Chapter 37: Gravely Wounded?

Beneath the arena lies the central control room. Screens of all sizes cover the space, where figures bustle to and fro, keeping the arena’s operations running.

In the center of the room, before a massive display, sits the High Heaven. He rests his chin on a clenched fist, his six eyes narrowed slightly as he stares unblinkingly at the screen. As the administrator of the Hub Arena, the High Heaven has seen his fair share of dazzling new stars during his tenure. However, he has never encountered a madman like Lu Li, who demanded a hundred-match gauntlet right from the start.

He had initially dismissed him as a callow youth, oblivious to the vastness of the world. But eleven matches in, the High Heaven discovered a harrowing truth: Lu Li had not been fighting at full strength. He had not even revealed a tenth of his true power. Aside from the first match, where he used "Morph" to turn his right arm into a blade, Lu Li had fought the subsequent ten matches with his bare hands.

While the High Heaven himself could do the same, his level was far higher than Lu Li’s. Furthermore, as a member of the Titan race, hand-to-hand combat was his natural specialty. If he were to be restricted to the same level, he might well be no match for Lu Li.

"Is he a Chosen of the Realms?" the High Heaven muttered, before shaking his head. Chosen ones were not so easily found. Moreover, he had investigated Lu Li and found he hailed from an obscure, remote planet. How could such a backwater produce a golden phoenix?

"He must be using some secret technique," the High Heaven reasoned. "A hundred-match gauntlet? Fine. If you enjoy putting on a show, I shall indulge you. For the twelfth match, I will force you to reveal your trump cards!"

In the arena, following Dio’s exaggerated announcement, the iron gates of the tunnel opened once more. This time, two women emerged—one dressed in black, the other in white, both wielding scythes. Sharp-eyed spectators immediately recognized them and cried out in shock:

"It’s the Black and White Duo! I never thought they’d send these two killing gods out for the twelfth match!"
"It’s over for Lu Li."
"Eleven consecutive wins; I suppose that’s as far as he goes."
"A pity. I quite liked his violent fighting style."

Dio gave Lu Li a look of sympathy and whispered a warning: "Kid, you’d better be on your guard. This opponent is not easy to handle."

Lu Li nodded, though his expression remained calm. He could sense the arena’s scheme. Sending two formidable veteran players early on was merely an attempt to force out his hidden methods. *If you want to see my trump cards, then I’ll show you a few!*

Before the opponents could move, Lu Li struck first. Red mist erupted from his body, and he shot toward the woman in white. She raised her scythe horizontally, seemingly intent on tanking the blow. Her partner attacked from the flank, attempting to disrupt Lu Li’s rhythm. As the three were about to collide, the audience sighed in lament. How could a rookie, no matter how talented, defeat the Black and White Duo?

Sure enough, after a clash of weapons, Lu Li’s body was run through by a scythe. While it was not a fatal blow, in the eyes of the spectators, he was already beyond saving.

"See? I told you! No one can reach a hundred wins! Bet on Lu Li to lose—easy money!"
"Sigh, a rookie is a rookie. Compared to veterans, there’s a massive gap..."
"What a waste of talent."

The Black and White Duo thought the same, though they felt a flicker of confusion. Why would a rookie capable of eleven wins become so reckless in the twelfth? Even if he were to lose, he shouldn't have fallen so quickly. It felt as if Lu Li had deliberately thrown himself onto the blade.

Curiosity aside, the scythe had truly pierced his body. The woman in white exerted force, attempting to pull her weapon out. But at that exact moment, the "critically wounded" Lu Li raised his head and flashed a cryptic smile at her. In a move no one anticipated, Lu Li gripped the scythe blade with both hands and pushed it deeper into his own body.

"Are—are you insane?!" Even the battle-hardened White was shocked by such madness and shrieked in alarm.

Her answer was a blinding flash of white light. A point-blank ultimate! The roar of a lightning bolt echoed through the entire arena. Lu Li was blown back by the explosion, while White paid the price with her head, which had been reduced to fragments.

The woman in black hadn't even realized what was happening when a lightning-fast shadow appeared out of thin air and cleanly severed her head.

The twelfth match: Lu Li wins again!

The audience was in an uproar. Lu Li stood up unhurriedly and used his clothes to crudely bandage the wound in his stomach. As early as the seventh match, he had plundered a healing talent from an opponent: the Platinum-tier "Extreme Healing." However, he had no intention of healing his wounds immediately. With the lingering effects of "Bloody Slaughter," every injury was a buff for him. Furthermore, a wounded challenger was more likely to lull the remaining gatekeepers into a false sense of security.

Whispers rippled through the stands:
"Did I see that right? The Black and White Duo were taken out by Lu Li?"
"What was that white light in his hand? That looked like an Elemental-type technique..."
"Elemental? I thought his talent was 'Morph'? That light must have been a pre-prepared item."
"Forget about White, how did Black die? Can someone tell me?"
"Was it that Palu person?"
"Impossible, he’s been huddled in the corner the whole time, not moving at all..."
"Sigh, if this Lu Li had only aimed for fifteen matches, he might have actually succeeded. It’s just a shame this fool asked for a hundred and got himself severely injured so early."
"True. The remaining gatekeepers don't even need to fight; they could just stand there and stall, and Lu Li would bleed to death..."
"A rookie is a rookie. No experience. He’s going to die from his own arrogance..."

The High Heaven clearly realized this as well. Consequently, the gatekeepers he dispatched were no longer flashy stars, but balanced, average fighters. They stopped attacking aggressively, adopting a defensive stance to drag out the time.

Yet, he did not expect this to play right into Lu Li’s hands. In the ensuing matches, because his opponents refused to attack, Lu Li was able to fight with even greater freedom. Several times, he finished them off with clean, decisive strikes that left the audience in shock. As for Lu Li, not only had he completed several advancement tasks, but his Soul Points were steadily climbing toward the 10,000 mark.

Despite being "critically wounded," he gave off the impression of growing stronger with every fight. By the time the High Heaven realized something was wrong, Lu Li had already secured his fiftieth victory.