BOOM—!
The exact microsecond Fei Wangfang launched his attack, the concrete beneath his feet violently shattered. Dirt and debris exploded outward as he executed a blindingly fast, hyper-aggressive forward dash, instantly utilizing the absolute essence of the Niko Style.
[Niko Style - Flame Kata: Flashfire]
It was a highly erratic, ghost-like footwork technique designed to mimic a flickering flame, making the user's center of gravity and trajectory impossible to predict.
Fei Wangfang rapidly circled Lu Li, moving so fast he literally left a trail of afterimages, like a dozen separate bonfires swaying in the wind.
The moment he perceived an opening in Lu Li's stance, he instantly lunged inward. Utilizing the [Adamantine Kata: Ironbreaker], he violently hardened the muscles in his forearms and unleashed a devastating six-strike combo in a single breath.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
A rapid-fire series of deafening concussive blasts echoed through the arena. The sheer kinetic shockwaves generated by the fists colliding kicked up a massive cloud of dust in the center of the ring.
"Oooohhh! This is an absolute clash of superhumans! They're moving so fast the human eye can't even process it! Has Purgatory's A-List Gladiator, Fei Wangfang, actually cornered the Fang of Metsudo?!" Sayaka Katahara screamed into her microphone, her voice echoing throughout the dome. "No! The Fang of Metsudo is parrying the onslaught! Facing Fei Wangfang's apocalyptic berserker rush, he's actually intercepting every single strike! Is his physical constitution also on the level of a superhuman?!"
The atmosphere in the stadium had skyrocketed to an absolute fever pitch. Despite the tournament having gone on for several days, this was undeniably the first time the crowd had witnessed a duel of such unfathomable, transcendent caliber.
Up in the VIP fighter stands, the remaining gladiators were all wearing deeply grim expressions. The vast majority of them had to admit a brutal reality: Fei Wangfang was absurdly, incomprehensibly strong.
Even Takeshi Wakatsuki—the man holding the record for the most Kengan victories, possessing a mutant muscle density 52 times greater than a normal human—was frowning deeply. He could tell that Fei Wangfang's current raw kinetic output was at least equal to his own. However, Fei possessed a level of speed, agility, and technical refinement that Wakatsuki simply couldn't match.
If Wakatsuki had to face this version of Fei Wangfang, he genuinely didn't think he had a viable counter-strategy, unless Fei suffered a massive lapse in judgment and tried to stubbornly match him in a pure, static test of raw strength. In that highly unlikely scenario, Wakatsuki might be able to secure a win using his ultimate trump card: [Blast Core].
But what currently terrified the spectating fighters the most wasn't Fei Wangfang. It was true that under the effects of [Divine Demon], Fei was a logic-defying monster possessing no weaknesses in speed, power, or technique.
Yet, despite this apocalyptic, life-burning assault from an invincible monster... Fei hadn't managed to harm a single hair on the other man's head.
Yes. The man named Lu Li, the new Fang of Metsudo, was flawlessly defending against the entire barrage while looking utterly, completely bored!
His deep, purple-black eyes seemed to casually peer straight through the very fabric of Fei Wangfang's martial arts, preemptively neutralizing every single technique.
At times, it genuinely looked like Lu Li simply raised his hand into empty space, and Fei Wangfang actively chose to punch his palm.
"The fundamental tier of their Martial Arts is entirely different..." muttered Gaolang Wongsawat, the Thai God of War, his expression solemn. "Every single one of Fei Wangfang's techniques has been completely dissected."
"It truly looks like two monsters tearing each other apart. But this generation's Fang of Metsudo... is a monster among monsters," Takeshi Wakatsuki agreed.
Under the awestruck gazes of the crowd, the high-speed clash continued for over three minutes. Fei Wangfang was already violently redlining his biological limits.
After a particularly heavy exchange, the two fighters separated. Fei Wangfang gasped heavily for air. Even with his anomalous physical constitution, maintaining [Divine Demon] for this long had pushed him to his absolute breaking point. If he continued fighting at this pace or attempted to increase the output further, his heart would simply explode.
"That's a very solid Niko Style. The highest degree of completion I've seen so far," Lu Li praised calmly.
The palms of Lu Li's hands were slightly red. Effortlessly catching all of Fei Wangfang's strikes wasn't actually as easy as it looked to the outside observers.
Under the massive buffs of [Divine Demon], Fei's raw numerical stats were currently slightly higher than Lu Li's unbuffed base state. Furthermore, his offensive techniques were highly refined; Lu Li estimated Fei's combat proficiency had successfully breached the [Master] tier. Neutralizing that level of kinetic force required precise focus.
Sensing that Fei Wangfang had hit his absolute biological ceiling and would likely die if he pushed any further, Lu Li decided to end the match. Dragging it out would just be a waste of an excellent soul.
With that thought, under Fei Wangfang's tense, hyper-focused gaze, Lu Li finally moved.
For the very first time since the match began, Lu Li initiated the attack!
Fei Wangfang stared dead at Lu Li. In the next microsecond, his eyes widened in sheer, unadulterated horror. Even with the massive visual processing buffs granted by the [Fallen Demon] aspect of his transformation—which essentially perceived the world in extreme slow-motion—he still barely managed to register Lu Li's movement.
Lu Li instantly accelerated, violently erasing the distance between them.
Fei Wangfang's martial intuition screamed at him: Lu Li is throwing a punch! His primal instinct urged him to utilize the [Water Kata: Weeping Willow]—a technique specifically designed to softly redirect an opponent's kinetic flow and shatter their center of gravity.
But his hyper-accelerated brain instantly calculated the outcome and violently vetoed the idea. Lu Li was an absolute Grandmaster in the manipulation of kinetic flow. Attempting to use a redirection technique against him was tantamount to committing suicide.
Relying entirely on survival instinct, Fei made the correct tactical choice.
Under the buffs of [Divine Demon], he activated the [Adamantine Kata: Indestructible] to brace for impact. Simultaneously, refusing to simply take the hit, he launched a desperate counterattack, throwing a vicious [Ironbreaker] punch directly at Lu Li's jaw.
BOOM—! The sound of the punch connecting with flesh didn't sound biological at all; it sounded like two steel beams colliding.
Fei Wangfang had violently contracted his muscles to maximize his [Indestructible] defense. But the fist that struck his chest was coated in a dark, metallic luster.
Even though their raw physical strength was roughly equal—with Fei actually holding a slight numerical advantage in his transformed state—the impact felt like an entire mountain range had just slammed into his chest. The sheer, overwhelming kinetic density of the strike completely shattered his center of gravity, preventing his own counter-punch from ever reaching Lu Li's face.
Continuing his forward momentum, Lu Li casually slapped Fei's failing [Ironbreaker] punch aside like a gentle stream redirecting a leaf. He seamlessly followed up with a brutal, rapid-fire six-strike combo, sinking every single orthodox straight punch directly into Fei's vital organs.
The six punches were entirely devoid of any flashy flair; they were purely orthodox, foundational strikes. But they carried an impossibly dense, devastating kinetic weight, causing Fei to violently cough up a massive mouthful of blood.
In the exact microsecond Fei completely lost his balance and began to fall backward, Lu Li violently twisted his waist. Channeling the rotational torque, he delivered a devastating, apocalyptic roundhouse kick directly to Fei's temple.
Exactly like a professional striker kicking a soccer ball, he launched Fei Wangfang's body over a dozen meters through the air. Fei crashed violently into the arena's reinforced concrete wall, creating a deep, human-shaped crater.
Fei Wangfang slowly slid down the spider-webbed wall and collapsed face-first onto the sand, completely unconscious.
"The match is over!"
The referee and Sayaka Katahara screamed in unison. The deafening roar of the crowd reached an absolute crescendo, endlessly chanting Lu Li's name. They had just witnessed the birth of a new invincible legend.
Lu Li casually dusted off his clothes and turned toward the fighter's tunnel. He was getting incredibly impatient for the real harvest to begin.
Inside his Spatial Inventory, Qiu Mo was practically vibrating with bloodlust.
Come on, little Worms. Pop your heads out and bring me some real entertainment.
Fighting in the tournament was honestly getting a bit boring. Fortunately, his next match was against the Devil Lance, Kuroki Gensai. He was highly confident that would be an incredibly satisfying martial arts exchange.
Inside the Worm's Submarine.
"So Fei Wangfang lost. And Lu Li looked completely relaxed doing it. That is definitely not good news," Edward Wu chuckled. Despite his words, he didn't look the least bit stressed.
After all, he was the strongest "Wu Hei" of the modern era, the undisputed leader of the Westward Faction. In his mind, aside from the Connector, there wasn't a single entity on the planet stronger than him.
"Fei Wangfang was still too young. But for him to be completely crushed even after activating Divine Demon... that genuinely surprises me," White Niko frowned, staring intently at the monitors. "This Lu Li... he will undoubtedly become a massive obstacle."
"It doesn't matter," drawled a smooth, elegant voice.
Sitting on the sofa, casually smoking a traditional pipe, the strikingly beautiful Xia Yan finally spoke. "I will personally handle him."
"Oh? Xia Yan, you haven't fought on the front lines in years. Are you sure you haven't gone rusty?" White Niko asked, genuinely intrigued.
As high-ranking executives serving directly under the Connector, he and Edward Wu frequently handled the violent, hands-on wetwork. Xia Yan, however, primarily acted as the Connector's personal "nanny." His main duties involved keeping the Connector entertained, well-fed, and comfortable. Although everyone knew Xia Yan hadn't neglected his martial training, it had been a very long time since he had personally engaged in combat.
"There is no need for concern. I reviewed Lu Li's dossier. He's only in his early twenties. No matter how absurdly talented he is, he cannot possibly be a match for us," Xia Yan said calmly. "If I take the field, I am absolutely confident I can execute him."
He took a slow drag from his pipe. "You must remember... we are not bound by the rules of 'Gladiators'."
Hearing this, both White Niko and Edward Wu broke into savage, bloodthirsty grins. Yes. They weren't honorable martial artists fighting in a sanctioned tournament. They were here to completely annihilate the Kengan Association.
Therefore, they would utilize absolutely every lethal means at their disposal. An ordinary gladiator might be a peerless god in unarmed combat, but when it came to a no-holds-barred, armed slaughter... no one eclipsed the expertise of professional assassins.
As the three monsters finalized their plans, Xia Yan's burner phone suddenly rang.
He answered it, his expression instantly twisting into deep annoyance. "You had better not be lying to me. Because if you are... even if you flee to the absolute ends of the earth, I will slowly peel the skin from your bones."
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