"FIGHT TILL THE END," Li Bai declared with a smile, his eyes shining with resolve."What?" The crowd was taken aback, and even Han Xiao found himself surprised by the shift in Li Bai's expression."You heard me correctly. Growing up, I watched my brother train until he was too exhausted to move. When he sparred with my father, he wouldn't stop until he was knocked unconscious. I often asked him why he pushed himself so hard, why he didn't just give up and surrender. He would tell me that..." Li Bai said, pausing as his eyes grew teary at the memory of his brother."A man who gives up will never reach the peak; it takes just a single step to fail and one step to succeed," Both Li Bai and Chu Yang remarked in their respective positions."He told me that giving up is like walking a journey of a thousand miles and stopping just before the last step. I used to wonder what he meant, and after losing him, I reflected on that moment and realized I let him down the most. However, I picked myse
“I regret that it concluded in this manner.” Li Bai stepped down from the stage and extended a hand to Han Xiao, offering assistance to help him rise. “Haha!” A wave of laughter greeted him in response, causing Li Bai's hand to freeze and the spectators to momentarily halt their cheers. Why? This occurred because Han Xiao, who typically wore an indifferent expression, laughed—an event that was truly rare. “You’re… you’re laughing.” Li Bai expressed in astonishment, unsure of how to respond. He observed Han Xiao, still chuckling, as he took his hand while Li Bai assisted him in standing up. "It's refreshing to let loose occasionally. You see, I have a unique condition that prevents me from experiencing certain emotions—happiness, sadness, even pain. However, your words triggered something within me; for a brief moment, I felt a glimpse of excitement. For that, I am truly grateful to you, Bai." Han Xiao rose to his feet with a hint of weakness, a smile gracing his lips as he addres
“Get up, useless fool, not even strong enough to take a single punch.” A formidable figure loomed above a frail man, who writhed on the ground, clutching his gut in agony. His garments were stained with a mix of dirt and blood, telling a silent tale of suffering."Hehe, he pales in comparison to you, boss; he's just so weak." A red-haired man laughed in the background, his eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before him. He leaned towards the imposing figure, eager to curry favor, while the larger man observed with a sly grin. Meanwhile, the man on the ground writhed in agony, desperately attempting to rise despite the searing pain coursing through his body."Dare to call me weak once more, and this so-called weak manwill unleash on you a fury that will have you calling me daddy." The frail-looking man spoke with such intensity that the other man instinctively recoiled, his heart racing at the sight of the fierce, angry eyes staring directly at him."If your fists were as sharp as your w
"Ding"[You have killed an F rank Esper and gained 100xp][You have levelled up to level 1 and all stats increased by 1 and you have also gained an additional stat point with 200 system points]“System, am I dreaming? If I am not, then are you the one he was searching for?" Felix inquired of the system as he meticulously searched the body.[You are not dreaming and unfortunately, yes, I am what he was after..]"Of course you were what he was after, we have to hurry. They likely don't anticipate this assassin's failure, which means I still have sometime to prepare" Felix cut off the system mid-sentence, knowing time was not on his side. His decades of combat experience urged him forward, leaving no room for questions. In an instant, his instincts took over, hands moving with a swift precision.[Actually, I was going to say that they still don't know that I’ve merged with you so you have to burn down your shop]"Oh, you want to erase all traces and convince them I'm gone? I admire your c
"Ding"’[System has detected an F-rank detection ability ‘Analyze’][Would the host like to steal it, the cost is 200 system points]As he heard this, the edges of his mouth rose to reveal a smile.‘Yes’ Felix said in his mind while staring at Dave's hand which was glowing."Ding"[Stealing ability (1%..29%..54%..76%..99%..100%)][You spent 200 system points and gained a new ability Analyze][Analyze][Level 1]Rank: F+Cost:100 MP[Description][It allows the user to perceive the statistics of an item.]"It’s aura indicates that it is an E Rank, but the dagger's appearance suggests it belongs to a higher grade," Dave remarked, weariness evident in his voice as he reluctantly returned the dagger to Felix."Where did you get this dagger? I want to buy it, but don't worry; I promise to give you a fair price," Dave said to Felix, emphasizing the word 'promise' as his gaze remained locked on the dagger, the yearning in his eyes unmistakable."Sorry, but I can't sell. There are people after
"I found him; I need help looking for the book." Felix changed into the assassin's attire and headed to the door, shouting to the closest one.Felix used his skills to imitate the first assassin's voice; he said, "I came in and met him sleeping, and as I approached him, he stirred awake and rushed me at me, so I slit his throat.""Good, where’s the body?" The second assassin asked, so Felix led him to the dead assassin's body."Good job, wait, isn't this One's tatt-- ?" The man instantly recognized the dead assassin's tattoo, but before he could say anything more, Felix stabbed him in the head."Ding”[You have defeated a F rank Esper and obtained 100 XP.]As he levelled up, a cool stream of energy flowed through his body, refreshing him and replenishing his mana."That was quite a close call. I need to be more careful; add the additional stat point to my agility," Felix said to the system, cleaning the blood from the dagger and adeptly concealing the bodies.“Two down, four more to go
Felix immediately left the store and went to an inn, where he reserved the most expensive room, placed an order for food, and picked out supplies to help him recuperate from his wounds.Crime was the main credo of the slums; therefore, if someone showed up to an inn even with a dead body and bloody clothes, they were never there as long as they paid enough money.Felix tended his wounds and consumed the food that had been given to him. "The reinforcements should have arrived by now, but since I didn't leave any tracks, as long as no one sold me out again, it would take some time before they could track me; that gives me enough time to get my things together and get stronger.”"System, how do I become an F+ rank Esper?" Felix inquired the system.[Every 10 levels promote you to the next rank so when you reach level 10, you will be promoted to an F+ rank Esper.][You have 7 more levels to be promoted to the next rank]"That's a long way to go; I will think about it in the morning," Felix
[You have killed an F+ rank Kreed and gained 200xp and 400 system points]"Isn't that a Kreed? How were you able to sense it?" The man croaked in a shocked voice, staring at Felix like he was a monster. Kreeds were one of the medium non-human races on Zenith, but they were known for their stealth. It was almost impossible for someone of the same level to notice a Kreed. Kreeds were sometimes feared because they were lethal assassins, yet right now this man before him had sensed it and killed it instantly. How scarier could he get?"Why is a Kreed here? Aren't they found in the darkness continent?" Felix asked in surprise; even he was shocked by the appearance of a Kreed; he had sensed its presence long ago, but since he had not sensed any bad intentions from it, he had thought it was one of Connor's men, but immediately he sensed the slightest killing intent from it; he had attacked with his full strength; he didn’t even have any idea how shocking what he did was; he had just done it i
“I regret that it concluded in this manner.” Li Bai stepped down from the stage and extended a hand to Han Xiao, offering assistance to help him rise. “Haha!” A wave of laughter greeted him in response, causing Li Bai's hand to freeze and the spectators to momentarily halt their cheers. Why? This occurred because Han Xiao, who typically wore an indifferent expression, laughed—an event that was truly rare. “You’re… you’re laughing.” Li Bai expressed in astonishment, unsure of how to respond. He observed Han Xiao, still chuckling, as he took his hand while Li Bai assisted him in standing up. "It's refreshing to let loose occasionally. You see, I have a unique condition that prevents me from experiencing certain emotions—happiness, sadness, even pain. However, your words triggered something within me; for a brief moment, I felt a glimpse of excitement. For that, I am truly grateful to you, Bai." Han Xiao rose to his feet with a hint of weakness, a smile gracing his lips as he addres
"FIGHT TILL THE END," Li Bai declared with a smile, his eyes shining with resolve."What?" The crowd was taken aback, and even Han Xiao found himself surprised by the shift in Li Bai's expression."You heard me correctly. Growing up, I watched my brother train until he was too exhausted to move. When he sparred with my father, he wouldn't stop until he was knocked unconscious. I often asked him why he pushed himself so hard, why he didn't just give up and surrender. He would tell me that..." Li Bai said, pausing as his eyes grew teary at the memory of his brother."A man who gives up will never reach the peak; it takes just a single step to fail and one step to succeed," Both Li Bai and Chu Yang remarked in their respective positions."He told me that giving up is like walking a journey of a thousand miles and stopping just before the last step. I used to wonder what he meant, and after losing him, I reflected on that moment and realized I let him down the most. However, I picked myse
"Now, we arrive at the final battle of this phase, which will decide who advances to the next stage. I am pleased to introduce the last two participants: Li Bai and Han Xiao." The Elder stepped onto the stage, a smile on his face, igniting the crowd with his eloquent words. "You've got this... brother," Felix said, pausing as he looked at Li Bai, whose eyes widened in excitement. He quickly rushed to hug Felix, but Felix pushed him away immediately. "Just do your best; we are here to support you every step of the journey." Zhang He also said to Li Bai, stopping him just before he could embrace him. "Aren't you going to wish me good luck?" Li Bai cast a sideways glance at Yang Mi, who shot him a fierce look in return. "Just don't die up there," Yang Mi finally said to Li Bai, her gaze softening at the sight of his pleading eyes."Hahaha, I love you too," Li Bai chuckled as he made his way down the stands toward the stage where his opponent, Han Xiao, was already waiting.Felix
Lu Han approached his seat with a mischievous grin, eliciting fearful glances from the onlookers, and he relished every moment of it. As he reached his seat, Han Sen stepped in front of him, raising his hands to block his path, prompting Lu Han to turn his attention toward him.“You didn’t need to take it that far; what prompted you to do that?” Han Sen inquired with a composed demeanor."With all due respect, my battles are my battles; you shouldn't concern yourself with mine," Lu Han replied with a smile. Though his words seemed courteous, they carried an underlying message that clearly conveyed 'Back off.' "I suppose you're right; your battle is your own," Han Sen chuckled at these words, removing his hand and allowing Lu Han to take his seat. "I'm glad you understand," Lu Han smiled, and just as he was about to take a seat, Han Sen raised his hand once more."Just hope you don't run into me in the next round, because then, there will be no one to interrupt," Han Sen remarked wit
'He skillfully disrupted his opponent's balance, leveraging the resulting momentum to lift him off the ground. With precise timing, he harnessed the rebound force to amplify the impact of his punch, inflicting maximum damage.' Felix observed intently as Chu Yang executed his method of attack. While it may have appeared effortless to the casual observer, Felix could not help but recognize the undeniable skill required to execute it so flawlessly. The memory of Chu Yang's final punch, which had shattered the stage with a single strike, served as a testament to the immense power he possessed. Felix sighed, acknowledging that facing off against Chu Yang would be a challenging battle with an uncertain outcome. "Felix, focus. It is time for the next match," Li Bai gently reminded Felix, pulling him back from his thoughts. His gaze shifted towards the stage, where a figure stood opposite Lan Liqing. It was none other than Lu Han, the individual who had been a constant thorn in Felix's
"That was one powerful attack from Han Sen" The outer disciples were once again filled with excitement, as they were once again reminded of the incredible skill and talent possessed by the Top Ten. "Did you guys notice that this was the first attack from Han Sen, throughout the whole battle he was on defense" The disciples eagerly engaged in conversation, discussing another topic that had caught their interest. "Yeah, and Chu Yang was completely devastated by a single attack." "He looked so cool catching that last attack," some of the females said as they engaged in conversation, giggling every now and then as they glanced at a furious Han Sen who had come off the stage and was making his way to the Top Ten seats. Chu Yang observed Han Sen's furious look, which caused the others to back away from him, saying, "Nice move at the end." Han Sen walked past the Top Ten stands, seemingly finished with his spectator duties for the day, with a cold, "Not now, Chu." Chu Yang laugh
"You're up Han" Su Yang said to Han Sen who groaned in annoyance. "Is that the guy I'm going to be fighting against? This sucks, at least you got to fight someone who was slightly strong" Han Sen groaned in disappointment, he stared at his opponent on the stage before he sighed and jumped out of his seat, with his hands in his pockets,he walked to the stage where his opponent was waiting. His opponent, Chu He was a sword cultivator, someone who specialized in the way of the sword, he was also the 12th rank so he was noticeably strong, he was as tall as Han Sen, around 6 feet tall, he wasn't as muscular as him though he was well built, his dark hair had been tied to a ponytail behind him, his eyes were sharp like his sword, he wielded dual swords, one on each side, he stood upright displaying his confidence as a sword practitioner. "It's an honor to fight against you Han Sen, I've heard so much about you" Chu He smiled and gave a martial bow of respect towards Han Sen who smiled.
Back on the stage, giant faced off against giant in an epic moment, the two sides had let loose and released their bloodline power to the peak, ready to end it. ATOMIC FIST Lin Huang made the first move, his figure appeared next to Shan Ren where his right fist turned into a fiery rocket which he swung towards Shan Ren whose arm turned into a shield onto which, Lin Huang's fist slammed into creating a shockwave that slammed into the barrier around the stage which trembled and went back to normal. After blocking the attack, Shan Ren saw his opportunity to attack since his opponent was in this close range, he eyes turned brown causing thick mud to rise up from the ground which wrapped around Lin Huang's feet gluing him to the ground. Seeing his opponent now locked in place, Shan Ren injected his fists with mana before sending over a flurry of punches which slammed onto the blue shield condensed by Lin Huang's left side, punches of high magnitude continuously smashed onto Lin Hua
"He won" Wang Xiong was blown out of his mind. "Su, if you were to rank Da Ji based on his current strength, which rank would you put him?" Chu Yang asked causing his brother to pause and think for some time. "I would rank him 4th, just below Han Sen" Su Yang replied and this caused the others among the top ten to glance at him, to some it might seem like an insult but they themselves knew that it was the truth. "So if Felix was able to defeat him, then that means that he's as strong as an early Emperor and also has so many tricks under his sleeves, he could be stronger than me" Wang Xiong frowned at this realization. "For now, I wouldn't be so sure because it looked like he had a skill that made him immune to Da Ji's mental attacks, that's what earned him his victory, and a major part of Da Ji's strength comes from his bloodline ability of his mental attacks, if that is taken out of the question, we could also easily take him out" Lu Han also gave his analysis, and although t