“Not interested.” John glanced at the bet but felt no inclination to get involved.
“Then how about this?” Sini wore a playful smile, her expression mysterious as she took out a USB drive.
John’s eyes lit up — it had to be the 20 G videos from Malina.
“Cough, cough.” He cleared his throat a few times, his face turning serious as he said, “In that case, let’s play.”
He casually took out a Magic Core and a Crystal Ball of Laws, placing his bet on the Minotaur’s victory.
“Hmph!” Sini snorted coldly, glaring at John.
He, however, kept his eyes straight ahead, focusing on the battle.
Spoorate, curious, asked, “Big brother, what kind of treasure is that?”
She had never seen anything like it, but if it caught John’s attention, it had to be something valuable.
John felt a little awkward, coughing twice. “Little girl, don’t ask too many questions.”
“I’m fourteen, not a little kid!” Spoorate protested, dissatisfied.
Meanwhile, in the arena, the Minotaur’s attacks became more and more ferocious. He swung his dual war hammers like a storm, forcing the white-haired woman to retreat repeatedly.
Shouts of anger could be heard from the crowd, clearly because many had bet on the white-haired woman to win.
“Sini, you’re going to lose,” Spoorate said, her eyes flicking nervously to the Magic Cores in front of her.
Sini remained unfazed, replying coolly, “Don’t worry, it’s not over yet. This white-haired woman’s Soul Technique isn’t weak. She’s clearly skilled in soul attacks. The Minotaur’s current approach is too aggressive and will soon tire him out. When that happens, he’ll definitely lose.”
“Is that so?” Spoorate tilted her head, focusing intently on the battlefield. But she couldn’t see anything that suggested the tide would turn.
She turned to John with a puzzled expression, asking, “Big brother, do you think the Minotaur might really lose?”
She was starting to worry. These Magic Cores were her entire fortune.
John, however, remained calm, unconcerned. “Just wait and see.”
As Sini had predicted, the battle began to turn.
The Minotaur seemed to be tiring, his relentless storm of attacks faltering.
The white-haired woman seized the opportunity. Her staff danced, and the powerful energy of laws surged forth. Several magical attacks rained down on the Minotaur, pounding him relentlessly.
The Minotaur raised his war hammers to defend, but he was forced back.
Boom! Boom!
The ground shook with each blow as the Minotaur was sent stumbling backward.
Hum!
Then, a surge of soul power struck him. The Minotaur stood frozen in place, dazed, as if struck by a devastating blow.
“Die!” The white-haired woman shouted with a cold glare, her staff transforming into a sharp blade as it aimed directly for the Minotaur’s forehead.
It was over!
Many in the crowd despaired upon seeing this, but others, eager for the outcome, stood up in excitement, preparing to cheer.
But just as the white-haired woman’s staff was about to strike, the Minotaur’s confused expression suddenly cleared, and a mocking smile crept across his face.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind howled as his giant war hammer was raised high and brought crashing down.
“Mm?” The white-haired woman’s eyes widened in shock as she hurriedly tried to dodge, but it was too late. The distance was too close for her to escape in time.
That cunning Minotaur had tricked her!
This was the last thought that crossed her mind.
Boom!
The war hammer crashed down with tremendous force, shattering her body into a heap of bloody, shattered remains.
The sudden turn of events left the crowd in the stands frozen for a moment, before it erupted in a chorus of roars.
Such brutal methods stirred their blood, exactly what they had been waiting for — a bloody spectacle.
“What a vicious move!” Sini’s eyelids twitched. She hadn’t expected the Minotaur to actually win.
“Sini, you lost!” Spoorate was visibly excited, her eyes fixed greedily on the pile of Magic Cores.
“Hmph, a bet’s a bet.” Sini sneered, casting a hard glare at John, feeling like she had been tricked.
Spoorate and Tracy immediately began splitting the Magic Cores in front of her.
John, however, casually took the USB drive, glanced at the pile of Magic Cores, and said calmly, “Spoorate, these Magic Cores are yours.”
“Really? Thank you, big brother!” Spoorate cheered, eagerly gathering up the Magic Cores without hesitation.
Sini’s voice, playful yet teasing, came from behind, “John, how do you plan on watching this USB drive?”
“Uh…” John froze for a moment. He had been so focused on the contents of the drive that he had forgotten that this was the Land of Exile — there were no devices here to use a USB drive.
“Damn!” He glanced at the smug expression on Sini’s face, realizing he was the one who had been outplayed.
Even so, he pocketed the USB drive, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he’d be able to return to Earth someday.
His thoughts drifted to Malina, that weak woman who hadn’t participated in the final battle and probably hadn’t descended into the Realm of Chaos.
At that moment, the old man with the goat-like beard appeared on the arena stage again.
“The second-ranked Humdwar contender has been decided,” the old man announced, clapping his hands. “Now, for the final duel! The winner will be publicly auctioned!”
Clink, clink, clink…
The sound of chains rattling filled the air as a person was brought onto the stage.
“Hmm?” John and the others were immediately alert, their eyes locking onto the figure.
Spoorate’s eyes lit up, her lips licking in excitement. “Big brother, this guy looks… delicious.”
John shook his head, feeling exasperated. “You can’t eat him.”
“Why not?” Spoorate asked, completely confused.
John didn’t offer further explanation. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the chained man in the arena.
Cand-Dragon!
He hadn’t expected to encounter Cand-Dragon here, in Dragon Ascending City!
This guy had followed him from Skyline Continent, and under his guidance, had risen to the level of a Lord God. He was one of John’s most trusted subordinates.
“John, is Cand-Dragon the opponent of this Minotaur?” Sini asked curiously.
She knew Cand-Dragon’s strength; at his peak, he would have easily outclassed the Minotaur. However, after being exiled to the Realm of Chaos, his cultivation had been sealed. She wasn’t sure what his current strength was and felt uncertain.
John furrowed his brows, his mind equally troubled.
Based on the performance of the Minotaur just now, it was clear that this guy was still holding back.
He replied calmly, “Let’s watch for now. If it gets too out of hand, we’ll step in.”
The two women nodded. They wouldn’t let anything happen to Cand-Dragon. If things went south, they’d just cause a ruckus in Dragon Ascending City.
The old man with the goat-like beard ordered for Cand-Dragon’s chains to be unlocked. He scanned the crowd and loudly declared, “The Humdwar duel is still to the death! The winner will gain their freedom!”
The Minotaur, Storm, and Cand-Dragon both displayed clear disdain.
Freedom? Even if the victor was allowed to leave the arena, they would ultimately become slaves. Given that fate, both of them preferred to die in battle.
The two locked eyes, their gazes cold, their killing intent palpable.
“The match begins!” The old man said, hurriedly retreating from the stage.
Boom!
Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, both Cand-Dragon and Storm attacked without hesitation, launching their strongest strikes from the outset.
A resounding crash shook the arena as a gust of wind exploded, threatening to send the spectators near the edge flying.
Both fighters were thrown back by the immense force, stumbling until they reached the edges of the arena.
“John, these two seem evenly matched,” Sini said, growing more worried as she observed.
In such a situation, even if Cand-Dragon won, he would likely be heavily injured.
John furrowed his brow, watching the two combatants intently. Then, a slight smile appeared on his face as he spoke. “It’s fine. Get ready to assist these two.”
“Huh?” The women were puzzled, not understanding what he meant.
Roar!
A majestic dragon’s roar echoed, and a massive black dragon appeared in the arena. Cand-Dragon had transformed into his true form. The terrifying pressure from the transformation spread, causing even the seven-star soldiers at the edges of the arena to feel uneasy.
“Steel body!” Storm shouted in rage. A powerful wind raged around him as his form suddenly grew larger, and a layer of steel armor covered his body.
“Die!” He bellowed and charged at Cand-Dragon.
Boom…
The arena was filled with a series of deafening crashes, blood splattering, and wild winds howling, lifting sand and stones into the air. For a moment, the spectators could hardly see what was happening.
At that moment, John stood up and moved toward the edge of the arena. The women, still confused, followed him closely.
“Sini, when the time comes, enter my World-in-Hand,” John whispered, his tone calm yet urgent.
Sini was puzzled, but nodded in agreement without asking further.
Boom!
Suddenly, a massive crash echoed as two giant war hammers fell, followed by the shadow of a gigantic black dragon that broke through the arena’s cage and charged at the soldiers guarding the outer perimeter.
“Not good, these two are trying to escape!” The soldiers snapped to attention, quickly surrounding the arena, preparing to take action.
John’s figure suddenly appeared, and with a surge of Spatial power, he directly transported Cand-Dragon, the Minotaur Storm, and Sini into his World-in-Hand.
When the two had been fighting, he had already sensed their intentions.
Whoosh…
The violent wind dissipated, and the surroundings became clear. However, Cand-Dragon and Storm had vanished without a trace.
The leading soldier’s expression changed drastically as he shouted angrily, “Quick, block this place! We can’t let those two escape!”
These two were powerful and closely monitored. They had tried to escape more than once, and the city lord had specifically warned them that if they managed to flee, there would be severe punishment.
The crowd became agitated as soldiers poured in from all directions, surrounding the entire arena to prevent anyone from leaving.
John and his companions were also trapped. He remained calm, showing no sign of resistance.
If he truly wanted to leave, these soldiers wouldn’t be able to stop him.
Tracy and Spoorate quickly realized that this was all part of John’s plan, and they didn’t ask any further questions.
The chaos continued around them. In the crowd, some people attempted to resist, only to be immediately slain by the soldiers. Everyone else settled down, obediently cooperating with the soldiers’ searches, too afraid to offer even the slightest opposition.
…
Inside World-in-Hand, Cand-Dragon and Storm were ready to unleash destruction. However, upon seeing the unfamiliar surroundings, they both froze in place.
Had they failed again?
Storm clenched his massive war hammer, scanning the area with a look of grim determination. This time, even if he had to die, he would not yield.
Buzz!
A wave of Spatial power rippled, and a figure appeared before them.
“Huh, Sini?” Cand-Dragon recognized the person instantly. His eyes widened in shock and joy. He then asked, puzzled, “Where are we?”
Sini spoke calmly, “World-in-Hand.”
“Is Godslayer here too?” Cand-Dragon suddenly realized something, and the anxiety that had been hanging over him finally lifted.
Beside them, Storm furrowed his brow, still not daring to relax. In a low, rumbling voice, he asked, “Cand-Dragon, brother, are we safe now?”
Cand-Dragon nodded. The two of them had quietly planned this operation for a long time. They hadn’t expected to run into John, and with no bloodshed, they had managed to escape.
