Chapter 43: The Massive Rat Swarm

After adding Yuan Fei as a contact, Ao Xin transferred twenty points to him. "Learn both Observation Haki and Conqueror's Haki as well."

"From here on out, you will be met with endless combat!"

Yuan Fei did not refuse. He accepted the points, redeemed the remaining two types of Haki, and instantly grasped the methods for cultivating them.

Battle, nothing but battle!

Unyielding perseverance, an indomitable spirit, and the courage to face death head-on! These were the foundations for awakening Conqueror's Haki.

As zombies gathered, Ao Chen transformed into her human-beast form and began to fight. Having awakened Observation Haki, ordinary zombies were no longer a match for her. Even a one-star flesh-zombie could be dispatched by her after a brief skirmish.

Yuan Fei wielded a steel pipe, striking down a zombie. Aside from the three of them, the area had already been cleared by Ao Xin. Killing ordinary zombies was easy for him now—there was no challenge in it at all. The only things that could make him take things seriously were two-star zombies.

"Zombies should be appearing in Bian City soon," Ao Xin murmured, squinting into the distance. While fighting these ordinary zombies earned points, it did little to improve his strength. His Haki was now embedded in his very bones; he was not far from the Iron Bone stage. Without intense combat, his cultivation had slowed.

Not far away, Xu Wenhao watched as Ao Xin effortlessly slaughtered the surrounding zombies, further confirming Ao Xin’s formidable and terrifying power. Seeing Ao Chen’s human-beast form, he exclaimed, "Ao Xin’s sister is also an ability user?"

His companions had already begun recording the scene of Ao Xin’s battle to upload to the God-Given Space.

"Shocking! The mysterious Azure Dragon expert appears! He has already awakened Haki and is slaughtering zombies like dogs!"

"Another ability user spotted in Bian City—it’s the Azure Dragon expert’s sister!"

Both videos quickly went viral, with countless people leaving comments below.

"My god, this expert is too fierce! I have to lure those zombies away and use obstacles just to kill one, but he takes them out one by one with a single strike!"

"At this speed, can this expert clear out all the zombies in Bian City?"

"Waaaaah, does anyone know where he lives? I’m willing to go warm his bed!"

Of course, some also noticed Ao Chen in her human-beast form: "That girl with the animal ears is so cute! What is her ability?"

"Looks like a mouse, but I didn't see any special abilities. I wonder if it’s a Mythical Zoan type."

"She’s the Azure Dragon expert’s sister, so she must be a Mythical Zoan!"

As the crowd discussed, the three of them moved further away. Xu Wenhao looked at his own cracked knuckles and thought, *We are all ability users, why am I inferior to him?*

He manifested a steel blade using his ability and gripped it tightly. "Brothers, it’s time for us to keep fighting!"

In the distance, Ao Xin returned with the other two. Although Yuan Fei was slight of build and lacked a Devil Fruit ability, his ferocity in battle surprised even Ao Chen. Ao Xin handed him a piece of "Water-Water Meat" to help him recover his strength, and they continued to fight.

Halfway through, when the two had exhausted their energy beyond what the meat could replenish, Ao Xin led them into a "Kaifeng Kitchen" restaurant. After clearing out the zombies inside, he used several tables to barricade the front door. He and Ao Chen sat on opposite sides of a table, while Yuan Fei retreated to a corner alone.

Glancing at Yuan Fei’s scrawny frame, Ao Chen whispered to Ao Xin, "Brother, why do you insist on having him with us?"

Ao Xin replied, "This kid is special. In my previous life, he made quite a name for himself."

Moreover, Yuan Fei’s loyalty was different from others. As long as the faction he belonged to existed, he was the type who would never betray it, even unto death. But if the faction dissolved or the leader died, he would not seek revenge; instead, once he joined the next faction, he would serve it with the same unwavering devotion. It was peculiar. Therefore, as long as Ao Xin survived, Yuan Fei would be fiercely loyal. If Ao Xin died, Yuan Fei would not pin his hopes on anyone else.

As they were talking, a thumping sound suddenly echoed. At first, it was faint, but it grew heavier and heavier. In the end, it sounded like a drumbeat.

"Brother, where is that sound coming from?" Ao Chen widened her eyes, searching for the source. Even Yuan Fei, sitting silently in the back corner, straightened up and gripped his steel pipe tightly.

"Is it here?" Ao Xin’s gaze locked onto the kitchen area.

"Squeak! Squeak-squeak! Squeak-squeak-squeak!"

Accompanied by the sound of walls being smashed, a massive swarm of cat-sized rats surged out from the sewers! The moment they appeared, their rolling eyes fixed on the three people sitting in the restaurant.

"Ahhhhh! Rats! Such huge rats!" Ao Chen shrieked in terror.

Where had anyone in the north ever seen such giant rats? Not to mention the north, even in the south, rats didn't grow this big!

Ao Xin was speechless. "You’re a little mouse yourself; why are you afraid of rats?"

"Ahhh! That’s different!" Ao Chen yelped and jumped onto the table. "I’m a cute Treasure Mouse, not a disgusting giant rat like these!"

The rat swarm paused for a moment before pouncing on Ao Xin and the others like dogs who had spotted a bone. However, a wave of Conqueror's Haki—one that made the soul tremble—descended upon them, and the swarm’s movements instantly froze.

As animals, their perception of danger was sharper than that of humans. That oppressive Haki felt like facing a natural predator, triggering an ancient, primal fear inherited through their bloodlines. Ao Xin sat quietly, but in the eyes of these giant rats, they were facing a hundred-meter-long, majestic Azure Dragon!

In the corner of the restaurant, Yuan Fei, who had hunched over in preparation for battle, quietly let out a sigh of relief. With so many large, agile rats—nearly comparable to flesh-zombies—he didn't think he could have survived the swarm.

"The rats stopped moving?" Ao Chen, who had jumped behind Ao Xin, peeked out with her cute little head. She had transformed into her human-beast form, ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

Ao Xin said, "You aren't afraid of zombies, yet you're afraid of rats?"

Ao Chen gripped the back of his clothes tightly and whispered, "That’s different. I’ve seen enough zombies in movies, but rats are just... unsettling. Brother, aren't you going to kill them? Why keep a group of rats around?"

"Kill them? Of course, I’m going to kill them."

Ao Xin stood up and walked toward the largest rat, which appeared to be the leader. As he approached, the pressure of his Conqueror's Haki grew heavier, and the bodies of the rats began to tremble.

"Squeak! Squeak!"

The rats dared not look up; they couldn't imagine such a terrifying creature existed in the world. Ao Xin placed his hand on the head of the lead rat. As his palm touched the coarse fur, he could feel the creature beneath his hand shaking like a sieve.