attack: 9800!

9800! A new record!

The rankings on the board updated instantly. The Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion’s name shot straight to first place!

“Holy shit! A Damage Value of 9800! That’s almost the absolute limit of damage for a Demon Beast in the Fourth-Grade Realm!”

“Yeah! Theoretically, only a Demon Beast at the Peak of Fourth-Grade can deal over 9000 damage. But this Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion is only at the Fourth-Grade Middle Stage! Doesn’t that mean that by the time it reaches the Fourth-Grade Late Stage, it’ll be able to launch an Attack on par with a Fifth-Grade Demon Beast?”

“Worthy of the name Crimson Flame Frenzied Lion! Among Fire-type Lion Demon Beasts, it’s second only to the Azure Flame Flying Lion!”

Amid the chorus of shocked and praising voices, the staff member walked over and said with a smile,

“Congratulations, Ye, on taking first place in the Attack Power challenge.”

Ye Xiao savored the praise from the onlookers, but he still feigned a look of regret.

“Sigh, so close. I still couldn’t shatter the test panel.”

“Hehe, you’re too humble, Ye. While this test panel isn’t the highest grade, it’s still strong enough to withstand most attacks below the Fifth-Grade Middle Stage. It’s impossible to shatter it…”

BOOM… CRACK!!!!

Before the staff member could finish his sentence, a massive explosive sound suddenly rang out. The crowd turned their heads in shock…

A test panel… had shattered…