55: Chapter 55 Another Breakthrough! Second Stage, Second Rank!

Since Zhang Zhi's main task was to keep watch on the surroundings, he didn't directly participate in the chaotic battle.

This instead allowed him to witness the entire process of the Flame Claw Beast cleanly and efficiently killing the Shadow Scythe Lizard from the relatively calm perspective of a bystander.

Every detail of the battle was branded into his mind.

After breaking through to the second order, Lin Chen's Flame Claw Beast was still as dominant as ever, killing that eerie Shadow Scythe Lizard with such ease.

Wait.

With such ease?

Zhang Zhi suddenly furrowed his brows, his gaze following the high-spirited figure in the field.

Something wasn't right.

The strength displayed by the Flame Claw Beast seemed slightly stronger than when it previously killed the second-order Gray-maned Wolf Dog.

But how was that possible?

Only two hours had passed since that battle.

How could a pet beast that had just broken through to the second order make such obvious progress in such a short time?

He shook his head, decisively dismissing his own thoughts.

This was absolutely impossible.

At the same time, Lin Chen's gaze swept across the battlefield, instantly locking onto another fierce fight—Zhao Siwen versus the Ice Armor Armadillo.

Zhao Siwen held heavy fists, constantly moving and dodging around the Ice Armor Armadillo, searching for an opening to attack.

However, the Ice Armor Armadillo soon exhaled a blast of cold air, condensing a thin but exceptionally slippery and tough layer of frost on the ground, greatly limiting Zhao Siwen's movement speed.

For a moment, Zhao Siwen found it difficult to get close to the Ice Armor Armadillo.

"Roar roar roar!"

Meanwhile, the Thick Rock Bear stood in the safe zone at the rear, its massive bear eyes fixed on its master maneuvering in the field. Its two paws kept slapping the ground, making muffled thuds, and it let out low roars as if it were cheering Zhao Siwen on.

This comical scene of a Beast Tamer personally engaging in melee combat while the pet beast cheered from the sidelines gave the tense atmosphere a touch of the absurd.

But right then, a thick pillar of fire came whistling toward the Ice Armor Armadillo.

Wherever the fire pillar passed, the heat waves were scalding, instantly evaporating the frost in its path into clouds of white steam before pouncing straight for the Ice Armor Armadillo!

The Ice Armor Armadillo immediately curled its body into a ball, and a thin layer of frost covered every part of its body.

In the next moment, the surging flames brazenly swallowed the Ice Armor Armadillo.

Zhang Zhi watched intently, trying to confirm if his previous feeling was just an illusion.

The fire lasted for about two seconds before slowly dissipating.

The spot was charred black.

That Ice Armor Armadillo remained in its curled posture, its original black shell now heavily charred and cracked.

It didn't move; the ominous black light flowing over its body had already vanished, with only wisps of black smoke and residual sparks dancing on its charred corpse.

One hit.

With just one Small Explosion, this strangely conditioned Ice Armor Armadillo had lost all signs of life.

[Killed a second-order Dark Species, gained 12 experience points]

[Agumon: Second-Order, Stage One — Second-Order, Stage Two]

This time, Zhang Zhi was certain.

It wasn't an illusion!

The Flame Claw Beast's strength was definitely greater than it had been during the day!

But how was this possible? A noticeable increase in strength in just a few hours?

This is the real world, not a game.

Doubt filled his mind, and Zhang Zhi couldn't help but pull out his energy detection bracelet, aiming it at the Ice Armor Armadillo that had completely lost its life force.

As a pet beast that had just died, the energy within the Ice Armor Armadillo hadn't fully dissipated yet, so it could still be detected.

"Species Name: Ice Armor Armadillo."

"Attribute: Ice."

"Species Grade: Mid-level Extraordinary."

"Strength Level: Second-Order, Stage One."

Zhang Zhi frowned.

This Ice Armor Armadillo's strength was comparable to the Flame Claw Beast's. Even if the latter had an elemental advantage, the former's strange state meant that, theoretically, it should have required a prolonged fight to win.

Zhang Zhi took a deep breath, suppressing the confusion in his heart, and aimed the bracelet at the Flame Claw Beast, which was slightly adjusting its breathing.

"Species Name: Flame Claw Beast."

"Attribute: Fire."

"Species Grade: Mid-level Extraordinary."

"Strength Level: Second-Order, Stage Two."

Zhang Zhi was stunned, his voice dry: "Second... Second-Order, Stage Two?"

His hand holding the tactical bracelet trembled violently, and his entire body froze in place as if struck by an invisible bolt of lightning.

Just today, the Flame Claw Beast had only just broken through to the second order, but how much time had passed since then? It had already risen from stage one to stage two?

Even riding a rocket wouldn't be this fast, right?

No, even a rocket needs an acceleration process!

This was practically like using a double exp card in a game and frantically farming high-level monsters.

Just as Zhang Zhi's worldview was suffering a violent impact, Director Li Haotian's voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction:

"Xiao Zhang, what are you dazing off for? I told you to keep watch, not to stand here like a statue."

Zhang Zhi snapped out of it, the expression on his face still showing intense daze as his lips quivered: "Director Li... Director Li... the Flame Claw Beast, it broke through..."

Director Li Haotian nodded calmly: "I know, Xiao Chen told me. It just broke through to the second order today."

Pausing, he joked with a smile: "As his partner, how did you find out later than me?"

"No! That's not it!"

Zhang Zhi shook his head violently, his voice cracking with excitement as he pointed at the Flame Claw Beast and then at the tactical bracelet in his hand, speaking incoherently, "It's not about breaking through to the second order!"

"It's... it's now at Second-Order, Stage Two! It jumped from stage one to stage two in just a few hours!"

He shoved the bracelet's screen in front of Director Li Haotian's eyes, where the words 'Second-Order, Stage Two' were clearly visible.

Director Li Haotian's words came to an abrupt halt.

For a moment, both of them stood frozen on the spot.

At the same time, Lin Chen opened the Flame Claw Beast's data panel:

[Level: Second-Order, Stage Two (0/42)]

"It directly went up a stage... Dark Species are indeed good stuff!"

Lin Chen praised inwardly.

This efficiency far exceeded killing ordinary wild pet beasts of the same level.

He looked around. With the coordination of the Rescue Team members and their pet beasts, they had basically finished clearing out the weaker Dark Species, and the battle was nearing its end.

But as Lin Chen's gaze swept over those few remaining Dark Species still putting up a desperate struggle, his eyes grew increasingly fervent.

He reached out his hand toward the Flame Claw Beast, spreading his five fingers and then suddenly clenching them into a fist while raising an eyebrow with a bright smile.

The Flame Claw Beast was stunned for a moment, then it used its claw to make a throat-slitting gesture, its mouth pulling into a grin as it let out a sinister laugh: "Gagu!"

In the next moment, the highly motivated Flame Claw Beast turned without hesitation and pounced toward the nearest Dark Species: "Gagu!"

Let go of it, let me do it!

Wherever the Flame Claw Beast passed, fire raged and wails echoed.

[Killed a first-order Dark Species, gained 6 experience points]

[Killed a first-order Dark Species...]

After a while, this area finally returned to tranquility.

A dozen or so corpses of various Dark Species lay scattered across the ground, most of them mutilated and charred. Traces of battle were everywhere; it was a mess.

Lin Chen looked around, a smile of lingering desire on his face: "A pity there were still too few of them."

All told, the Flame Claw Beast had actually only killed four Dark Species. After all, after their initial caution and panic, his colleagues had quickly displayed the excellent qualities of Beast Control Bureau staff.

Although they were at a disadvantage in a one-on-one against a Dark Species, no one would engage in a fair one-on-one duel at a time like this. They usually swarmed them, cooperating and coordinating with each other for a 'righteous' gang beatdown.

In the end, the Flame Claw Beast only managed to snatch two more Dark Species that hadn't been killed yet.

Lin Chen shook his head: "The killing efficiency is still too low."

With this kind of killing efficiency, he wondered if they could break through to Second-Order, Stage Three in one night.