Chapter 96: Beach Volleyball

【Skill Name: Iron Armor Cocoon, Use Harden Immediately】

【Type: Spirit Energy】

【Effect: Hardened. Greatly increases the temporary hardness, density, and weight of an object】

【Cost: At least 200 Spirit Energy points. Exact cost depends on duration, object volume, and hardness level】

【Cooldown: 20 minutes】

【Note: Teacher, why does my Iron Armor Cocoon still not evolve into Sky Claw despite training every day?】

Though the skill's name and note are especially frustrating, its effect is still powerful.

Under Will's spirit energy infusion, the once ordinary volleyball's surface shimmered with a metallic sheen; upon contact with his palm, it emitted a dull "thump."

The spinning ball shot toward Anne's head; she had no time to dodge and hastily raised both hands, transforming them into furry cat claws to block in front of her.

Crack—

The snap of bone was crisp; Anne was blasted backward, her arm clearly broken, with a flurry of cat fur scattering and falling.

Her title 【Cat Girl】 allows her to temporarily transform into a cat-girl form, significantly boosting strength, agility, and reaction speed.

But compared to Will, who is of higher rank, stronger attribute, and implanted with numerous Gen-Sys bio-enhancement glands, she was still outmatched.

"Ow"

Anne knelt on the ground, drenched in cold sweat and tears—this time not acting, but truly in pain.

The volleyball, stained with blood, rolled a distance across the sand court before stopping, its weight comparable to a shot put compacting the sand beneath it.

"Tsk."

Seeing he hadn't killed Anne with one strike, Will grimaced and glanced at the mechanical arm hanging from the ceiling.

It remained motionless, as if tacitly approving Will's attack.

"Of course—the cameras have relaxed their judgment standards, treating it as part of the 【Beach Volleyball】 event."

Will sneered inwardly, "Beach volleyball inevitably involves balls hitting players. Knocking someone seriously injured—or even killing them—must be perfectly normal."

Thanks to Master Pi Fu's antics, the popularity of this round has far exceeded the minimum standard; there's no longer any worry about failing to meet the popularity threshold and all being eliminated.

Under these circumstances, if he can eliminate all competitors, the reality show might end outright.

Perhaps this round was specifically designed to make players kill each other.

"Will, you!"

Leonardo glanced at Anne's injuries, then glared at Will—but he couldn't bring himself to say childish things like "Are you crazy?" or "Why hurt a teammate? Can't we just get along?"

Players are not a group willing to sit and wait for death; Will isn't, and neither is Leonardo.

"Then let's go."

Leonardo took a deep breath, picked up the heavy volleyball, brushed off the sand clinging to its surface, and tossed it into the air with his arm.

He then stomped the ground, leapt high, drew his arm back and swung it—within his right-side torso bones, the sound of hydraulic systems vibrating clearly echoed.

As a member of European Heavy Industries, he still looked like a handsome blond blue-eyed man, but beneath his skin, many bones and tendons had been replaced with ultra-light alloy mechanical prosthetics.

These prosthetics normally ran at minimum power to avoid accidentally crushing teacups, crushing others' palms, or crushing girlfriends.

But when activated—

As hydraulic noises pulsed beneath his skin, Leonardo's right arm twisted and deformed at an angle no human could achieve, then lashed through the air like a whip, slamming hard onto the volleyball's surface.

Shhh—

Even with the volleyball's temporary hardening, it deformed violently, hurtling toward Will like a heavy artillery shell.

Here it comes!

Will's face remained expressionless; inwardly, he felt a thrilling rush—finally, he could kill without restraint, without having to fake it anymore.

He spread his legs, feet sinking deep into the sand to enhance grip. His hands clasped tightly, muscles swelling severalfold under the effect of enhancement glands, veins bulging like earthworms.

Thump!

Since 【Iron Armor Cocoon, Use Harden Immediately】 is a cast-on-impact skill, not a sustained one, Will couldn't interrupt it mid-use.

He was shoved backward one meter by the ball's impact, his soles kicking up smoke from friction; his reinforced arm bore a bright red mark, with countless capillaries rupturing.

But he caught it—finally, he flicked it high into the air.

"I'll take it."

Jin Huiying, clad in a white lace swimsuit, stepped forward and leapt, one palm clamping onto the volleyball and slamming it toward the opposite side.

She too had realized the hidden implication of beach volleyball—this round allowed players to openly attack each other under the cameras with no penalty.

Under the effect of a certain skill, the volleyball traced an arc through the air that defied aerodynamics, dodging Leonardo's hand and streaking straight toward Anne.

Anne had not yet recovered from her broken arm and was busy applying ointment. Seeing the metallic-gleaming volleyball hurtling toward her, her face paled; she hastily activated her skill, summoning a pink crystal shield.

Thud!

The volleyball struck the shield's surface, carving deep cracks into it; shards of crystal sprayed like a rain of arrows.

Anne's lower body transformed fully into her cat-girl form; she kicked off the ground with both feet, rolling backward to avoid the falling crystal shards—her cat transformation was real: a full-furred feline humanoid, not some dimensional work's smooth-skinned, ear-topped girl.

"You cheated!"

Will sneered, "The volleyball rules only permit players to touch the ball with their bodies—nowhere does it allow shields. According to the rules, it's my turn to serve again."

"Sorry, there are no rules anymore."

Leonardo stepped forward, picked up the volleyball, and glanced at the electronic scoreboard hanging on the arena wall.

In the show's original design, this beach volleyball round had no rewards or penalties; scoring didn't matter. Even if Leonardo committed a foul, it would only grant the opposing team one point.

"For the cost of one point, gaining serve—that's a fair trade."

Leonardo hefted the volleyball, his gaze turning cold. "The true nature of this game has become: within a best-of-three scoring framework, use possession of the ball to kill your opponent."

"Ohhh, looks like the players are really fired up."

Li Cheng, lounging on the bench and enjoying the spectacle, remarked: "I wonder whether Will's hand's Thousand-Strike Ultimate Zero Serve is stronger, or whether Leonardo's Selfless State and Storm Backspin Serve takes the crown."

"Ahong, what do you think?"

Hey, that's clearly a skill from the superpower manga *Prince of Tennis*, right? Is it really okay for you to spout nonsense like that? And what's with 'Ahong'—is that supposed to be my nickname?

The usually timid and flustered Little Red Riding Hood now felt she could barely hold herself together—sitting next to this Mr. Pi Fu tested her nerves every single second.

"Uh, sorry, I don't really follow ball sports usually."

"That's a real shame," Li Cheng shook his head. "I've always had one question—when the ball king Messi's Argentina jerseys sell out worldwide, what does he wear in the finals? Streaking?"

(End of chapter)