Chapter 97: Winning and Losing

Luge slowly walked toward the exit belonging to the Gladiators, awaited by the masses. Looking at the ground beneath his feet, at the mottled traces of this passage — stones worn smooth by trampling, blackened bloodstains, damage from blades and axes — the Gladiatorial Arena's hundreds of years of accumulation; countless people had walked out from here attempting to prove their valor with their opponents' fresh blood, and there were also fear-filled death-row prisoners forced by circumstance to fight to the death against people or Underground Beasts.

The Gladiatorial Arena had already been cleared by the red-nosed man at the fastest speed; the Underground Beasts defeated by Dasha and the others left behind only a few broken Spikes in the arena.

Luge quite liked this experience. He stepped out from the passage entrance; the round Gladiatorial Arena, the audience in the stands subconsciously cheered for him. Although most people did not know who he was, did not know why he was here.

When he walked to the center of the Gladiatorial Arena and stopped his steps, that raspy-voiced Wizard Apprentice indeed, as he had predicted, leaped down from the Noble Stand.

This outrageous action welcomed another round of cheers from the audience.

Luge curled his lip, watching the other party's light figure as she landed.

Light Body Technique? Who doesn't know it! He thought.

"May I see your true face?" The raspy-voiced Wizard Apprentice stood still before him, observing him as she slowly spoke.

Luge understood; the other party had been observing him at close range just now. This was of course not obsession with his handsomeness, but looking at his face shape protruding outward after wearing the Face Cover, guessing some things. As a Wizard Apprentice obsessed with Modification Studies, she definitely already couldn't restrain her curiosity.

"Add twenty pieces of this cute little toy," he smiled, taking out a large Magic Stone of the kind Ba'angte had once given him, tossing it in his hand, "That is two thousand Standard Magic Stones, added to the wager. If I lose, I can let you look your fill."

The woman's brows slightly furrowed, yet she slowly nodded in Agreement.

She shook the cloak behind her long robe, revealing a row of Cultivation Bags at her waist. She stretched out a hand and patted; a group of strange things appeared in the Gladiatorial Arena one after another. Among them, only one normal-looking black kitten lightly leaped onto her shoulder.

"These are my nine proudest works. I hope you are someone who can appreciate them. That way, when you are defeated by them, you will only feel they are showing you rare achievements, and you will gain inspiration from them." The woman said.

These words made Luge freeze for a moment. It was equivalent to someone beating you up, then telling you that you can learn some boxing and kicking from it.

Luge swept a glance. These nine strange things did not include the little black cat on her shoulder currently licking its paw fur. Among them, one was Obviously not an ordinary Biological Modification — a bear-like fellow with a large amount of metal objects on its body.

But these fellows were not Puppets; they all had their own thoughts, so Luge had not the slightest fear.

"Thank you for your Generosity." Luge sincerely said.

Amid the audience's shouts, the nine strange things fiercely rushed toward Luge, while that Wizard Apprentice instead retreated two steps backward, without a shred of intention to act.

Luge also put on an unhurried appearance; Foul Skin had long since been cast.

He did not understand the true battle belonging to an Official Wizard, but based on his accumulated experience after becoming a Wizard Apprentice, he believed battles between Apprentices were more like a contest of intelligence and luck. Whoever could master some unexpected means unknown to others could decide victory or defeat in an instant. Similarly, letting people know what one excelled at would very likely lead to a loss.

Just like now, the other party was obviously a Wizard Apprentice who had devoted most of her energy to Modification Studies. Her confidence stemmed from the fact that even if her inclination was exposed, those nine different Modified Creatures would keep the enemy guessing. But Luge was an exception. He didn't need to guess, didn't need to deal with them one by one, and could still take down her nine Modified Creatures. And still leave her unable to figure it out. He sometimes also felt his means were quite bluffing, looking very high-end and classy.

But if someone knew his reliance, they would target it specifically — for example, using Alchemy Puppets or some Method to control or avoid Malice.

Amid the crowd's exclamations, he walked forward leisurely. The two insect-shaped Modified Creatures rushing at the very front instantly collapsed.

The Wizard Apprentice saw this, her brow furrowed, face revealing a solemn expression, as if pondering what means Luge had used.

For safety's sake, Luge had already applied spells like Magic Skin Technique and Spiritual Boiling one by one when walking out of the Gladiator Passage. Only the overly conspicuous Demon Body had not been used.

He smiled faintly, then suddenly lunged out.

A shock from the spiritual level emanated from the two Modified Creatures on the sides. Luge's charging figure stalled, slightly dizzy, but this was also useless. High Compatibility Solidified Spell let him maintain Foul Skin even while sleeping long ago. Simultaneously, his high-quality condensed Spiritual Power also let him recover very quickly. And the Modified Creatures that ambushed him had already fallen.

He laughed loudly as he rushed toward the Wizard Apprentice.

The Modified Creatures passing by and chasing from behind fell one after another inexplicably. The other party's forehead was already furrowed into a flower.

The nine Modified Creatures with differing abilities fundamentally did not display anything before they all fell to the ground motionless.

The entire Gladiatorial Arena, after a burst of exclamations, miraculously quieted down.

The woman stopped her retreating steps, looking at him with a grave face.

He also stopped his charging momentum, walking toward the other party step by step slowly.

"Continue?" His mouth spoke, but his feet still did not stop.

The woman frowned, sizing him up and down.

"A Modification Spell with very high Compatibility?" She said.

Luge smiled without speaking, continuing to approach step by step. The range of Foul Skin was already close at hand to her.

Meow! The little black cat gave a strange cry!

The not-large black cat actually cried in a soul-shaking manner.

Luge was not intimidated. Seizing the opportunity, he fiercely took a step, about to include the woman and her Annoying little cat within the influence range of Foul Skin.

The little black cat suddenly jumped from the woman's shoulder, but was pressed down by the woman.

"I concede."

She said, throwing over a Storage Bag.

Luge stopped his steps, smiling as he received the bag. Inside were the agreed-upon Magic Stones and a sealed Spirit Heart Potion with a seal mark.

After confirming, he put the contents into his Space Item, then threw the bag back.

Before he could say anything.

Meow! The black cat strangely cried again, the cry exceptionally shrill! For a moment it actually broke free of the woman's two hands.

Only to see its figure flash, consecutively pouncing on the fallen Modified Creatures.

All Modified Creatures touched by it slowly, leisurely stood up. They did not rush toward Luge for revenge at the First Time, but gathered together to eat, lining up before the little black cat, as if waiting to be fed by their beloved cat before — only this time what they fed was themselves. The little black cat swallowed one with every meow, as if that mouth was also a Space Item.

The black cat's body also began to change, faintly resembling a struggling Shadow, gradually revealing a trace of Dragon form.

"Disobedient again!"

The woman appeared beside the little cat, slapping a palm over. The Shadow was scattered; she grabbed the back of the neck and lifted out a little black cat.

Those several Modified Creatures clearly swallowed by the little black cat also reappeared in the Gladiatorial Arena along with the Shadow shattering, and they were still intact and alive. This truly surprised Luge. He hadn't stopped it earlier not only because the Wizard Apprentice had already conceded, but also with the thought of watching the subsequent changes.

(Chapter End)