84: Chapter 84 Since we're going to clash, let's clash head-on.

Zhang Wei hadn't even rolled up the banner that read "Lin Qi Will Win" when the broadcast announced the lineup for the next match.

"Round of sixteen to eight, fourth match. Number 07-44, Lin Qi, versus number 02-18, Lei Meng."

The image on the big screen jumped, switching to the fighters' preparation area.

A guy shaped like a brown bear walking on its hind legs was roaring at the camera.

He was over two point two meters tall, and his muscles didn't look aesthetic at all; they were bulging deformities like a pile of jagged rocks, with dark blue veins throbbing beneath his skin.

Even through the screen, that brutal, fierce Aura was practically spilling out.

"Lin Qi? That opportunist who only knows how to throw nails and play with bombs?"

Lei Meng made a throat-slitting gesture at the camera, spittle flying everywhere.

"Pray I don't catch you. In the face of absolute strength, your little tricks are like paper toys."

"I'll crush your bones one by one and let you know what a real warrior is!"

In the lounge.

Old Mo tightened the lid of his thermos and glanced at the screen.

"Lei Meng, A+ Strength talent, profession [Heavy Fist Fighter]."

"Although his brain is full of muscles, his raw strength is undeniable. On his data panel, his Strength attribute has broken three hundred."

Lin Qi was warming up.

Instead of checking his hidden weapons as he used to, he leisurely unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows.

The exposed forearms had smooth lines; while not as exaggerated as Lei Meng's, beneath that dark golden skin, every muscle fiber was like a tightly twisted steel cable.

"Three hundred Strength?"

Lin Qi flexed his wrists, producing a crisp cracking sound.

"Sounds scary."

Old Mo raised an eyebrow, seeing that something was off with this posture.

"Aren't you going to prepare some tools?"

"This is a real, hard-fought battle; this big lug is thick-skinned and tough, so ordinary hidden weapons won't pierce his muscle layer."

"No need."

Lin Qi shook his head and took a deep breath, his chest cavity rhythmically expanding, emitting a thunderous sound similar to the low roar of a tiger or leopard.

"The previous matches were either swatting mosquitoes or shooting fish in a barrel; it didn't feel right. Finally, a sandbag that can take a beating has arrived, and I want to test just how hard these 'Diamond Bones' really are."

Old Mo was stunned for a moment, then grinned.

"Alright. Then go smash him to pieces."

...

Arena Three.

When Lin Qi stepped up, the visual contrast was extremely sharp.

Lei Meng was like a mountain of flesh; just the shadow he cast was enough to completely engulf Lin Qi.

He wore a pair of custom-made alloy gauntlets on his hands, the surface flowing with a dark red energy halo—a sign that his skills were charging up.

"You actually dare to come up here?"

Lei Meng looked down at Lin Qi from a height, two streams of hot air spraying from his nostrils.

"I thought you'd hide behind the referee and forfeit like a rat."

Lin Qi looked up, his expression indifferent.

"You talk too much."

The flesh on Lei Meng's face twitched as he let out a sinister laugh.

"Good, very good. I hope your bones are as hard as your mouth."

The referee glanced at both sides and stepped back two paces.

"The match begins!"

Boom!

As soon as the referee's voice fell, the arena shook.

Lei Meng had no intention of testing the waters.

He kicked off the ground, his massive body like an out-of-control heavy tank, crushing forward in a straight line with unstoppable Aura.

Professional Skill: [Savage Charge].

Simple, brutal, and effective.

Let alone a living person, even a load-bearing wall blocking the way would be smashed to pieces by this impact.

A gasp came from the audience.

This kind of straight-line charge was extremely fast and carried an Aura lock-on effect, making it impossible for ordinary people to react.

Lin Qi didn't move.

His feet were spread in a stance, knees slightly bent, hands hanging naturally.

This was the "Three Body" stance of Xingyi Quan.

To outsiders, it looked like he had been scared silly, frozen in place waiting to be knocked away.

"Die!"

Seeing that he was about to collide, the red light in Lei Meng's eyes flared.

Ten meters.

Five meters.

One meter.

Just as that massive shoulder was about to touch the tip of Lin Qi's nose.

Lin Qi moved.

It wasn't a wide-range dodge, nor a pathetic roll.

He simply shifted his center of gravity to the left by half an inch.

That half-inch was a chasm.

Whoosh—

The violent wind whipped Lin Qi's hair backward.

Lei Meng's massive body brushed past Lin Qi's clothes.

This extremely precise distance control made several high-level instructors in the stands stand up involuntarily.

"This reaction speed... is it pre-judgment?"

Lei Meng's attack missed, but he was a battle-hardened warrior after all and didn't fly out of the arena due to momentum.

Using the force of the charge, his right foot plowed a deep furrow in the ground, forcefully stopping his momentum.

At the same time, he exerted force from his waist, spinning his entire body like a top.

His right hand, wearing the alloy gauntlet, swept horizontally, aiming straight for the back of Lin Qi's head.

This sudden counterattack was fast and fierce, with the air being torn apart, emitting a wailing sound.

"Get down!"

There was nowhere to dodge.

And Lin Qi didn't intend to dodge again.

With his back to Lei Meng, it was as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

His left hand tapped backward seemingly at random, precisely cutting into the joint on the inner side of Lei Meng's wrist.

That was the blind spot for generating force.

This touch was as light as a feather.

But the moment they made contact, Lin Qi's wrist vibrated at an extremely high frequency, and a Spiral Force penetrated into his body.

Deflecting a thousand pounds with four ounces.

Lei Meng felt that his punch, which was powerful enough to crack mountains and shatter stones, felt like it had hit a pile of cotton; not only was all his force lost, but it was also diverted by a strange pulling force.

Whoosh!

The massive fist brushed past Lin Qi's ear and struck empty air.

The weightlessness caused by swinging with full force made Lei Meng feel so uncomfortable he almost vomited blood, his center of gravity swaying.

"Can you only scurry around like a monkey?!"

Lei Meng was completely enraged.

Being toyed with twice in a row by a "Blank Slate" was a great humiliation for him, a man who worshiped strength.

"Let's see how you dodge this!"

Hum!

The red light on the alloy gauntlet erupted suddenly, blindingly bright.

Lei Meng no longer sought a single heavy blow, but swung his arms wildly, turning into a sky full of fist shadows.

Professional Ultimate Skill: [Chain Burst Fist].

Every punch carried a sonic boom, and the dense wind from the fists sealed off all of Lin Qi's escape routes, front, back, left, and right.

The air was filled with crackling explosions.

Zhang Wei in the stands was so nervous he crushed the soda can in his hand.

If he took one punch, he'd probably need an ambulance on the spot.

However.

Lin Qi, who was in the center of the storm, lifted his head at this moment.

In those deep eyes, there was no panic at all, but rather a burning fire ignited.

Dodge?

Who said I was going to dodge?

Since you want to play with strength, then I will crush you head-on in the Domain you are most proud of.

Lin Qi stopped retreating.

The Qi and blood in his body surged like a great river, and the medicinal power belonging to the "Diamond Bone-Tempering Soup" deep within his bones was completely stimulated.

At this moment, his skin took on a layer of dark golden luster that looked like substance.

Facing the fatal punch Lei Meng unleashed.

Lin Qi slammed his right foot forward, crushing the alloy floor beneath his feet.

He didn't dodge or evade, his right fist clenched tight, his spinal Dragon like a taut bowstring, then suddenly snapped open.

The most simple and unadorned straight punch.

But the moment this punch was thrown, a dull thunderous sound actually rang out in the air.

"Come!"

Lin Qi let out a low shout, his fist meeting Lei Meng's iron fist, which was flashing with the red light of his skill, colliding without any fancy tricks.