Humans instinctively fear when facing creatures larger than themselves at close range.
The crimson killing intent of Black Bull bore down on him like a ferocious beast, heavily pressing on his body.
"Huff, huff..."
Chen Qi gripped the knife handle tightly, yet his body couldn't stop trembling.
Having just crossed over, was he about to face death...
The ageless Witch, the Steam Mecha, Transcendent powers...
He really didn't want to become an unnamed corpse in the sea before getting to know this world.
No, more likely there wouldn't even be a corpse left, Chen Qi thought with self-deprecating bitterness, then fixed his gaze on Black Bull.
My starting agility isn't low, and Black Bull has just been through an eight-person gauntlet, his stamina greatly drained.
On top of that, I've just gained 5 points of strength and 5 points of agility! In the early stages, that's already quite high!
According to Chen Qi's game experience, despite the apparent disparity in weight, he should have a fighting chance.
Black Bull didn't attack immediately but, catching his breath, picked up a long-handled axe:
"Kid, stick your butt out, I'm going to chop your ass into..."
Opportunity! Chen Qi bent down, lowering his center of gravity, and delivered a stabbing strike from below!
Clang!
Black Bull was too slow to block with his axe and could only bend his arm, bearing the chopping blow with his forearm!
"Looking for death!"
After blocking, Black Bull roared angrily and, finding the right angle, swung his thigh out in a fierce whipping kick!
Does this Black Bull not feel pain? Chen Qi quickly withdrew his knife, then took a step back, dodging the attack.
"Good thing I didn't get greedy..."
It was his first time delivering such a violent strike against someone, and the counterattack was fiercer and quicker than he had imagined.
However, Black Bull was ultimately just a human; after counterattacking, his arm couldn't stop trembling.
In terms of speed and reaction, I have the upper hand! Chen Qi clasped the knife handle, searching for another opportunity to strike.
"Whoa!"
His attack immediately ignited the passion of the pirates spectating.
They had thought no one was a match for Black Bull, but here was someone daring to strike him!
"Kid, that was a beautiful chop!"
"Kid, do you know your odds are? A whole thirty to one, thirty to one!"
"Kill Black Bull, kid, and you'll be a free man, a member of our Black Whale Group!
Not only that, boss will reward you with a bottle of rum!"
"Win the fight, and I'll reward you with a night with a woman!"
"By the goddess above, one strike gets you all excited, do you see Black Bull cowering?"
The previously one-sided bet was filled with suspense once more.
Many pirates seeking high odds started cheering for him.
"At the last moment, I underestimated you, runt. I won't give you a second chance!"
Black Bull's eyes twitched, and, tilting his head back, he seemed no longer a slave but rather a noble knight wielding the power of life and death over the common folk.
He took two forceful steps forward with his front foot and swung his axe towards the opponent's neck.
The motion and speed were stiff... Chen Qi sidestepped the blow and, seizing the opportunity, delivered a cutting strike to Black Bull's deltoid!
Critical hit!
His blow cruelly carved through flesh and blood!
Black Bull's condition wasn't good; he was, after all, just an ordinary human whose stamina had reached its limit after prolonged battle!
Meanwhile, the accumulation of grievous wounds slowed his movements considerably.
Chen Qi saw the glimmer of victory:
"The advantage is mine!"
His opponent's life hung by a thread!
How could this be? Black Bull shook his head, the man who had slain many, now unable to even keep his stance stable.
As the situation reversed, the pirates started to jeer again.
"Black Bull, it's so hard just to kill the last one! If it's too hard, take out your weapon!"
"Kill him, kill him quickly! Black Bull, at the last moment, think of your woman in another man's arms, and fight with all you've got!"
Amidst the shouts, Black Bull seemed like a pressure cooker about to explode.
He had once been a minor mob boss, sold onto this ship for stealing the boss's woman, always seeing himself as far superior to these lowly and weak slaves.
"Trash from the backwoods! I cannot die at the hands of a country bumpkin like you!! I will chop... you up and feed you to the fishes!"
Black Bull gasped for air, contemplating his next attack.
At this crucial moment, he didn't want to die at the hands of this little runt because of underestimation.
Although weak in strength and stature, his reaction was too quick; blind chopping was useless, it would only reveal flaws!
Come on... Chen Qi focused intently, ready to perform a dodge and counterattack that would end Black Bull's life.
However, in the next second, something unexpected occurred!
Black Bull, gritting his teeth, didn't advance but instead retreated, then violently snatched a disgusting squid-like thing from the deck.
Instantly, the pirates let out exclamations of shock.
"Black Bull, I can't believe you'd dare use a parasitic Sea Beast!"
"No way, Black Bull, it's you who resorts to a parasitic Sea Beast at the end!"
"That's it, the bet is over! Kid, you're about to lose your head!"
Parasitic Sea Beast...
Chen Qi broke out in a cold sweat, with memories of the creature flashing through his mind.
As the name suggests, parasitic Sea Beasts are a type of creature that parasitizes humans.
In the Witch Sea, such beings are exceedingly dangerous, dreaded by all fishermen.
Parasitic Sea Beasts drag humans into the sea, transforming them into monsters.
However, in the eyes of pirates who know no taboos, these parasitic creatures are not merely dangerous beings but tools to temporarily enhance one's combat prowess.
Though highly lethal, a person parasitized by a Sea Beast will, for a short time, exhibit speed and strength surpassing that of a human!