Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
There was another person in the forest. An Arbiter.
Aragorn from Warrior Soul College. He watched emotionlessly as the two battled. That Mars was the one who had killed his junior.
The competition amongst Arbiter’s military colleges was accident-prone, and the loss of control was due to overwhelming power on both sides. Without a fight to the last, victory could not be decided. No other country would pursue this course, but Arbiter must see one triumphant. This was also the reason that they were mighty – the strong devoured the weak.
Hatred was a given, but the Arbiter way of exacting revenge was to surpass and dominate. To let your opponent watch themself be overtaken.
Any other way of victory within Arbiter would be accompanied with the derision of the entire nation. That was a life worse than death.
Surpass Heavenly Overlord Attack, and defeat Mars. That was what Aragorn must do. Of course, that Wang Zheng needed finishing as well. After all, Aslan’s marriage had political motivations, and could also fit Arbiter’s needs.
Their mighty martial force had rigidified Arbiter. In international relations, they were far behind Kashawen, who wielded both carrot and stick as smoothly as a fish in water. That was why they had to change their image. This was not something that words alone could achieve. They needed a great opportunity, which Aslan had provided.
Everyone understood each other.
In terms of presence, Mars completely held the upper hand. The Heavenly Overlord Attack’s savagery was top-class. It sought the strongest attacks. In any era, offense was king.
And Wang Zheng’s arts belonged to either the balanced attack and defense, or counter attack types from Earth. In practice, such arts, such an attitude, and such a life were all unsuited to the current planetary environment, and failure was guaranteed.
But this Wang Zheng was indeed unusual. How did he part the presence without resisting?
Aragorn’s eyes glowed with a faint red light. The red light seemed to penetrate Wang Zheng. Rotation?
Wang Zheng’s energy did not meet it head on, but instead diverted Mars’ energy.
Aragorn’s mouth quirked with the hint of a cold smile. Skills, skills, skills.
Of course they were important, but being obsessed with such tricks would compromise the all-important power. What he wanted to see most was how much Mars had progressed.
Mars stepped up and roared. This was a technique to elevate his aura.
But Wang Zheng saw that Mars was not just exhaling and attacking, but vigorously sucking in a breath. His eyes shone.
Heavenly Overlord Attack, Inner Binds!
If it had been Olivios, he might have attacked already. This was a matter of refinement. Mars’ experience and understanding of the arts far surpassed Olivios’. In that situation, even if he had boosted his aura and attacked, the odds were not good.
All the while, Mars had his doubts about many of the abilities that Heavenly Overlord Attack brought. After all, he was an Arbiter. But against Wang Zheng, those attacks suddenly seemed completely different.
This inner binding had instantly allowed Mars to turn the tables. His ferocious energy formed a cycle, and the energy that Wang Zheng had spun to divert gathered centrifugal force and flowed back to Mars.
Wang Zheng was slightly taken aback as well. Seemed like he had underestimated Mars.
At this moment, Wang Zheng half squatted and spread his legs. Ping…
With a loud sound, they vanished almost at the same time, appearing in the middle. Neither’s stance had changed much. Mars had thrown a chopping blow, while Wang Zheng had let loose a square punch.
Boom…
The two waves of energy collided, but did not separate, instead fusing. Mars understood Wang Zheng. The finesse of his physical technique was sublime, or he could not use such power in this way. That was why he could not play technicalities with Wang Zheng. He had to use the awesomeness of the Heavenly Overlord Attack and force Wang Zheng to duke it out with him head-on. He would use greater brute strength to subdue Wang Zheng.
Under the impact, Mars moved even quicker, sharply boosting his aura, and sending another straight punch out. He was not trying to gain the upper hand, but was seeking to pin Wang Zheng. He had chosen a sticky presence as well.
The Heavenly Overlord Attack was not a brainless attack. Even the most overwhelming techniques required some presence of mind to wield. For example, in many situations, one had to use stick auras.
Aragorn was not surprised. Mars was this good because his Heavenly Overlord Attack level was clearly Tyrant’s Word Arts level. But he had a different sinister feel to it. This was also why his own junior had died in battle. He had been drained to death. Both were of equal power, but Mars’ Tyrant’s Word Arts brought a cunning softness with it.
His ferocious countenance, and even that damned Ability X, all lulled people into misperception.
This Wang Zheng seemed to be a proponent of technique. That was why restraining him and then overwhelming him with brawn was the best choice. Assuming that Wang Zheng had not used his own agility and technique had been a mistake.
One should know that Mars’ explosiveness and agility were not shoddy themselves.
Boom, boom, boom…
Six consecutive punches, and shockwaves flew everywhere. The soil flew, and debris rocketed. Wang Zheng was still in his half-squat, his hands postured unmovingly, fending off Mars’ savage attack. He could not shrug free, but he did not let Mars achieve his goal.
Mars wanted to force Wang Zheng to pit brute strength against him, but Wang Zheng used a technique to shed energy.
If you could successfully shed such savage attacks, all was well. But if you could not shed it off successfully, then your defense failed, and you would die in a punch.
Wang Zheng’s both hands were in front of his chest. With each move, he dispersed Mars’ terrifying power. Mars’ attacks became more and more frenzied, until his fists seemed to disappear. But Wang Zheng’s defenses were still impenetrable. It looked languid, but he was actually moving just as quickly.
After a few seconds, Mars had unleashed all 36 punches, and his energy swelled in his body. All he had to do was endure the excruciating pressure, but Wang Zheng instead brought it down a notch.
Everyone held a breath when using continuous attacks. This breath could be used up. If it was mecha, the gap was very small, because of the delay in mecha movement. To exploit this gap was very difficult. But this was different for close combat. Fists connected instantly.
In that breath, Wang Zheng’s palm lanced out. A break!
It had not even been half a second. All proficient martial arts practitioners understood the importance of breath. Breathing techniques were the basis of martial arts. This meant that one had to master one’s breathing before one could control the pace.
Under evenly matched circumstances, defensive breaths could hold out longer than the attacker. This was a chance.
Only, the people who could capitalize on this were few and far between.
Aragorn smiled coldly. This Wang Zheng was not just anybody.
His hand cleaved onto Mars’ chest. If Mars still had his Ability X, perhaps this attack would have been ineffectual. He could enter an invincible battle state. But now that the flow of mental energy had been completely cut, Wang Zheng, let alone Mars, was helpless. This blow was very deadly.
But Mars completely ignored it. The moment he connected, Wang Zheng knew something was off.
Mars’ flesh seemed to be alive. His cleave seemed to stick to his flesh, and the force shook his muscle and then dissipated!
Aragorn had no idea how Wang Zheng had smoked his way to the Greatest King, given that he was so naive. Even before the Heavenly Overlord Attack practitioners learned to attack, they first learned to take hits. Compared to attacking, their superhuman constitution was the scarier one. There was a legend that the Van family had used other methods, even ones forbidden by the Milky Way Alliance. But that was true for many. People would always try new ways of gaining power. As long as they did not turn into beasts and lose their humanity, everything else were just methods. Ability X, martial arts, genetic modification, body strengthening – they were all the same!
In the Arbiter military, from the common soldier to the strongest fighter, everyone understood one basic principle: there would definitely be enemies stronger than you. As you attacked, you could not defend. Which was why to survive, you had to have a resilient body and an indomitable spirit. This was at the heart of Arbiter strength, and the Iron and Steel College and the Warrior Soul College were the epitome of this.
It was said that Mars had an immortal body, and it was the key to winning that big battle. But it had not left him completely unaffected, which was why Mars had been sent to Elite Academy X. After all, leaving one of the main figures in the Warrior Soul College dead was still news that needed some time to swallow.
Mars’ body gave an oof. Wang Zheng’s capitalizing move had been completely ineffectual, and Mars’ both hands had already taken hold of Wang Zheng’s neck – Cross Lock!
