Outside the glass doors of the Fighting Arena, Bone Scissors basked in the roars and cheers of the crowd. He didn't rush to finish off Ah Tai, seeming to enjoy the process.
Someone stepped into the Fighting Arena to inquire, and at the same time, the female receptionist approached Xu Mo, saying, "Mr. Hunter, if you challenge Mr. Bone Scissors, the reward for winning is three thousand five hundred Federation credits, and the reward for losing is six hundred Federation credits. Do you accept?"
"I accept." Xu Mo nodded, only to see Bone Scissors on the arena glance over, the blood from his twin blades dripping incessantly.
"Can't you avoid going?" Bai Wei's hand clutched tightly; her voice trembled. The brutality in the arena scared her; she feared Xu Mo might also die there. Though she didn't yet know who Xu Mo was, everything here filled her with dread. He was the only person she could follow in this place.
However, Xu Mo walked past her without a word.
Bone Scissors accepted Xu Mo's challenge!
To the pulse of heavy metal music, the crowd reveled wildly, indulging in the thrill of the bloodshed. Xu Mo stepped onto the arena, holding his scimitar. They were preparing to carry Ah Tai off the ground. The giant over two meters tall convulsed in extreme pain; he wasn't dead yet.
"Ah Tai!" Xu Mo called out. Ah Tai seemed to hear and struggled to extend his hand.
Xu Mo gripped his bloody, damaged hand, and heard Ah Tai weakly say, "This is the ultimate fate of fighting. If you win, don't ever come back."
A trickle of fresh blood continued to flow from his mouth as he spoke. His hand quivered before going completely stiff.
Xu Mo released his grip, watching as Ah Tai was carried away.
"Did you know him?" came a voice from behind. Xu Mo turned to see Bone Scissors, half his face hidden by a mask.
"Yes," Xu Mo replied.
Bone Scissors chuckled. "Seeing how he died and still daring to come up here, what are you thinking?"
Xu Mo looked at Bone Scissors, silent for a moment. "I'm thinking about how you're going to die."
Their conversation electrified the atmosphere. Both of them wielded blades.
Amid the booming music, the spectators screamed. Bone Scissors licked the blood off his blade, fixing a cruel smile on Xu Mo.
At that moment, a mechanical voice announced, "Challenger, one victory: Hunter; Defender, eight victories: Bone Scissors!"
"Roar..." With this announcement, the crowd went entirely wild.
"Bone Scissors, how many cuts this time?"
"Sever his head!"
Someone shouted madly. Bone Scissors didn't rush to attack this time but said, "One victory? And you dare come up here; I'll make your death slower this time."
Xu Mo responded, "My first cut will gouge out your eyes."
"Really?" Bone Scissors smirked, his body moved, and he charged at Xu Mo with incredible speed, slashing his blade!
Xu Mo's perception enveloped the arena. The moment he entered the state, all the surrounding noise vanished to him. Everything was imprinted in his mind, including the wind noise from Bone Scissors's swing.
The blade flashed like lightning. It didn't strike Xu Mo but sliced through the air in front of him. Xu Mo dodged it perfectly as if he knew the exact trajectory. His movements seemed uncoordinated but were immensely precise.
This was just the first strike. Bone Scissors's speed was swift. With a rotational slash, he closed the distance and unleashed a second cut. His splendid technique made the crowd roar, as they seemed to see Xu Mo being struck down by this blow.
The blade grazed past Xu Mo's body but didn't touch him; an apparent stroke of luck.
Yet, Xu Mo's seemingly fortunate escapes continued, evading each strike narrowly but flawlessly. None of Bone Scissors's blows could touch him.
"This isn't luck; he's an expert. His reaction speed and physical fitness are exceptional."
Observant spectators noted Xu Mo's actions, thinking to themselves. The battle between Xu Mo and Bone Scissors felt reminiscent of Bone Scissors's earlier fight with Ah Tai.
This fight promised to be spectacular. Despite Hunter only having one victory, his audacity to challenge suggested he was no ordinary fighter.
However, most people still believed Xu Mo would eventually fall to Bone Scissors's blade—brutally.
Failing with two attacks didn't slow Bone Scissors. He closed in, swinging his dual blades rapidly like a butcher chopping meat. Each move was lethal, vicious to the extreme.
Even so, his blades failed to touch Xu Mo.
As Bone Scissors delivered a frenzied series of slashes, the crowd reveled, eager to see how long Xu Mo could last. Yet, some sensed something wrong. Despite the danger, Xu Mo's reactions were terrifying, anticipating every move and evading perfectly. Was it remarkable calculation or an extraordinary nervous reaction speed?
Either way, the Hunter was formidable.
Moreover, Xu Mo still hadn't drawn his blade.
Xu Mo didn't draw his blade because his sword technique wasn't superior. His strength lay elsewhere. His past adventures had seen him through countless deadly scenarios, and now, his overall capabilities were far beyond before. Bone Scissors's attacks were menacing but still within human bounds. He was simply skilled in combat.
All it took was the right moment.
Bone Scissors grew frustrated by his lack of progress. His attacks became fiercer, slashing horizontally in a sweeping move. Yet, he met Xu Mo's eyes—remarkably calm, like a cold-blooded killer, giving him a sense of danger.
In that instant, Xu Mo's arm moved for the first time.
He drew his blade.
The scimitar!
His blade was swift, faster than Bone Scissors's, even faster than the flashing lights. It was a strike fueled by immense power, purely about speed, no fancy technique!
The cold gleam of the blade burned into Bone Scissors's eyes. The next moment, his vision darkened; the light was gone, followed by severe pain.
A horrified scream echoed through the arena, pausing the crowd's cheers. Only the music continued its relentless beat.
"What happened?" The onlookers hadn't comprehended, had Bone Scissors's eyes been gouged out with a single strike? Just like what Bone Scissors did to Ah Tai.
"One strike, again with one strike." A spectator who had witnessed Xu Mo's previous fight against Ryan was excited. He saw this remarkable strike again, only against an even stronger opponent, Bone Scissors, with the same conclusion.
The Hunter, his code name was Hunter!
Instinctively, Bone Scissors dropped the blade in his left hand to cover his eyes, but he kept flailing wildly with the right.
At this moment, he recalled Xu Mo's words: The first strike would gouge his eyes.
"Stop, I give up, spare me." Bone Scissors's voice softened.
"Ah..." Another scream as he dropped the blade from his right hand, his wrist bleeding.
Cooling scimitar strikes continued. Bone Scissors kneeled, his knees bleeding before he collapsed completely. At that moment, he experienced Ah Tai's pain.
For some reason, seeing such a frenzied scene, the crowd went silent, subdued by the coldness of Xu Mo's blade.
Xu Mo walked to the fallen Bone Scissors. Under countless gazes, his scimitar sliced across Bone Scissors's throat, then he turned and left.
Watching Xu Mo's back, the audience erupted again, shouting wildly. Two consecutive fights had been too thrilling.
Xu Mo headed to the backstage. The female receptionist handed him the reward: three thousand five hundred Federation credits.
Xu Mo pocketed the reward, feeling a mix of emotions. This was the 'blood money' of the Fighting Arena.
"Mr. Hunter, would you like to continue?" the female receptionist asked.
"No." Xu Mo declined, glancing at Bai Wei, then walked out.
Xu Mo had gained quite a sum now, with over ten thousand Federation credits. In the Underworld, this amount was considered a 'fortune,' at least for an ordinary person in the Underworld.
Xu Mo left the Casino. Bai Wei followed quietly, always keeping a distance.
Xu Mo turned to look at her. Bai Wei avoided his gaze, seemingly fearful. After witnessing Xu Mo's performance in the arena, it was hard not to be afraid. Xu Mo could tell.
"You can leave anytime if you want." Xu Mo told Bai Wei. His mood wasn't great; today's experiences left him feeling unsettled.
Bai Wei paused, then saw Xu Mo walking alone, apparently serious. Xu Mo was willing to let her go.
Bai Wei bit her lip, tightened her clothes around herself, then hurried to catch up with Xu Mo. She didn't know where else to go. Despite her fear of Xu Mo, she feared the black market people more.
Xu Mo knew Bai Wei was following and didn't say much. He felt many people tailing him; this time, the commotion had drawn more attention. It was inconvenient to shake them off with Bai Wei around. He decided to get her out of the black market first!