At this point, there was no turning back; he had to give it their all.
With a resounding drumbeat, the barrier slowly descended.
The the lion-tiger beast seemed to possess some intelligence. Instead of immediately attacking the man in black, it approached slowly, gazing at the tiny human as if toying with it.
The man in black noticed the beast’s playful demeanor and decided to launch the first strike. He sprang up like a whirlwind, attempting a spinning leg sweep aimed at the the lion-tiger beast’s head.
In his mind, the head should be the weakest point of the the lion-tiger beast.
The the lion-tiger beast, with the agility of a tiger, reacted swiftly. It lowered its body, easily dodging the fierce leg sweep. Then, in a fluid motion, it used its enormous tail to strike.
*Smack!*
The the lion-tiger beast’s tail landed squarely on the man in black’s back, sending him flying. The man crashed into the cage wall and, upon landing, left a long trail of blood on the ground.
The audience erupted in gasps and murmurs. The the lion-tiger beast’s power had taken them by surprise. At the current rate, it seemed the man in black wouldn’t last beyond two rounds.
The man with membership card number 01376 wore a worried expression. If the man in black lost, his ten million would be in vain.
Despite the excruciating pain in his back, the man in black struggled to his feet. He pulled out a gleaming dagger from his leg holster.
The rules of the arena allowed challengers to carry non-poisonous cold weapons. Guns, however, were strictly prohibited.
With the dagger in hand, the man in black regained his confidence. He bent his body slightly, resembling a hunting leopard, and lunged at the the lion-tiger beast. His target: the the lion-tiger beast’s neck.
*Roar!*
Upon seeing the dagger-wielding man charging at it, the the lion-tiger beast let out a deafening roar. It emitted a powerful sound wave along with its roar.
This sound wave momentarily stunned the leaping man, allowing the the lion-tiger beast to seize the opportunity. It swiped its massive paw at the man in black’s back.
*Thud!*
The man in black was sent crashing to the ground. The impact caused him to spew blood from his mouth, and his grip on the dagger was loosened. It flew out of his hand.
The the lion-tiger beast, sensing that its prey was incapacitated, didn’t press the attack further. Instead, it stood back, watching the man on the ground.
The man in black struggled briefly but couldn’t manage to stand up. He lay on the ground, barely conscious.
After a moment of silence, the arena burst into excitement once again. In just two rounds, the man in black had been defeated by the the lion-tiger beast.
With a swift hook, the staff retrieved the fallen man and sent him for medical treatment. During this time, the the lion-tiger beast, in all its pride, glanced disdainfully around the arena, not sparing a glance for the defeated man.
Ursula reappeared, her voice resonating through the arena, “Distinguished guests, the first round of the arena challenge has concluded with the victory of the the lion-tiger beast. Now, let’s move on to the second round. Please enter your wager amounts!”
As the second round approached, the audience had to think twice. The the lion-tiger beast had proven its strength, and the wagers would be a reflection of their confidence.
The final wagers were displayed on the large screen after five minutes. The number of participants in the second round was half that of the first round, with the highest wager at fifty million.
Seeing the displayed wager amounts, Ursula was somewhat taken aback. It was an unusual sight; typically, after witnessing the first round, participants would lower their bets in the second. However, this time, the wagers had increased by four million!
This indicated that among the wealthy individuals present, someone had brought in a formidable contender. Ursula realized that this young man was no ordinary participant.
After the five-minute deadline, Ursula announced, “Congratulations to Mr. 01456! You have secured a spot in the second round of the arena challenge!”
Upon her announcement, the video feed from Mr. 01456 appeared on the large screen. He wore a mask on his face, and a long-haired young man stood beside him, dressed in antique-style clothing, exuding an air of cold aloofness. Compared to the previous man in black, he appeared smaller and leaner.
Mr. 01456 stood up from his seat and politely addressed the young man, “Master Gu, I appreciate your assistance.”
Master Gu nodded slightly.
Those closer to Mr. 01456 were taken aback by his deferential attitude, despite his masked face. They knew his identity and couldn’t believe he was showing such respect to this young man.
It seemed that this aloof youth named Master Gu was extraordinary.
Master Gu’s figure blurred, and in the next moment, he was at the entrance of the massive iron cage. The arena staff opened the door, and he calmly stepped inside.
Just from Master Gu’s earlier display of agility, Leo could tell that he was a martial cultivator.
Inside the cage, some of the bored the lion-tiger beasts saw another human entering and immediately became interested. They observed the slender human curiously.
“Beast, submit beneath my feet!” Master Gu shouted, low and commanding. He activated his internal energy, causing a frigid aura to emanate from his body.
The spectacle was clearly shown on the large screen, leaving the audience stunned. Had this place not been an arena, they would have believed it was magic.
Feeling that the newcomer was far more formidable than the previous contestant, the the lion-tiger beast let out a mighty roar and charged at Master Gu.
With a right fist, Master Gu shouted, “Extreme Frost Fist!” Ice crystals formed on the surface of his fist as he struck the the lion-tiger beast’s head.
*Boom!*
A tremendous explosion occurred, and a white mist burst from the the lion-tiger beast’s head. The beast’s biting jaws veered off course due to the blast, and its entire body was covered in a thin layer of ice.
Master Gu skillfully evaded the the lion-tiger beast’s attack, then landed a powerful kick to the beast’s waist.
*Bang!*
The force of the kick was immense, sending the the lion-tiger beast rolling and crashing into the iron cage with a muffled thud.
*Roar!*
The the lion-tiger beast picked itself up from the ground, shook its body, and the ice covering it fell off. Then, it let out a roar at Master Gu.
Amidst this deafening roar, the fur on the the lion-tiger beast’s body began to emit a fiery red glow, and a powerful wave of scorching heat bore down on Master Gu.
“This beast is on the verge of evolving into a spiritual creature!”
Master Gu noticed the change in the the lion-tiger beast and his expression turned more serious. He drew a short dagger from his body, channeling his internal energy into it.