At the other end of the castle, within an equally deep corridor, almost simultaneously with Lily encountering Cham, Marika was dealing with the Stone Statue Knights.
Bang!
After kicking a huge stone statue and creating a hole, she twisted her foot and leg like a whip, striking another incoming Stone Statue Knight, kicking off half of its body.
Marika reached out directly, grabbed the ankle of the Stone Statue Knight, and swung its lower half forward with a smash.
Boom!!
The immense force turned this stone into a projectile, smashing into other rushing Stone Statue Knights, the collision of stones causing them all to crack and fall.
This was of no use.
No matter how many times these Stone Statue Knights are hit, they will always reassemble and revive, as the stone remains unchanged.
"Ah, not easy to handle."
With a gentle smile, Marika dodged a Stone Statue Knight swinging its stone sword, delivering a hand chop to break its arm, then holding its broken arm, she swung it entirely like a mountain-opening blade, smashing through the reassembling Stone Statue Knights, progressing along the corridor until reaching a large gate, which she punched open with a clenched fist.
Marika's physique is not weak, and her strength is astonishingly great. It's just stone, so of course she can easily punch through it.
These Stone Statue Knights pose no threat to her; after smashing open several corridor gates in a row, she arrived at an open space, resembling a soldier's training arena, filled with weapons and armor, with a huge battle arena in the center.
The Stone Statue Knights pursuing from behind stopped immediately upon entering this place, surrounding the entire entrance and exit of the arena like a blockade.
"Welcome!"
A high-pitched voice echoed from the center of the arena.
At this moment, the surrounding torches extinguished, replaced by extremely bright lights illuminating the slightly dim space, turning it as bright as day.
In the center of the arena, a man whose entire body shone under the lights grinned, staring at Marika.
This man had an explosive hairstyle, skin like bronze, bare-chested, wearing only shorts on his lower half, resembling a boxer.
On several pillars of the arena were posted Wanted Orders, as he glanced around with a smile: "Marika, bounty of eighty million, I didn't expect you to break into my place. My name is Niman, I'm the Sergeant Major of Anu Kingdom..."
He clashed his fists together, eyes wide open, revealing a fighting spirit: "Defeat me, and you can continue on!"
"Ah, it's a living person."
Marika smiled softly: "But I'm a cook, not skilled in combat, can't you just let me pass?"
Niman shook a finger, speaking in a bizarre voice incongruent with his muscular frame: "No, if you can't defeat me, I'll beat you to death!"
"This is truly..."
Marika laughed: "Overbearing."
She ascended the arena, saying: "So, I just need to beat you, right?"
"No one can defeat me!"
Niman adopted a boxing stance, and as Marika stepped onto the arena, he charged forward with a quick step, a fist like an arrow punched straight, "I'm invincible!"
Bang!
The fist hit the air, producing an explosive sound.
This attack hit nothing.
Marika sidestepped, her palm opened, the heel of her hand striking towards Niman's chin, "Just like this..."
Bang!
The immense force caused Niman's head to jerk upward, but that was all.
Marika's perpetual smile slightly froze, retracting her hand, she quizzically said: "Iron?"
Niman punched again, Marika evaded sideways, and in one motion pushed her palm against his chest.
Bang!
Sounding like striking a hard object, an exceedingly bizarre noise resonated throughout the arena, Marika's immense strength merely pushed Niman back a few steps, causing no harm to his chest, as he continued to advance towards Marika.
"It's my turn!"
Niman punched straight like a standard boxer, his punching speed swift, yet entirely missing Marika, who dodged his punches effortlessly, her figure lowering to evade his sweeping leg, exploiting the opportunity for another strike.
Bang!
Similarly, the sound of striking hard material filled the arena surroundings.
Marika stepped back a few steps, still smiling, saying: "It's steel... "
"Correct!"
Niman was knocked back a few steps by the blow, yet still appeared unscathed, grinning broadly: "My entire body is made of steel! This is the 'ability' bestowed upon me by the King, regardless of weight or density, I am the strongest! But you, worthy of the eighty million bounty Pirate, actually managed to affect my Steel Body, you are valuable enough for me to beat to death!"
The bronze skin isn't just color, but steel.
Steel of extremely high density!
Marika's strength can be powerful enough to cause indentations with consecutive hits.
But now this man's density surpasses her strength, and his weight isn't low, resulting in each punch generating air explosions symbolic of his punch's great power, which could be troublesome if struck.
It was at this moment, Marika realized this arena's material is not stone, but high-density steel commensurate with Niman, suitable for supporting his enormous weight.