Reincarnation Of The Strongest Sword God - Chapter 400

Chapter 400: A Strange Blow

After the system revealed the first set of opponents, Zhao Yueru and Cao Chenghua promptly entered the arena.

Zhao Yueru was an Elementalist, while Cao Chenghua was a Berserker. In terms of levels and equipment, both were evenly matched. Though Cao Chenghua was slightly superior to Zhao Yueru regarding techniques, Zhao Yueru had the class advantage in this matchup. Hence, the victor was not apparent at first glance. Yet, Nimble Snake and the others revealed playful smiles as if victory was already in their grasp.

Seeing these reactions, Gentle Snow grew slightly confused.

Gentle Snow had a fair grasp on Cao Chenghua’s strength and ability. Although his techniques were slightly superior to Zhao Yueru’s, there was a limit to how much of an advantage that could bring him. At most, it would help him bridge the gap between classes. Hence, it would not be easy for Cao Chenghua to obtain a victory.

Yet, why were Nimble Snake and the others behaving so confidently?

“Yueru, be careful. Cao Chenghua seems odd today. Don’t let him approach you, no matter what,” Gentle Snow secretly sent a whisper to Zhao Yueru.

“Mhm, I understand. Don’t worry. For the competition, I prepared and completed a high-level quest, obtaining a powerful skill. I will definitely make Cao Chenghua suffer,” Zhao Yueru replied with a carefree smile.

Although Zhao Yueru appeared relaxed at the moment, inwardly, she was on full alert.

Although her match was only the first in this five-round competition, it was also a crucial fight. If she won, then their chances at winning this entire competition would increase beyond 50%.

“Big Brother Ye Feng, is that Cao Chenghua an amazing expert?” Violet Cloud asked when she saw the confident Cao Chenghua.

“He is an expert. However, he doesn’t have what it takes to defeat Zhao Yueru with a 100% certainty. After all, other than mentality, there are other factors that can contribute to the result of a battle.” Shi Feng shook his head.

In the past, Cao Chenghua had been the Guild Leader of Ouroboros. Meanwhile, Ouroboros had been a Guild that mainly focused its development in Star-Moon Kingdom. Hence, as the Guild Leader of Shadow back then, Shi Feng had collected plenty of information on Cao Chenghua, and he had an acute understanding of Cao Chenghua’s strength.

While Shi Feng and Violet Cloud secretly conversed, the battle at the arena had begun.

The moment the battle started, Cao Chenghua held nothing back and immediately activated Flame Charge, followed by a Violent Strike. Cao Chenghua was like a violent beast, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.

Naturally, Zhao Yueru would not give Cao Chenghua a chance to close in on her. Chanting an incantation, one of her hands waved the staff it held while the other swiftly traced lines of divine runes in the air. When Cao Chenghua was only 20 yards away from Zhao Yueru, an Ice Sphere appeared, blocking his path. If the Ice Sphere struck him, the damage would only be a secondary problem. The main problem was the Movement Speed Reduction of the spell.

After all, Berserkers were not exactly known for their mobility.

Hence, when Elementalists fought Berserkers, kiting was their basic strategy.

Responding quickly, Cao Chenghua turned sharply and circled the Ice Sphere from the right. However, immediately after he dodged the Ice Sphere, multiple Frost Arrows flew towards him. Cao Chenghua smiled disdainfully at this sight. Swinging the Dark-Gold ranked Iron Cutter, he smashed and shattered the Frost Arrows coming at him before renewing his charge once more.

However, as if she had expected this outcome, Zhao Yueru waved her staff once more and cast Ice Dragon Blast, sending a large serpentine dragon at Cao Chenghua. She then cast Ice Wall to seal off the Berserker’s surroundings.

“Shatter!” Cao Chenghua gripped his sword with both hands and swung the weapon at the ice dragon, activating Horizontal Slash.

However, the instant the ice dragon shattered, a layer of frost appeared on Cao Chenghua’s body, reducing his Movement Speed sharply. Zhao Yueru immediately followed up with three Ice Spears. Although Cao Chenghua wanted to block the incoming attacks, the frost covering his body drastically slowed his movements. In the end, he only managed to block one of the spears, allowing the remaining to reach their mark.

-215, -221.

Two damages appeared above Cao Chenghua’s head.

However, at Level 24, Cao Chenghua possessed 3,320 HP, so these two attacks only managed to decrease his HP by slightly over 10%.

At this moment, Cao Chenghua frowned. He had clearly shattered the ice dragon, yet, why had the Freezing effect still taken hold?

“It seems the effect of this new skill is quite powerful after all.” Zhao Yueru was very satisfied with her previous attack. Ice Dragon Blast was the Advanced Skill Zhao Yueru had recently learned.

Opponents could defend against ordinary spells. However, Ice Dragon Blast was slightly different. Even if her opponent blocked the attack it, although it would not deal any damage, it would still inflict a speed reduction effect lasting 5 seconds. When used against classes with low mobility like the Berserker, it was extremely useful.

Now that Cao Chenghua’s speed had fallen, Zhao Yueru would take advantage of it. First, she cast Frozen Circle, freezing the slowed Cao Chenghua. A magic array then appeared by Zhao Yueru’s side, and five fireballs the size of washbasins circled the Elementalist.

“Go!”

Zhao Yueru cast Flame Barrage and bombarded Cao Chenghua with attacks.

Ice Spear was a fast attack spell. It possessed speed, but not power. Hence, the two previous attacks had merely been a scratch to Cao Chenghua. However, Flame Barrage was different. If all five fireballs struck the Guild Leader, he would lose over half of his HP.

At this moment, Cao Chenghua was still frozen in place, unable to move. He could not dodge the bombardment of the five incoming Great Fireballs.

“Good! We’ve won!” Fierce Snake shouted excitedly.

Just before the five Great Fireballs struck Cao Chenghua, however, the Berserker’s skin suddenly flushed red, and his body seemed to grow. The layer of frost binding his legs instantly shattered. Nobody would have thought that Cao Chenghua had learned a control removal skill.

In the next moment, Cao Chenghua released a thundering roar. He then brandished his greatsword with both hands as he charged at the nearest Great Fireball. With a slash of his sword, Cao Chenghua split the spell in half. Meanwhile, the remaining four Great Fireballs merely rubbed past Cao Chenghua’s body, each dealing slightly over -100 damage.

After breaking through Zhao Yueru’s Flame Barrage, the distance between Cao Chenghua and Zhao Yueru was only eight yards. Launching himself into the air, Cao Chenghua activated Death Leap and arrived by Zhao Yueru’s side. He followed up with a Thunderclap before twisting his body and using Cleave. In a panic, Zhao Yueru hurriedly used Blink. However, she was too late. Not only had Thunderclap reduced her speed, but she also took the full brunt of Cao Chenghua’s Cleave.

Instantly, Zhao Yueru’s HP of over 2,600 points fell to around 1,700 points. Fortunately, Zhao Yueru had kept Magic Shield active, absorbing a certain amount of damage. Otherwise, Cao Chenghua’s Cleave would have destroyed at least half of her HP.

However, just after Zhao Yueru used Blink to pull a distance of 15 yards between Cao Chenghua and herself, the Berserker used Charge for the second time, approaching the Elementalist at high speeds.

Zhao Yueru waved her staff, sending out multiple Ice Spears. Facing these attacks, Cao Chenghua had no choice but to defend himself with his greatsword, slowing him down. Meanwhile, Zhao Yueru took this chance to widen the gap between them further, not forgetting to use control skills like Ice Wall and Ice Sphere while she made her escape.

However, due to the debuff from Thunderclap, Zhao Yueru’s Movement Speed had greatly reduced.

Meanwhile, ever since Cao Chenghua’s body had increased in size, he had been able to shrug off control effects. After fending off Zhao Yueru’s attacks, he charged at the Elementalist and activated Trisecting Slash. Three crescent-shaped blades of light flew at Zhao Yueru. Zhao Yueru used Frost Shield to block the attacks, taking the chance to jump away and dodge Cao Chenghua’s Trisecting Slash.

However, as if he had predicted what Zhao Yueru would do, Cao Chenghua charged towards her new position, swinging his greatsword violently.

Horizontal Slash!

Zhao Yueru knew that she could not avoid this attack. Blink was still on Cooldown; she needed a little more time before she could use it again. With no other choice, she could only block the attack with her staff.

Although mages had low Strength, they could still use their weapons to block attacks, reducing the damage received. Not to mention, she still had Magic Shield. As long as she endured a few hits, she could use Blink to escape. Normally, control skills like the one Cao Chenghua had used did not possess a very long duration.

Moreover, Zhao Yueru had already seen through the trajectory of Cao Chenghua’s attack. She could easily angle her staff to utilize the force of the impact to pull away from Cao Chenghua.

However, after Cao Chenghua’s Iron Cutter landed on her staff, Zhao Yueru did not feel any force transmitted to her hands.

Instead, the greatsword appeared at Zhao Yueru’s side. Cao Chenghua’s attack shattered the Magic Shield and struck Zhao Yueru viciously.

Chapter 401: Omnivision

What happened?

Gentle Snow, who watched the fight from the spectator stands, focused on Cao Chenghua, her mind replaying Cao Chenghua’s last attack.

No matter how she looked at it, Zhao Yueru had blocked the attack. Yet, somehow, Cao Chenghua’s sword had appeared somewhere completely different.

It was like a magical sword.

Zhao Yueru was just as confused. She could not understand what had happened. However, she no longer had the time to think on it.

Cao Chenghua’s attack dealt -1,241 damage, reducing Zhao Yueru’s originally low HP to 470 points. If she suffered another attack, she would die.

Mages were especially weak in terms of Defense, Strength, and Agility. If a melee class like the Berserker close in on a mage, only tragedy awaited them.

Zhao Yueru instinctively used Flame Circle, a type of instantaneous activation spell. Immediately, a ring of flame expanded outwards, forcing her enemies to retreat.

Cao Chenghua remained unfazed by the incoming flames as he swung his greatsword down at them.

Boom!

Cao Chenghua’s greatsword sliced apart the ring of flame. However, he was still forced to take a step back due to the resulting impact, abruptly stopping his attack momentum.

Taking this chance, Zhao Yueru retreated while pelting Cao Chenghua with Frost Arrows.

“Don’t even think of escaping!” Cao Chenghua roared. Enduring the attacks from the Frost Arrows, he sent a Horizontal Sweep at Zhao Yueru.

Zhao Yueru used her staff to defend once more.

This time, Zhao Yueru focused on the greatsword, devoting her full attention to determining the weapon’s trajectory.

Just as Iron Cutter was about to land, Zhao Yueru quickly shifted her staff to block the attack.

Cao Chenghua, however, simply revealed a mocking smile as he focused all his power into his slash.

Once again, something strange occurred…

Cao Chenghua’s Iron Cutter suddenly disappeared before reappearing and striking Zhao Yueru’s blindspot.

Before Zhao Yueru realized what had happened, her body was on the ground, her vision darkening.

“Zhao Yueru, do you understand now? Only by following me will you have a bright future ahead of you,” Cao Chenghua said as he looked down at Zhao Yueru’s fallen body.

Zhao Yueru wanted to rise and retaliate. Unfortunately, her HP had already fallen to zero…

Victor in the first match: Cao Chenghua!

Meanwhile, not only had Zhao Yueru lost a level after dying, but she had also dropped a piece of her equipment and lost a significant amount of Skill Proficiency.

After resurrecting, Zhao Yueru walked up to Gentle Snow, her disappointment written all over her face. Feeling deeply ashamed, she said, “Snow, I’m sorry…”

Her loss had undoubtedly increased the burden on the later fights. After all, out of the next four matches, they needed to win three to win this competition.

“It’s not your fault. Cao Chenghua hid his strength too well. Not only did he learn a control removal skill, but he also learned a new, mysterious skill. There is nothing wrong with losing to him,” Gentle Snow comforted. “Leave the rest to me.”

“Mhm.” Zhao Yueru silently nodded, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

Although Gentle Snow had consoled her, she could not forgive herself. What frustrated her the most was the fact that she didn’t even know how she had lost.

Shi Feng, who had observed the fight from a distance, was similarly surprised.

Since when had Cao Chenghua become so strong?

Thinking back to Cao Chenghua and his team’s expressions, Shi Feng finally understood why they had been so confident in Cao Chenghua’s victory.

“Big Brother Ye Feng, do you know what sort of skill this Cao Chenghua used? Even after watching the match, I still failed to discern the attack pattern of that strike of his. Cao Chenghua’s attack clearly wasn’t that fast, yet, his blade had suddenly vanished and reappeared somewhere else. How can anybody block such an attack?” Violet Cloud was curious about Cao Chenghua’s previous attacks.

If Cao Chenghua possessed such a strange skill, then one could only kite him and kill him from a distance.

“Did you think that was a skill?” Shi Feng chuckled.

“Was it not a Berserker’s skill?” Violet Cloud asked, surprise filling her face.

Shi Feng shook his head, explaining, “That isn’t an in-game skill. Rather, it is a martial arts technique.”

“A martial arts technique?” Violet Cloud gaped. If anyone else had said these words, she would suspect that they were boasting. However, if they came from Shi Feng, they must be true.

“Cao Chenghua used a technique similar to rock-paper-scissors, using ‘scissors’ before he took action. Zhao Yueru, upon noticing Cao Chenghua was about to use ‘scissors,’ naturally chose ‘rock.’ However, before the two clashed, Cao Chenghua suddenly changed to ‘paper.’. So, Cao Chenghua won, while Zhao Yueru could not figure out how Cao Chenghua had used ‘paper.’

“That’s the general idea of this technique. Although it sounds easy theoretically, it is actually quite difficult to pull off.

“One needs to have learned Omnivision and carefully observe their opponent. However, I’m not referring the ordinary observations we make. One needs to see the whole picture, looking at everything objectively without bias to gain insight into the enemy’s actions. When Cao Chenghua had attacked earlier, he had analyzed Zhao Yueru’s actions, her body’s movements, defensive positions, everything. Hence, when Zhao Yueru was about to defend herself, Cao Chenghua changed the trajectory of his attack, striking Zhao Yueru’s blindspot. By the time Zhao Yueru reacted, she had already taken damage.

“Of course, when Cao Chenghua swung his greatsword, he had also used a technique called Second Acceleration. When he swung his greatsword, he had not attacked with his full power, using only around 40%. Only when he changed his attack’s trajectory did he use his full power. Such a sudden acceleration leaves an after-image, causing one to think that the greatsword still followed its original trajectory. So, when you saw Cao Chenghua’s sword suddenly vanish, what you actually saw was a false image produced by your mind.

“Zhao Yueru does not possess such combat experience, and she has no martial arts training. It is only natural that she lost.”

A realization struck Violet Cloud as she listened to Shi Feng’s explanation.

After hearing Shi Feng, Violet Cloud felt as if a door had opened within her, and she had discovered a whole new world beyond that threshold.

So, players could use such techniques in battle…

As Violet Cloud recovered from her shock, a new thought suddenly popped into her mind.

Since Big Brother Ye Feng can explain it in such detail, does that mean that Big Brother Ye Feng knows how to do it as well?

The thought excited the young Cleric.

As Shi Feng and Violet Cloud discussed the fight among themselves, the system revealed the next pair of combatants.

Shi Feng then shifted his gaze to the electronic display above the arena.

Second match: Gentle Snow vs. Blackhearted Arrow.

Gentle Snow was a Berserker, while Blackhearted Arrow was a Ranger. Comparing classes, Berserkers were the more dominant of the two classes. Although Rangers had some close combat capabilities, their advantage lay in their ultra-long-range attacks. They were more suited for fighting in jungles or forests. In this arena with limited space and no obstacles to use as a cover, Rangers were at a disadvantage. Furthermore, Gentle Snow’s techniques were stronger than Blackhearted Arrow’s.

Despite being in such a disadvantageous position, however, Blackhearted Arrow was still very calm. There was even a hint of scorn in his eyes, his gaze void of the respect he had shown Gentle Snow in the past.

When both fighters entered the arena, the countdown for the battle began.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

Start!

Blackhearted Arrow immediately spun around and activated Wind Chaser, intending to increase the distance between him and his opponent.

However, Gentle Snow’s first attack stunned everyone present.

Chapter 402: The Terrifying War Goddess

“What is Gentle Snow trying to do?”

Everyone in the spectator stands was baffled.

Even Zhao Yueru, who was very familiar with Gentle Snow, was dumbfounded by her friend’s actions.

Gentle Snow had thrown her blue greatsword the moment the battle started.

Any player who lost their main weapons was tantamount to a beast without its claws and fangs. Yet, Gentle Snow took the initiative to discard her main weapon in order to attack her enemy…?

Berserkers were not ranged fighters. Although the greatsword she threw possessed some power, its attack pattern was very straightforward. The greatsword was not very fast, so players could easily dodge it.

Meanwhile, if Gentle Snow lost her main weapon, she could not attack or defend. If she relied solely on a Berserker’s mobility and dodging capabilities, an expert Ranger like Blackhearted Arrow could defeat her effortlessly.

Zhao Yueru’s loss had already forced Gentle Snow to the edge of the cliff, and she could not afford carelessness in the second match. If Gentle Snow lost her match as well, their hopes of victory would be dashed.

“It seems that Zhao Yueru’s loss was quite a blow to Gentle Snow.”

“Why is she acting so impulsively?”

Many of the Elders who silently supported Gentle Snow lamented at this sight.

Before this battle had even begun, the victor of both this match and this competition had been determined. If even Gentle Snow lost, the other members of her team didn’t have a prayer. The only person who had a chance at victory was Fierce Snake. However, Cao Chenghua still had Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake fighting for him. As for War Wolf, even Cao Chenghua treated the Shield Warrior respectfully. The man must be astonishingly powerful.

In the arena, Blackhearted Arrow discovered the blue greatsword soaring towards him. He grinned.

Gentle Snow, you’re seeking death; don’t blame me for being merciless.

Blackhearted Arrow immediately adjusted his footwork. Side-stepping, he twisted slightly. His movements were incredibly subtle, and his dodging techniques were reminiscent of a martial arts master. In the next moment, Gentle Snow’s Blue Sky flew past Blackhearted Arrow, missing his side by a few centimeters.

At this moment, Blackhearted Arrow revealed a savage expression. Whenever he had fought Gentle Snow in the past, the latter would always beat him into a pulp. Even today, he was not absolutely confident that he could triumph over the Snow Goddess. However, she had foolishly thrown her greatsword, assuming that he couldn’t dodge it. Now that she no longer had her main weapon, she could not deflect his rain of arrows.

Blackhearted Arrow retrieved the deep-blue longbow from his back and retrieved the precious Wind Breaking Arrows from his bag. He then nocked the arrows, aimed at Gentle Snow, and drew his bow into a full moon.

Wind Breaking Arrows. There was also an additional Knockback effect when the arrow hit its target. Furthermore, the bow Blackhearted Arrow used, Blue Wings, had an effect that increased an arrow’s speed by an additional 15%. Compiling both of these effects, even an agility-focused Assassin would struggle to dodge his attacks. At most, they could use their weapons to deflect the arrows.

Previously, Blackhearted Arrow had tested the Wind Breaking Arrows with Nimble Snake. Within 20 yards, even with Nimble Snake’s skills and extremely fast reaction speed, he could only use his daggers to defend himself against the arrows. Hence, there was no way a low-Agility and unarmed Berserker could protect herself from them.

This was one of the reasons why Blackhearted Arrow was confident that he would defeat Gentle Snow.

Just as Blackhearted Arrow was about to fire three Wind Breaking Arrows at Gentle Snow, the Snow Goddess suddenly revealed a faint smile.

“Watch how I’ll get rid of…

“Ah!”

Blackhearted Arrow suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back, and he plunged, face-first into the ground. A damage of -1,342 appeared above his head, his HP decreasing by almost half.

Blackhearted Arrow’s mind was blank as his body fell to the ground.

What happened?

Hadn’t he been the one attacking? How had he fallen?

There was even an additional Heavily Injured debuff on him now; his Movement Speed and Attack Speed had decreased by 20% for six seconds.

Moreover, by the time he looked up, the blue greatsword Gentle Snow had thrown had somehow returned to her, and the Berserker was charging at him.

Wasn’t that Death Throw? When did Gentle Snow learn it? Moreover, the skill’s level has actually reached Tier 1. Is it an innate __skill of her weapon? With his wealth of experience, Shi Feng had immediately discerned the skill Gentle Snow had used.

Death Throw was not a skill unique to Berserkers. Rather, it was a Special Skill with a two-staged attack.

Those unaware of this skill would simply think that Gentle Snow had thrown her weapon. However, Death Throw basically made her weapon boomerang. Normally, after players dodged the first attack, they would launch a counterattack, failing to notice the second attack from behind. Moreover, Death Throw’s second attack contained far more speed and destructive power than the first. At Tier 0, Death Throw would inflict a Heavily Injured debuff upon hitting the target. It was even more powerful at Tier 1. This two-staged attack fooled many players, and as a result, they would lose their lives.

Blackhearted Arrow knew that he was in danger at the moment. However, Gentle Snow was still more than 10 yards from him. Hurriedly, he climbed up from the ground, intending to escape while firing the Wind Breaking Arrows at Gentle Snow, knocking her back.

However, the moment Blackhearted Arrow stood, he suddenly discovered Gentle Snow slashing down her blue greatsword despite the distance between them. In the next moment, over a dozen blue wind blades flew towards him.

With both his Movement Speed and Attack Speed reduced, Blackhearted Arrow would have a difficult time blocking or dodging. The Ranger immediately released an angry bellow, intending to activate a lifesaving skill, Backward Jump. However…

“Why can’t I use any of my skills?!” Blackhearted Arrow discovered that he could not use Backward Jump. He then looked at the blue wind blades that were suddenly before him, crying out in confusion.

Shua… Shua… Shua…

The dozen or so wind blades shredded Blackhearted Arrow’s body and damages over -300 appeared above his head, one after another. In the end, his HP fell to zero. As the Ranger’s body transformed into particles of light, a deep-blue longbow had been left behind in his place.

Victor of the second match: Gentle Snow!

Cao Chenghua, his teammates, as well as the Elders of Ouroboros standing at the spectator stands, were dumbfounded.

Gentle Snow had only used two moves to defeat Blackhearted Arrow, Ouroboros’s Third Branch Leader. It was simply unbelievable.

“Is this her true strength?” Cao Chenghua watched Gentle Snow’s figure as she departed from the arena with a grim expression.

Fortunately, Gentle Snow’s opponent had been Blackhearted Arrow, the weakest of the five on Cao Chenghua’s team. If she had fought anyone else this round, Gentle Snow might have had a chance of becoming the victor of this competition and the Guild Leader of Ouroboros.

“Big Brother Ye Feng, Big Sis Snow is so amazing! She took out an expert with just two moves!” Violet Cloud exclaimed with awe.

“Indeed.” Shi Feng nodded, smiling faintly.

Blackhearted Arrow did not know that, if struck by the Tier 1 Death Throw, players would also suffer a Silence effect, which prevented them from using any skills for a short time. This was why the skill was known as the Death Throw.

Gentle Snow’s brilliant victory had undeniably increased the morale of her team. They now only needed to win two of the three remaining matches. Moreover, Gentle Snow’s intense domination had given the opposition some pause.

Just as Zhao Yueru and Fierce Snake celebrated Gentle Snow’s victory…

The next combatants were announced.

Chapter 403: Boiling Fury

Cao Chenghua’s team, who had fallen silent due to Gentle Snow’s display, suddenly smiled upon seeing the names for the third match.

Third match: Fierce Snake vs. War Wolf!

Fierce Snake was a Berserker, while War Wolf was a Shield Warrior. Regarding combat power, Berserkers held the advantage over Shield Warriors. However, Shield Warriors possessed high HP and Defense, as well as plenty of lifesaving skills, making them far more difficult to deal with than other classes.

In general, neither class had an edge over the other. Hence, the players’ techniques would determine the outcome of this third match.

Gentle Snow looked at the Shield Warrior who had remained silent and calm throughout the competition. Despite doing nothing, War Wolf exuded a faint pressure that made one unconsciously distance themselves from him.

No matter how Gentle Snow examined War Wolf, she could never mistake him for an ordinary expert. Even her core team’s MT, Ghost Chop, had admitted that he had only started playing a Shield Warrior because of this man. Furthermore, Cao Chenghua and the rest of his team treated War Wolf with great respect. This showed that War Wolf’s standards were top-tier, and he should not be any weaker than Nimble Snake.

Of the Twelve Apostles, Soaring Snake ranked first, Nimble Snake ranked third, and Fierce Snake ranked ninth. If Fierce Snake fought Nimble Snake, his chances of victory only hovered between 30% and 40%.

If War Wolf was stronger than Nimble Snake and was about equal to Soaring Snake, then Fierce Snake’s chances of victory were only around 20% to 30%.

However, War Wolf did not play a damage-dealing class; his attacks would not be very powerful. On the other hand, a Berserker also wore plate armor. Unlike leather and cloth armor classes, Berserkers would not die so easily. Knowing this, War Wolf was prepared to fight a battle of attrition and slowly exhaust Fierce Snake to death. After all, that was the Shield Warriors’ specialty.

“Fierce Snake, your opponent is not simple. Make sure you don’t cross swords with him for too long and give him any openings,” Gentle Snow whispered a reminder to Fierce Snake. She then took a gold-rimmed skill book from her bag, carefully handing it to Fierce Snake, saying, “Learn this skill. If you use it at a crucial moment, you might defeat him.”

Fierce Snake’s heart pounded the moment he read the introduction of this skill book.

This skill book was an extremely rare burst skill for Berserkers, Boiling Fury. For a short time, the skill increased the player’s damage by 40%, Strength by 15%, and Attack Speed by 30%. Moreover, the less HP the player had, the faster their Attack Speed would become. To a Berserker, this skill book’s value far surpassed that of one or two Dark Gold Weapons.

“Big Sis Snow, Boiling Fury is too valuable. I can’t learn it,” Fierce Snake said, shaking his head.

“War Wolf will not be easy to deal with, and you know this. You don’t want me to lose, right?” Worried that a powerful enemy would appear, Gentle Snow had prepared for this competition. As the Underground Arena prohibited players from using any tools, the only way to raise a player’s combat power was to learn new and powerful skills. Boiling Fury was one such skill Gentle Snow had prepared. She also had another Advanced Skill for Nimble Snake. Unfortunately, that skill book would not come into play during these matches.

Sitting a short distance away, Shi Feng was slightly surprised upon seeing the skill book Gentle Snow passed to Fierce Snake.

Gentle Snow had actually obtained such a super-rare skill book.

Boiling Fury would only drop from High Lords ranked Field Bosses, and its drop-rate was 2%. One needed immense luck in order to obtain it.

“I understand.

“I will not lose.”

Fierce Snake nodded and chose to learn Boiling Fury. He then watched the thin War Wolf walk into the arena, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

Originally, he only had a 30% chance of defeating the Shield Warrior. Now that he had obtained Boiling Fury, he had a 70% certainty of coming out victorious.

Following which, Fierce Snake also entered the arena.

“Snow, you’re simply too amazing! I can’t believe you had something so powerful hidden! Fierce Snake will win for sure!” Zhao Yueru hugged Gentle Snow excitedly, her previous depressed mood scattering to the winds.

In response, Gentle Snow lightly tapped Zhao Yueru’s forehead and revealed a faint smile.

Meanwhile, inside the arena, the battle between Fierce Snake and War Wolf had begun.

“I’m interested to see just how powerful you are.”

The moment the battle started, Fierce Snake lifted his silvery-gray battle axe and charged at War Wolf. When his axe descended, even the air roared. However, without even retrieving the shield and saber from his back, War Wolf simply took a step back and allowed the battle axe to brush past his body, slamming into the ground.

War Wolf immediately stomped down on the battle axe, the weapon becoming completely embedded into the ground. He then unsheathed the saber covered in golden magic runes from his back and slashed at the Berserker’s neck, the weapon creating a beautiful arc.

The entire process flowed like water, and everyone who witnessed it was amazed.

Before Fierce Snake could respond, a damage of -536 points appeared above his head.

Although War Wolf’s attack had not dealt a significant amount of damage to Fierce Snake, who had over 3,200 HP, this strike had dealt a heavy blow to the Berserker’s mentality.

Before he could even react, War Wolf’s attack struck him. In Fierce Snake’s memories, this had never happened in any of the PvP battles he had participated in before.

Seeing War Wolf’s saber slashing at him again, Fierce Snake hurriedly used Whirlwind Slash. At this moment, War Wolf lifted his shield, blocking Fierce Snake’s skill and taking a single step back.

Fierce Snake took advantage of his small victory to follow up with a series of attacks, using skill after skill to force War Wolf into a continuous retreat. Yet, to everyone’s surprise, Fierce Snake’s HP continued to decrease despite being on the offensive.

Every time Fierce Snake attacked, War Wolf would effortlessly block it with his shield and counterattack with his saber.

Fierce Snake had no idea what was happening. Although he had tried to dodge and block War Wolf’s counterattacks, the Shield Warrior’s saber would always somehow land a hit.

Even when War Wolf took the initiative to launch an attack, he couldn’t dodge or defend himself.

War Wolf’s saber would always disappear in mid-swing before suddenly appearing elsewhere. By the time War Wolf’s saber reappeared, it was too late for him to react. He could only watch as his HP fell, powerless to do anything about it.

“Damn.”

Seeing that he had less than 1,000 HP remaining, Fierce Snake gritted his teeth and activated Boiling Fury.

At this point, if he hesitated to activate Boiling Fury, he would die in a few moments.

However, even after activating Boiling Fury, Fierce Snake was no different than a baby swinging a large axe to War Wolf. This time, the Shield Warrior did not even bother to use his shield and relied on his reflexes to dodge every one of Fierce Snake’s attacks. It looked as if Fierce Snake’s axe actively avoided War Wolf as the weapon brushed past him, never hitting his body.

Fierce Snake nearly crumbled.

This scene dumbfounded both Gentle Snow and Zhao Yueru.

They were familiar with Fierce Snake’s strength. Yet, War Wolf could toy with him so effortlessly. Even Gentle Snow admitted that she was not capable of such a feat.

“Just who is he?” Gentle Snow could not believe her eyes. Cao Chenghua had actually found someone so impressive. Most likely, only Zero Wing’s Guild Leader, One-hit Asura Black Flame, could contend with such a powerful expert.

Inside the arena, War Wolf walked up to Fierce Snake, utterly relaxed. After swinging his saber twice, Fierce Snake’s body fell to the ground, reluctance and frustration filling his face.

Their strengths were on different levels entirely.

“Gentle Snow has definitely lost. The difference between our external player and hers is like heaven and earth.”

“However, this is fate. Not everyone has the chance to connect with such an expert.”

“If Cao Chenghua becomes the Guild Leader, he might be able to invite more experts into our Guild. This would benefit the Guild’s future development.”

The Elders seated in the spectator stands expressed their admiration of War Wolf’s performance. They began to anticipate the future of the Guild. As for Gentle Snow, they no longer expected anything of her.

Chapter 404: The Difference Between Outsiders

“Gentle Snow, you should now see the difference between us, right?” Cao Chenghua said, laughing as he grinned at Gentle Snow. “From the very beginning, you never had any chance of winning this competition.

“There is only one ending for you all today–defeat!”

Gentle Snow, stoic and beautiful, refused to respond to Cao Chenghua’s taunts.

It was true that she had never expected Cao Chenghua to invite such an expert.

Suddenly, this competition was no longer within her control.

Originally, she had hoped for Fierce Snake’s victory. Then, as long as Ye Feng secured another win, she would dominate this competition.

Yet…

Now, there were still two matches left. Even if Ye Feng won his match, they would end with a tie. However, they didn’t have any experts for the final match.

“Big Brother Ye Feng, what is going on?” Violet Cloud’s eyes widened in shock when she witnessed War Wolf’s demonic attacks. “Why does he know it, too?”

“Seeing as War Wolf can use Omnivision and Second Acceleration to such a refined standard, Cao Chenghua must have learned those techniques from him,” Shi Feng calmly explained.

Realization immediately dawned on Violet Cloud.

However, Shi Feng’s words had undeniably given Gentle Snow and the others a shock, each one of them falling silent.

If Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake had also learned such mystifying techniques…

“Hahaha! That’s right! Both Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake have also learned those techniques! Moreover, they are more proficient than I am!” Cao Chenghua could not help but laugh when he saw Gentle Snow and the others’ expressions. “Gentle Snow, you understand now, right? You have no chance of winning this competition! On top of that, the two outsiders you’ve brought are merely two Level 22 players! How could they possibly compete with the empowered Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake? Gentle Snow, just admit your loss right now. If you do, you won’t have to suffer a humiliating defeat!”

At this time, both Nimble Snake and Soaring Snake shifted their gaze to Shi Feng and Violet Cloud, disdain filling their eyes.

“How boring. They are the last opponents. With this, I can’t test out my new techniques,” Soaring Snake sighed with disappointment. “If I fought Gentle Snow, I might have been able to display some of my strength.”

“I heard that Ye Feng is quite strong. He was previously the first player to enter White River City and had even defeated hundreds of players by himself during the initial stages of God’s Domain. He should provide some challenge and serve as a warm-up for the both of you,” Cao Chenghua casually explained as he smirked at Shi Feng.

At this moment, War Wolf opened his mouth and said, “That’s right. You should not underestimate Ye Feng. I have seen his battle videos. Even though everyone’s Levels were very low at the time, based on the way Ye Feng moved and took action, I guarantee that he possesses a significant foundation in martial arts. Although he has yet to grasp Omnivision, you two should still be careful when fighting him.”

After War Wolf had agreed to aid Cao Chenghua, other than speaking while he trained them, he was usually silent. War Wolf’s sudden and casual comment drew everyone’s attention.

“Him?” Nimble Snake looked at Shi Feng, unable to feel any power or pressure from the ordinary-looking man. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly as he laughed and said, “Big Brother War Wolf, you worry too much. You taught both of us personally. Against such an amateur martial artist, I can easily take care of him alone.”

Before Nimble Snake had joined Cao Chenghua, he had never known that he could apply so many martial arts techniques to playing a game like God’s Domain.

When Cao Chenghua had first approached him, Nimble Snake did not even humor the thought of defecting. At that time, he felt that Gentle Snow’s combat techniques were the epitome of what it meant to be an expert. However, after dueling War Wolf and suffering an overwhelming defeat, Nimble Snake realized that he had merely been a frog in the bottom of the well.

It was like meeting Superman.

Superman was the creation of man’s imagination, a fictional character that could never exist.

Yet, reality suddenly revealed that such fictional characters actually existed. This revelation had shaken Nimble Snake’s beliefs.

Hence, Nimble Snake had joined Cao Chenghua’s side without hesitation and received special training from War Wolf. After spending a lot of time and effort, he finally grasped the technique called Omnivision.

After grasping Omnivision, Nimble Snake finally realized how huge of a gap there was between him and War Wolf.

If Gentle Snow was the peak of mortals, then after grasping Omnivision, Nimble Snake had exceeded mortal standards. The two were on entirely different levels.

Top-tier experts?

Great experts?

They were just jokes in Nimble Snake’s eyes.

“Nimble Snake, stop speaking nonsense. Brother War Wolf definitely has his reasons for what he said. No matter who faces Ye Feng, you must go all-out against him, understand?” Cao Chenghua reproached Nimble Snake, glaring at the Assassin.

“Yes, I understand,” Nimble Snake hurriedly lowered his head.

At this moment, the fourth combatants had been revealed.

Fourth match: Ye Feng vs. Soaring Snake.

“Hahaha! Perfect! Since Big Brother War Wolf said to be careful of Ye Feng, then I’ll use him to test my new skills and see just how much I have improved!” Soaring Snake walked into the arena excitedly.

Soaring Snake was not a brawny man. On the contrary, he was very lean. However, although he was thin, his muscles were packed with explosive power like a cheetah’s. Out of everyone in Cao Chenghua’s team, War Wolf was the most optimistic about Soaring Snake. Not only did he possess the highest talent for combat, but the speed at which he learned also left everyone speechless. He had only taken half the time to learn Omnivision. Moreover, he was a natural-born fighting maniac.

Under War Wolf’s tutelage, Soaring Snake had developed with unimaginable speeds, and right now, he was definitely the number one powerhouse in all of Ouroboros.

If not for Cao Chenghua’s wish to hide Soaring Snake’s strength, the latter would have long since made it on the God’s Domain Experts List.

“Ye Feng, how confident are you?” Gentle Snow suddenly asked as Shi Feng was about to enter the arena. “If you don’t feel confident, just admit defeat. You are Zero Wing’s backbone. It would not be beneficial for you to lose a level here.

“This competition was a miscalculation on my part. I never expected that Cao Chenghua had such a monster on his team. Not only is he a powerful fighter himself, but he has also enhanced Soaring Snake and Nimble Snake’s strength.

“As for the losses you have suffered by joining me, I will pay five million Credits.”

In Gentle Snow’s opinion, Ye Feng was undoubtedly stronger than Soaring Snake. However, after finding out that Soaring Snake had completely changed, even Gentle Snow didn’t think that she had much of a chance against him. Meanwhile, how much stronger could Ye Feng possibly be?

“A promise is a promise. Since Miss Snow has already invited me here, and I have agreed to help, how could I possibly flee without a fight?” Shi Feng revealed a faint smile as he entered the arena.

“Ye Feng is such a fool!” Zhao Yueru huffed angrily. “Didn’t he see how powerful War Wolf was?

“Since War Wolf guided and taught Soaring Snake, even if he is not on par with War Wolf, he is probably not too far behind! Ye Feng is just trying to die!”

“Alright, Yueru, everyone has their own bottom lines and styles of conduct. It is my fault for telling Ye Feng to give up without a fight,” Gentle Snow placated Zhao Yueru. She then shifted her gaze to Shi Feng inside the arena, a mix of feelings filling her heart.

However, while Gentle Snow and Zhao Yueru both worried, Violet Cloud suddenly giggled and said, “Since Big Brother Ye Feng has given his promise, he will fulfill it. You can rest assured about this.”

Both Gentle Snow and Zhao Yueru turned their heads to look at the little girl named Violet Cloud, confused. Just why was Violet Cloud so confident in Ye Feng?

Violet Cloud simply smiled and remained silent.

Only she realized that their opponents should be the ones worrying; Soaring Snake was about to fight none other than Star-Moon Kingdom’s number one powerhouse, One-hit Asura.

Chapter 405: Techniques are Useless

Seeing Violet Cloud’s confident yet silent smile, Zhao Yueru grew anxious. However, she also could not do anything about this situation, so she could only return her focus to the arena.

Gentle Snow, on the other hand, was very calm, observing Violet Cloud.

Previously, due to her anger over Nimble Snake’s treachery, she had only glanced at the Cleric, not paying her any mind.

Now that Gentle Snow paid closer attention, she discovered that, although this little girl named Violet Cloud seemed like any ordinary spirited and harmless girl, she could feel a faint indescribable pressure from the girl. It felt completely different from the pressure War Wolf gave off.

War Wolf felt more like a slumbering, feral wolf: cruel, domineering, and vicious.

As for Violet Cloud, she didn’t know how to describe the girl. This was the first time she had encountered such a feeling.

Violet Cloud felt like the starry sky at night: silent, awe-inspiring, and profound.

Just who is this little girl that Ye Feng brought with him? Gentle Snow was quite confident in the accuracy of her sixth sense. After she started playing God’s Domain, that sixth sense had only grown keener.

Naturally, Violet Cloud noticed Gentle Snow staring at her. In response, she only nodded her head lightly and beamed a playful smile at the Snow Goddess.

Inside the arena, Shi Feng and Soaring Snake faced each other, both observing their respective opponent.

Both were Swordsmen, and the only difference between them was their level. Shi Feng was only Level 22 while Soaring Snake was Level 24. With a difference of two levels and Soaring Snake’s grasp of the combat technique Omnivision that granted him insight far beyond the average person, the battle was definitely tilted in Soaring Snake’s favor.

Yet, even though the starting signal for the battle had already occurred, Soaring Snake remained motionless. He stood there calmly, without any apparent intentions to rush at Shi Feng.

“Soaring Snake, what are you doing?”

“Why aren’t you moving?”

Soaring Snake’s hesitation puzzled his teammates. Usually, Soaring Snake was a battle maniac that would go into a frenzy the moment the battle began. He would never behave as calmly as he was now.

“Soaring Snake is certainly quite talented.” War Wolf revealed a faint smile as he watched the motionless Soaring Snake.

“Big Brother War Wolf, what do you mean?” Nimble Snake asked, confused.

“When in battle, one does not rely only on their physical prowess, but their mental strength as well. One must remain calm to obtain victory. Soaring Snake is currently adjusting his mentality,” War Wolf explained.

Indeed, just as War Wolf had said, Soaring Snake was not as excitable as he had once been. Instead, there was a hint of clarity in his eyes.

Suddenly, Soaring Snake unsheathed his swords and, with a powerful stomp, dashed towards Shi Feng.

As the First Apostle of Ouroboros, Soaring Snake’s weapons and equipment spoke for themselves. Of the two swords he wielded, one was Dark-Gold ranked, while the other was Fine-Gold ranked. Meanwhile, a large majority of his equipment was Fine-Gold ranked. His gear was among the best currently available in God’s Domain.

Soaring Snake crossed more than 20 yards and arrived before Shi Feng in an instant. Immediately, he launched a rapid attack at Shi Feng.

Soaring Snake had no intention of fooling around with Shi Feng.

However, faced with Soaring Snake’s bombardment, Shi Feng leisurely unsheathed the Abyssal Blade and the Purgatory’s Shadow. Leaning forward, he lightly swung his two swords and readied his battle stance.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the arena changed. Everyone shivered, goosebumps covering their whole bodies.

“This… What is going on?”

Gentle Snow could sense something from Shi Feng inside the arena.

Who is this Ye Feng?! __ Cao Chenghua watched Shi Feng with shock.

Just by adjusting his stance, Shi Feng had managed to deter every one of his opponents, causing their hearts to beat madly. Suddenly, silence overtook the arena.

Facing Shi Feng, Soaring Snake stumbled like a frightened bird, abruptly halting his steps.

Not even Soaring Snake understood why he had suddenly stopped.

After regaining his composure, he resumed his charge at Shi Feng.

“Your courage is commendable.” Shi Feng smiled faintly and nodded.

Although Shi Feng’s voice was soft, Soaring Snake, with his acute five senses, could hear Shi Feng’s words clearly. Rage instantly burned in his heart. Activating Wind Blade, his speed increased once more as he slashed at Shi Feng.

However, the moment Soaring Snake was within range, Shi Feng struck his adversary with even greater speed.

Shi Feng’s sword was as fast as lightning, reaching Soaring Snake in no time at all.

Just as the Abyssal Blade was about to slice open Soaring Snake’s neck, something strange occurred. The sword, which should have originally cut Soaring Snake, struck only air. Meanwhile, Soaring Snake’s upper body completely vanished from Shi Feng’s sight.

Taking a closer look, Soaring Snake had actually reclined his body to evade Shi Feng’s fatal strike.

“A pity.” Soaring Snake revealed a malevolent smile.

Before Soaring Snake had even finished speaking, his two swords flew towards Shi Feng’s sides. His angle of attack was extremely complex and prevented Shi Feng from dodging.

With no better choice, Shi Feng activated Defensive Blade to block the two attacks. He then took the chance to distance himself from Soaring Snake.

“What is going on here? Soaring Snake can dodge such a fast attack?” Zhao Yueru considered herself an expert, and her dynamic vision was excellent. In her view, Shi Feng’s previous strike had been perfect. His strike was so fast that the attack should have been impossible to avoid. Yet, that perfect strike had missed Soaring Snake. Instead, Shi Feng was the one who had been struck twice. It was simply too strange.

Inside the arena, Shi Feng examined himself for wounds. He frowned at the amused smile plastered on Soaring Snake’s face. Leisurely, he said, “I never expected that you would have hidden your strength so well. Your reaction speed is impressive.”

“I am both a Swordsman and the strongest member of the Twelve Apostles. How could I possibly be slow?” Soaring Snake laughed. “You, on the other hand, have truly surprised me. You were able to use Defensive Blade the moment I countered your attack. Your reactions are not slow, either.”

“No. I’m not talking about that,” Shi Feng shook his head. “To be precise, you dodged my sword because your neural reaction is fast, no?”

“Oh? You’ve discovered that?” Soaring Snake asked, feeling slightly surprised. In the next moment, he smiled and said unconcernedly, “So what? Do you think you can win despite it?”

“Snow, what are they talking about?” Zhao Yueru asked curiously.

Many in the spectator stands had overheard the conversation in the arena. Zhao Yueru was thoroughly confused.

“You saw Ye Feng’s attack for yourself. It was a perfect strike. Yet, Soaring Snake still dodged it. Do you know how?” Gentle Snow inquired, wearing a grim expression.

“Isn’t it because Soaring Snake detected Shi Feng’s attack, so he managed to evade it?” Zhao Yueru did not understand what Gentle Snow was trying to say.

“You could put it that way.

“However, detecting an attack is one thing; dodging it is an entirely different matter. With the speed of Shi Feng’s strike, not even a top-tier Assassin could dodge the attack from so close. Yet, Soaring Snake had done just that.

“The reason lies in Soaring Snake’s neural response rate. When ordinary people act, their brains go through three processes: cognition, understanding, and correspondence. Time is required to go through all three. Statistically, the average person’s reaction time is 0.3 seconds. Top sprinters who have undergone arduous training can shorten it to around 0.15 seconds.

“However, no matter how hard a person trains, they can never lower the transmission speed of their neural signals below 0.1 seconds. Of course, this is only common knowledge. Based on Soaring Snake’s reaction time, his was 0.07 seconds, possibly around 0.06 seconds. His reaction was a lot faster than the average person. In other words, where an ordinary person can carry out three to four actions in one second, Soaring Snake can act over a dozen times.

“Because of this, not only could Soaring Snake dodge Shi Feng’s sword, but he also managed to stab at Shi Feng twice simultaneously.

“This is no longer a situation of technique or hard work, but talent…

“One could say that Soaring Snake is a true combat genius!”

Chapter 406: Rapid Showdown

Zhao Yueru was speechless upon hearing Gentle Snow’s explanation; she was dazed as she stared at Soaring Snake.

Soaring Snake had never been so powerful in the past.

They never knew he possessed such talent. He had actually hidden his true strength so well. With this, who else could be his match in close combat?

While ordinary people could launch three to four attacks, Soaring Snake could launch fourteen or fifteen attacks. He was invincible.

Chances were that the only way to defeat Soaring Snake was to pull away and attack from a distance. Melee classes had no chance of winning.

“Hahaha! Ye Feng is indeed commendable for discerning Soaring Snake’s ability. However, there is no way Soaring Snake will lose this match!” A huge smile appeared on Cao Chenghua’s dignified face.

As long as Soaring Snake won this match, this competition would come to an end. Meanwhile, he would officially take hold of the position of Guild Leader.

Everything was going exactly as he had expected.

…

“I was just warming up. If I take this fight seriously, I will only become faster. You are pretty amazing for blocking my last two attacks. Let’s see how many attacks you can block.”

Although Soaring Snake was slightly surprised by how quickly Shi Feng had discerned his talent, his opponent could never overcome it. There was not a single Swordsman who could beat him.

Swordsmen mainly relied on their normal attacks in battle. It was a class that wore down their enemies by attrition. If faced with a ranged class, Soaring Snake might have had some difficulties. However, against another Swordsman, he was practically invincible with his reaction speed.

Moreover, he had also grasped Omnivision. He could easily perceive his enemy’s every movement and strike their weak points. Combining this martial arts technique with his inhuman reaction speed, in a melee battle, he was invulnerable.

As he said so, Soaring Snake abruptly stomped on the ground, and like a fierce gale, his body shot towards Shi Feng.

Straight-line attacks could usually be easily seen and dealt with. Despite knowing this, however, Soaring Snake still chose to face Shi Feng head-on, as if saying, “Come at me if you can.”

“You want to compete with speed?” Shi Feng’s frown deepened.

Facing Soaring Snake, someone with such a unique talent, would be disadvantageous for Shi Feng. Although Soaring Snake’s assault had many flaws, the Swordsman was not afraid of exploitation. Even if Shi Feng attacked Soaring Snake, the latter could easily perceive the attack with his Omnivision. With Soaring Snake’s reaction speed, before Shi Feng’s sword could reach him, he would have already evaded it.

Following which, Shi Feng activated the Aura of Wind of the Seven Luminaries Ring, increasing his Movement Speed by 40%, Attack Speed by 40%, and Agility by 30%. He then dashed forward to meet Soaring Snake in battle.

With breakneck speed, Soaring Snake had sent out sixteen sword images, forcing Shi Feng to deal with sixteen attacks simultaneously.

However, after activating the Aura of Wind, Shi Feng’s speed allowed him to deflect all sixteen attacks easily.

For the time being, both sides were equally matched.

Despite Shi Feng having a huge advantage in terms of speed, Soaring Snake’s reaction speed was unmatched. Even if Shi Feng’s attacks were faster, Soaring Snake could respond instantaneously.

The clash of metal resounded relentlessly throughout the arena, the noise reaching deafening levels. Every time Shi Feng’s and Soaring Snake’s swords met, dazzling sparks would scatter around them.

The spectating crowd’s hearts pounded as they watched the two Swordsmen confront each other. Each attack was simply too fast. The threat of death dominated each second. The slightest mistake would determine victory or defeat.

“Ye Feng is this strong? No wonder he was so confident,” Zhao Yueru said with shock, her eyes focused on Shi Feng inside the arena, who had yet to lose any HP.

Fierce Snake, who had been resurrected not long ago, nodded in agreement. In such a furious showdown, he might not last even two seconds before suffering defeat.

“Of course! Big Brother Ye Feng is very strong!” Violet Cloud giggled.

What a joke. How could the publicly acknowledged number one expert of Star-Moon Kingdom, One-hit Asura, lose just because the opponent possesses a special physique?

“Fine, fine, fine! Your Big Brother Ye Feng is the most amazing!” Zhao Yueru was also relieved upon seeing Shi Feng’s performance. If Shi Feng lost this match, today’s competition would end.

Meanwhile, Cao Chenghua’s team was also greatly shocked by the battle happening before them.

Soaring Snake was Ouroboros’s undisputed number one expert, yet, an unknown player like Ye Feng could match him evenly.

“That Ye Feng is amazing. He is actually able to cope with Soaring Snake’s violent offensive. Even I can’t last as long.” Nimble Snake felt slightly surprised as he looked at the relaxed expression on Ye Feng’s face.

“However, the result of this match will soon be determined,” War Wolf suddenly said, smiling faintly.

“Big Brother War Wolf, what do you mean?” Nimble Snake asked curiously.

“Soaring Snake still hasn’t used everything he has. He is simply probing Ye Feng at the moment. Didn’t you see that Soaring Snake hasn’t used Second Acceleration yet?” War Wolf had the keenest eyesight among everyone present, and with just a glance, he could tell that Soaring Snake conserved a considerable amount of his strength.

“No wonder Ye Feng is still standing!” Nimble Snake laughed.

As War Wolf and the others discussed the fight, inside the arena, Soaring Snake suddenly retreated a few steps, pulling a small distance away from Shi Feng. Meanwhile, Shi Feng did not give chase. Instead, he silently observed the Swordsman facing him.

“You have really surprised me. Ever since I learned Omnivision, you have been the first person who has lasted this long against me. How about it? If you join us, Big Brother War Wolf can help you become even stronger than you are now. As for the remuneration Gentle Snow has offered, I believe that Brother Cao will not hesitate to double that amount now that he has seen what you are capable of,” Soaring Snake said, smiling at Shi Feng confidently.

Even with his inhuman reaction speed, Soaring Snake found it extremely difficult to counter Shi Feng’s attacks. Shi Feng’s strikes were simply too fast, so much so that, if he had not perceived the attacks’ trajectory beforehand, it would be impossible to dodge or block them.

If the Assassin Nimble Snake stood in his place, the battle would have ended long ago. Only a talented person like himself could possibly avoid Shi Feng’s attacks.

“Cao Chenghua cannot afford to give me what I want. So, just forget about it,” Shi Feng said, shaking his head.

“What a pity. Die, then!” Soaring Snake’s smile instantly twisted into something sinister. In the blink of an eye, he launched eighteen sword images, blocking all of Shi Feng’s paths of retreat.

Although the eighteen sword images did not appear to be fast, Shi Feng knew that Soaring Snake was no longer holding back. Of these eighteen sword strikes, Soaring Snake had applied Second Acceleration to every one.

When the eighteen sword images were about to reach their mark…

Shi Feng simultaneously activated Purgatory Power, Windwalk, Wind Blade, and Wind Rider, and rather than retreating, he dashed forward to meet the incoming attacks.

Shi Feng was like a phantom. In the blink of an eye, he had weaved through the gaps between Soaring Snake’s sword images.

When Shi Feng and Soaring Snake collided, a silvery-gray flash appeared on the latter’s body.

The time it took the two to cross swords was only an instant.

For some reason, however, an impressive gout of blood sprayed from Soaring Snake’s body, splashing across the floor. Following which, Soaring Snake released an agonized scream as he tumbled to the ground.

“What?!”

“What happened?!”

The crowd fell silent at this sudden development; only the sound of Soaring Snake’s scream echoed throughout the arena.

Chapter 407: Final Battle

“This… What… What just happened?!”

“Why did Soaring Snake fall even after using Second Acceleration?!”

“When was Soaring Snake attacked?”

Cao Chenghua bellowed.

Cao Chenghua simply could not believe what he had just seen. From his position, he could see the entire battle, yet, he was completely clueless as to what had just happened between the two Swordsmen. It was simply ridiculous.

In fact, Cao Chenghua wasn’t the only one confused. None of the spectators understood what had just happened.

The crowd saw Shi Feng dive headfirst into the Soaring Snake’s sword images before he suddenly vanished. Before they realized it, Shi Feng had already walked past Soaring Snake’s body. Meanwhile, multiple sword wounds had appeared on Soaring Snake, blood gushing from those wounds…

In this match, no matter how one looked at it, Soaring Snake had already obtained his victory, yet, the true outcome of the battle was completely unexpected. For a moment, nobody could accept this reality.

As Soaring Snake’s instructor, War Wolf was most familiar with Soaring Snake’s strength. War Wolf was also an expert with frightening combat power in his own right. However, after witnessing this scene, he, too, found it unbelievable, so much so that he was more shocked than everyone else present.

The higher you were, the better view you would have. Others might not have realized what had happened, but War Wolf had seen some clues.

However, his confusion was precisely because of what he had seen.

Although Shi Feng’s speed was indeed frightening, it was not at the level of becoming invisible. Yet, the instant Shi Feng closed in on Soaring Snake, he suddenly vanished. By the time War Wolf noticed Shi Feng again, the latter had arrived by Soaring Snake’s side, their shoulders brushing past each other.

In other words, when Shi Feng had charged at Soaring Snake, he had disappeared from view not because of speed, but because War Wolf’s mind had failed to perceive Shi Feng. Even Soaring Snake, who used Omnivision and his inhuman reaction speed, had failed to perceive Shi Feng.

This was what thoroughly confused War Wolf. How had Shi Feng achieved such a feat?

Second Acceleration was a technique used to confuse the eye, utilizing acceleration to catch an enemy off-guard and attack their blindspot. With this technique, enemies would still have a small window to react. However, Shi Feng’s technique did not allow his enemies even that brief time before his sword landed…

After Soaring Snake died, he dropped a Level 20 Fine-Gold ranked pauldron, which Shi Feng casually pocketed. Shi Feng also secretly collected an Immortal Soul.

Now, he only needed 9,999 more.

After Soaring Snake lost his Immortal Soul, not only did he lose a level, but he was also barred from logging into God’s Domain for a time. As for exactly how long he was barred from the game, even Shi Feng did not know. If it were short, it might only be one or two days. If it were a long wait, Soaring Snake might not be able to log in for three or four days. In short, Soaring Snake would have to stay put for some time.

“Ye Feng, how did you manage to defeat Soaring Snake?” Zhao Yueru, unable to contain her curiosity, immediately went up to him and asked when she saw Shi Feng exit the arena.

She had too many questions about the battle.

Because of this match, Zhao Yueru suddenly felt like a noob that had only started playing games, completely clueless.

Despite having witnessed everything with her own eyes, she had no idea of what had actually happened.

“Do you want to know?” Shi Feng was slightly surprised as he looked at the excited woman rushing up to him. He never expected Zhao Yueru to be the first person to ask him.

“Mhm,” Zhao Yueru nodded, her eyes revealing a hint of anticipation.

Zhao Yueru was very curious about how Shi Feng had managed to not only dodge the eighteen sword images, but also neutralize Soaring Snake’s inhuman reaction speed, killing him instantly.

After thinking for a moment, Shi Feng said seriously, “I just went up to him and slashed him three times; that’s all.”

Everyone present was immediately rendered speechless. Zhao Yueru had been about to tackle Shi Feng and take a few bites out of him if it not for Gentle Snow holding her back.

“Alright, Yueru; everyone has their own secrets. You can’t force him to tell you.

“Now that we have won the fourth match, each side has two wins and two losses. This result is all thanks to Ye Feng.

“The following match will determine the result of this competition.”

At this moment, Gentle Snow felt very fortunate that she had thought of inviting Ye Feng when she had prepared for this competition. Although she had felt that Ye Feng had a good chance of securing a victory for her, she had never expected him to surprise her like this.

Despite facing the greatly enhanced First Apostle, Soaring Snake, Ye Feng had defeated him with overwhelming might. She could never have expected this result.

Gentle Snow found it very hard to believe that such an expert had remained unknown all this time.

Was it because they were too weak to encounter such experts? Or was it because these experts loved to play the role of a weakling? Even Gentle Snow was unsure.

However, the few fights today had certainly widened her horizons.

She really could not figure out what kind of Guild Zero Wing was. First, there was Black Flame. Now, the combat power Ye Feng displayed was not the slightest bit inferior, and might even be superior, to Black Flame’s. Of course, Black Flame had never displayed his true strength to the public, so Gentle Snow could not be certain of who was stronger. Regardless, though, the two of them were true monsters.

“Big Brother Ye Feng, what’s wrong?”

Violet Cloud could feel that something was amiss. The moment Shi Feng left the arena, he immediately sat down in the first row of seats. Now, his forehead was covered with sweat. Shi Feng was obviously dispirited, and he seemed exhausted.

“It’s nothing. The high-intensity battle simply exhausted my mental power. I’ll be fine after a short rest. You should get ready for the next match,” Shi Feng replied softly, not trying to hide his current weakness. Although he was exhausted right now, he brimmed with joy.

Everyone had thought that he had defeated Soaring Snake effortlessly. In reality, however, it had not been easy to dodge the eighteen sword images while dealing a fatal blow.

If he had not been promoted to a Tier 1 Blade Saint with his Attributes enhanced greatly and his physical strength increased substantially, he might not have been able to use Void Steps in the exchange.

Although Shi Feng had other methods to deal with Soaring Snake, he had chosen to take the risk because he wanted to break through his personal barrier and improve himself further. Fortunately, his gamble succeeded.

Under the immense pressure Soaring Snake had placed on him, Shi Feng had finally reached a breakthrough and used footwork that he had never been able to use in the past.

Void Steps!

Void Steps was advanced footwork that allowed one to remove their presence from the opponent’s mind.

In the past, very few top-tier experts had successfully grasped such advanced footwork. As for Shi Feng, who had merely been a first-rate expert back then, he had only ever succeeded in his dreams.

In order to learn this advanced footwork, Shi Feng had done countless research and trials. Yet, he had never succeeded. This footwork possessed an extremely high requirement of a person’s movement and breathing. It was not a technique that ordinary people could easily learn.

However, Shi Feng’s physique had massively improved after he had undergone his Class Change. His control over his body had also improved. In addition, he was currently playing the game through a virtual gaming cabin. Hence, Shi Feng had always thought of giving the footwork a try. Only, he had never found the chance. Fortunately, Soaring Snake had created the perfect opportunity for him.

With the threat of death looming, the pressure allowed Shi Feng to finally break through that unreachable barrier.

Meanwhile, as Shi Feng was still feeling joyous over his own breakthrough, the fifth match of the competition had begun.

Fifth match: Violet Cloud vs. Nimble Snake!