Chapter 47: Stand Up! Otaku also Has a Brave Heart
The succubus received the black crystal coin and smiled professionally, “As No. 64 is a newcomer, I will first announce the rules. If there is no special condition, the battle is required to end within two hours. If victory is not decided when the time is up, Arux will judge the outcome. According to the rules, Lance who is on a winning streak gets to decide whether this round is empty-handed or with weapons.”
After Chen Rui made his bet, Lance’s face was more sullen. He sneered and said, “I like the feeling of breaking my opponent’s bones by hands!”
“Okay, then it’s decided to fight empty-handed! No weapons are allowed except your own body!” Succubus carefully stepped back a few meters and shouted, “Then I announce that the game begins!”
At the moment when the succubus said “begins”, Lance already made a fierce blow. Chen Rui had become accustomed to the sneak attack from the poison dragon during the special training, so he was well prepared. He slightly moved his body and avoided. Lance’s moves were even more ruthless; it frequently aimed at the critical spots. Chen Rui parried a few punches, and he felt that his opponent’s strength was greater; he was relatively weaker in terms of strength.
It was definitely not mere luck for Lance to win three games consecutively at the arena,. Although his words were arrogant, his experience showed during the battle. After an ineffective trial round of quick attacks, Lance stopped pursuing and started to control the rhythm of the battle. Chen Rui was still suppressed all along; he had almost no chance to counterattack.
Chen Rui felt uneasy fighting with a mask on, especially in terms of sight, he couldn’t adapt. Although he had been careful on defense, eventually he still left an opening. While Lance faked a kick and passed by Chen Hui, Lance’s claws scratched Chen Rui’s abdomen. Suddenly, blood was gushing out and dyed a large area of his clothes red. Chen Rui saw Lance’s sharp claws and understood why was this guy called the “Bloody Hands”, and why he didn’t use a weapon. That’s because his hands were the strongest weapons!
After Lance succeeded his first strike, his attacks began to become more and more fierceful. The blood marks on Chen Rui’s body were also gradually increasing. “Poom!“, a punch hit on his back, and the pain was deep internally. Lance wouldn’t be like Paglio who would wait for Chen Rui to rest and continue to fight. He took advantage of Chen Rui’s unsteadiness and began his aggressive attacks.
Under the fierce attacks of Lance, Chen Rui was straitened and found it hard to defend. There was finally a hesitation in his heart: Am I too eager? Facing such a scary opponent in the first actual combat under the situation where I can’t use <Aurora Shot>!
This is not a training that can try again after failing! This is not a game that can replenish health after reviving! This is an actual life and death battle, and lose means death!
In his previous life, he was just an otaku but not a martial artist or a special force. The time spent for special training might be too short, and he shouldn’t be so eager to participate in such a life and death battle.
His hesitation psychologically was reflected directly on his moves. Lance immediately noticed his opponent’s timidness, so he obviously grabbed the chance. He clawed Chen Rui’s thigh and added another deep wound. When Chen Rui loosened his guard, he forcefully kicked Chen Rui on his chest. Chen Rui was vigorously blown away a dozen meters away. The spot that was hit had a sharp pain. He seemed to have broken two bones, and he couldn’t get up.
Lance strode over while using his words to continue destroying his opponent’s fighting spirit. It was his usual technique.
“I said I want to break your limbs, but now I have changed my mind. Before you die, I want to crush your every single bone!”
Chen Rui’s mind trembled and his heart pounded even harder. Suddenly, Paglio’s scoldings during the usual special training sounded in his mind.
“The more afraid you are, the faster you’ll die!”
“Take out your guts, otherwise, you will never be a true strongman ever!”
At the brink of life, Chen Rui had a sudden realization.
Why do I have special training?
Why did I come to an actual combat?
Why not hide in the lab?
Why not take shelter under the protection of Shea or Aldas?
Why didn’t I retreat when I had no power before, but now I don’t dare to move forward?
Even if he didn’t come to the arena today, he would face it sooner or later. If he avoided, he could only rely on his cleverness and be an opportunist.
“What do I do when I can’t stand it anymore?” Chen Rui suddenly spoke to himself loudly, “The more I can’t stand it, the more I’ll tell myself to keep going!”
Lance’s body stunned because he didn’t understand what his opponent was saying — Chen Rui was speaking Chinese.
Is that some kind of spell? Does this guy know magic?
Lance was experienced. He knew that his opponent still had spare strength. Oftentimes, fighting back at the brink of death was the scariest, so he carefully slowed down.
“Remember those words you pasted at your bedhead?” Chen Rui suddenly clenched his fist, “The reason why one can is because one believes!”
“Only those who are not afraid will have a road ahead of them!”
He clenched his teeth, endured the pain under his ribs and supported his body up with both his hands.
“Chen Rui, tell yourself, what are the biggest phrase written there?” Chen Rui snorted as if he was telling himself, and it was also like proclaiming to the entire arena and the entire Demon Realm, “Control the destiny yourself, and let it sing conquer for you!”
After he shouted that, Chen Rui who fell to the ground had already jumped up. It was just like how he stood up again and again after the setbacks in his life previously.
Regardless of the outcome of this life and death battle, from that moment on, he had taken a crucial step and successfully overcame himself.
Although Lance was shocked and confused, the strange spell from the opponent seemed to have no effect. His mind was calmed and he sped up his pace. His eyes met with the masked man’s eyes. Suddenly, Lance found out that there were no longer fear in Chen Rui’s eyes, and his entire body was emitting an intimidating grandeur.
Lance didn’t dare to be careless. He probed with a punch; Chen Rui dodged sideways. Then, Lance shook his fist, then he extended his claws and scratched across Chen Rui’s chest; the blood splashed all over. Chen Rui was fearless. He turned around and swept his leg, hitting Lance’s knees and knocking him to the ground.
When Lance jumped up, Chen Rui no longer chose to defend. Instead, he approached riskily. He twisted his body to dodge the claw and appeared on the oblique side of Lance, then he held Lance’s waist and pulled forcefully!
Lance could only feel that his body’s center of gravity immediately turned into a head-down; he knew that it would be bad. Before he could protect his head, he had already been wrestled to the ground by Athena’s suplex that Chen Rui learned by himself. The slate on the ground was actually cracked.
Currently, Chen Rui’s spirit level had completely changed. All the fears and concerns had been forgotten. He no longer relied on luck; he was no longer afraid; he no longer hesitated. He devoted himself to battle!
Although his strength wasn’t on par as a strongman, he already had a strongman’s heart.
Lance only felt a sharp pain in his head and neck. Fortunately, the physique of a centaur was strong; he staggered and stood up again. Chen Rui immediately followed like a shadow and launched a swift counterattack. His hands, legs and even head became deadly weapons; it was the fierceful attacking style that he learned from Paglio.
The audience saw Lance was assured to win, but they didn’t expect such a sudden reversal, and they kept cheering for Lance desperately. The happiest were those who originally bet on No. 52; they began to shout the name of No. 64.
Lance was hit a few times, but he wasn’t weak after all. He yelled and hit the wound at Chen Rui’s ribs while enduring the pain. He managed to distant himself; he finally got rid of the danger of being suppressed.
Lance’s previous winning streak was firstly relied on his outstanding strength among the early stage Intermediate Demon and his talent of a temporarily enhancing his strength. Secondly, it was his usage of brutal means to intimidate opponents. Yet, now, No. 64 wasn’t affected. No. 64’s intimidating grandeur overpowered him instead. Although Chen Rui’s wound was severely painful, his brain was extremely calm. His remaining Star Power was slowly circulating and adjusted his body to the perfect offensive and defensive state. His eyes were glowing with faint light like a beast staring at its struggling prey.
That look made the cold-hearted “Blood Hand” inexplicably felt a chill down his spine.
“Interesting guy!” Arux at the VIP seats suddenly said.
How sharp are the Greater Demon’s eyes. With a glance, Arux noticed that Lance’s mind had been taken over by his opponent’s grandeur. Even if Lance’s strength was further enhanced, he could hardly win.
Arux’s trusted confidant, Keithahn was observant. He asked correspondingly, “Is sir talking about No. 64?”
The Great Demon looked at Chen Rui and said faintly, “I misjudged before. No. 64 can get the sculpture.”
Keithahn asked curiously, “But, they are evenly-matched in the current situation. Besides, Lance’s <Berserk> talent isn’t used. Will there be any changes?”
Arux sneered and didn’t answer. Keithahn was tactful to not ask more and continued watching the battle.
Lance was getting more afraid as he fought. This No. 64 should be an inexperienced novice who will easily leave an opening. However, as the battle continues, his skills become more proficient and perfect while the flaws are also gradually disappearing. The occasional openings are actually traps. His ability to learn and adapt is simply frightening!
What was even more frightening was that the opponent who was supposed to be seriously injured and had his combat power greatly reduced, had a surprisingly strong endurance. His physical strength and offensive and defensive capabilities had no obvious drop. Instead, it was Lance himself that started to be overdone under the influence of his injuries and psychological state.
“Ooou!” Lance knew that if this continued he would definitely be defeated. So, he yelled in determination; his muscles suddenly swollen to twice its size, and his strength increased drastically.
“It’s <Berserk>! Lance uses <Berserk>!”
“It’s the mutated talent of the centaur!”
“Quickly kill the masked man!”
The audience who supported Lance saw the hope of a comeback and cheered.
Chen Rui immediately felt the pressure, but he wasn’t lost like before. Lance’s type of enhancement shouldn’t last long. Otherwise, he would have used it earlier. Chen Rui immediately changed his tactic into guerrilla; he controlled his rhythm and slowly depleted the opponent’s strength.
“Your center of gravity must be steady!”
“Don’t just rely on your eyes! Judge with your feelings!”
“…”
Chen Rui’s mind was constantly rehearsing the essentials that the poison dragon mentioned. Under a highly concentrated state, some of the shortcomings that were difficult to correct during the special training were actively corrected one by one. His judgment and timing were increasingly accurate; his control of the Star Power was getting increasingly mature.
He was just like a blunt knife, after sharpening by Lance, the whetstone, its cutting edge gradually appeared.