205: Chapter 205 [Battle Mode: One-on-One]

Horn stared at the swaying figure on the arena.

In his field of vision, Gu Changming was propping himself up with one hand on his knee, the other clutching his chest. Blood was still seeping from the corner of his mouth, and he looked like he could collapse at any moment.

“Heh.” A playful smile appeared at the corner of Horn's mouth.

He could accept it happening once or twice.

But three times in a row—could your luck really be that good every single time?

In the first round, all three parties went down together, leaving only you.

In the second round, you eliminated your opponent, and the Star-Gazing Clan member was heavily injured, allowing you to just swoop in and take the advantage.

In the third round—the one just now—your luck was the best once again.

Every time you were about to be eliminated, you somehow managed to be the last one standing.

Did he really take them all for fools?

He stared at Gu Changming for a few seconds before withdrawing his gaze, his eyes darkening.

He turned his head and crooked a finger toward someone nearby.

It was one of the few people standing at the very front of the group.

The man was a head taller than those around him, with broad shoulders and a pair of bright yellow lion ears atop his head. He stood slightly hunched, carrying a pair of twin blades connected by a chain.

Wallin.

The Great General of their Howling Wind Nation.

Aside from Horn himself, he was the strongest existence on their side.

Upon being summoned, Wallin immediately approached and respectfully lowered his head before Horn.

“Your Majesty.”

“You’re up next,” Horn commanded.

“Understood,” Wallin replied.

Horn glanced at Gu Changming and added, still somewhat uneasy, “In the next round, don’t focus on the Star-Gazing Clan over there. Kill that human first. There’s something wrong with him.”

Wallin turned to glance at the arena, then looked back and nodded.

“Understood.”

With his response finished, Wallin gripped his twin blades and stepped toward the arena.

...

On the other side.

Noel’s gaze also fell upon Gu Changming.

He stared at Gu Changming’s swaying figure for a long time before suddenly chuckling to himself.

So that's how it is.

He had been played for a fool by this human like a stray dog.

His intuition hadn't failed him; this human was definitely off.

In that round, the opponent had done it on purpose.

Tsk, he should have stuck to his guns. This entire human race was just a bunch of despicable people.

Noel withdrew his gaze from the arena and turned to the twenty-odd clansmen standing behind him.

He scanned the crowd.

Twenty-some bodies made of energy floated in the shimmering light, all watching him.

Noel remained silent for two seconds before speaking.

“There’s no other way.”

“If this continues, we will lose.”

As soon as he spoke, the surrounding air seemed to grow a few degrees heavier.

The energy bodies that had been drifting slightly all stopped, suspended in place. No one made a sound.

Noel’s eyes flickered. Looking at these familiar faces, he knew exactly what his next words would imply.

But he had to say it anyway.

“Six people.”

He paused, as if giving himself—and them—a moment of time.

“Select them yourselves.”

Seta, standing at the front of the crowd, clearly faltered for a moment upon hearing this.

He slowly turned his head to look at those beside him.

His fellow clansmen looked back at him as well.

They stared at one another, but no one spoke.

They naturally understood what Noel meant: Fusion.

This was the racial talent of the Star-Gazing Clan.

Because they were energy beings, they could fuse together at will. Once fused, their combat power would increase exponentially, far exceeding the sum of their individual parts.

But the price was also clear.

Once fused, they could never be separated again.

The newly fused individual would possess all of their memories and know everything each of them had experienced, but it would no longer be any one of them.

In other words...

It was time for them to sacrifice themselves.

The silence lasted a few more seconds, longer than before.

Then, someone moved.

It was an energy body from the back row, his form slightly dimmer than the others.

He walked to the center of the group and stood quietly without a word.

Then came a second, a third... until the fifth.

Five energy bodies lined up in front of Noel, as if waiting for something.

They were still missing one.

The group was about to exchange glances to communicate.

But before they could act, Seta took a step forward and stood beside the five others.

Six people. The count was complete.

Noel looked at him, his body frozen in place for a long time.

He wanted to say something—that Seta didn't need to be the one, or perhaps...

But the words reached his lips only to be swallowed back down.

He said nothing. He simply averted his gaze and turned toward the arena.

“Begin.”

As the word fell, Seta and the other five closed their eyes simultaneously.

In the next instant, the six energy bodies began to glow, slowly drawing closer, touching, and merging.

Noel did not watch.

...

Two flashes of white light appeared in mid-air above the arena almost simultaneously.

The fused figure of the Star-Gazing Clan appeared on one side, while Wallin of the Beast-Eared Clan appeared on the other.

Noticing their gazes, Gu Changming stopped his heavy panting and gave a helpless grin.

“Seen through, huh? Can’t keep up the act anymore?”

Well, it had been three times. Even the most dull-witted person should have realized by now.

Gu Changming stood up straight, looked at the selection option that popped up in front of him, and reached out to click it.

...

【Battle Mode: One-on-One】

【Matched Opponent: Human】

The new prompt box that appeared before him made Wallin’s expression freeze.

What was going on?

Hadn't they been choosing the three-way free-for-all before?

Why had it become a one-on-one this time?

He quickly realized the truth, his gaze falling on Gu Changming below the stage.

When he looked down, the other man was staring back at him with a very amiable smile.

Seeing this, Wallin’s eyes flickered as he finally understood what was happening.

...

“One-on-one?” Horn’s eyebrows shot up as he read the message sent back to him.

This confirmed it; there was definitely something wrong with this human.

Did he decide to stop pretending because he knew they’d seen through his act?

Choosing a one-on-one was also a way to prevent the two sides from joining forces to eliminate him first...

Tsk, what a cunning fellow.

“A duel is fine too. Finish him off,” Horn sent back a message, telling Wallin not to worry about the minor hiccup.

...

When Wallin’s figure appeared on the arena, the other two sides were also somewhat stunned.

“It’s not a free-for-all, but a one-on-one?” Cui Jingming immediately began to grit his teeth. “That damned Star-Gazing Clan has no sense of loyalty! Seeing that we’re ahead of them, they actually joined forces with the enemy to try and eliminate us first!”

He looked toward the stage, unable to help feeling nervous for Gu Changming.

Before, Gu Changming had relied on luck to win by a fluke.

Now, it was one-on-one.

Without another person to help draw the fire, something was bound to go wrong this time.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. There’s honor even in defeat!”

He had already begun to comfort himself.