The morning came, and I woke up feeling well-rested. It was a beautiful sleep, but not quite as beautiful as it would have been if there wasn't something… distracting. I couldn't help but grin, thinking about how I missed Zeyna and Lilith. Maybe next time, things would be a little more... satisfying.
As I walked through the halls, I spotted Old Man Long Wei, who greeted me with a warm smile. "Join us for breakfast," he said, his voice inviting. We sat down and ate together, with Lin Mei at the table, enjoying the meal in silence.
After we finished, Long Wei set down his bowl and turned to me. "So, are you ready for the event?" he asked, his gaze steady but expectant.
I awkwardly scratched the back of my head. "Uh, yeah, I guess so."
Long Wei gave me a reassuring chuckle. "It's nothing too difficult. You're just going to fight. The ones you're facing are rising disciples from various clans, each of them experienced in fighting monsters. And..." He paused, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes. "One of my daughters will be joining, too."
I raised an eyebrow, confused. "You mean Lin Mei?"
He tilted his head with a smirk. "No, the other one."
I blinked, trying to process his words. "The other... daughter?" I asked, now even more curious.
"Indeed," Long Wei said with a knowing grin, clearly enjoying my surprise. "You'll meet her soon enough."
We traveled for two hours through winding paths, the air growing thicker with the scent of earth and grass. The landscape gradually shifted as we neared our destination. The distant rumble of a crowd's excitement became louder with each step, and soon, a grand structure came into view.
A massive arena loomed before us, its towering stone walls rising high into the sky, designed in the traditional style of ancient China. The architecture was imposing yet elegant, with curved, tiled roofs that swept upward like the wings of a dragon. The arena's outer walls were decorated with intricate carvings of mythical creatures, legends of old warriors, and symbols of power. Lanterns hung from poles, swaying gently in the morning breeze, casting a warm glow even in the early light.
As we approached the entrance, a large stone archway stood tall, adorned with gold-painted characters that read, "The Arena of Eternal Strife." Guards in traditional armor stood watch at the gates, their eyes sharp and alert as we passed through, giving me a sense of the importance of this place.
Inside, the arena floor was a vast expanse of sand, worn smooth from countless battles. The stands were packed with people, their excited murmurs rising to a crescendo as we made our way to the center. Rows upon rows of stone seats surrounded the entire area, with banners hanging from above, displaying various clan emblems. The atmosphere was electric, the crowd eager for the spectacle to begin.
At the far side of the arena, a high platform stood, where officials and dignitaries watched from above, including Long Wei, who seemed to be well-known and respected here. The tension in the air was palpable, and I could already sense the anticipation of the upcoming contest.
"This is where you'll be fighting," Long Wei said, his voice low as he led me toward the edge of the arena. "Show them what you're made of, young warrior."
The atmosphere in the arena was charged with tension as the first round was about to begin. The crowd's murmurs filled the air as each contestant was introduced one by one, but none more fearsome than Guo Yue.
A loud announcement echoed through the speakers, and the crowd's excitement surged.
"First challenger of the day—Guo Yue, heir of the Wild Bull Clan!"
The ground seemed to tremble as the man made his way into the arena. Guo Yue wasn't just any fighter—he was a living legend in his clan. His immense frame was built like a mountain of muscle, his skin weathered and rough from years of combat. The Wild Bull Clan was known far and wide for producing warriors with ferocious strength, but it was Guo Yue who had become its most notorious member. His body was littered with scars from the countless battles he'd fought, each mark a testament to his unrelenting nature in the heat of battle.
As he strode confidently to the center of the arena, the crowd went silent, waiting for him to make his move. His eyes were filled with intensity, and a grin twisted across his scarred face. His hands, thick with calluses, flexed and cracked with anticipation.
Guo Yue wasn't just strong—he fought with the unpredictable chaos of a wild beast. His clan had taught him not just how to fight but how to survive, how to rage, and how to destroy. His fighting style, Raging Bull, was infamous for its reckless, bone-crushing power and its complete disregard for precision. When Guo Yue charged, he charged like an untamed animal, and no one dared to get in his way.
The announcer's voice rang out again, further building the hype.
"Guo Yue—his raw strength and destructive fighting style make him a terror in the arena. No one has yet to defeat him in the Wild Bull Clan, and many say his punches are capable of breaking bones with a single strike!"
Guo Yue's roar of laughter filled the arena as he turned to face me, his eyes narrowing with a gleam of arrogance.
"Let's see if you can survive my Raging Bull," he taunted, his voice dripping with confidence.
I sized him up, my mind already calculating the fight ahead. The Wild Bull Clan's reputation wasn't built on empty talk
I whispered under my breath, "Their special move, huh? That's neat…" A grin spread across my face, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
Without warning, Guo Yue dashed forward, the sheer force of his movement shaking the air around him. His muscles rippled as he closed the distance between us in an instant, a wild expression of pure aggression in his eyes.
The referee's voice rang out, loud and clear, cutting through the noise of the crowd. "Fight on!"
I didn't hesitate. I rushed forward as well, meeting him head-on. The force of our collision was like two boulders slamming together. Our bodies locked for a moment, pushing against each other, each of us trying to overpower the other.
Guo Yue's strength was monstrous—his frame, built like a tank, seemed like it could bulldoze through anything. But I grinned wider as I felt my muscles tense, matching his power with my own, my body coiling like a spring ready to unleash. We both strained, inching forward, neither willing to back down.
He grunted, clearly surprised that I wasn't being shoved back as easily as he expected. "Not bad," he growled, his voice thick with a mix of irritation and respect. "But you're gonna need more than that to beat me."
I didn't respond, my grin turning into a confident smirk as I pushed harder. The crowd's roar faded into the background, and for a brief moment, it was just me and him—locked in this brutal test of strength and will.
The tension in the air grew thicker as I slowly began to inch him back, each muscle in my body working in perfect coordination. It was only a matter of time before one of us broke, and I wasn't about to let it be me.
"Let's see how long you can hold on," I said under my breath, my grin unwavering.
"Heh," Guo Yue grinned, a dark gleam in his eyes. "Let me show you why our clan is called Wild Bull."
With a roar, he activated Rampaging Bull's Power, and the air seemed to quake with his newfound strength. His muscles swelled, his body emanating a raw, untamed force. His speed and power surged, and the ground trembled beneath his feet as he launched toward me.
His first move was an uppercut that shot upward like a missile. I barely had time to react as it connected, sending a sharp jolt of pain through my jaw. The force of the punch lifted me off the ground, and I had a split second to adjust before he followed up with a vicious punch flurry.
Each punch was a blur of speed and power, like a storm hammering down. I gritted my teeth, raising my arms in a quick defensive block. The shockwaves from each strike rattled through my bones, the impact reverberating in my chest. I was pushed back with each blow, my body fighting to stay grounded.
But I was prepared.
As he threw another right straight aiming for my head, I saw it coming—a predictable line of attack, too fast to dodge, but not fast enough to catch me off guard. I shifted my body slightly, using the momentum of his punch against him. With a quick motion, I dropped low, letting the punch sail past me and then grabbed his arm mid-swing.
Using his own strength, I twisted and threw him off balance, slamming his shoulder into the ground as I swept his feet from under him with a well-timed low kick. He grunted in surprise, struggling to regain his footing as I followed up with a rapid elbow strike to his ribs.
The air around us crackled with tension as I looked down at him, now momentarily stunned from the fall. "Is that all you've got, big guy?" I taunted, my grin widening.
Guo Yue's face twisted with rage as he lunged to grab me with his massive hands. I wasn't about to let him get the upper hand.
I elbowed him upwards, striking him straight in the jaw, jolting his head back. Before he could react, I followed up with a powerful knee kick that landed directly on his jaw, lifting him slightly off his feet. His head snapped back with the impact, his vision clouded for a brief second.
Not giving him a chance to recover, I drove another knee up into his jaw again, this time knocking his head sideways, almost sending him off balance. I could feel his strength faltering, but I wasn't done.
I rotated into a vicious uppercut, landing squarely under his chin, causing his head to snap back violently. The force of the blow made him stagger, his legs buckling as he fought to stay on his feet.
His jaw was starting to swell, and I could see the frustration in his eyes as he tried to steady himself. I smirked, waiting for his next move, my muscles tensed, ready to finish this fight.
Guo Yue's eyes burned with determination as he unleashed his Bull's Roar. The sound was immense, a deafening, primal bellow that echoed across the arena. The roar sent vibrations through the ground, rattling the bones of anyone within earshot. His voice was a manifestation of the Rampaging Bull, exuding an oppressive presence. Those around me seemed to hesitate for just a moment as the roar washed over them, and I could feel it too—an unsettling wave that sought to break my resolve.
Bull's Roar wasn't just a display of sound; it had a purpose. The mighty roar lowered the defense and slowed the reflexes of everyone within range, the oppressive force making their will to fight falter. I felt the air around me grow heavy as my movements felt sluggish, my focus momentarily disrupted. But despite the force of the roar, my mind was clear. I knew I couldn't afford to be intimidated by it.
The roar faded as Guo Yue shifted tactics, his body tense with barely contained rage. In the next heartbeat, he activated Stampede of the Ox. Like a bull unleashed from its pen, he charged. The ground beneath him trembled with each step, his every move a heavy, calculated strike toward me. Stampede of the Ox gave him invincibility during the charge, his body as unstoppable as a force of nature. His immense speed and power were now his greatest weapons.
I didn't have time to move—he was already upon me. His body collided with mine, the impact rattling my frame as he tried to drive me back. His strength was immense, but I was prepared. The shock of his assault rattled my body, but I pushed back hard, using every ounce of my strength to keep from being thrown out of the arena.
In that split second, I activated Colossus Form. The moment my muscles hardened, the world around me seemed to slow. My body became like stone, immovable and unyielding. The shockwaves from his assault reverberated across my stone-like skin, but they were absorbed harmlessly, like raindrops hitting a mountain. His Stampede of the Ox did little more than rattle me as I planted my feet firmly into the arena floor, not budging an inch.
Guo Yue gritted his teeth, his fury rising as he saw his attack failing. He pushed harder, attempting to knock me off my feet, but Colossus Form made me an unshakable pillar. Every strike he threw, every muscle in his body aimed at breaking me, met only stone. His invincibility meant nothing against the sheer, unyielding force of my power.
I took a step forward, my movements slow and deliberate, powered by the strength of Colossus Form. Without hesitation, I grabbed his incoming punch and twisted it to my advantage, throwing him off-balance. His wild charge was a force, but I was an immovable object.
Guo Yue stood his ground, a wild, crazed grin spreading across his scarred face. The tension in the air was palpable as he clenched his fists, his muscles rippling beneath his tattered shirt. His eyes burned with fury, and without warning, he launched himself forward with the force of a charging beast. "Raging Bull!" he roared, activating his signature move.
His body seemed to expand as the power surged through him. The air around him crackled with energy as he accelerated, moving with blinding speed. His massive fists came down like hammer blows, each punch sending shockwaves through the air. Every strike was unpredictable, wild, and fueled by his raw power, his intent clear: he would crush me under the weight of his charge.
I smirked, watching him barrel toward me like a rampaging bull. His moves were fierce, but there was a certain lack of control. This was a one-way ticket to a brutal end for him.
As he closed in, I dug my heels into the ground, ready to meet his charge head-on. "Freight Breaker," I muttered to myself, feeling the rush of energy surge through me.
In an instant, I exploded forward, my body moving faster than I'd ever pushed it before. The distance between us closed like a collapsing storm. I lowered my shoulder and slammed it into his chest with all the force I could muster. It was as if the entire momentum of my body had become a freight train, hurtling straight at him.
The moment we collided, the force was catastrophic. His chest caved under the impact, his breath knocked out of him in a painful gasp. His wild charge was instantly stopped, his body thrown back, his feet lifted off the ground. He had no time to react.
I didn't give him a chance to recover. The instant his feet left the earth, I twisted and slammed my body into his, lifting him into the air. "Lift and slam!" I roared, my muscles straining with raw power.
With a brutal twist of my torso, I sent him crashing into the ground, the force of the impact shattering the dust beneath him, a deafening crack echoing across the arena. The sound of his body hitting the floor was sickening, but it was a sound I knew all too well—the sound of victory.
But I wasn't done yet.
I grabbed him by the collar, lifting his unconscious form just enough to see the wild look still burning in his eyes. His body was limp in my grip, but his spirit was not broken yet.
"Is that all you've got?" I sneered. He was completely helpless now, his body a crumpled mess beneath me. The crowd was silent, their eyes wide in disbelief at the brutal efficiency of my attack.
With a final, defiant grunt, I lifted him once more, my grip tightening like a vice. The crowd could barely comprehend what was happening as I spun his body into the air. "Ragnarok Reel!" I shouted.
My body twisted, and with a single swing, I hurled him down again, sending him hurtling into the ground with a thunderous crash that shook the very earth beneath us. The arena erupted in shock as dust billowed around us, covering the area in a thick fog.
There was no movement from Guo Yue. His body lay still, unmoving. The fight had been won, and it was clear: there was no coming back from the storm I had unleashed.
I stood over him, chest heaving with the adrenaline of the battle. A grin spread across my face as I gazed at the broken form of my opponent. "This is why you never charge blindly."