Chapter 50: Going Full‑Scale

Even though A Xing, at the last moment, defended using the foresight granted by the fused Bronya's "Commanding Presence" and Jiepad's "Steadfast Ice Will," she was still struck in the jaw by the rapid punch, her body lurching back a few steps uncontrollably, and the Health Bar above her head visibly dropped by a small segment.

A Xing quickly steadied her stance, and the calculating light in her golden eyes flickered rapidly.

Bai Hang, seeing this, was startled and immediately fired a volley of arrows; several Energy Arrows in a triangular formation shot toward Na Ke Xia, attempting to block his movement path.

However, Na Ke Xia's body seemed boneless, moving with an abstract‑dance‑like twisted posture, slipping through the gaps between the arrows with ease, not only evading all of them but also, in the flow, performing a bizarre spin and kicking at A Xing's side waist!

This time A Xing was prepared; she braced the bat horizontally, firmly catching the kick, but the force still left her arm slightly numb.

She immediately counterattacked, the bat whistling as it slammed toward Na Ke Xia's shoulder.

Na Ke Xia, however, did not meet it head‑on; his body recoiled backward like a mudfish, while his hands, lightning‑fast, made a grappling‑like motion, trying to snatch the bat!

In an instant, figures interwove across the field.

A Xing's offensive was as steady as a mountain; each strike was massive and heavy, fused with Luka's "Fighting Spirit Ignition" ferocity, attempting to suppress with sheer force.

Bai Hang then roamed the perimeter, the arrows like phantoms shifting positions, disrupting Na Ke Xia's rhythm.

And Na Ke Xia remained silent, expressionless.

His fighting style was utterly unpredictable; his moves were ruthless and precise, occasionally inserting a twitch‑like dance segment, yet those motions perfectly evaded attacks and even became the opening for the next bizarre counterattack.

His Health Bar declined extremely slowly, showing his astonishing endurance and evasion ability.

"His combat logic... is completely chaotic, yet it is self‑consistent within the chaos."

The system doll, calmly analyzing the data stream beside them, said, "It cannot be predicted with conventional tactical models."

Heimu Lady propped her chin with one hand, her violet‑black eyes watching the fierce battle with keen interest.

"Fine, this is a perfect test of the results of our recent 'investment'. Let's see if the 'traits' gathered from Beloberg's myriad beings can harness this pure 'madness'."

In the arena, after a short‑range teleport, Bai Hang seized a tiny opening Na Ke Xia exposed while evading A Xing's heavy strike, firing an arrow toward the back of his knee.

Na Ke Xia reacted extremely fast, forcibly twisting his body; the arrow grazed the side of his leg, but that momentary pause was already enough for A Xing!

"Boom!"

The bat, imbued with Star Core power, finally for the first time struck solidly against the arm Na Ke Xia had crossed in defense!

The massive force sent him flying, rolling on the ground several times before halting half‑kneeling, the Health Bar above his head noticeably dropping by a segment.

He slowly lifted his head, still expressionless, but that vacant single eye seemed to truly "focus" on A Xing and Bai Hang for the first time.

The first round of testing ended; the real "Persuasion" appears only just beginning.

In the air, a heavier sense of battle intent spread.

He slowly rose, brushed nonexistent dust off his hospital gown, his movements stiff as a puppet controlled by strings.

Yet the dangerous aura radiating from him suddenly intensified severalfold.

"Careful, he's about to get serious."

A Xing's voice remained steady, but the joints of the fingers gripping the bat whitened slightly, showing she wasn't as relaxed as she seemed.

Fusion with Pela's tactical analysis ability made her keenly perceive the shift in the opponent's aura.

Bai Hang held her breath, pulling the energy bowstring to a full moon, the arrow tip locked onto Na Ke Xia, Fox Ears standing upright from intense focus.

She could feel that the once‑gentle luminous pollen in the surrounding air grew restless under the invisible pressure emitted by Na Ke Xia.

Without warning, Na Ke Xia's figure suddenly blurred!

No longer the previous bizarre, dance‑rhythmed movement, but a pure, air‑rending straight‑line charge!

Only a faint afterimage remained where he stood; his true form appeared before Bai Hang like a phantom, speed suffocatingly fast!

"So fast!" Bai Hang's internal alarm rang loudly; almost instinctively she triggered a short‑range teleport, leaving a rippling spatial ripple where she stood.

Na Ke Xia's fist brushed the edge of her afterimage, the resulting punch wind severing several luminous shrubs behind him at the waist, turning them into fragments that scattered.

The strike missed, yet Na Ke Xia did not pause, as if having already anticipated Bai Hang's landing spot; without turning his head, he spun and delivered a fierce side kick aimed straight at Bai Hang's newly appeared waist and abdomen!

The angle of this kick was treacherous, the force heavy; if it landed, Bai Hang would be severely wounded.

At the critical moment, a gray figure, like the strongest bulwark, brazenly inserted itself between them!

"Clang—!"

A muffled, ancient‑bell‑like crash reverberated across the arena.

A Xing gripped the bat with both hands, the shaft bluntly blocking the lethal blow.

The huge impact gouged two shallow trenches with her feet, yet her stance remained as solid as rock; her golden eyes showed no ripple, only absolute will.

Fusion of Jiepad's resilience and Natasha's healing knowledge allowed her, at the moment of impact, to already channel energy to soothe the numbness in her arm.

"Now!" A Xing shouted low.

No further words were needed; Bai Hang understood instantly.

In the instant when Na Ke Xia's old force faded and new force had not yet arisen, she did not retreat; instead, like the craftiest hunter, she crouched low, darted out from A Xing's cover, and the energy bow, not for ranged fire, acted like a melee dagger with a condensed energy blade, slashing at the ankle supporting Na Ke Xia's leg!

This sudden maneuver was unexpected!

Na Ke Xia also seemed not to have expected such a desperate close‑range attack; in haste he could only forcibly twist his body to evade, a hint of unavoidable imbalance appearing in his movement.

"Bang!"

A Xing seized this fleeting opportunity!

She no longer held back; the Star Core's power surged within her, infusing the bat, causing it to glow with a dark‑gold light.

A plain yet all‑body‑power sweep solidly hammered the exposed chest‑abdomen gap Na Ke Xia revealed due to his imbalance!

"Cough—!"

The ever‑silent Na Ke Xia finally forced a suppressed groan from his throat.

He flew backward like a kite with its line cut, crashing heavily into a luminous giant tree trunk at the arena's edge, shaking the tree's brilliance and sending leaves scattering.

The Health Bar above his head plummeted like an avalanche, finally stubbornly lingering at the last barely‑visible sliver of red, flickering with unstable light.

He slid down the trunk to the ground, curled his body, coughing violently, the blue‑white striped hospital gown stained with dust.

He no longer tried to rise, merely burying his head deep into his arm, green hair falling, covering his expression.

Won?

Bai Hang panted lightly, maintaining a vigilant stance, and looked at A Xing.

A Xing also slowly lowered the bat, his golden eyes Lock onto Na Ke Xia, his mind still racing at high speed, assessing whether the target had truly ceased to be a threat.

In the audience, Heimu Lady leaned forward slightly, a hint of anticipation flashing in her violet‑black eyes.

"It seems the first step of 'Physical Persuasion' is complete."

However, just as everyone thought the battle was over—

Na Ke Xia, curled up on the ground, began to tremble slightly.