Lu Ran's scalp tingled.
One, two, three, four, five...
There were unexpectedly five Demon Cats!
Damn it, do Demon Cats have a social behavior?
Currently, these five Demon Cats were staring intently at Lu Ran and his group.
If it were only five Demon Cats, that would be one thing.
Lu Ran also noticed, among the five Demon Cats that arrived, there was a significant difference between one and the other four.
The four of them were about as big as the previous one they had encountered, all considerably smaller than Mr. Husky.
But the last one was a whole size bigger, comparable in size to the original Mr. Husky, and its body, unlike the other Demon Cats, was not slim but packed with muscles.
[Race]: Demon Cat
[Attribute]: Unawakened
[Species Level]: Medium Extraordinary
[Growth Level]: Level 3
Lu Ran scanned them with Data Eye and immediately pursed his lips, it was a level 3 Demon Cat...
At this moment, Lu Ran really wanted to say, maybe it's better to slip away.
Mr. Husky was brave, but it was hard to fend off many with only two fists.
However, these five Demon Cats clearly had them surrounded, and there was no escaping...
What to do?
Should he let Mr. Husky enter that state?
Before, Lu Ran had referred to Mr. Husky's condition as normal, which meant there was also an abnormal state.
If Lu Ran's superpower, "Strange Dream", could be seen as an illness,
Indeed, it wasn't only Lu Ran that had an illness.
Mr. Husky did too, and perhaps that was why the two of them had met.
Once it started fighting and got excited, it would lose its senses and pain perception, becoming like a mad dog.
In this state, Mr. Husky's potential seemed to be fully awakened, greatly enhancing its combat strength.
Currently, only Lu Ran's Psychic Sensing could awaken Mr. Husky into that state.
Mr. Husky also had hidden potential, which was why Lu Ran believed in its combat strength.
But, in fact, Lu Ran didn't want Mr. Husky to enter that state.
He always felt that it was somewhat risky and every time it came out of that state, Mr. Husky would have to pass out for a while.
"Forget it, let's take it one step at a time."
"Don't worry about me, quickly reduce their numbers."
"At the same time, keep an eye on that Demon Cat Leader."
With the experience from previous battles, Lu Ran quickly adapted and immediately gave orders to Mr. Husky.
During the gathering, Lu Ran had also found a new weapon, a handy wooden stick.
The wooden stick was fairly sturdy, and combined with his enhanced physical condition, Lu Ran felt that as long as he wasn't clawed at the neck and other critical parts, he had a good chance of killing one.
Of course, that's assuming the lower-level Demon Cats.
If it were that gigantic level 3 Demon Cat, Lu Ran felt that he might have some difficulty handling it.
So, that would be up to Mr. Husky.
"Meow!!!"
However! Surprisingly, that Demon Cat suspected to be the leader didn't seem to have plans to strike first.
With a roar, those four level 1-2 Demon Cats charged first.
Perhaps sensing that Mr. Husky was a greater threat, they uniformly targeted him, launching themselves at him with their sharp claws, not treating Lu Ran as an objective.
Whoosh!
A stone flew out.
"Lucky, it actually hit."
In the blink of an eye, three of the Demon Cats had successfully approached Mr. Husky, while the one whose movements halted was struck by a stone on the head during its attack, momentarily dazed.
Lu Ran, wielding a stick in one hand and throwing stones with the other, gripped the wooden stick tighter as he saw the Demon Cat he had hit looking viciously at him.
Meanwhile, Mr. Husky had already engaged the three Demon Cats, displaying overwhelming combat strength. In a single encounter, it bit into the neck of one Demon Cat, splattering blood, instantly killing it. But in its current condition, it could only instantly defeat one, and the attacks from the other two Demon Cats undoubtedly hit Mr. Husky. With a flash of claws, in just a blink, Mr. Husky's back and side were torn open, bleeding profusely, flesh burst open.
"Grrr!!!" Mr. Husky felt intense pain, blue eyes threaded with blood, furiously slammed into the nearest Demon Cat. Although Lu Ran really wanted to check on Mr. Husky's condition, he himself was in a dangerous situation after drawing the attention of one Demon Cat.
While Mr. Husky fought with the three Demon Cats, Lu Ran charged forward with the wooden stick, and the stunned Demon Cat also leaped up, its claw tearing through the air.
Lu Ran swung the stick, realizing the Demon Cat intended to slash his weapon with its claws. Considering the sharpness of a Demon Cat's claws, the stick really could be torn apart; however, Lu Ran, wielding a long-handled weapon, wasn't planning on a straightforward clash. Taking advantage of the weapon's length, he changed the trajectory of his strikes, dodged the claw attack, and with a thump, jabbed the stick into the Demon Cat's body. Hit by the impact, the Demon Cat was sent flying several meters away.
"Should have sharpened the stick."
Seeing the Demon Cat sent flying by his blow, Lu Ran followed closely, grateful for his training. He had dealt with various untamable animals since he was young, including disobedient large breeds of dogs. Otherwise, a normal person facing this scenario would definitely be intimidated.
It could be said that part of the reason Mr. Husky was so obedient now was Lu Ran's stick-based training.
Otherwise, who did you think was constantly suppressing its fighting desire?
That title, Boss Lu, was Mr. Husky's recognition of Lu Ran!
At that moment, Lu Ran's goal was to quickly hit the Demon Cat's head with the stick again. Unfortunately, the last strike was clearly not fatal; the Demon Cat landed only to rise agilely and charge fiercely once more.
"Useless," Lu Ran thought to himself, planning to use the same tactic again.
However, as Lu Ran was focusing intensely, suddenly a roar caused the attacking Demon Cat to halt abruptly as if giving up the attack, stopping immediately and retreating a few steps.
This roar made Lu Ran's expression tighten as he quickly looked towards the Demon Cat Leader, thinking it was about to strike, and that the roar was its own.
Yet, to Lu Ran's astonishment, the distant "Demon Cat Leader," after roaring, did not launch an attack; instead, it humanly cast a deep look at him before turning and leaving the area.
At the same time, aside from the Demon Cat whose neck had been bitten through by Mr. Husky, the two others also chose to retreat as if following the Demon Cat Leader.
"Roar—" Seeing this, Mr. Husky seemed still eager to pursue, but Lu Ran immediately ordered, "Wait."
Lu Ran's command was effective. On hearing it, Mr. Husky, while still maintaining a fierce stance and watching the retreating Demon Cats, began to suppress its own aggression.
Seeing blood was one of the conditions for Mr. Husky to enter a mad dog state, and now, it had been fulfilled.
But seeing the Demon Cats willingly retreat, Lu Ran hesitated for a moment.
In an instant, Lu Ran and the others, who were at a standoff with the four Demon Cats, saw several of them completely retreat back into the jungle.
And with the Demon Cats gone, Lu Ran finally sighed in relief, relaxing his body and looking at his trembling hands.
Although he didn't know why the Demon Cat Leader ordered the retreat, if the fight continued, it was clear that he and Mr. Husky would be at a disadvantage. Even if they won in the end, it would be a Pyrrhic victory.
He still wanted to say, was this really a beginner's trial?
"Roar." At that moment, Mr. Husky seemed very frustrated, dissatisfied with its own inability to kill five in a second. As for one against five... it didn't feel like it would lose.
"Sorry, Mr. Husky, the situation here is too complex to let you fight freely. Next time... huh? Wait." Speaking, Lu Ran only then noticed some changes in Mr. Husky.
Growth Level: Arctic Dog
Attribute: Unawakened
Species Level: Medium Extraordinary
Growth Level: Level 2
Skills: None
Unbeknownst to him, Mr. Husky, who had just killed another Demon Cat, had reached Level 2, with clearly enhanced attributes in various aspects.
Because of this, Mr. Husky, although scratched a couple of times, was still able to knock a nearby Demon Cat several meters away in an instant, with an incredible strength.
This change delighted Lu Ran.
"Perhaps the Demon Cat Leader decided to retreat after sensing Mr. Husky's increasing aura," he thought.
"They must also find us very strange."
"Therefore, the higher-level Demon Cat Leader allowed its subordinates to probe first."
"And the result of the probe was that Mr. Husky could instantly kill a lower-level Demon Cat and seemed to be getting stronger as the battle progressed, with even its aura growing."
"Although they have the advantage in numbers, the Demon Cat Leader doesn't dare to gamble, afraid to risk injury over two prey."
"In the natural world, if a predator gets injured while hunting, it often faces a decline in its status within the group, as well as the fatal danger from natural enemies."
"Although the creatures projected here are extremely aggressive, hunting is probably still for food, not mindless attacks, retaining some of the natural instincts of wildlife creatures. This means my initial judgment was correct; some battles don't need to be won completely, as long as you make the opponent wary and disinclined to fight, you can survive."
In an instant, Lu Ran analyzed the situation, not knowing if he was right, but it seemed to be one of the few explanations available henceforth.
"Anyway, Mr. Husky, let's get that treatment quickly." Facing Mr. Husky, who had again made a significant contribution, Lu Ran looked at its wound, then at the Hemostatic Mushrooms he had collected: "Though I don't know the effect of this thing, we have to rely on it now."
Hopefully, it would be more effective than the medicines he had prepared.
"Woof." Responding to Lu Ran's call, Mr. Husky nodded.
"Woof?"
But in the next moment, as it approached Lu Ran for treatment, Mr. Husky suddenly paused, puzzled, and looked blankly at Lu Ran's neck.
There, emitting a golden glow, unknowingly when it started.
It was Lu Ran's heirloom, the pendant of the Deer Horn of God Amulet, which at some point began to wrap itself in a faint light.
This sudden change was what stopped Mr. Husky in its tracks.
The golden light, growing stronger as they got closer, made Mr. Husky feel as if its bloodline was being suppressed, like facing a Siberian Tiger, clarifying its eyes significantly.
The light grew more intense, starting dim, but now, even Lu Ran began to notice the changes in the pendant he wore. As he observed, he couldn't help revealing a puzzled expression.
Because Data Eye, which he'd acquired only upon entering the Secret Realm, was now capturing information about his family heirloom Amulet, brought from the outside world!
Name: Deer Horn of God
Level: Epic
Introduction: Legend says that the antlers of a Divine Deer can, after absorbing the Power of the Forest rich in natural energy, foster healing capabilities.