[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete":3,"chapter-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-39":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from the Apocalypse, I Alone Severed Eternity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312421,4518,"Chapter 39: 20-Sided Die: Equal Duel Arena","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-39",39,"\u003Cp>“Gurgle, gurgle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a twenty-sided die, its faces black like a starry sky, the numbers white with gold and silver edges, appearing mysterious and unfathomable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After throwing the die, Turs kept praying to Thormora in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoping for good luck this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Random event triggered…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Event selected: Equal Duel Arena”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Equal Duel Arena: Pull your most hated enemy into the Equal Duel Arena for a duel; it ends when one side dies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Detailed rules of the Equal Duel Arena as follows…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turs carefully read through the entire set of duel arena rules and finally understood what this arena was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Equal Duel Arena, as the name suggests, emphasizes equality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of their previous attribute panels, once both combatants enter the Equal Duel Arena, everything becomes identical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All six basic attributes, skills, proficiencies, saving throws, and creature levels are exactly the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since all these are determined entirely by the arena’s initiator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first glance, this seems useless—everyone is equal, seemingly evenly matched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in reality, it is an extraordinary thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s a saying: Never argue with an idiot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he’ll drag your intelligence down to his level, then defeat you with his vast experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Equal Duel Arena is exactly this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, a demon has an enemy who is an angel—the angel is of a higher level, and the demon cannot defeat him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with the Equal Duel Arena, their levels become equal, and all skills and proficiencies are the demon’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with the same attribute panel, the angel could never defeat the demon, who knows his own abilities inside and out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the advantage of the Equal Duel Arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Turs didn’t care much about any of this—he was nearly dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turs strained every ounce of willpower to pull the rules down into his consciousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he saw a rule that delighted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Supplementary Clause 1: At the start of the duel, for fairness, both sides begin with full health and no abnormal conditions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha! Thank you, Your Majesty Thormora!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was exactly what Turs wanted. He carefully considered whether he had any enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first was Fang Shi, who had nearly killed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Turs assumed he was dead and eliminated him immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second was the furious wolf in the mountains—the one that had terrified him when he first sneaked out of the dragon’s nest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That piece of trash had scared him half to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that came scattered, insignificant creatures with no combat power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like insects, kobolds, and such.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking it over, Turs ultimately chose to set all attributes based on himself as the template.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the initiating value option for the Equal Duel Arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That way, no matter what unexpected situation arose, he could still rely on his vast dragon experience to defeat his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Initiate Equal Duel Arena?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi, who had been closing his eyes to recover, suddenly saw a stream of data appear in his consciousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Equal Duel Arena activated. You have been selected as a participant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teleportation initiated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teleporting…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi reacted instantly and opened his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His weapons vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surroundings changed drastically—green bricks paved the ground, surrounded by empty raised platforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a place resembling an ancient Roman amphitheater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is it you?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi turned toward the source of the voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon Turs hovered midair, flapping its wings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t even come looking for you, and you’re already rushing here to die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi sneered—he wasn’t some naive fool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was very familiar with attribute panels and quickly scanned and understood the rules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And one rule filled Fang Shi with burning excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rule 36: The winner of the Equal Duel Arena gains one ability from the loser.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Note: Ability refers to attribute points, skills, and proficiencies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi didn’t care how Turs had obtained this, nor did he bother to investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such things always fell under the domain of the power of cosmic laws, fundamentally tied to deities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t qualified to study them yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Die!” Turs laughed loudly, his deep, stone-dragon voice sounding grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you truly read the rules carefully?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Or are you just stunned by this divine miracle for the first time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Feel it—feel your body’s condition. This is the power of a divine artifact.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi was speechless—he’d already felt it, for heaven’s sake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All his fatigue vanished; his wounds healed without treatment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly, he now had more vigorous health and stronger defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from slightly fewer attribute points, nothing significant had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turs, watching Fang Shi’s expressionless face, suddenly felt irritated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if he were the fool, announcing a truth everyone already knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, you still feel no fear because of your ignorance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll tear you apart inch by inch with my claws, then slowly sip your blood, gnaw your flesh and bones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the fate of those who dare offend the Great King of Earth and Mountains, Turs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if you kneel—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Multi-Force—Double Force】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi stomped the ground, leaping like a tiger descending the mountain, closing the distance in a few bounds to stand before Turs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He punched Turs squarely under the chin, dazing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t the end—he unleashed a storm of blows, fists raining down on Turs’s skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi had no interest in wasting words with Turs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This stone dragon clearly had no combat experience—didn’t even know the meaning of striking first or ambushing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Melee attack initiated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You deal 2.5 damage to the target.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You deal 0.5 damage to the target.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You deal 0.5 damage to the target.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turs finally snapped out of its daze and immediately used one of the arena initiator’s rights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turs vanished from Fang Shi’s sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hovered ten meters above, shouting: “How dishonorable! I hadn’t even finished speaking, and you attacked!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turs now felt deep regret—its only chance to teleport had been wasted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the arena’s special privilege for the initiator, the key move that could decide victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi said coolly: “Didn’t you hear the countdown in your consciousness? It already started—you just didn’t move.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turs was momentarily speechless, retorting: “You have no knightly spirit!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi didn’t bother to argue—he let Turs feel the cruelty of reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Turs, are you still obsessed with knightly spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t you realize you’ve already lost?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you forgotten the rules of the Equal Duel Arena?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When time ends, if neither side is dead, the one with lower health loses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And the consequence of losing is erasure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re no match for me now—you can only wait silently for death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words jolted Turis awake and plunged it into its deepest despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? Why!? Our attributes are identical—why is your strength so great, your speed so fast!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it spoke, it spat out chunks of stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi opened his mouth and retaliated, gathering earth elements around his lips to form stones that shot upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he was unskilled in using this ability, at least launching the stones was no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even if he missed, he could dodge in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was why Fang Shi was certain Turis would lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He used the dragon’s innate defensive ability well—just meet force with force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was unfamiliar with other specialties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To avoid using his weaknesses to attack his own weaknesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi used verbal traps to make Turis afraid of close combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To prevent the scenario of fighting at close range while simultaneously spitting attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a steel sword, if such a thing happened,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi, who was unskilled in dragon-specific abilities, might lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi had realized: the so-called equal duel arena, though filled with complex rules that seemed to guarantee fairness,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>actually had many loopholes—for example, Turis had wings and could definitely fly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi had no wings and could never fly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another example: the innate weapon specialty—Turis had it, and it was powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Fang Shi did not, because the innate weapon was claws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi had nails, but they were useless—the specialty did not recognize them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It directly weakened Fang Shi’s close-combat ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was still flesh and blood; he dared not boldly clash with a dragon’s sharp claws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turis raged with frantic attacks for a while, realizing it could not harm Fang Shi at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, it broke down and wept: “Why? Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m still a child—why must you kill me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why must you slay dragons? What evil have I done?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice of a child sent a chill through Fang Shi—Turis was indeed a young dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly made up an excuse: “You killed humans, so you deserve to die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turis sobbed: “They didn’t come to disturb my sleep—they wouldn’t have died if they hadn’t tried to kill me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I killed them only to survive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi sighed: “Who doesn’t want to live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze pierced through Turis, as if seeing something beyond, and he thought of many things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, Fang Shi himself had been full of passion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the apocalypse, people helped each other and formed a self-rescue organization with survivors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But abandonment, betrayal, survival, and killing wore away his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that remained was cold-bloodedness and the will to live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Turis, don’t you want to live?” Fang Shi suddenly shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turis froze, pausing its sobs: “If you won’t kill me, are you asking me to kill you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turis’s mind couldn’t process it—it thought Fang Shi had gone mad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi shook his head: “No, you will die—but you will come back to life later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a dragon with inherited knowledge, Turis naturally understood what Fang Shi meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll resurrect me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why should I trust you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have no choice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Turis chose to trust Fang Shi and gave up its final resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it was still young and retained some childish traits—like believing in others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before death, Turis spoke at length with Fang Shi, including its accidental departure from home and the twenty-faced magical dice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi listened quietly and told it many stories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You must resurrect the great King of Earth and Mountains, Turis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turis said in a low, youthful voice, flying willingly toward the descending force of law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of red light—and it turned to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi murmured: “I will. And not just you.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1702,"2026-06-20T12:43:33.559Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bc00dfdfcebdfe3567c977988b0e8f852444551d7965f648a49ee72697e96160","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-40","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-38",109,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-cover.jpg"]