Chapter 232: Born Fighter, Battle, Thrill!

Earth, Blood Kill City.

The arena stage.

"Friends of every race, welcome to the finals of the Extreme Fighting Tournament."

The host's voice rang out, instantly igniting the passion of the entire venue:

In the stands, members of the Night Demon race and the Giant Demon race erupted in deafening cheers, applause surging like a tide.

Accompanied by whistles and shouts, the entire arena seemed to tremble within the waves of sound.

Lights flickered, illuminating the excited faces of the audience; they waved glow sticks and banners in their hands, and some even held up posters supporting the fighters — the atmosphere was so fervent it nearly burst through the dome.

"Tonight, we will witness the showdown between two top-tier powerhouses, witness the birth of a new-generation legend!" the host continued to announce loudly, his voice trembling with barely restrained excitement.

As the host spoke, the big screen began to play highlight reels of the two fighters.

On screen, fists whistled through the air, legs flashed like lightning, and every attack was accompanied by gasps and exclamations from the audience, pushing the atmosphere to an even higher peak.

Cheers rose wave upon wave, the entire arena boiling over for the coming battle.

"Now…" the host drew out his tone, a hint of anticipation in his voice:

"Let us welcome tonight's two protagonists with the warmest applause and cheers!"

Before the words had faded, the arena lights suddenly went out, leaving only two spotlights aimed at the entrances on either side of the stage.

The audience's gaze shifted; a surge of stirring music sounded, and the two fighters slowly walked out from the passage.

"First to appear is," the host's voice rang out again:

"The new-generation legendary fighter of the Giant Python race — Phase Kill."

As the words fell, Phase Kill's figure appeared beneath the spotlight; he wore a black battle robe, stood nearly two meters fifty tall, his muscle lines clearly defined, his gaze cold and sharp as a blade.

"And his opponent is."

The host deliberately paused, whetting the audience's appetite:

"The Berserker from the Night Demon race — Iron Armor!"

Following the host's introduction, Iron Armor strode onto the stage, his golden battle robe gleaming under the lights, a wild and unrestrained grin on his face, both arms raised high as if welcoming the cheers of the entire venue.

The atmosphere on-site also reached its peak.

The two contestants stepped onto the stage at the same time.

There was no referee on the stage to explain the rules, because this bout had no restrictions of any kind.

After both sides mounted the stage, each took their place in the preparation area in their respective corners.

At this moment, Phase Kill in the left corner of the stage swept his gaze toward his opponent, "Iron Armor."

His fists tightened slightly, his knuckles emitting faint "crack crack" sounds.

He could feel his heartbeat quickening, blood surging through his veins.

Every nerve was taut and excited for the coming battle.

When the bell rang out above the stage.

Before the echo had faded, Phase Kill's figure shot forth like a cheetah.

In the blink of an eye he had crossed half the distance of the stage; before Iron Armor could fully react, Phase Kill's fist, carrying a whistling wind, was already bearing straight down on his face.

Boom!

Iron Armor hastily raised his arm to block; fist met arm, producing a dull thud.

The tremendous impact force caused Iron Armor to involuntarily retreat two steps, half a foot stepping onto the edge of the stage.

But Phase Kill's attack did not stop — he stamped the ground with one foot, his body spinning like a whirlwind, a vicious whip-kick sweeping out, striking straight at Iron Armor's waist.

Iron Armor let out a low growl, his body suddenly dropping, arms crossed to protect his flanks, forcibly enduring the blow; cracks immediately appeared at the edge of the stage.

Fortunately, he steadied his stance and was not kicked flying off.

But Phase Kill's onslaught surged on like an endless tide, fists and feet tracing afterimages through the air, every strike carrying tremendous, heavy force.

Under Phase Kill's rapid assault, Iron Armor immediately appeared flustered, constantly seeking a chance to counterattack.

At this moment, when Phase Kill's straight punch came at him again.

Iron Armor suddenly sidestepped, narrowly dodging the fist's edge; his gaze instantly sharpened, and seizing the chance, he countered with an elbow strike aimed straight at Phase Kill's chest.

Phase Kill's eyes flashed cold; his body tilted backward like a roly-poly toy, and Iron Armor's elbow grazed past his chest, stirring up a gust of fierce wind.

Before Iron Armor could retract his move, Phase Kill's legs suddenly exploded with power, his body flipping in midair, a bicycle-kick-style strike aimed straight at Iron Armor's jaw.

Just as this strike was about to land, Phase Kill twisted his body in midair, propped one hand on the ground to dissipate the kick's force, then performed two consecutive handsprings backward to put distance between them.

Amid Iron Armor's stunned expression, a hint of disappointment surfaced on Phase Kill's cold face.

Seeing that Phase Kill had actually abandoned his offensive advantage, Iron Armor instantly felt irritated — this was undoubtedly a form of contempt and provocation.

He roared furiously, both arms suddenly spreading wide, and like a raging beast, lunged toward Phase Kill.

Phase Kill's body nimbly retreated, evading Iron Armor's pounce.

Offense and defense switched.

Phase Kill's movements flowed like water and clouds, as if he could predict Iron Armor's actions.

In the instant Iron Armor's pounce missed, Phase Kill suddenly surged forward, a knee strike aimed straight at Iron Armor's abdomen.

Thud!

Iron Armor grunted, his body bending slightly from the blow, a crystalline gleam appearing at the corner of his mouth.

While enduring the pain, a vicious glint flashed through Iron Armor's eyes.

In the instant Phase Kill retracted his move, Iron Armor endured the pain and reached up to grab his shoulder; the tremendous force left Phase Kill unable to break free for the moment.

"Got you!"

Iron Armor grinned ferociously, both arms suddenly exploding with power, attempting to slam Phase Kill into the ground.

But Phase Kill's body was as nimble as a loach; his waist suddenly twisted, borrowing Iron Armor's force, his body tracing an arc through the air, then a spinning kick aimed straight at Iron Armor's temple.

Bang!

Black Tide was sent staggering backward by the strike, his head ringing.

He shook his head violently twice, and Black Tide's gaze grew fiercer, like a beast that had been provoked.

Phase Kill also landed steadily at this moment, his gaze cold and stern, his breathing even, as if the fierce clash just now had been nothing more than a warm-up.

"Kill!"

Before the words faded, Black Tide suddenly erupted, his body like a runaway war chariot charging toward Phase Kill.

The arena trembled beneath his feet.

Phase Kill's eyes narrowed, his body sinking slightly, preparing to receive Black Tide's charge.

The two figures collided once more, the sound of fists and feet clashing echoing across the arena like thunder.

The audience's cheers and roars rose and fell in waves, the entire venue boiling over with excitement at this peak showdown.

Phase Kill's offensive gradually accelerated during this process, like a sudden storm, dazzlingly fast

Every punch, every kick was precise beyond compare, as if tempered a thousand times over.

And Black Tide was like a moving mountain, relying on his tremendous strength and resilient defense, weathering Phase Kill's attacks head-on while constantly seeking chances to counter.

The battle entered its white-hot stage, the two fighting powerhouses' contest of physical arts displaying the ultimate in strength and speed to the fullest.

The audience held their breath, afraid to miss a single brilliant moment.

Bang!

Several minutes later, accompanied by a muffled thud, Black Tide, drenched in blood, crashed to the ground.

This bout officially decided victor and vanquished, and the strongest of Blood Kill City's new generation was thus born.

The bell marking the end of the duel echoed above the arena, Phase Kill standing at its center, breathing slightly heavily.

His fists remained tightly clenched, the knuckles faintly white from excessive force, the cold sternness in his eyes undiminished.

The cheers from the stands surged like a tide, but he seemed to be in another world, with only his own heavy breathing in his ears.

Without lingering, he turned and walked down from the arena, passing through a long corridor back to the rest room.

The door closed softly behind him, the outside clamor instantly cut off, leaving only silence and dimness in the room.

After a brief pause, he walked into the bathroom.

He turned on the faucet, and a stream of icy water instantly poured down from above, washing away the sweat and blood on his body.

The water flowed down over his shoulders, chest, and waist, carrying away some of the fatigue.

It also allowed his taut emotions to ease.

He closed his eyes, letting the water slap against his face, feeling every inch of his skin gradually relaxing.

"Won."

He murmured in his heart, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint, barely perceptible smile.

This victory had not come easily; Black Tide's strength and resilience had far exceeded his expectations.

Every collision of fists and feet, every dodge and counter, replayed in his mind.

The water gradually warmed, steam spreading through the bathroom, blurring the reflection in the mirror.

He raised a hand, wiped the droplets from his face, and looked at the sturdy, scar-covered body in the mirror.

His gaze finally settled on his palms, covered in calluses and scars, each one a testament to his countless trainings and battles.

He gently clenched his fist, feeling the strength transmitted from his fingertips, a sense of indescribable satisfaction welling up in his heart.

"Still not enough."

He murmured softly, his voice echoing in the empty bathroom.

Although he had won this battle, he knew his goal was far beyond this.

A true strong would never stop at the victory before his eyes.

After finishing his wash, Phase Kill turned off the faucet, picked up a nearby towel, and casually dried his body.

Then he changed into a set of clean clothes, returned to his room, walked to the window and stood still, and pushed it open.

The night breeze brushed his face, carrying a slight chill.

He looked up at the night sky, stars scattered like grains, the lights of distant skyscrapers brilliant, the clamor still going on, but at this moment he felt an unprecedented tranquility.

Every time a thoroughly exhilarating battle ended, it would bring him an unprecedented sense of pleasure.

This was a battle instinct that grew ever stronger with age.

He still remembered, when young, naively asking his teacher why the Giant Python Clan did not pursue modern technology, always wasting time on meaningless fighting.

He pointed out that no matter how strong the Giant Python Clan's fighting techniques were, they still could not withstand the Eclipse Clan's technological weapons, so what was the use of training.

Faced with the question, the teacher was silent for a long time, then said with a solemn expression:

"Phase Kill, do you know why the Giant Python Clan are born warriors?"

He still remembered the teacher did not wait for his answer, but went on speaking to himself:

"For us, fighting is not merely entertainment, nor merely glory; it is a meaning that exists in us from birth."

"The ancestors of the Giant Python Clan once lived on a barren stretch of land, where there were no abundant fruits, no mild climate, only endless wilderness and ferocious beasts. Our ancestors did not choose to flee; they used their fists and will to carve out a path of survival from that land with their bare hands. Fighting is something etched into our very bones."

"In fighting we feel pain and fear, yet it also brings us the sublimation of strength."

"Warriors of the Giant Python Clan do not fight for slaughter, but to understand the meaning of life, because we have always firmly believed that life is not a journey of ease, but a discipline of constantly breaking through oneself... Earth's environment is too comfortable, yet we have not forgotten our instincts. We built the arena because only in fighting can we truly see ourselves clearly."

The teacher's words were like a bolt of lightning, splitting the fog in his heart.

So he blurted out:

"Teacher, since the Laozu Sect likes fighting, why did they flee to Earth instead of fighting to the death in their homeland when the catastrophe came?"

He clearly remembered that upon hearing these words, the teacher's expression became very interesting.

Then he was hung from the ceiling by the teacher and given a vicious beating; after his parents learned of it, he got another vicious beating when he got home.

But he felt utterly wronged.

The elders believed he had been impacted by outside cultures like the Moon Eclipse Clan, and that something had gone wrong in his thinking.

Yet he felt he had done nothing wrong.

No matter how strong the body, it could not withstand the Moon Eclipse Clan's modern weapons; no matter how advanced the fighting techniques, they could not dodge the carpet-bombing of modern arms.

A purely recreational fighting discipline, yet every year enormous energy and wealth were poured into hosting all manner of tournaments — it was simply driving history in reverse, refusing to advance.

He felt the Giant Python Clan ought to keep pace with the times, learn from the Human Clan and other races, and actively embrace modern technology.

That was the Giant Python Clan's road to the future.

But as he grew older, he gradually came to understand the deeper meaning behind his teacher's words back then.

Combat is not a choice — it is an instinct branded into the very bones.

He found himself beginning to crave battle; with every breath he could feel the restlessness suppressed at the bottom of his heart surging through his body.

This change had once filled him with fear.

He had tried to crush the desire in his heart, only to find that the more he suppressed it, the stronger that craving grew, crashing against his reason like a flood.

Finally, during the graduation-trip stage, he asked his parents for a sum of money and set off for the Moon Eclipse Clan to seek answers.

After a long wait of appointments and queuing, he walked into the medical center the Moon Eclipse City opened to outsiders.

The Moon Eclipse Clan's medic gave him a full examination, then in a room brimming with a sense of technology, delivered a conclusion that left him stunned.

Those words, he still remembered vividly to this day.

"Phase Kill, the combat genes of your Giant Python ancestors flow within your body. In ancient times, your forebears endured countless life-and-death struggles; their bodies evolved through endless battle, their genes altered again and again by stress responses — the strengthening of muscle power, the quickening of reaction speed, the heightening of pain tolerance… these advantages were selected for and carved into your very bloodlines."

"Every generation of Giant Python clansmen, from the moment of birth, carries within them the combat genes accumulated by their ancestors through countless battles. These genes not only shaped your powerful physiques, but exerted a profound influence on you at the spiritual level as well."

"This kind of combat gene is also an inner driving force as you grow. It gives you an instinct-like craving for battle; as you age, these genes are gradually awakened, driving you into combat."

He remembered himself falling silent for a long while, then asking the Moon Eclipse Clan's medic in a low voice:

"Is this a curse?"

The Moon Eclipse Clan's medic shook his head upon hearing it, his tone firm:

"No. This is the gift your Giant Python ancestors left to their descendants, the proof that your bloodline remains connected to theirs, and the proof that your Giant Python Clan was once mighty and glorious."

"Do not try to suppress it. Try to accept it, because this power is a heritage carved into your bloodline."

"Remember, this is not a curse, but a blessing from your ancestors."

Those words, like a key, unlocked the shackles he had used to seal the beast within his heart.

He no longer resisted the craving inside; he chose to embrace the instinct on his own terms.

Battle was no longer his burden, but his mission — the bond that tied his bloodline to his ancestors.

From that moment on, he was utterly transformed, and took the initiative to register as a fighter.

He no longer suppressed his power, but released it freely through combat, letting the flames of battle burn within his body.

Every kill driven by instinct was, in his eyes, a tribute to his ancestors — an acknowledgment of his bloodline's heritage.

After that, with a talent that surpassed his peers, he grew rapidly, until he stood at the peak of Blood Kill City's new generation.

His thoughts drifted back to the present; gazing out at the night view, Phase Kill let out a wry, helpless laugh.

He had never imagined that the young self who had hated fighting the most would end up walking this road.

Just as his teacher had said back then: every member of the Giant Python Clan is a born warrior.

Most recently, the blood of battle had sublimated further.

The reason was that he had come into contact with the virtual game Monster World.

The high-spiritual-energy environment seemed to activate the latent bloodline within him; his desire for battle burned within his body like flame, growing ever more fierce.

The beast caged in his heart had utterly broken free of its bonds.

Every time he entered the game, he could feel that slumbering power within him gradually awakening.

Only now, he no longer resisted that feeling.

The game Monster World also let him see how naive his younger self's understanding of physical strength had been.

The long peaceful years and the low-spiritual-energy environment of Earth had severely weakened the Giant Python Clan's once-fierce physiques.

Yet the bodies of the first batch of Giant Python ancestors to descend upon Earth had remained in a constant state of "hunger."

This hunger did not stem from a lack of food, but from the thinness of spiritual energy.

Their ancestors had lived in a high-spiritual-energy environment; the air there was thick with rich energy, and with every breath one could feel spiritual energy flowing within the body, nourishing every inch of muscle, every bone.

The high-spiritual-energy environment also let their cells evolve again and again through battle, becoming tougher and more explosive.

Yet Earth's spiritual-energy environment was far inferior to the world their ancestors had lived in.

The spiritual energy here was so thin it was barely perceptible; a Giant Python body was like a high-performance engine being fed low-grade fuel.

Although they consumed enough food, the energy contained within that food was far from enough to meet their bodies' demand for spiritual energy, and a hunger arose at the cellular level.

This slowed cellular metabolism, and the strength of muscles and bones gradually declined.

Their bodies even began to degenerate in order to adapt to the environment.

Living long-term in a low-spiritual-energy environment, the Giant Python body mechanism shifted from growth into an energy-saving mode.

It began to reduce its demand for spiritual energy.

This degeneration had become especially pronounced by his generation.

That was what had made him feel that physical strength was ultimately limited — no matter how strong the muscle, it could not withstand the indiscriminate bombardment of modern weapons.

But Monster World's high-energy environment let him feel a comfort he had never known before.

He realized this was the power his Laozu Sect ancestors had once possessed.

On reflection, it made sense — his Laozu Sect ancestors had never researched any complicated techniques.

They had been able to descend upon Earth through a simple teleportation array.

It proves that Laozu Sect opened his path with a physical body, crossing through the spatial undercurrent to descend upon Earth; this alone shows how formidable Laozu Sect is.

Facts have proven that a powerful physical body is enough to shake those powerful technological weapons.

He had watched the recent Monster World special briefing held by the Eclipse Tribe.

After learning about the Green Wood Tribe's situation, he realized that the racial welfare easter egg belonging to the Giant Python Tribe was being gradually activated in the game, at least on himself.

The night wind brushed past his face, bringing a slight chill.

Phase Kill's gaze pierced through the city lights, seeing farther places.

The afterechoes of battle still reverberated within his body, but his thoughts had already drifted toward another world.

He turned and walked to the game pod, pressing the start button.

In reality, he had already reached the peak of the new generation in the Blood Kill City Fighting League, but his journey in another world had only just begun.

Before long, Phase Kill's figure appeared in the Misty Coast space.

He summoned the forum interface; the photo album on his personal homepage recorded his Monster World campaign journey.

The first page of the album was a screenshot of his 6-win streak at the Ancient God Arena, the image frozen at the instant he brutally slaughtered his opponent.

At this moment, his personal homepage had quite a few players leaving messages asking for information.

After replying to a few players he knew, Phase Kill summoned the friends chat group:

【Battle Without End (394 players online)】:

Blazing Fist: (Video clip) That move from the arena opponent was way too fierce, it directly shut me down. Big shots in the group, come out and break it down for me — I want to improve again.

Shadow Blade: Recently I've been researching the synergy between Qi flow and muscle power output. I found that if you compress your Gang Qi to the fist edge at the instant of throwing a punch, the explosive power can increase quite a bit. But this sudden compression of Gang Qi also puts a load on the body — if your body isn't strong enough, you'll lose HP, unless you have extremely strong control.

Berserker @Shadow Blade: Consider Brain Overclock, it brings you the ultimate control experience (silly. jpg)

Shadow Blade: Don't even mention Brain Overclock, that thing is pure garbage Painful Painful Minghun used by sissies. Gang Qi Painful Minghun is the best under heaven. In this lifetime I have no fate with Brain Overclock.

One Punch Salvation: What kind of weird thing is Brain Overclock? In my eyes this Painful Minghun has always been the bottom of the tier list. If it weren't for needing to cultivate combat skills, I wouldn't even want to socket a Qi-Breathing Painful Minghun. The strongest Painful Minghun in my eyes are only Gargoyle and Unyielding. Sanctifying the flesh is the true path, magic systems are all heresy.

KillKillKillKill: Brothers, has anyone researched prediction-counter techniques? Recently while exploring I ran into a speed-type monster, normal blocks can't keep up at all, I can only rely on prediction.

Phase Kill: The trick to prediction is observing the opponent's wind-up — for example, the slight movement of the shoulders, the shift in center of gravity. Monsters are the same; before launching an attack, the muscles must show changes in advance. I generally react 0.3 seconds before the opponent attacks.

Muscle Maniac: 0.3 seconds? As expected of the record-board big shot of our group, your reaction is too fierce. I generally can only judge that the opponent has launched an attack after the fist has already hit my face, and the target was my face (Explorer awkwardly scratches head. jpg).

KillKillKillKill: I just tank it head-on, anyway I have thick HP (eating dirt, bruised face. jpg).

……

The group chat content made Phase Kill unable to hold back his laughter.

Everyone in the group is a battle enthusiast, exchanging and learning combat experience there every day.

These brothers can be called the model workers of the player army.

Every day, rain or shine, they wait for the shuttle at the Misty Coast, looking forward to boarding the Ancient God Arena and clashing with strong enemies.

Besides the group chat he's in, there are also many exchange groups built by arena enthusiasts.

The scale of their community grew gradually larger along with the increase in player numbers.

Including the livestream rooms of their community, those are also very popular. Besides players who've been put in the small dark room, there are also large numbers of tourists coming to visit.

Glancing at the time, Phase Kill passed through the teleportation array and arrived at the Imperial Tomb Mountain Range region.

The bustle of Misty Coast is at the beach, the spatial node doesn't have many players, while the bustle of Imperial Tomb Village is inside the space.

This is also the only spatial node with functional buildings, regarded by players as the main city district among the five major spatial nodes.

Arriving at Imperial Tomb Village, Phase Kill summoned the map and headed straight for the Weapon Forging Room.

Now his stored Shou Shou Jili had reached 27,000, enough to craft a basic weapon.

As a fighter, in terms of weapon style, he leaned more toward gauntlets that better suited his combat style.

For the choice of weapon resonance characteristics, he referenced the weapon templates posted by strategy-guide players on the forum.

The weapon's main material was Dragon Blood Gold, the enchantment particles were mainly Gale Particles and Armor-Piercing Particles. A Level 2 weapon with 16 slots could combine into the weapon resonance characteristic "Wind Pressure."

The effect was a small increase in attack speed and attack damage, and it could also enhance the effect of the Gale Particles.

Spending 26,000 to complete the weapon crafting, Phase Kill walked out of the Weapon Forging Room with a silver fingerless gauntlet on each hand.

He summoned the Shangcheng interface, replenished his stock of potions, then glanced at the time.

He then decisively summoned the vehicle "Hoverboard" and headed to the Imperial Tomb Village teleportation point.

Five minutes later, Phase Kill's figure appeared at the Misty Coast beach.

The sky was just getting light, and a large crowd of figures had already gathered on the shore.

Seeing Phase Kill's arrival, players of all races greeted him one after another.

At this moment, a Human race player came close and teased:

"Phase bro, when are you going to advance to Champion Gladiator?"

"Definitely sometime in this life, even surpassing the Ancient Gods." Phase Kill answered with absolute seriousness.

"Brother Phase Kill, I watched last night's match — congratulations on taking the championship. Remember to post strategy videos more often lately, we're counting on your guides to improve our skills." a Night Demon race player shouted loudly at this moment.

"Sure." Phase Kill smiled and nodded.

As they chatted, the red sun on the horizon gradually rose.

When the shuttle icon appeared on the map, all players cast their gazes toward the end of the horizon, their hearts stirring with excitement.

"The shuttle's here! I wonder which lucky warriors today will set foot on the glorious journey. Let's wait and see — those who win, remember to start a livestream." a player shouted from the crowd.

While waiting, a flying vessel appeared at the end of the horizon, flying toward Misty Coast at extreme speed.

"Gang Qi, activate!"

Boom!

A player suddenly released his Gang Qi Painful Minghun, his body enveloped in a crimson airflow.

The remaining players released their Gang Qi one after another.

During this process, it was like showing off one's muscles, letting the shuttle's operator see his powerful side, hoping to increase the odds of being selected.

Other races avoided the Ancient God Arena's flying craft like the plague, but players flocked to it.

With the player's current strength, going there would guarantee easy profit.

Xiangwei Sha also activated his Gang Qi characteristic at this moment, crimson ripples spreading beneath his feet like blooming crimson flowers.

The power within his body surged out like a volcano, his thin martial arts uniform blown upward by the crimson airflow, revealing explosive muscle lines across his body.

Before long, the flying craft arrived above the Colorful Mist Coast, hovering over the beach.

Several traction cables gleaming with metallic luster shot out from the bottom of the flying craft, precisely coiling around several players like spirit serpents.

One of the traction cables wrapped around Xiangwei Sha, who was also releasing Gang Qi; the crimson Gang Qi collided with the traction cable's energy field, sending up a shower of fine sparks.

Xiangwei Sha did not resist, letting the traction cable wrap around his abdomen before being abruptly pulled toward the bottom of the flying craft.

"Hahaha, Laozi got picked! Stream's live, bros watch me win streak, get ready to claim Shou Shou Jili red packets in the group."

"Ascending! It's finally my turn, feeling great!"

"Combat, let's go! The Heaven-Treading Ladder campaign has begun!"

The selected players burst into laughter in the air, looking down at the disappointed players below and laughing even louder.

Once the selected players were hauled away, the arena's flight zone flickered and vanished above the Colorful Mist Coast.

The remaining players cursed and grumbled, then dispersed.

……

Two hours later.

Xiangwei Sha, who had already arrived at the Ancient God Arena, was teleported to the first floor of the Heaven-Treading Ladder's duel stage: the Giant Serpent Stage.

This floor's stage was shaped like a giant coiled serpent, its head held high, its body winding around the stage once, with a massive circular duel arena at the center.

Just then, a spatial spirit pattern surfaced on the ground not far in front of him, and a figure appeared.

The opponent who appeared had a slender build, wore beast-skin garments, had dark purple skin, narrow sharp eyes with deep blue pupils like two cold flames, exuding a chilling murderous aura.

But Xiangwei Sha still caught a trace of fear in the depths of his opponent's eyes.

That fear was clearly fear of the Ancient God Arena, not because of him.

The scan swept over, and the opponent's information surfaced in his mind.

【Black Rider (Dusk Rider Tribe)】:

Hunting Level: 39.

Target Introduction: A warrior of the "Black Rider Tribe," an invading force from the Sea of Death, possessing relatively well-rounded combat skills.

……

After reading the scan information, Xiangwei Sha's body sank slightly, like a beast poised to strike.

Every muscle in his body tensed in an instant, every fiber excited for the coming battle.

His gaze locked onto the Black Rider not far away, his eyes cold and sharp as a blade:

"Barely enough for a warm-up."

Xiangwei Sha muttered softly, the fighting desire in his eyes completely ignited.

Having experienced combat in Monster World, he had lost interest in real-world fighting.

In real-world arena duels, he always felt an invisible restraint.

That restraint did not come from rule limitations, but from a deep-seated reverence and restraint toward life.

Every punch, every kick, he would subconsciously control his force, afraid that one careless moment would take his opponent's life.

Modern education gave him a sense of being torn apart.

On one side, education told him to be civilized; on the other, there was the yearning from the bottom of his heart.

That suppressed feeling made him feel like a beast locked in a cage—possessing the power to tear everything apart, yet forced to retract its claws and cautiously spar with its opponent.

But deep down, he believed combat should be the ultimate release of power.

This was also why he found real-world fighting arenas stifling.

That feeling was like an unfinished feast—having tasted the delicacy, yet never able to fully enjoy it.

But in Monster World, things were completely different.

Here, he no longer needed to suppress his power, no longer needed to worry about his opponent's life or death.

Combat was a pure contest of strength and skill, and a thoroughly exhilarating release.

Every punch, he could hear the whistle of air being torn apart, feel the tremor of his muscles and the thrill of Gang Qi surging within him.

Only at such moments was he a beast that had broken free of its chains, free to run, bite, and fight to its heart's content.

The stage beneath his feet trembled slightly, then a burst of crimson-red energy erupted from Xiangwei Sha's soles, spreading outward like ripples.

Hum!

A low humming sound rang through the air; crimson Gang Qi coiled around Xiangwei Sha's body like flames, making him look like a war god. The crimson ripples beneath his feet spread outward in rings.

Under the Gang Qi's enhancement, Xiangwei Sha's figure appeared even taller, putting a tense look on the Black Rider's face.

"Come on."

His voice was low and cold, his words carrying a provocative edge.

Crimson Gang Qi gathered on his fist like a burning flame, ready to devour his opponent at any moment.

"Combat begins." Man Slave's voice rang out at this moment.

At this moment, the Black Rider's figure suddenly merged into the shadows, the wind whistling as it came.

But Xiangwei Sha's gaze quickly swept to the right at this moment, sensing the Black Rider's approximate position through the flow of air.

His body suddenly lunged forward, his fist cutting through the wind with a whistle, striking straight toward where his gaze had pointed.

Bang!

Before the Black Knight could fully exit his shadow state, a punch from Xiang Wei Sha slammed into his chest.

The tremendous impact sent the Black Knight flying backward like a kite with a severed string, crashing heavily onto the arena platform.

The Black Knight dropped to one knee, his right hand bracing against the ground as he slid backward several meters, barely managing to push himself up—yet a trickle of fresh blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

But Xiang Wei Sha gave him no time to catch his breath, closing in fast.

The Black Knight quickly summoned a Shadow Shield, trying to block Xiang Wei Sha's incoming attack.

Break!

The closing-in Xiang Wei Sha let out a low growl, his right fist wrapped in gang qi suddenly slamming forward.

The Brutal Force trait also activated abruptly at this moment, golden energy surging within the crimson airflow.

The instant the fist collided with the Shadow Shield, the energy barrier caved inward, then shattered like glass into countless black motes that scattered away.

The Black Knight's pupils contracted sharply. Before he could react, Xiang Wei Sha's left fist had already followed through.

A Pike Fist-style extended-arm hammer punch slammed heavily onto the Black Knight's right shoulder.

Puh!

The Black Knight's mouth flew open as he vomited blood, his body suddenly sinking, dropping heavily to his knees on the arena platform.

Xiang Wei Sha gave the Black Knight no chance, his hands gripping the Black Knight's shoulders like iron pincers before violently hauling him up.

The Black Knight tried to struggle, but Xiang Wei Sha's strength left him completely unable to move.

"It's over."

Xiang Wei Sha's voice rang out as his arms pressed down violently, his knee snapping upward to slam heavily into the Black Knight's chest.

Crack!

The sound of shattering bone was clearly audible. The Black Knight's body was hurled into the air like a rag, then crashed heavily onto the arena platform, unable to rise again.

"One win!"

The Man Slave's voice rang out, and a teleportation array materialized beneath Xiang Wei Sha's feet.

At this moment, the livestream chat was flooded with "666."

As the holder of a six-win record, Xiang Wei Sha's livestream room currently had close to 1.49 million players and spectators watching.

Seeing Xiang Wei Sha's battle end so easily, they all felt it wasn't satisfying enough and fired off bullet comments critiquing the just-finished fight.

Especially that vicious finishing knee strike—the "cloud judges" outside the arena gave their scores.

Having ended the battle, Xiang Wei Sha also ascended at this moment to a second-floor room of the Competitive Ladder. Through the window he could see the square-shaped arena platform outside, with a giant sword thrust into the ground ahead.

This place was also called the Giant Sword Arena.

"Ancient God Blessing: one-win reward, one Low Martial Soul Pearl, with 69 hours and 39 minutes of rest time remaining."

The Man Slave's voice rang out once more. After the array on the ground flickered, a crimson spirit pearl rose up.

Taking the Low Martial Soul Pearl, Xiang Wei Sha unhesitatingly tossed it into his spatial satchel, then sacrificed Beneath Di Zhao to exchange for Shou Shou Jili.

As for whether the Man Slave would notice he had a spatial item on him, he didn't care.

In fact, the Man Slave had never cared either—each simply took what they needed.

"Man Slave, I want to start the second match."

"As you wish." Already accustomed to the players' high-frequency competitive mode, the Man Slave's emotionless, icy voice echoed through the room.

As the words fell, teleportation spirit patterns materialized beneath Xiang Wei Sha's feet, rapidly interweaving and sketching themselves out.

His vision immediately blurred.

When his vision cleared, he appeared on the Giant Sword Arena, with a figure already standing not far ahead.

This opponent had a humanoid form, stood about two meters tall, and possessed a head resembling a dragon's.

He wore a set of crimson-red light armor; his skin was crimson-red, its surface covered in fine, dense scales; a pair of backward-curving horns grew from his head; his eyes were golden with slit pupils; and a wild, beast-like aura radiated from his body.

Sharp claws grew from his fingertips, with searing-hot airflow coiling between his fingers.

Xiang Wei Sha activated Analyze and swept it over.

He discovered the opponent was named "Flame Claw," with a hunting level of only 32, which left him instantly disappointed.

This was destined to be a fight he couldn't fully enjoy—the opponent was too weak.

"Battle start!"

The Man Slave's voice rang out. Flame Claw immediately assumed a combat stance, like a beast poised to pounce—body leaning slightly forward, arms hanging naturally, the searing airflow at his fingertips transforming into burning flames.

Flame Claw struck first, his body surging forward as his flaming claws tore through the air, trailing a wave of searing heat.

However, his movements appeared to Xiang Wei Sha like slow motion.

Extreme Speed Painful Painful Minghun activated.

Xiang Wei Sha's figure vanished in an instant, leaving only footprints on the ground that quickly rebounded from their depressions, his form transforming into a crimson flash that closed the distance to Flame Claw in a heartbeat.

Flame Claw's pupils contracted sharply. Before he could react, the fist had already slammed into his chest.

Bang!

Flame Claw flew backward like a kite with a severed string. Before he could rise after landing, Xiang Wei Sha closed in again, a whip kick sweeping horizontally like a bloodthirsty battle-axe cleaving down.

"Crack!"

Flame Claw's ribs shattered, and he was sent flying once more.

Before he hit the ground, Xiang Wei Sha had already leaped into the air, his knee crashing down like an iron hammer.

Boom!

Flame Claw's body was driven deep into the arena platform by this knee strike, his chest caved in, the flames on his body extinguished, and he never moved again.

Xiang Wei Sha cast a cold glance at the dead Flame Claw, his body performing a backflip before landing steadily.

Light swirled above his head, generating a brand that revealed his dog tag (Ke Bing Xue Lao Yin).

Immediately, the blood spilled on the ground was analyzed into a rising blood mist, transforming into nutrients that replenished his stamina and merged into his body.

From the start of the battle to its end, it took no more than five seconds.

The livestream chat was instantly flooded with bullet comments, as watching players and visitors all spammed: That fight felt amazing!

Ruthless, clean, merciless… The crushing display by Phase Kill made the players and visitors in the livestream erupt instantly, with bullet comments scrolling wildly like a tidal wave.

"Two wins."

The voice of Barbarian Slave rang out, and Phase Kill was teleported on the spot to the third floor of the ladder arena: the Flame Arena.

This floor's arena was surrounded by blazing flames.

Having obtained two low-grade Martial Soul Pearls, Phase Kill did not pause at all, decisively raised his head to look at the room's ceiling, and said in a deep voice:

"Barbarian Slave, next one."

The players in the livestream were all cheering.

They were eager to see Phase Kill break the record he himself had set, surpass the arena's six-win ceiling, and step onto an even bigger stage.

(End of chapter)