154: Steel Claw Wang Xi

Seeing Second Ox Luo take the field, Qian Long, who had long been unable to restrain himself, tensed his muscles and prepared to step forward. His fists, the size of clay pots, were already cracking, and he couldn't wait to go up and teach that foul-mouthed kid a lesson.

“Qian Long, wait.” Zhang Lei's steady voice rang out as he reached out to stop him. “You are Second-Tier, and he is only First-Tier. Even if you win, it won't look good, making it seem like we're bullying people.” His gaze swept over the team members he had brought behind him, finally landing on a lean man. “Wang Xi, you take this round.”

“Understood! Commander!” The man named Wang Xi responded in a deep voice. He patted Qian Long's shoulder, revealing a row of white teeth. “Brother Qian, you rest first. Watch me go meet this Kyoto grunt and loosen his bones for him.”

Although Qian Long was bellicose, he knew how to prioritize. He bumped fists hard with Wang Xi and encouraged him in a muffled voice, “Good! Give that kid a good lesson! Let them know that people from Lujiang are not to be trifled with! Just be careful and don't cripple him.”

Wang Xi nodded confidently and walked to the center of the Training Ground with steady steps. Despite the previous conflicts between the two sides, the basic etiquette of a martial arts match could not be discarded. The two stood still in the field and cupped their fists to each other in salute.

“Kyoto Base, First Evolver Regiment, Second Ox Luo!”

“Lujiang Base, Red Alert Legion, Wang Xi!”

After the salute, Second Ox Luo let out a low roar like a savage bull. His already sturdy body expanded rapidly like it was being inflated, and his training uniform on his upper body tore with a "rip," revealing knotted and twisted bronze-colored muscles! Most surprisingly, two short, thick, black buffalo horns with a metallic luster sprouted from both sides of his forehead! His breathing became heavy, and his eyes turned red—this was his Superpower: Savage Bull Warrior! He pulled out a Brow-Height Wrought Iron Staff from his back and spun it, creating a whistling wind.

Opposite him, Wang Xi lowered his body slightly, his arms hanging naturally. With several soft metallic "clings," ten cold, shimmering alloy Steel Claws about fifteen centimeters long instantly ejected from the knuckles of his hands! His muscles also bulged slightly, his lines becoming more fluid and full of explosive power, making him look like a leopard ready to pounce.

The battle erupted instantly!

“Roar!” Relying on his strength advantage, Second Ox Luo lunged forward. The wrought iron staff in his hand carried a vicious wind, striking directly at Wang Xi's waist and abdomen with a powerful "Sweep of a Thousand Armies"! His staff technique was steady and methodical, clearly indicating systematic training and that he was a skilled fighter in the military.

Wang Xi's eyes narrowed. He didn't dare to take the blow head-on. His footwork changed flexibly, and his body dodged to the left and back as if he had no bones, while his claws crossed in front of him!

“Clang!”

The Steel Claws collided with the iron staff, sparking a trail of fire! Wang Xi used the force of the collision to slide back half a step, dissipating the impact.

Second Ox Luo was relentless. He swung the iron staff like a windmill, chopping, sweeping, stabbing, and flicking. His offensive was like a violent storm, his strength fierce and peerless! Wang Xi, on the other hand, utilized his agility to the fullest. His figure was like a ghost, dodging and weaving through the shadows of the staff. His Steel Claws parried at times and made lightning-fast counterattacks like a venomous snake's tongue at others, the tips of the claws scraping against the iron staff with a tooth-aching "screech."

The close-combat skills of the two were evenly matched, and it was clear that both had been tempered through life-and-death struggles. However, Second Ox Luo's "Savage Bull Warrior" transformation provided a significantly stronger boost to his physical strength. Every collision of the staff shook Wang Xi's arms until they were numb, making it quite difficult for him to cope, often requiring him to redirect the force several times to neutralize it.

For a time, staff shadows flew and claw lights flashed in the field. The sound of clashing metal was constant, and the battle fell into a stalemate.

However, as time passed, Second Ox Luo's disadvantage began to show. First, although his "Savage Bull Warrior" form greatly increased his strength, it consumed an enormous amount of physical energy. Second, he had already lost quite a bit of stamina after being suppressed by Zhang Lei's Heavy Water Domain earlier. His breathing began to grow ragged, and his offensive was no longer as swift and continuous as before, with sweat pouring down his forehead.

The battle-hardened Wang Xi immediately and keenly captured this point!

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he instantly switched from a defensive posture to a fierce offensive!

“My turn!” Wang Xi barked, and his speed suddenly increased by another thirty percent! He no longer just dodged but actively closed in on Second Ox Luo. His Steel Claws turned into a sky full of cold light, pouring toward Second Ox Luo like a violent storm! Flicking, grabbing, tearing, and slashing, his moves were ruthless and tricky, specifically targeting the gaps and joints in Second Ox Luo's defense!

Second Ox Luo was suddenly flustered and struggled to parry, being pushed back repeatedly in a pathetic state. He tried to use his strength to force his way through the claw shadows, but his declining stamina caused his movements to be half a beat slower, and his strength was also compromised.

Finally, after continuously taking over a dozen rapid-fire attacks, Wang Xi spotted an opening and delivered a powerful right-hand claw strike from bottom to top, aimed fiercely at Second Ox Luo's face!

Second Ox Luo was terrified and hurriedly held his iron staff horizontally above his head to parry!

“Clang!!!”

A loud bang! The Steel Claws slammed heavily onto the iron staff!

Wang Xi didn't let up, pouring all his strength into his arms and pressing down fiercely! Second Ox Luo grit his teeth, his arm muscles knotted as he held on desperately. But with his stamina nearly exhausted, he had reached his limit. His legs began to tremble, sweat flowed from his forehead like a stream, and his face turned purple-red from the strain.

“Down you go!” Wang Xi roared, and his strength exploded once more!

“Crack!” With a slight snapping sound, the hard wrought iron staff was actually bent slightly by the pressure of the Steel Claws! Second Ox Luo could no longer hold on. With a "thud," his knees buckled, and he was pressed down to a single knee by the immense force, the iron staff flying out of his hands!

The winner was decided!

Seeing this, Wang Xi immediately retracted his claws and leaped back, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. His "Steel Claw" Superpower was not top-tier; his ability to get to where he was today was entirely due to effort far beyond that of ordinary people and tempering between life and death. The fierce battle just now had nearly exhausted all his physical strength and mental energy.

Second Ox Luo sat paralyzed on the ground, looking at the iron staff that had fallen in the distance. His face was filled with shame and unwillingness, which finally turned into a long sigh as he walked off the stage dejectedly.

Subsequently, each side sent out nineteen more First-Tier Evolvers to spar. After all, the Kyoto Base had a deep foundation and a large enterprise, having trained a large number of elites in the months after the apocalypse. Their Superpowers were varied and difficult to defend against. The warriors from the Lujiang Base, on the other hand, excelled in their rich combat experience and brave style. Each match was brilliant, drawing rounds of applause from the onlookers.

In the end, the score for the First-Tier matches was fixed at 11 to 9, with the Kyoto Base slightly ahead. However, for the Lujiang Base, which had come from afar, this result was completely acceptable. It could even be said to be a defeat with honor, without losing any face at all.

Next was the contest between Second-Tier experts.

The hot-tempered Iron Fist Qian Long was the first to take the field. His metalized giant fists were peerlessly fierce. Although he encountered some trouble, he ultimately relied on his superior strength and rich combat experience to successfully defeat his opponent, earning another point for Lujiang.

However, Muscle Tyrant Wang Kun, who went up next, met his nemesis. His opponent was a skilled Fire Summoner who summoned a Flame Crane that was exceptionally agile. The high-temperature flames it spat out were extremely effective against Wang Kun's "Muscle Giantization," which relied on physical strength. No matter how strong Wang Kun was, he was burned until his skin split and thick smoke rose, and he could only helplessly admit defeat in the end.

Afterward, Shen Nan and Yang Ning took the stage in succession. Shen Nan, with the terrifying speed, strength, and self-healing ability brought by his Werewolf Transformation, tore through his opponent's defense with lightning speed.

Yang Ning did not summon destroyer mecha. Relying on the powerful defense of his Superpower and a halberd enchanted with Earth-type energy, he steadily suppressed his opponent.

The final score reached a tense 12-12 tie! At this time, on the Lujiang Base's side, only Zhang Lei had not yet taken the field.

Yang Tian watched the score and slowly rose from his seat. After this series of sparring sessions, the small friction between the two sides from before had long since vanished. Instead, a sense of mutual respect had grown from the encounter. Bellicose by nature, the flame of his desire to clash with the strong burned even more fiercely at this moment, and he could no longer hold back.

He looked with burning eyes at Zhang Lei, who had remained calm and composed throughout, and said loudly with cupped fists, “The brothers from the Lujiang Base are indeed well-deserved of their reputation; every one of them is a skilled fighter! This Yang admires you! I wonder if Brother Zhang Lei would do me the honor of giving me some guidance? Let me also experience the 'ice fire divine lord's' heavenly methods!” His tone was filled with respect for the strong and a desire for a challenge.

Hearing this, Zhang Lei showed a gentle smile and stood up. “Brother Yang overpraises us. This sparring between our two bases was originally for exchange and mutual learning. There's no need to dwell on the previous small misunderstandings. Since Brother Yang has such an interest, I shall naturally accompany you. Brother Yang... please do your best!”