Chapter 29: Arena Carnage (Two-in-One)

[Searching for deployment world... Analyzing data... Locating coordinates for the Terminator World... Opening World Barrier Smuggling Channel... Successfully opened... Please select an Avatar for deployment. Talents and titles can be brought along and will affect the Comprehensive Evaluation.]

[Please select an Avatar route...]

After the upgrade, he now possessed two Avatars. Li Yu naturally had not forgotten this fact. Since Clone One was still on cooldown, he would deploy his Second Clone first.

'The Terminator World...' Li Yu pondered. He had no idea which timeline the system would drop him into. If it was during John Connor's childhood, it would be relatively safe without too much danger.

'If it's the future ruled by Skynet, that'll be a problem.'

'Hmm... Let's equip the Elite Talent - Savior (Fake) first. That will save me the time of earning the protagonist's trust.'

'Wait...' Li Yu stroked his chin. 'If it's the future world, I don't necessarily have to follow Connor. Skynet seems to have a brighter future.'

'But if it's during Connor's childhood, Skynet doesn't have much power either...'

Therefore, the timeline the system deployed him to was of the utmost importance.

As for titles, there was nothing worth equipping; they were all garbage anyway.

[Deploying... Deployment successful. Host, please wait for the log to refresh. (Note: The current deployed world has an Inconsistent Time Flow with the Main World at a ratio of 1:2.)]

This was a world with a very low time flow ratio, but Li Yu was already used to it. His next Avatar still needed over fifty hours to finish its cooldown.

......

"Welcome, everyone, to the Tyren Combat Live Stream #24! Today, we bring you a battle between two E+ rank fighters on Heavenly Desolation Star."

This was a massive metallic arena, resembling a giant cage. Hovering cameras buzzed in all directions, creating a fully three-dimensional broadcast.

Surrounding the ring were no fewer than a thousand seats, currently packed with all manner of lifeforms. Not just humans, but demi-humans, Non-humans, and even Mermaids soaking in fish tanks were screaming their lungs out.

The second floor housed VIP Rooms fitted with black glass, offering a one-way view of the carnage below.

Deafening roars echoed throughout the stadium, mingling with a bizarre concoction of alien scents. There was nothing civilized about this place.

A figure already stood in the ring, a grey cloak obscuring his short, wiry frame.

"The vice-captain of the Ash Blade Squad—Grey Spear! Some of you death-match fans around Heavenly Desolation Star or the No Man's Land System might be quite familiar with him."

"Although he's considered a newcomer to the deathmatches, he's a veteran who's spent his life Licking Blood From A Knife's Edge."

"And his opponent is a newcomer... an absolute greenhorn! His only claim to fame is killing Mad Snake of the Thorn Flame? Thorn Flame? What kind of organization is that? Never heard of them..."

The announcer's tone was frivolous, laced with feigned ignorance and confusion. He quickly continued,

"Grey Spear's original opponent was the recently rising star, Black Cannon Gary. But poor Gary choked to death on his dinner! Let's observe three minutes of silence for him."

This sparked a wave of uproarious laughter throughout the stadium.

"Alright, jokes aside! Let's welcome this Spring Chicken as he steps up for his first time!"

Buzz—

Accompanied by a mechanical hum, the metal arena split open to reveal a gap, and a figure slowly walked out.

Li Yu's mouth twitched. Listening to the ridiculous commentary, he felt a Strange Déjà Vu.

"As per tradition, a newcomer stepping into the ring gets an introduction and a chance to make a bold claim—like brutally murdering their opponent, or some other nonsense..."

"But I suggest we don't waste time! We can save the introductions for after he wins—if he wins!" the announcer declared meaningfully.

"Damn it... aren't they basically saying Li Yu is dead meat?" Down in the stands, Hunter was Muttering Curses, deeply displeased.

Up in the VIP Room on the second floor, four high-ranking bosses of the Thorn Flame were also present, surrounded by luxurious sofas and exquisite cuisine.

Taotie stood in front of the transparent window, a cold sneer playing on his lips as he stared down at the ring.

He had spent a massive sum betting on Grey Spear's victory. This time, by eliminating Li Yu, he wouldn't just save money—he'd even turn a tidy profit.

Now that was the mark of a true Businessman!

The lights across the entire stadium abruptly dimmed, and a glowing number materialized above the metal ring—3

2

1!

With an ear-piercing buzz, Grey Spear vanished from his spot, lunging at him with blistering speed.

Li Yu's eyes narrowed as his body reacted instinctively. He sidestepped, swinging his arms like a sledgehammer.

Bam!

A muffled thud rang out. Grey Spear blocked the strike with both arms while simultaneously driving his knee upward. The attack was incredibly fast, sending a gust of wind straight toward Li Yu's jaw.

Li Yu's pupils shrank, and he jerked his head back. But Grey Spear's leg didn't miss; it changed trajectory mid-air, crashing heavily into Li Yu's chest.

Thump!

Li Yu was sent flying backward. He stumbled before regaining his balance, a burning pain searing through his chest.

Grey Spear retracted his leg and stood firm. It wasn't that he didn't want to follow up; the sheer velocity of his kick meant he couldn't recover fast enough to launch an immediate pursuit.

The coppery taste of blood surged into Li Yu's mouth. He swallowed hard, a strange sensation swelling within his chest.

At this moment, in a dilapidated room on an Unknown Planet...

"...This newcomer isn't quite cutting it. He couldn't react to Grey Spear's fast-paced assault and has already fallen to a disadvantage..."

A young man sat with his legs propped up on a table littered with mechanical scrap. Suddenly, the outdated LCD screen in front of him exploded with several times more comments than before.

"Holy crap, what an arrogant newcomer!"

"What the hell is he doing?!"

"I like his style. If he survives this, I might just recommend the boss to sponsor him."

The young man abruptly sat up straight. On the screen, Li Yu raised his hand and curled his index finger at Grey Spear in a blatant gesture of provocation!

"Whoa, what am I seeing here?! Is this a taunt?!"

Meanwhile, down in the ring, absolute silence reigned. The cage-like iron pillars absorbed all external noise.

Beneath the grey cloak, Grey Spear's eyes shot out a chilling, murderous glare. He adjusted his stance and charged once more.

The arena space was limited. Li Yu's pupils dilated as the muscles in his legs exploded with power, sending him sprinting forward to meet the attack.

Crash!

Their shoulders collided. Without missing a beat, Li Yu raised his hand and threw a massive punch at Grey Spear's head, the blow carrying enough force to shatter a skull.

The combat techniques he had learned from The Matrix were now shining brightly.

Grey Spear violently whipped his head to the side, using the momentum to unleash an uppercut aimed viciously at Li Yu's jaw.

Li Yu shifted tactics on the fly, dropping his fist to meet Grey Spear's strike head-on.

Simultaneously, Li Yu's other fist landed with pinpoint accuracy on Grey Spear's elbow. A sharp crack echoed through the ring.

Grey Spear staggered to the side, his balance lost. Yet, he quickly righted himself, standing on high alert against any follow-up attack.

"Woohoo! The situation Deteriorated rapidly for the veteran! This newcomer isn't simple at all,"

the young man narrated with a playful tone.

Grey Spear's cloak had been torn apart during the frantic exchange, revealing a creature entirely covered in coarse black fur.

'No wonder Gugu called this guy a grey-skinned rat... he really is a Rat-person?' Li Yu was somewhat surprised. Grey Spear had a hunched back, standing about a meter and a half tall, with a body dominated by black fur.

His snout protruded sharply, and his pitch-black eyes possessed almost no sclera.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

A robust heartbeat pounded from Grey Spear's diminutive frame. Faint, nearly imperceptible streaks of blood began to surface on his skin.

Swoosh!

Grey Spear's figure suddenly vanished, his speed vaulting to an entirely new level. Li Yu widened his eyes, barely able to track the blur darting toward him.

A cold wind struck his face. Subconsciously, Li Yu threw both arms up to guard the sides of his head.

The next instant, a devastatingly heavy kick smashed into his left arm. The burning agony sent his heart racing.

This was the power of a D- rank. His speed was so terrifyingly fast that Li Yu couldn't even see clearly. A Rat-person, already renowned for their Agility, was even more horrifying at this stage!

But before he could even catch his breath, steel-like nails extended from Grey Spear's fingers. A sense of dread washed over Li Yu.

Grey Spear's eyes were ghastly and devoid of emotion as both of his claws aimed straight for Li Yu's temples.

Li Yu's pupils contracted, and his pulse skyrocketed. In his vision, everything began to slow down. Grey Spear's nearly invisible claws suddenly became crystal clear.

Grey Spear was blindingly fast, but Li Yu was still an E+ rank. He wasn't slow either; it was just that under normal circumstances, there was no time to react.

Under the effects of Bullet Time, he could perceive Grey Spear's every move clearly and naturally possessed the capability to respond.

However, Bullet Time had its limits. If an opponent vastly outclassed him, merely being able to see the attack wouldn't save him.

After all, it was only a D-rank Superpower.

He tilted his head to dodge, making it look to the audience like an impossibly narrow escape.

Simultaneously, during his evasion, he threw a punch straight at Grey Spear's face.

Smack!

Thrown off balance, Grey Spear was sent flying backward, blood trickling from his nose. With an impressive display of agility, he flipped in mid-air and landed securely.

Grey Spear excelled in speed, but his strength was his weakness; he was barely stronger than Li Yu in raw power.

"Whoa... Grey Spear just took damage!"

"How... how could you possibly dodge that?!" Grey Spear spoke his first words in the ring. He was a D-Class Lifeform! How could his attack miss this guy?!

"Is it possible that..." Li Yu mused for a moment, "you're just too slow?"

Grey Spear let out a cold snort. Forgoing any further banter, he lunged forward in the very next second.

Li Yu's heart beat faster as Bullet Time activated once more. Claws brushed against his hair, his eyelashes, his skin. Every single strike was a hair's breadth from lethal, yet Li Yu managed to evade them all.

This infuriated Grey Spear. It felt as though if he were just a fraction faster—just a tiny bit more—he could tear his opponent apart. But that minuscule fraction turned into an insurmountable chasm.

"What an absolutely spectacular match..." The announcer dragged the broadcast slider back, initiating a slow-motion replay. His expression flickered. Even at thirty-two times slower, Grey Spear's movements were still a blur. This meant Grey Spear's power had far surpassed the limits of an E+ rank.

But none of that mattered to him. He nonchalantly continued the playback, eagerly narrating every one of Li Yu's impossibly narrow escapes.

Squelch!

A spray of blood erupted. Five deep, bone-exposing gashes appeared on Li Yu's arm. Blood poured freely, splattering onto the metal floor.

He was hit!

However, Grey Spear found no joy in the successful strike. His own chest was nearly caved in, leaving him gasping for air. The opponent had used a peculiar technique to inflict direct trauma on his heart.

'Trading blow for blow...' Grey Spear couldn't accept that someone would resort to such a mutually destructive tactic against him.

But what was even more unacceptable was that, in just a few short moments, the grievous wounds on Li Yu's arm had already begun to heal.

Flesh knitted back together, and granulating tissue rapidly bridged the gaps. The sheer speed of the regeneration made Grey Spear's pupils dilate. This healing factor vastly surpassed what any E-Class Lifeform could achieve.

"What kind of Gene Chain do you have? How can your healing speed be this fast..."

"Hmm... the T-Virus Gene Chain?" Li Yu replied, feigning uncertainty.

"This newcomer is truly astonishing! To think he could push Grey Spear to such lengths!"

The announcer's voice echoed not only in the live stream but also boomed across the entire stadium.

Third Fatty's face turned livid. He had already realized the situation was spiraling out of control. "This is the so-called Grey Spear? What was the point of hiring him?!"

He had blown two and a half million Star Coins! Two and a half million! That was half a year's worth of dividends. It was equivalent to working for six months for absolutely nothing!

Taotie, on the other hand, was much more composed, mostly because he hadn't spent a dime. He took a drag from his Cigar, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke. "What's the rush? The match isn't over yet, is it?"

'He really is confident he can beat Grey Spear!' Mo Duo's eyes glowed with a faint green light. She originally thought Li Yu would only try to survive for five minutes before surrendering.

However, looking at it now, the outcome of the match was entirely up in the air. Only... she cast a sidelong glance at Hunter. Why did this guy look like he was caught between joy and misery?

Yet, there were many others far angrier than Third Fatty. They had paid a small fortune to hire Grey Spear with the sole purpose of stopping The Howler, not to have him choke against some unknown nobody.

"Is this really the D- rank lifeform the Ash Blade Squad promised us?!"

"Damn it, refund my money!"

Thump! Thump!

Muffled impacts echoed across the ring. Blood poured from Li Yu's chest, back, and arms, practically turning him into a man made of gore.

His heart pounded wildly, squeezing every last drop of potential from his Cells to accelerate blood production.

Grey Spear appeared relatively unharmed on the surface, but both of his arms hung at grotesque angles, his elbows twisted nearly 180 degrees backwards.

Grey Spear was panting heavily. Li Yu had consistently traded non-lethal blows for crippling strikes, relying entirely on his monstrous healing speed to forcefully drag the fight to this brutal stalemate.

"Are you going to surrender? Dragging this out won't end well for you."

Li Yu was also gasping for air. Even with Bullet Time, facing a D-Class Lifeform meant this was the only viable way he could fight back.

"Why don't you surrender? It wouldn't do you any harm," Grey Spear refused. He knew that if he yielded, his employers would tear him to pieces.

"That's not going to happen. My life and fortune are riding on this match!" Li Yu shook his head.

"You bet on yourself to win?" Grey Spear's rat-like face contorted in anger. Someone weaker than him had the gall to assume victory before the match even started?

Wasn't this blatant disrespect?

"No, my Friend bet on me..." Li Yu corrected, just in case the Tyron Chamber of Commerce tried to use it as an excuse to withhold his winnings.

"Fine!"

A vicious glint pierced through Grey Spear's narrow rat-like eyes. With a dark scowl, he charged at Li Yu. His arms might be temporarily useless, but he still had his legs.

He aimed straight for Li Yu's face, driving his left knee forward like a fired arrow.

Li Yu slightly shifted his body and leaped upwards, forcing the knee meant for his face to instead strike his right chest. Simultaneously, he brought both arms down to crush Grey Spear's left leg.

He planned to sacrifice his chest to completely cripple Grey Spear's left leg. Once that was done, victory was essentially in the bag.

However, a sneer curled onto Grey Spear's lips. He opened his jaws, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth glinting with a frigid light.

Because Li Yu had jumped, Grey Spear's fangs were perfectly aligned to rip out his throat.

'Trading blow for blow? I'll make you trade your life!'

In Bullet Time, Li Yu saw this with crystal clarity. Yet, he merely scoffed and thrust his head forward, delivering a brutal headbutt straight into Grey Spear's mouth.

A trickle of blood ran down his forehead, accompanied by a sharp, piercing pain. He couldn't care less. Grey Spear's jaw was violently knocked backward.

Raising both arms, Li Yu's fists erupted like surging Magma, smashing squarely into Grey Spear's chin.

Crack!

Several white teeth shattered and flew out. Li Yu's expression was grim, his momentum unbroken. Like a battering ram, his head crashed into Grey Spear's face again, slamming him down onto the metal floor of the ring.

Without giving Grey Spear any chance to react or yield, Li Yu dropped his entire body weight, crashing heavily onto the Rat-person's chest.

Thud!

A sickening crunch echoed softly. Grey Spear's pupils dilated into emptiness as grey-black blood poured from his mouth, his body violently twitching on the ground.