AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Inside a resting pod in the Arena of Reincarnation Paradise.
Lu Feng, having learned from his painful experiences, earnestly analyzed the problems, corrected his mistakes, summarized his lessons, and finally devised a new training regimen.
Anka, relying on its exceptionally high attributes and innate combat instincts, already possessed formidable strength, placing it at the upper-middle tier among Tier 1 Contractors.
In contrast, Lu Feng himself was in the lower tier, and the disparity in their combat power was simply too vast.
This was also the fundamental reason for their previous failed collaborations.
Realizing this, Lu Feng knew that the most pressing task was to improve his own strength as quickly as possible.
As long as he could catch up, the tacit cooperation between him and Anka would naturally form.
Therefore, in the upcoming Arena matches, Lu Feng resolutely decided not to let Anka participate for the time being.
Filled with surging fighting spirit, Lu Feng suddenly stood up, chest puffed out, and gazed resolutely into the distance.
He raised his right hand high, index finger pointing straight at the sky, and shouted loudly:
"Our goal is the sea of stars!"
Anka had grown somewhat accustomed to its human's intermittent neurotic episodes.
Lu Feng's figure gradually disappeared as he entered the Arena alone.
Anka yawned, thinking it could finally have some peace and quiet and catch a nap.
But halfway through its yawn, it noticed Lu Feng had returned.
"Roar (Did you forget something?)"
"Cough, I was instantly killed and teleported back."
Anka was utterly speechless. Out of sight, out of mind, it pulled its head under and fell asleep, letting Lu Feng do as he pleased.
After one battle after another, one failure after another,
Lu Feng's combat experience also rapidly improved. From being instantly killed upon meeting an opponent, to later being able to block an attack with his spear, he could now exchange several blows with his opponents.
This wasn't because Lu Feng had extraordinary talent or soaring combat power.
It was because after a losing streak, his ranking plummeted, returning him to 158293rd place.
Contractors at this rank were all newcomers who had just entered Reincarnation Paradise, and their skill levels were generally similar.
Lu Feng, leveraging the advantage of his green-quality weapon, could barely fight them to a draw.
"Warning: Hunter has been reported for intentionally dropping rank to bully weaker opponents!"
"Warning: Hunter, please take every battle seriously. Do not engage in passive combat!"
"Which brain-dead idiot reported me?! When did I intentionally drop rank? When did I bully weaker opponents?"
"I was super serious, okay? There was no passive combat. Brother Tiger, what do you say?"
"Hoo~ hoo~ hoo~"
Anka's series of snores answered him.
With a clear conscience, Lu Feng ignored the Paradise's warning and continued matching.
He had already become immersed in this kind of 'newbie pecking at each other,' cough, or rather, fiercely matched battles.
This time, Lu Feng was matched with a young man dressed in anime attire, holding a Colt M1911 pistol.
"Brother Peach, you can do it!"
A pretty girl stood up in the audience and shouted.
Everyone was in the beginner stage, so why did he have such a beautiful cheerleader? This wasn't fair!
Lu Feng looked at the young man opposite him with a sour expression.
Seeing Lu Feng dressed like a primitive man in white, Peach felt a sudden tension in his heart, but then relaxed when he realized Lu Feng was alone.
"Opponent, just surrender. You can't get close to me."
He spoke haughtily, then struck a shooting pose.
Looking at the conceited young man and his female cheerleading squad in the audience, Lu Feng's competitive spirit was instantly ignited.
He could lose to anyone, but not to this blondie!
"Three, two, one, battle start."
The moment the countdown ended, Lu Feng unhesitatingly unleashed the Thrust skill attached to his rusty spear.
After battle after battle, Lu Feng gradually realized that
this seemingly simple Thrust skill was not merely a straightforward attack that dealt damage.
When activated from a distance, it could significantly increase his charging speed.
Allowing him to rapidly close the distance with enemies at lightning speed, it was an extremely practical and powerful skill!
Watching Lu Feng charge directly at him, Peach, standing opposite, appeared remarkably calm and composed.
The corners of his mouth curved slightly upwards, revealing a confident smile. His body began to sway flexibly from side to side, constantly changing his position in an S-shaped route.
At the same time, the gun in his hand was not idle. Bullets, like raindrops, whizzed towards Lu Feng, launching a fierce counterattack.
Facing the dense hail of bullets, Lu Feng showed no signs of retreating. He lowered his head slightly, curling his body as much as possible to minimize the area that could be hit.
He knew clearly that choosing to retreat and evade would only lead to being 'kited' by the opponent.
Even at the risk of injury, he had to grit his teeth. Only by engaging in close-quarters combat with his opponent was there any hope of victory.
Two faint thudding sounds, "Puff," "Puff," were heard in quick succession.
Lu Feng felt a sudden burning, stinging pain in his left shoulder and lower right abdomen.
He knew without a doubt that he had been hit.
Fortunately, his legs were still unharmed for the time being.
After all, if his legs were injured, severely impacting his movement speed, then there would likely be no need to continue this battle.
Enduring the intense pain, Lu Feng finally managed to rush in front of Peach.
Using the momentum, he leaped forward, raising his spear high, and delivered a powerful downward chop directly at Peach's head.
Peach frantically dodged to the side, and the spear grazed his nose as it missed, heavily striking the ground.
Seizing the moment when Lu Feng had exhausted his old strength and hadn't yet generated new, Peach was about to regain his distance.
However, Lu Feng unexpectedly released the spear in his hand. Using the inertia from the downward chop, he supported himself with one hand on the ground, his body tracing a semicircle in the air, and his right foot heavily kicked Peach in the abdomen.
"Ugh!" Peach felt his stomach churn, covering his belly as he retreated, coughing up a mouthful of sour liquid.
Lu Feng quickly picked up the spear, gripped it in a reverse hold, and threw it with all his might towards Peach.
Peach, who had just recovered and stood up, was firmly impaled.
But because Lu Feng's aim was too poor, it only pierced Peach's right shoulder, causing the Colt pistol in his hand to drop to the ground.
Don't ask when Lu Feng learned this move; if you ask, it's because he once encountered an opponent who also used a spear, and that's how he was instantly killed in one combo.
However, at that time, the opponent's thrown spear had pierced Lu Feng's heart, ending the battle immediately.
Whereas Lu Feng had merely disabled Peach's right hand, preventing him from using his weapon.
But he himself was also empty-handed, having thrown his spear.
The two sides miraculously returned to the same starting line.
Their eyes met, burning with fierce fighting spirit.
"Come on, let's have a true battle between men!"
"Bring it on! Today, we must determine who is superior!"
Accompanied by these impassioned declarations, Lu Feng and Peach roared and lunged at each other, instantly engaging in a thrilling unarmed brawl.
From Lu Feng's and Peach's perspective: hot-blooded manga protagonists, fighting to the death, their moves shaking heaven and earth.
From a bystander's perspective: two weaklings brawling in the street, slapping, hair-pulling, spitting, resorting to every dirty trick imaginable.
Time passed minute by minute. Both were panting and drenched in sweat, but their health bars showed little change.
"Hoo… hoo… I didn't expect it. I've always underestimated you, fellow."
Peach, panting heavily, looked at his opponent with admiration.
"Hoo… hoo… Likewise, you're not bad either."
Lu Feng was equally exhausted.
Peach's mouth curved upwards, revealing a cunning smile,
"Don't call me despicable. To win, I'll stop at nothing. This is my trump card, hidden for a long time!"
"Coincidentally, me too. I also have a trump card I haven't used."
"Good! Then let's end this battle with our respective trump cards!"
Peach raised his right hand high, a green light flashed, and a grenade appeared in his hand.
Lu Feng, on the other hand, snapped his fingers elegantly, and behind him, a spatial distortion summoned Anka.
Peach, who had originally thought victory was in his grasp, was instantly stunned, and the grenade dropped to the ground with a "clatter."
"You, you, you..."
Peach pointed at Lu Feng, trembling uncontrollably.
"That's right, I am..."
Lu Feng secretly gloated, thinking he had made a name for himself in the Arena.
"You're that shameless one!"
Lu Feng was dumbfounded. When did he become shameless?
"What do you mean? Explain yourself!"
This Peach was also a ruthless person. Knowing that victory was hopeless, he pulled out a small knife and ended himself.
"You're just trash who only bullies weaker opponents! I'm going to report you!"
Leaving a harsh remark, Peach vanished into a speck of light.
"Individual battle ended, victory!"
Although he had achieved a rare victory, Lu Feng felt worse than if he had swallowed a fly. He sent a message to Peach,
'You're the trash! If you've got the guts, come duel me again!'
"The other party has blocked you and cannot receive messages."
"Running away after showing off, what kind of skill is that? You'd better pray you don't run into me in a mission world!"
Lu Feng's face turned red with anger, but he could do nothing to Peach in Reincarnation Paradise.
"Hunter has received numerous reports of intentionally dropping rank to bully weaker opponents."
"Detected that the Hunter's ranking significantly increased, then significantly dropped."
"Report confirmed! Reincarnation Paradise will penalize the Hunter."
"Penalty: Hunter is prohibited from entering the Arena until the end of the next mission world."
"What the heck?! What is this? That guy was just one person, so how is it 'numerous'?"
Lu Feng was full of questions, but the next second, he and Anka were already teleported by Reincarnation Paradise to the entrance of the Arena.