"Hmph! You got lucky this time." Kendricks glared at Azalea, then sheathed his Demonblade and left the battle ring.Even though he won, there was no thrill in it. He didn't feel proud about winning against a vulnerable woman when she had managed to injure him.Since his rise to fame, he had never felt so embarrassed. The Divine Talismans had played a part, but he couldn't deny being outmatched and humiliated. The missed chance to retaliate only deepened his frustration. Kendricks vowed he wouldn't show the Mystic Arts Order disciples mercy if he faced them again."Contestant number five is the winner in this match," Oron announced.The spectators reacted with warm applause.Azalea's stunning performance and Kendricks's formidable strength were worthy of praise. Most previous matches had been brutal, where a single misstep could cost a contestant their life.It was rare to see someone as wise as her, who knew when she was outmatched and chose to surrender immediately. Her quick
"The masters on the Legendary List are undoubtedly formidable. But it's not our style to give up without a fight at the Shadow Citadel. Given my responsibilities, I must take this chance. I hope you can understand, Jude." Dalen remained composed with a faint smile on his face."Since you're so full of yourself, bring it on. I'm eager to see what you've got." Jude stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His posture looked arrogant, almost as if he were taunting Dalen to attack. He wouldn't be so dismissive if he were facing a strong opponent. But when it came to an unknown rookie, Jude didn't see any reason to be concerned since it would only cost him a little of his time."Please forgive me," Dalen said casually. He clasped his hands before lunging forward with a palm strike toward Jude.Though the strike looked deceptively slow, it was actually astonishingly fast. The chill in the air arrived before his hand did. As the palm wind swept by, the surface of the battle ring f
Jude was struck senseless by Dalen's attack. He felt his life essence solidify within him, and his body stiffened. He was immobilized, and his internal energy couldn't flow properly.The Shadow Citadel's ultimate technique, Glacial Strike, could instantly immobilize its target. Despite Jude's strength, he was still unable to escape its effects."What the hell! Jude actually got hit.""That has to be a fluke, right? After throwing wild punches for so long, it was bound to happen eventually."The spectators were taken aback as they watched Jude get sent flying by a single blow. To them, the outcome of the match seemed clear-cut. Jude had spent the entire time toying with Dalen without launching an attack, so the hit should be a coincidence.At a glance, it seemed like Jude had carelessly thrown himself into Dalen's palm. But there was no denying that this strike changed the one-sided domination's outcome.As Jude's body went limp, Dalen seized the moment to strike. He leaped into
"Die!" the nine Judes roared in unison as they attacked Dalen. The clones flashed across the battle ring. They wove in and out, blurring the line between reality and illusion. It was impossible to tell which was the real one.With his mastery of the Spectral Sprint technique, Jude was already hard to follow. And he became nearly impossible to track when he used the Spectral Clone technique. Dalen quickly channeled his internal energy to form a white barrier around himself. Just as the shield materialized, a relentless storm of punches rained down from every direction. Each blow sent ripples through the barrier.As the punches rained like a torrential downpour, Dalen's barrier shook like a boat caught in a fierce storm and threatened to break at any moment."Do you think you can stop me? I'll rip you to shreds." Jude vented his pent-up rage as he threw more punches.As a renowned master on the Legendary List, it was embarrassing to be injured by an unknown rookie. If he didn't r
The venue fell into stunned silence as all eyes were drawn to the injured and unconscious Jude. Nobody had anticipated this outcome.Just seconds ago, Jude had been dominating the match. He relentlessly attacked Dalen and was on the verge of shattering his barrier to secure victory. But suddenly, he collapsed to the ground.The sequence of events unfolded so quickly that the spectators barely had time to process what had happened."What just happened? Jude lost?""That was odd! What the heck happened a moment ago?""This match is full of surprises."After a brief moment of silence, the spectators erupted into an uproar. Jude's defeat was utterly unexpected. At first, he toyed with Dalen and underestimated him. However, his overconfidence allowed Dalen to seize the opportunity and deliver powerful blows.Furious, Jude unleashed a fierce assault that left Dalen struggling to defend himself. But against all odds, Jude lost, and Dalen emerged as the surprising victor.The sequenc
"Dr. Rhys, good luck." As Dustin stepped into the battle ring, Alicia and Aurora cheered behind him. Their enthusiasm quickly drew more spectators to join in. Soon, the venue erupted in thunderous applause, with cheers echoing from every direction.In his earlier match against Bill, Dustin demonstrated his immense strength and brought honor to his nation. After winning that match, his popularity had soared. But in this match, he was once again facing a foreign opponent.Regardless of the spectators' personal opinions, they would back him unconditionally. When faced with an outsider, Dragonmarsh's people often displayed remarkable unity. Even though internal conflicts were frequent, they united as one the moment an external threat appeared.After Dustin entered the ring, Jeremiah, contestant number nine, stepped forward. In contrast to the deceased Bill and George, Jeremiah didn't act arrogantly. Aside from the time he showcased his strength by defeating Truce, he had kept a low pr
Faced with the black blade slicing toward him, Dustin stood firm. He didn't flinch or evade. Instead, he simply extended two fingers and clamped down on it.As soon as the blade met his fingers, it stopped and emitted a faint hum as it glimmered ominously in the light."Huh?" Jeremiah's eyes widened as he watched Dustin catch the blade between his fingers. With that strike, he had unleashed at least 80% of his strength, and the modified blade was sharp enough to cut through steel effortlessly. It was a force capable of slicing through anything—even a tank.But Dustin had stopped the attack, and he had done so with just two fingers. Was he also some kind of genetically enhanced beast?Jeremiah's shock quickly turned to resolve as he tried to withdraw his blade. But before he could muster the strength, Dustin's fingers twisted slightly, and with a sharp crack, the blade shattered.Jeremiah frowned. Though he was surprised, he didn't hesitate as he swung another blade toward Dustin
Jeremiah exuded a whole new intensity after transforming into a demon. Blood energy coiled around him, and his face twisted into a menacing snarl. Yet, his eyes remained as cold as ice and devoid of emotion. He loomed above the masses like a god looking down upon mortals; his presence was indescribable. Even from a distance, the spectators felt the crushing pressure deep within their souls. The sensation was so overwhelming that many couldn't suppress the urge to worship him."You've managed to force me into my third form… that's quite an achievement." As Jeremiah transformed into his demon form, his voice grew hoarse and deep.He slowly raised a finger and pointed at Dustin. What had once been a blade transformed into a withered, sharp claw. His crimson eyes locked onto Dustin and sized him up as if he were nothing more than an ant."You look intimidating, but I'm curious about how you fight." Dustin scrutinized him impassively. He had faced many fearsome opponents and would fi