Chapter 43: B rank combat.

The following day, they began fighting the B ranked beast. As to make it more difficult on themselves, Crule took the Grand Opal Beetle, since his Taming Sari dagger isn’t strong enough to penetrate the powerful exoskeleton of the insect. Ming took the Abaddon Slime King since it does not contain blood, she would have to fight it with her own blood.

The battle between Crule and the beetle was first. Crule coating his body in his aura, brought out his Famine blades. The style he chose this time were two short swords, quite different from the dagger he usually uses. The dagger’s length would be too short to cause any serious damage to the beetle. Letting the beetle out of its storage, it stood there staring at Crule. Sensing danger, it wrapped itself in its aura as well.

B rank beasts have absorbed enough of the energy in the world to start using auras. This is why the jump between C and B is so huge. The same could be said about B and A rank though since once a beast hits A rank, it can use skills as well.

The beetle, after strengthening its shell, started to run at Crule, trying to ram him. Crule quickly dodged to the left in a side step and tried to cut the beetle from the side as it ran past him. As the tip of the famine blades made contact with the beetle’s aura shell, sparks of electricity like energy rained down from the point of contact. The blades barely manage to penetrate about an inch into its shell.

[Crule]: This is going to be slightly more difficult than I thought.

Creating some distance from the beetle, Crule backed up to a good distance. As the beetle turned around, it saw Crule gathering energy into a ball in his palm. The ball of energy was black and emitted an aura that just screams hunger. Crule started rotating the ball in his palm faster and faster. This will improve the accuracy of the shot as the ball rotates to blinding speeds. The beetle, not wanting to take the hit head on, retreated into its shell and its aura condensed in front of it.

Crule shot the ball directly at the beetle. As it hit the condensed aura shield, it started to eat away at it like a hot iron ball being dropped into a block of ice. The rotation of the ball allow it to travel further and further in until it finally stopped rotating. It couldn’t get past the concentrated aura shield with its current power and rotation.

[Crule]: Damn, not quite enough.

Crule realizes he cannot let the beetle prepare its defenses like that. Although the beetle lacks offensive prowess, its defense is still the top in the B rank category. This fight would eventually end in a stalemate if it kept going on the way it is.

[Crule]: I will have to start chipping away at its aura shield.

Crule extended his index fingers on both hands and bent his thumb in an L shape. Condensing at the tip of his finger, was a small ball of his aura. It was similar to the large scale one he shot earlier but this one rotated even faster due to its smaller size. He disappeared as he focused his aura on his legs more to speed his movement up. Using his own personal agility martial arts, he disappeared and reappeared directly besides the beetle.

It didn’t have time to turn around to see Crule with its eyes, but it could feel the menacing aura coming from one side, so the beetle moved a majority of its defensive aura to that side. But almost immediately, the aura disappeared and reappeared again on the other side.

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[Crule]: Too slow, eat this.

From his index finger, Crule shot a barrage of his hunger balls. It collided with the weakened side of the beetle and directly penetrated its aura shell. As it hit the beetle’s exoskeleton, it generated a sort of sound that was similar to when a dentist drill hits teeth. Several of the balls manage to lead small holes in the beetle, but due to the smaller size of the balls, it couldn’t do enough major harm to fully take down the beast.

The beetle realizing it has been damaged quite badly, quickly retreated out of the range of Crule’s onslaught.

[Crule]: You’re going nowhere.

Crule used his agility martial skill again as he once again evaporated into the air and reappeared on the damaged side of the beetle.

[Crule]: Die for me.

Crule once again formed his famine blades but this time, he created a huge bastard sword. He quickly rammed it into the side of the beetle as it easily penetrated the shell that was dotted with holes.

[Crule]: Rahhhhhh!

He slashed the blade as the eviscerated the beetle. Having half its body sliced in half, it quickly lost the light of life in its eyes. It collapsed on the floor with a thud, creating a small cloud of dust.

[Crule]: *fatigued* That took quite a bit of my energy.

[Ming]: You OK master?

[Crule]: Yea, a few minutes of rest and I will be back to top shape. That was good experience though. If I ever see an enemy with that strong of a defense, I would know what to do.

From the start of the fight to the end, it only lasted a few minutes. But due to the speed and concentration required, it felt far longer for Crule.

[Crule]: Sadly, this beetle isn’t edible, but its shell can make some fine equipment. Although damaged, maybe I’ll give it to teach and see what he wants to make with it.

He was about to pocket the corpse when he suddenly remembered something.

[Crule]: Ah right, Ming, drain its blood please. It should help you quite a lot.

[Ming]: Mhm.

Ming closed her eyes as she placed her hand on the corpse. It seemed to shiver a little as all its blood drained from its corpse. As she removed her hand, a fine line of greenish blood left the beetle. It started to swirl and slowly wrap itself into a tight ball on her palm. The reason why its blood is green is due to its hemoglobin being having a copper centric structure instead of iron like human’s blood.

Ming brought the ball closer as she placed both her hands on each side, sat down, and started to refine the blood. As of right now, it has far too much impurity for her to use directly.

Crule waited for Ming to finish before taking out the Abaddon Slime.

[Crule]: Are you ready?

Ming opened her eyes after the green sphere of blood eventually evaporated from her hands and was seemingly absorbed by her pores. Her eyes showed a powerful glint and she smiled.

[Ming]: Yes master, bring it on!