Chapter 202: Chapter 132: Reaching the Top Spot, the Shadow Scale Race

Its body was slender and agile, its limbs tipped with sharp bone claws. From its lizard-like head, a pair of vertical golden pupils stared at Lin Ye, brimming with savagery and venomous hatred.

It spoke a language Lin Ye couldn’t understand, but he could tell it was cursing him viciously.

So this was the Shadow Scale Race marked on the map!

Lin Ye’s gaze hardened.

As the Shadow Scale’s emotions fluctuated wildly, an ever-changing, iridescent sheen began to ripple across its pure-black Scale Armor.

It seemed to merge with the surrounding wind and sand, its form blurring.

’These scales must be what allowed it to disguise itself as a human!’

In fact, the moment he first saw the dying woman, Lin Ye had spotted a floating marker right beside her, one that was almost completely fused with the wind and sand.

[LV.27]

[Shadow Scale Warrior]

[Evolution Tier: 1.47]

At times, the system’s level indicators were basically a cheat code.

It ignored Illusion Techniques and Mimicry.

As long as it was a living being and within range, its level information would be laid bare.

This allowed Lin Ye to see through all kinds of schemes and deadly disguises at a glance.

That was why he had played along, feigning being moved as he approached step by step.

It was all so he could deliver a thunderous strike at the very instant the alien creature thought he had taken the bait and was at its most lax.

Now, Lin Ye’s gaze fell upon the Shadow Scale Warrior’s abdomen, which his Star-Piercing Spear had pierced.

The flow of dark green blood from the wound had already stopped. Its tough Scale Armor and muscle tissue had forcibly sealed the opening.

Clearly, the spear strike hadn’t hit anything vital.

"Gong-ka-wu-lala—!"

The Shadow Scale Warrior let out a furious roar. Without the slightest warning, its figure left a faint afterimage as it instantly vanished into the swirling sand.

It was incredibly fast.

Lin Ye focused his Spiritual Power to its peak, yet he could only barely perceive a blurry, flowing patch of color.

What was even stranger was that the black Scale Armor on the Shadow Scale’s body seemed to have a life of its own.

As it moved at high speed, it constantly absorbed the light and color of its surroundings, refracting a texture that perfectly matched the wind-swept sand and rock faces.

For a moment, its movements were completely unpredictable, like a ghost.

Lin Ye’s pupils shrank.

He didn’t give chase. Instead, he took a defensive stance, holding the long spear horizontally across his chest as he cast his Spiritual Power out in all directions like an invisible net.

SWISH!

A sharp whistling sound tore through the air from behind him and to his left.

Three black claw slashes tore through the air, aimed straight at the center of Lin Ye’s back!

Without looking back, Lin Ye pivoted on his left foot and spun around. The Star-Piercing Spear in his hand blurred like a black whip, lashing backward to block the attack with precision.

CLANG!

Metal met bone, erupting in a shower of blinding sparks.

A tremendous force traveled up the spear’s shaft, sending a tremor through Lin Ye’s arm.

’This thing’s strength is far beyond that of a mutated beast of the same level!’

Having failed to land a hit, the figure showed no desire to linger in combat, once again melting into the wind and sand and disappearing without a trace.

It was like a master assassin, striking only when it was most certain of success.

CLANG!

CLANG!

Two more sudden attacks followed—one from overhead, the other from the sand beneath his feet.

The angles of attack were incredibly crafty.

Lin Ye managed to neutralize each one, relying on his incredibly sharp combat instincts.

But on one occasion, the creature’s speed was just too great, the attack too sudden.

A shadow of a claw scraped across his arm.

With a mere thought, Lin Ye instantly covered the surface of his arm with a layer of purple crystal.

[Crystalization]!

SCREEECH!

The sharp claws left a white scar on the crystal but failed to inflict even the slightest damage.

For a moment, they were locked in a stalemate, neither able to gain an advantage.

Lin Ye appeared to be on the defensive, but his eyes grew colder and colder.

He was analyzing the Shadow Scale’s attack patterns.

His Spiritual Power was no longer cast out aimlessly. Instead, he began to focus it, sweeping it over the area around him again and again like a radar beam.

Gradually, within his field of perception, the once-blurry figure that had blended into the environment began to sharpen.

He could see it lurking in the shadow of a rock, the color of its body perfectly matching the stone.

Lin Ye chose not to switch directly to his P2 phase.

That one second of invulnerability was a chance to escape death.

In a true life-or-death battle like this, he didn’t want to waste it lightly.

Fortunately, while the Shadow Scale was extremely fast and unusually agile, Lin Ye was gradually deciphering its patterns. Little by little, he was seizing back the initiative.

Finally, just as its latest sneak attack failed and the figure was hastily retreating.

Lin Ye’s counterattack arrived!

The Shadow Scale Warrior tried its old trick. After its claws missed their mark, its body turned into a phantom, preparing to vanish into the sandstorm.

But this time, Lin Ye was faster.

He had predicted its path of retreat!

He charged forward, stepped, and thrust his spear!

The motion was fluid and as fast as lightning!

SHK!

The tip of the Star-Piercing Spear drew a straight black line through the air, piercing the Shadow Scale Warrior’s thigh with unerring accuracy!

With this strike, at the very instant the spear tip pierced flesh, Lin Ye activated [Crystalization]!

Purple crystals spread rapidly along the spear’s shaft.

A force, condensed to its absolute limit, erupted violently down the length of the spear!

"CRACK!"

The sound of shattering bone was heard clearly.

With a flick of his wrist, Lin Ye pulled the long spear free.

A thick spray of dark green blood gushed out like a fountain.

The blood that splattered into the air solidified instantly upon contact, crystallizing into clusters of tiny yet incredibly sharp blue powder that fell to the ground.