"Impressive, Whirlwind Boss!"
"You've improved a lot. Must’ve put in a lot of effort lately, huh?"
Dongfang Yuan looked at Qi Xu with admiration. When they first teamed up, her attacks had seemed clunky, but now they were noticeably more refined.
Reaching this level required countless battles—a reliable teammate with both luck and dedication. Who wouldn’t appreciate that?
"I didn’t dare slack off for a single day..."
Dongfang Yuan summed it up succinctly, pointing out two oversights in Qi Xu’s moves and even mimicking the meteor hammer-wielding opponent’s stance to break it down on the spot.
Qi Xu listened with rapt attention. Without formal combat training, this was her weakest point. Fresh off the fight, her insights were sharpest now, and Sister Cut You’s explanations made everything click.
Only when Dongfang Yuan stepped onto the stage did Qi Xu hurriedly glance at Chinese Master Chef.
She nearly burst out laughing. Warwolf 007 looked utterly defeated, sitting face-to-face with Chinese Master Chef.
He’d tried everything—no use. The guy just huddled behind his shield barrier, refusing to come out.
Seeing Big Ox lose to Invincible Black Whirlwind only added to his frustration.
In their 10-person team, Warwolf 007 had been most confident about himself and Big Ox—two guaranteed wins. Yet they hadn’t secured a single point...
Old Nine on the opposing side was unbeatable, and the woman in gray sportswear beside him didn’t look easy either.
He might stand a chance against her, but the rest of his team... Ugh.
Warwolf 007 had already abandoned hope of winning. He glared at the chubby guy still hiding behind his shield.
"Come out! Let’s trade a few moves! Hiding won’t solve anything. Can that shield of yours last forever?"
Chinese Master Chef shook his head vigorously. "Yep! It’s a Tier-8 weapon!"
Warwolf 007’s jaw dropped. "Tier-8?! You used all those weapon enhancement cards on a shield? What were you thinking?"
Chinese Master Chef nodded eagerly. "I’m no good with blades or guns, so I boosted my shield. Problem?"
"Buddy, even if you don’t come out, you can’t win. We’ll just end up in a stalemate!"
Chinese Master Chef’s eyes lit up. "Really? A draw? Then I’m definitely staying put. I’m just filler—win or lose doesn’t matter."
Warwolf 009 laughed so hard he clutched his stomach. Always the schemer, Warwolf 007 had finally met his match—justice served!
"Nice one, Master Chef!"
Warwolf 007 bared his teeth at Warwolf 009. "Shut it!"
Qi Xu grinned too. Deploying Chinese Master Chef had been a stroke of genius.
She turned back to Dongfang Yuan just as her opponent flew off the stage.
Dongfang Yuan froze mid-kick, even taking a step forward with an outstretched hand—like some dramatic movie freeze-frame.
"Uh... sorry. Didn’t realize you were this weak. Wait—Whirlwind Boss, does that sound too mean?"
The girl she’d kicked off was on the verge of tears.
Seeing her teammates help her up, Qi Xu rushed to explain, "That’s just her style—not mocking you, honestly."
Dongfang Yuan nodded. "Right. I figured anyone in the cross-region challenge would be strong, so I went all out. Didn’t expect you to fold in one..."
Qi Xu cleared her throat, shooting Dongfang Yuan a look: Enough, sweetie.
"You get the idea. My bad."
The girl pouted, tears welling as she glared at Dongfang Yuan before storming back to her team.
Despite the beating... damn, she’s cool.
Old White Dragon in the Waves stifled laughter, his stomach aching. "Sister Cut You, if you can’t apologize, don’t. That was brutal! But your trash talk? Flawless. Now though—"
He stopped mid-sentence, feeling a chill on his neck.
Turning, he met Sister Cut You’s icy glare and instantly sealed his lips, offering a meek smile.
Dongfang Yuan snorted.
With two consecutive wins for District 666 and Warwolf 007 stuck in a standoff with Chinese Master Chef, Team 632 from the 12th Major District looked grim.
Especially when their next opponent was Warwolf 009—their expressions screamed despair.
Meanwhile, on stage, Warwolf 007 pleaded, "Ninth Bro... no, Ninth Sir! Can you talk some sense into this guy? Hiding behind a shield? Pathetic!"
Warwolf 009 smirked before his match. "What’s wrong? Holding the line is a skill. Can’t break it? Then quit whining and jump off."
Warwolf 007 crossed his arms and plopped down by the edge. "Nope! Why should I? I didn’t lose!"
Warwolf 009’s opponent was mediocre. He could’ve ended it flashily like Sister Cut You, but he had tact.
He dragged out the fight a few moves before decisively knocking them off. The loser conceded gracefully.
Next up: Breaking Cocoon into Butterfly. They’d vibed in the chatroom and traded often, but this was their first meeting.
A sharp, no-nonsense girl, quieter in person than online, cradling a long spear.
When her turn came, she vaulted onto the stage with a flourish, showcasing a move so slick her opponent lost all will to fight.
Breaking Cocoon into Butterfly had trained since childhood—a traditional martial artist blessed with a fated weapon. But her skills were rooted in forms, not combat. Peaceful times had dulled the lethality of her art.
Yet two decades of training honed her agility, reflexes, and physique to peak levels.
Only recent monster battles taught her to merge deadly techniques with her foundation, forging her own style.
A slow start, but now she dominated.
Her opponent’s dagger stood no chance against her spear’s reach. Every swing kept them at bay.
Qi Xu beamed. Another gem uncovered!
