Chapter 152: Humanoid Monster

In the center of the virtual, desolate city, right at the intersection of the streets, Li Nanke’s figure materialized on the battlefield, standing directly opposite the victor of the previous match, Hope.

[The battle will begin in 30 seconds. Please select your desired weapon...]

Hope carefully appraised his new opponent.

The opponent’s appearance was utterly plain and unremarkable, clearly generated with minor tweaks to a standard template. Tapping to check the basic profile, Hope discovered to his surprise that this was yet another physical-path transcendent.

Frowning, he continued to examine the detailed records, only to find that this individual, bearing the ID 'Lord of Dreams', had a match count of zero. Both their follower count and the number of accounts they followed were also zero—a complete and utter novice rookie.

Hope sighed, letting out a helpless, low murmur:

"There really should be a minimum threshold for challenges. Otherwise, any old garbage can just wander in here. It’s such a waste of time..."

He couldn't even be bothered with the customary polite opening remarks before a match. He simply wanted to wait out the countdown, quickly dispatch the rookie before him, and move on to his next duel.

Li Nanke selected a standard-issue heavy warhammer.

Surveying the surroundings from the battlefield, one could see the virtual spectator stands and a large crowd of onlookers not far away. However, no matter how intense the simulated combat became, it would cause no actual harm to the spectators.

"How do you think this match is going to turn out?"

"Another physical-path user, and a rookie to boot. The outcome is basically a foregone conclusion... I'm switching rooms to watch something else."

"True. Folded Ears was already an elite among mid-tier Tier 3 physical-path users, and even she lost to Hope. Bringing in another physical-path user of the same tier leaves zero suspense."

One spectator analyzed the situation quite logically, and the crowd nodded inwardly upon hearing this.

From the previous match, they had all witnessed Folded Ears's strength. Her physical fortitude was formidable, and her actual combat style was fierce and aggressive. A level like hers was undoubtedly top-tier within the Tier 3 physical path.

The reason she ultimately lost to Hope boiled down to two factors: the inherent limitations of the physical path itself, and Hope’s exceptional skill and seasoned experience.

Folded Ears had performed remarkably well. Replacing her with another rookie physical-path user of the same tier would inevitably yield a worse on-the-spot performance than hers.

"Don't rush to switch rooms yet. I haven't seen Hope lose a single match today. The guy is just too punchable when he wins. It would be a real pity to leave before seeing him lose at least once."

"I reckon that since this 'Lord of Dreams' saw how Folded Ears was defeated and still dared to step up, he must be fully prepared... Of course, since it's a new account and the appearance is most likely fake, we can't rule out the possibility that it's a high-tier veteran smurfing on an alt."

"Oh, come on. Do high-tier transcendents have no pride? What would they even be doing smurfing down here in Tier 3..."

"You bunch of homos are focusing on all the wrong things. You only care about training and fighting, while completely ignoring the physical-path beauty... I've already followed Folded Ears."

"Hehe, I used to date a girl who studied dance. That figure, that flexibility, tsk tsk tsk... I can't even begin to imagine the exotic charm of a physical-path female."

"Duh, you don't even need to say it. I followed her too."

"Me too."

Luke rubbed his bald head. Seeing his disciple’s expression turn icy and unsightly, as if she were about to leave the room, he quickly consoled her: "Little Cat, wait a bit longer. Once this person loses, I'll demonstrate for you."

With a frosty expression, Folded Ears had no choice but to return to her seat, staring intently at the impending battle.

She did not believe there was anything wrong with her fighting style, and she naturally favored a fierce and aggressive approach.

The person currently fighting Hope was a physical-path rookie, and to be honest, Folded Ears did not hold out much hope for him either.

She was well aware of her own strength. Even she had found it extremely grueling when facing Hope, ultimately falling short by a single margin and losing the match.

Folded Ears had pushed her physical-path transcendent powers to the absolute limit, but the inherent limitations of the path were right there. Unless someone like Luke—a Tier 5 transcendent—stepped up to fight, it was nearly impossible for a physical-path user of the same tier to defeat Hope.

"Battle begins!" Under the gaze of the spectators, the countdown ended, and the system announcement echoed throughout the arena.

Dragging his warhammer behind him, Li Nanke shot forward like a rocket, moving at an astonishing, blistering speed!

Every step he took caused the ground to crack and shatter, making the earth tremble and shake.

As his robust physique tore through the air, a series of terrifying sonic booms erupted. It was like a heavily armored freight train hurtling past at top speed, its roaring whistle deafening and disorienting.

"An expert!"

"So fast!"

"Holy shit! This physical-path guy..."

An expert reveals their caliber the moment they make a move!

Li Nanke’s charging speed was exceptionally swift. Had the onlookers not all been transcendents, they would have struggled to keep up with his movements with their naked eyes.

Not only was he blindingly fast, but the momentum of his charge was also overwhelmingly fierce and terrifying, resembling an ancient, ferocious beast wrapped in human skin!

To put it into perspective, a nimble little bird breaking the sound barrier might make people think it's fast; but when a massive steel chariot, a heavy armored tank shatters the sound barrier, anyone facing that charge would feel sheer terror and cold dread, their legs trembling so violently that even the thought of running away vanishes.

Luke, who had been talking to his disciple just a moment ago, saw his pupils violently contract. He stared unblinkingly at that terrifying, charging figure, intense fires of excitement burning in his eyes.

Folded Ears unconsciously tensed her entire body, placing herself in Hope’s perspective, imagining that ferocious figure hurtling fiercely toward her.

Her spine arched, and a violent shudder ran through her entire body, making her feel like a cat whose fur stood on end upon sensing extreme danger.

"Is that a monster wearing human skin?!"

Transcendent spectators watching from afar could clearly feel such a ferocious aura, let alone Hope, who was right there on the battlefield.

In an instant, Hope was seized by a profound sense of terror, as if the sky were collapsing and the earth shattering beneath him.

This person was strong! Inordinately strong! Far stronger than Folded Ears!

He had long since cast any thoughts of contempt or underestimation to the winds. Before such a terrifying and formidable enemy, harboring even a shred of disdain was practically courting a swift death.

Anyone lacking long-term combat training would have had their mind go completely blank when faced with Li Nanke’s full-force charge, likely scaring themselves into losing control of their bodily functions.

Hope was certainly no novice. With his exceptionally rich combat experience, he reacted instantly.

"I can't let him get close! If he closes the distance, ten lives won't be enough to keep me alive!"

In a flash, Hope’s eyes turned crimson. He raised both hands high, and blazing flames ignited out of nowhere, forming a towering sea of fire that swept overwhelmingly toward his enemy.

The transcendent flames erupted with terrifying heat, distorting and vaporizing the air, melting the ground into blindingly bright red fluid.

The surging sea of fire formed in an instant, stubbornly blocking Li Nanke’s charging path.

The battle had only just begun, yet Hope was already releasing his transcendent power to the absolute limit without holding anything back!

If he had still appeared calm and collected while firmly controlling the battlefield against Folded Ears in the previous match, then right now he was facing a formidable enemy with full alertness, reduced to passively parrying blow after blow.

"Hope is playing for keeps this time!"

"He's definitely giving it a hundred and twenty percent..."

"Obviously! If you hold back in a situation like this, you're just asking to die quickly."

Folded Ears could no longer hear the discussions of the crowd. She kept her eyes locked on that figure in the arena, her gaze unwavering.

"Jump!"

The predicament Li Nanke was facing now was identical to the one in her previous match; the optimal countermeasure was to leap out of the sea of fire while swiftly closing the distance to the enemy, shrinking the gap between them.

She saw Li Nanke crouch slightly amidst the raging sea of fire, the bulging muscles in his thighs swelling to the point where they almost threatened to rip through his pants.

"Boom!"

A sudden, explosive roar echoed.

The surrounding sea of fire, which had been closing in to swallow the enemy, paused. The ground in the center suddenly caved in and cracked, as if a high-explosive bomb had detonated. A surging wave of air instantly expanded and swept outward, extinguishing and beating back the overwhelming flames.

A robust figure leaped high into the air, plunging down toward Hope’s position like an air-to-ground guided missile.

The ferocious warhammer blasted through the air, dragging a wake of snowy-white shockwaves and emitting a shrill, deafening roar.

Such a terrifying attack was enough to chill anyone to the bone, leaving them utterly incapable of generating any thought of resistance.

"Fack, they're both physical-path users, how can this guy be so strong?!"

"Could he really be a high-tier transcendent smurfing down here?"

"I feel like we might have some prejudices against the physical path. If all physical-path users were this strong, their overall rating would definitely go up by a huge margin..." murmured one of the spectators.

Brilliant lights flared in Folded Ears's eyes, dazzling her senses. The 'Lord of Dreams' fighting style was just as fierce and aggressive as her own.

No! The Lord of Dreams was even more ferocious and peerless than her!

From the very start of the match, he had seized the initiative, using his terrifying charging momentum to strike fear into his opponent's heart, causing their reaction to lag by a crucial half-beat.

It was precisely by utilizing this split second that he rapidly closed the distance to his enemy.

By the time the enemy reacted and deployed a large-scale firestorm to intercept him, he had already covered a significant portion of the distance. When he leaped out of the range of the flames, it was enough to clear the remaining distance right to the enemy's front, descending from the sky to deliver a fatal, devastating blow.

If Hope failed to handle this strike properly, he would likely perish on the spot right then and there!

No one could feel the enemy's terrifying nature more clearly than Hope, who was trapped in the battlefield.

This person was simply a humanoid tyrannosaurus rex! Peel away that disguised human skin, and there was definitely an alien monster underneath!

Looking at the ferocious warhammer descending from the heavens, watching the white shockwaves generated as it compressed and tore through the air, it looked precisely like a comet plunging into a planet, trailing a colossal tail.

Once a comet crashed into the ground, it would trigger an apocalypse and usher in the total extinction of all things.

Hope had already quietly gathered rampaging transcendent flames in the ground around him. The moment the enemy got close, he could easily end the match just as he had finished off Folded Ears.

However, at this moment, he had completely abandoned any thought of attacking.

Surging flames erupted from the ground, and the turbulent transcendent flames instantly coalesced into a giant shield, blocking overhead and intercepting the trajectory of the destructive warhammer.

"Only those who survive... stand a chance to win!"

Everyone present stared intently at the combat, reveling in the adrenaline rush brought on by the violent, fierce battle.

Some spectators, the moment Li Nanke began his opening charge, had realized that this would undoubtedly be an exceptionally magnificent fight and decisively hit the battle recording option.

Li Nanke descended from the skies, gripping the warhammer tightly with both hands, slamming it down like a minor asteroid colliding with Earth!

"Boom—!"

The rampaging air pressure blasted outward from the point of impact between hammer and shield, sending a visible shockwave sweeping through the surroundings!

The earth shook and trembled, fracturing layer by layer. The glass on the abandoned buildings all around shattered and exploded simultaneously, with flying debris and dust filling the sky.

The explosive roar left people dizzy, their vision darkening, barely able to stand steadily.

Had the spectators not been safely seated in the virtual viewing stands, this single destructive blow alone would have been enough to blow the onlookers away.

The giant flame shield shattered and exploded violently, disintegrating into countless embers and sparks.

Hope stood at the center of a massive crater, its rock walls entirely embedded with tiny crystals melted and resolidified by extreme heat.

His clothes were in tatters, the black silver-bordered uniform of the containment officer reduced to fluttering strips of cloth. Rivulets of fresh blood continuously seeped from the corners of his mouth, eyes, nostrils, and ears.

Though the giant flame shield had absorbed the vast majority of that terrifying impact's force, the remaining fraction was still more than he could withstand.

"Not dead yet..."

Li Nanke stepped forward with a heavy footstep, sounding like a lightning bolt cracking on flat ground. The entire street shuddered and vibrated beneath that single step!

Ferocious power burst forth from the soles of his feet, causing the muscle groups containing terrifying strength to fire in unison, gathering all his formidable power into a single point.

The warhammer smashed down once more!

With horror in his eyes, Hope hurriedly summoned a shield of flames before him.

How could a hastily summoned defense possibly withstand Li Nanke’s assault? The warhammer smashed the flame shield to pieces and continued downward with unabated momentum.

"Splat!"

Everyone present clearly heard the sound of flesh and bone being compressed and crushed, much like squeezing an overripe tomato until it burst, sending plasma and minced flesh scattering in all directions.

Elemental-path transcendents possessed relatively fragile physical bodies. Once a physical-path powerhouse closed the distance and broke through their defenses, the outcome required no imagination—their deaths were bound to be utterly gruesome.

The system prompt rang out: "Combat over. Lord of Dreams wins!"

The spectators fell into a stunned silence. It was only after a long while that someone finally recovered from the shock and muttered:

"That is pure aesthetic violence..."

"This Lord of Dreams is definitely a high-tier transcendent just smurfing in a low-tier lobby!"

"Heh, you kid must not even be Tier 3 yet with judgment that poor. I'll bet my life the Lord of Dreams is just a Tier 3 transcendent. There's no disgraceful smurfing going on here."

"Uh... I really am only Tier 2, but if the Lord of Dreams is Tier 3, what tier was Folded Ears just now? If they're both Tier 3 physical-path users, how can the gap between them be this huge?"

"…You're in the same grade as the top student in your class, so why can they get a hundred on tests while you can't?"

"Since he's not smurfing, how come I've never heard of the Lord of Dreams before? To be able to unleash such formidable strength using the physical path, he should be pretty famous in real life."

"Who knows, his actual combat skills are just terrifying... I'm following him first."

"I'm following him too, so I can watch his future fights."

Ignoring the discussions of the crowd, Folded Ears discarded her icy expression and turned her head excitedly toward the bald-headed brawler:

"You don't need to demonstrate anymore. The Lord of Dreams fights even more aggressively and fiercely than I do... My fighting style wasn't wrong! It's just that my strength still falls short of his, which is why I couldn't display a better performance in actual combat."

With that, she pulled up the profile of the Lord of Dreams and silently tapped the follow button.

Luke opened his mouth. Looking at the spot where Hope had been pulverized into mincemeat and dissolved into countless drifting particles, he wanted to refute her, but found himself utterly at a loss for words.

This physical-path transcendent had tempered every single inch and corner of his physical body to an exceptionally formidable degree. Although he was still roughly at the early or mid-tier of Tier 3, his absolute lack of blind spots or weaknesses allowed him to unleash overwhelming actual combat power.

Even if Luke were to suppress his own strength to enter the arena, while he would have a hundred percent confidence in defeating Hope, against this particular person, he held no such certainty...

"Now *that* is a talent!"