Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer's voice boomed, "our next challenger... Li Wei!"
Laughter erupted from the stands. Li Wei's eyes darted around, taking in the sea of jeering faces. Across the arena stood Shen, his muscular frame exuding arrogance and bloodlust.
Shen's lips curled into a sneer. "Is this a joke?" he shouted, pointing at Li Wei. "You bring me a girl to fight? Did you learn nothing from that Fang?"
The crowd's laughter intensified, a cacophony of cruel amusement that set Li Wei's blood boiling.
Rage bubbled up within him, and before he could stop himself, he spat, "I'll make you eat those words, you snake-faced bastard!"
Shen's eyes narrowed, his amusement morphing into cold fury. "How dare you speak to me like that, you rat?" he snarled. Without warning, he charged.
Li Wei barely had time to blink before Shen was upon him. A fist like a sledgehammer slammed into his stomach, driving the air from his lungs.
He tried to dodge the next blow, but his malnourished body was too slow, too weak.
Punch after punch rained down. Li Wei's attempts to block were pitiful, his arms buckling under the sheer force of Shen's strikes. He tasted copper as blood filled his mouth.
A vicious kick connected with Li Wei's face. There was a sickening crunch as his nose shattered, blood spraying across the arena floor. He collapsed, his vision swimming.
The crowd's cheers for Shen became a distant roar. Li Wei lay on the cold, blood-slicked ground, each breath a struggle.
He could feel his life ebbing away, and a part of him welcomed it. An escape from this hell.
His vision faded to black...
_________________
Li Wei found himself floating in a void. Is this death... Wow it is peaceful than I thought
buh a little weird.
Suddenly, a translucent blue screen materialized before him.
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System initializing]
│1%... 7%... 9%... 30%... 40%... 60%... 80%... 90%... 99.1%... 100%***
│ Welcome user Li Wei
│Ascendance System 1.0 activated
│ Do you want a second Life? [Yes] / [No]
│ Warning: You can't return if choosing either one of the options │
└────────────────────────┘
Li Wei's mind reeled. A second life? [No]
He was tired. He wanted peace. [No]
He thought firmly. I don't want to go back.
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Congratulations User Li Wei
│ You have chosen Yes
│ Initiating system rewards...
└────────────────────────┘
What the fuck ?? Li Wei's consciousness screamed. I chose Noo !!!
I don't want to go backk !!!!! ....
But the void was already dissolving around him, reality rushing back in a kaleidoscope of pain and noise. Li Wei's eyes snapped open, his body convulsing as he gasped for air.
Shen stood over him, eyes wide with disbelief. The crowd had fallen silent, shock palpable in the air.
Li Wei rose to his feet, his body pulsing with a strange new energy. The pain was gone, replaced by a surge of power he couldn't comprehend.A new message flashed before his eyes
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Rewards activated: │
│ - Physical Enhancement: All attributes increased by 50% │
│ - Skill Unlocked: [Shadowstep] - Move undetected through shadows │
│ - Ability Granted: [Pain Suppression] - Reduce felt pain by 70% │
│ Good luck, User Li Wei. The game begins now. │
└────────────────────────┘
Li Wei flexed his fingers, feeling the raw power coursing through him. He looked up at Shen, a cold smile spreading across his face.
"Round two," he said, his voice carrying an otherworldly edge. "Shall we dance?"
As Shen's face contorted with rage and fear, Li Wei realized that his journey had only just begun. The System had chosen him, whether he liked it or not.
In the stands, the Underground Master leaned forward, a gleam of interest in his eyes. Now, He murmured, Things get interesting.
Li Wei stood in the center of the arena, his eyes locked on Shen. The crowd's roar faded to a dull hum as he focused on his opponent.
Shen, still basking in the glory of his victory over Fang, wore a smug grin that made Li Wei's blood boil.
As the gong sounded, Li Wei felt a surge of power course through his veins. The System's enhancements kicked in, sharpening his senses and accelerating his reflexes.
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Combat Mode Activated
│ Strength: +20%
│ Agility: +30%
│ Reaction Time: -40%
└────────────────────────┘
Shen lunged forward, his fist a blur aimed at Li Wei's face. But where once such speed would have overwhelmed him, Li Wei now saw the attack as if in slow motion. He sidestepped with preternatural grace, Shen's fist whistling past his ear.
Capitalizing on Shen's overextension, Li Wei struck. His palm slammed into Shen's solar plexus with crushing force. The impact lifted Shen off his feet, sending him staggering backward.
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Critical Hit!
│ Damage Dealt: 150
│ Shen's HP: 850/1000
└────────────────────────┘
Shen's eyes widened in shock and pain. He had underestimated this newcomer, a mistake he wouldn't make again. With a snarl, he charged, unleashing a flurry of strikes.
Li Wei's body moved on instinct, guided by the System's combat algorithms. He weaved through Shen's assault, each dodge bringing him closer. When an opening presented itself, he struck with precision.
A knife-hand strike to Shen's throat. An elbow to the ribs. A sweeping kick that knocked Shen off balance. Each hit was calculated for maximum impact, exploiting weaknesses in Shen's stance that Li Wei wouldn't have noticed before.
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Combo Achieved!
│ Hits: 5 │
│ Total Damage: 400
│ Shen's HP: 450/1000
└────────────────────────┘
Shen stumbled, blood trickling from his split lip. His confident sneer had been replaced by a grimace of pain and growing fear. He had never faced an opponent like this before.
Li Wei pressed his advantage. He closed the distance in a burst of speed, his fist connecting with Shen's jaw in a devastating uppercut. The crack of bone echoed through the arena as Shen's head snapped back.
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Critical Hit!
│ Damage Dealt: 250
│ Shen's HP: 200/1000
│ Status Effect: Stunned (2 seconds)
└────────────────────────┘
Shen's legs buckled, and he fell to one knee. The crowd, once cheering for his victory, now watched in stunned silence as their champion teetered on the brink of defeat.
Li Wei stood over his fallen opponent, fists clenched. The crowd's bloodthirsty chants for a finishing blow grew louder, but they seemed distant, muffled.
In that moment, as if triggered by the intensity of the situation, a blue hologram appeared before Li Wei's eyes.
It was the System's interface, visible only to him, presenting a critical decision point that would define his path forward.
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Critical Decision Point
│ Options: │
│ 1. Show Mercy - Spare Shen
│ 2. Execute - Eliminate Shen
│ Warning: Your choice will have lasting consequences.
└────────────────────────┘
As Li Wei stood over the fallen Shen, thinking what he will do.
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Critical Decision updated:
│ Kill Shen or lose everything.
│ Warning: Failure to eliminate target will result in:
│ - Loss of all gained abilities
│ - System taking back all special abilities
│ - Severe point deduction
└────────────────────────┘
Huh!!! What the hell? The System just changed the decision. I guess I need to kill you, Shen.
Li Wei's heart pounded in his chest. The crowd's roars faded to a distant hum as he grappled with the weight of his decision.
Images of Fang's broken body flashed through his mind.
With barely a second to spare, Li Wei made his choice. His hands shot out, gripping Shen's head. With a sickening crack that echoed through the arena, he twisted. Shen's body went limp, his eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling.
Blood spattered across Li Wei's hands, warm and sticky. The arena fell silent, the crowd holding its collective breath.
Immediately, a new message appeared:
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Target eliminated. Rewards unlocked:
│ - EXP: +5000
│ - New Title: [Merciless Executioner]
│ - Weapon Proficiency: Swords and Guns Lv3
│ - New Equipment: Katana (Rare), Desert Eagle (Uncommon)
│ New Quest Available: [Escape from the Underworld]
│ Objectives:
│ 1. Eliminate the Underground Master
│ 2. Defeat the guards
│ 3. Escape to the surface world
│ Reward: ???
└────────────────────────┘
As the system's message faded, Li Wei became aware of movement at the edge of the arena.
The Underground Master had entered the arena, his face a mask of approval as he approached to congratulate his new champion.
Li Wei's mind raced. The master knew nothing of the system, of the power that now coursed through him. This is my chance.
As the master drew near, Li Wei's hand moved with inhuman speed. The newly acquired katana materialized in his grip, its blade flashing in the harsh arena lights.
The master's eyes widened in shock and betrayal as the katana plunged into his chest, blood dripping on the katana to floor.
I'm sorry, Li Wei whispered in his ears, his voice devoid of emotion. The master's final breath escaped in a gurgling rasp.
The crowd erupted into chaos. Guards with red dragon tattoos on their necks poured into the arena, their wearing white suits, Color balanced to the blood-soaked sand. They surrounded Li Wei, katanas drawn and gleaming.
A new system message appeared:
┌────────────────────────┐
│ [System] Underground Master eliminated.
│ Reward: +10,000 EXP, [Kingslayer] title
│ Quest Update: Defeat the guards and escape to the surface world │
│ Hint: Use your new abilities wisely. The path to freedom is paved with blood. │
└──────────────────────
Li Wei's lips curled into a cold, mirthless smile as he surveyed the ring of guards closing in around him.
His hand tightened on the katana's hilt, while his other hand reached for the weight of the Desert Eagle at his hip.
Let's begin," he whispered, his voice carrying an edge that sent shivers through even the hardened guards.
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