Chapter 10

Seeing Guding's data, many of the spectators in the stands shook their heads in silent mourning for him.

"Poor little guy, he has no idea how strong his opponent is, does he?"

"He might have accidentally touched the button out of nervousness after seeing the previous match."

"His head will probably be twisted off and used as a ball, won't it?"

Almost no one in the stands had any faith in Guding, and the comments were uniformly pessimistic.

To avoid affecting the battle, the arena was soundproofed from the viewing area, so Guding couldn't hear what people were discussing outside. Even if he did hear, he wouldn't care.

In the初级竞技场 (初级 means "初级" and 竞技场 means "arena"), everyone's cell composite index is set by the system to 100 points, and the various physical data are allocated in the same proportion according to each person's actual physical condition. If a person's cell composite index is 10, and their cell strength is 2, and cell activity is 3, then in the arena, the cell composite index is 100, the cell strength is increased to 20 points, and the cell activity is also increased to 30 points.

100 points of cell composite index is the limit that a third-stage gene body can normally reach. In the初级竞技场, only gene bodies of the third stage and below can participate in the competition. 100 points of cell composite index is enough to allow the participants to maximize the power of their techniques and hone their combat skills. The proportional data allocation also allows everyone to retain their own combat style and characteristics.

Standing on the arena, Guding felt his whole body filled with strength. The feeling of having power made his muscles tremble with excitement. Although this body was just virtual, it perfectly simulated the feedback to the human body. However, Guding didn't know that his trembling was seen as fear and nervousness by the spectators and his opponent.

"Hehe, little guy, you're trembling with fear. Don't worry, I won't let you die so quickly," the bald man said with a cruel smile. "I'll tear off your hands first, then break your legs, and finally twist off your head."

"Sounds scary, but do you have the strength for that?" Guding grinned.

Seeing the seemingly mocking smile on Guding's face, the bald man's face turned angry, and his massive figure leaped up, his thick right hand clenching into a fist and charging forward.

Guding's expression turned slightly serious, and he stood in the stance of《极限体术》 (《极限体术》 means "Ultimate Body Technique"). As the bald man approached, he swung his fist, "Steel Fist!"

The small, thin fist collided fiercely with the bald man's large fist.

With a "boom," the explosion sounded, and the sound was not like that of two fists colliding but like a cannon blast. A moment later, something even more incredible happened: the muscular bald man was sent flying backward, and his right hand had completely disappeared. His body began to shatter from the right shoulder and soon vanished from the arena.

When the bald man reappeared in the stands, he was still in shock. He looked up at Guding on the arena and saw that he was unharmed, realizing the gap between them. He lowered his head in disappointment.

Guding remained on the arena, with no intention of stepping down. The previous strike, the Steel Fist, had produced a cannon-like effect, giving him a deeper understanding of the《极限体术》. The main reason he couldn't fully unleash the power of his techniques was due to his body's strength. In the arena, with the virtual body's cell composite index reaching 100 points, he could not only practice the techniques he had already learned but also train in subsequent techniques that were previously restricted by his body's strength.

"It seems that the 'This Killer Isn't Cold' contestant, after causing one surprise, doesn't intend to stop. Is there anyone brave enough to accept his challenge?" the commentator's voice came again, with a provocative tone.

"The power is quite impressive..." Guding looked down at his fist, surprised that he had defeated his opponent with one strike. He had expected a more challenging fight.

Just as Guding was distracted, another person was teleported onto the arena. He looked to be in his twenties, with an ordinary appearance and wearing a white tuxedo that didn't fit him well. His ID name was "Wakes Up to His Own Handsomeness."

Guding checked his ranking: 1,127,809, which was even lower than the bald man's.

"You had some luck just now, but against me, you'll only be a stepping stone," the tuxedo-wearing contestant said, striking a pose he thought was cool and pointing at Guding.

Guding grinned, "Then let's see if you can do it."

The tuxedo-wearing contestant took a step, leaving a trail of afterimages.

Guding raised an eyebrow, stepped forward with a hidden step, and appeared in front of the opponent faster than him, delivering another Steel Fist. The tuxedo-wearing contestant was sent flying, crashing into the protective barrier, and his body quickly shattered, reappearing outside the arena.

"It seems this guy not only has terrifying strength but also speed beyond the norm. He's indeed a tough opponent," some people in the stands, who hadn't taken Guding seriously before, began to pay attention to his performance.

Soon, another challenger appeared on the arena.

Rank 1,089,911, one strike, killed.

Rank 1,054,231, one strike, killed.

Rank 1,011,379, one strike, killed.

Rank 996,504, one strike, killed.

...

By this point, Guding had won six consecutive matches, and his ranking had risen to within a million. His rapid ascent also caught the attention of the arena's staff.

A woman with short golden hair, wearing black thigh-high boots, propped her feet up on the monitoring console and watched Guding's battle videos several times. After a while, she took out a small makeup mirror from her red handbag, looking at herself while saying to someone beside her, "Check who's around the 500,000 mark and arrange a match for this kid."

"Understood!" A tall man in a suit nodded respectfully and then signaled to a staff member, giving instructions.

Pashel found it strange that he was assigned to fight someone ranked 990,000. He was currently ranked 500,137, just a step away from the 500,000 mark. But the arena's offer was hard to refuse: if he won, he would receive a bottle of E-grade good-quality gene enhancement potion. For him, still a second-stage gene body, this potion could potentially help him advance to the third stage. So, he readily agreed.

When Pashel appeared on the arena, many in the stands let out exclamations of surprise. It wasn't that a 500,000-ranked contestant was rare, but it was unusual for someone at that level to challenge someone ranked over 600,000.

Guding was also taken aback when he saw his opponent's ranking.

"Hehe, it seems your performance has caught the attention of some big shots. They've specially picked a challenging opponent for you," the Sea King's laughter echoed in Guding's ears.

Guding's lips curled into a grin, his eyes like those of a predator staring at its prey. After several matches, he was beginning to show his true colors, his eyes filled with intense fighting spirit.