Chapter 384

Chapter 384: Ice Hand’s Challenge

The judge’s voice had barely faded when murmurs rose from the stands.

This wasn’t just because of Midi’s unusual human identity – the nature of this battle itself made them curious.

Under this system, unless a slave warrior suddenly gained a power boost or learned a new skill, the points competition was usually predictable.

After all, this wasn’t the Sea of Clouds. These matches existed to measure strength, not to create dramatic clashes between equals.

The mechanisms left little room for dark horses to emerge.

For reigning champions like Mason, Zaknavan, and Mason’s partner, the preliminary rounds held no tension. They focused on conserving energy through their subordinates for the championship matches.

Across other teams, these champions dominated effortlessly. Most opponents forfeited outright.

Mason in particular had grown far stronger since reaching level 45. A casual shot from his dual pistols could spray blood across the arena, pinning foes where they stood.

With so many forfeits, he entered championship matches fully rested – no drained Physical Strength or magic, every advantage intact.

*The weak get weaker, the strong get stronger* – that was the Shaded Realm’s brutal rule, familiar to every Wolfspider tribe dark elf observing these slave warrior selections.

Yet this year’s red group birthed a true dark horse – one strong enough to threaten champions.

Combined with Midi’s rare human status, many dark elves eagerly awaited his clash with Ice Hand.

Now both stood in the same arena.

The red team’s six remaining members – minus the fallen half-giant – sighed in relief, their gazes fixed on the combatants. Even warriors from other groups paused to watch when not fighting or preparing.

The red group’s judge felt a flicker of excitement. Slave warriors had grown too cautious lately, avoiding true life-or-death struggles. But here, he knew neither Midi nor Ice Hand would hold back.

“Human. Finally.” Ice Hand’s voice dripped cold mockery, his dark elf features sharp under the arena lights. “Your brute force impressed against the half-giant. But do you think that works on *me*?”

As his nickname suggested, Ice Hand specialized in frost magic. Such specialists were called Ice Mages – masters of battlefield control. Against them, raw strength meant nothing.

The half-giant’s earth-shaking punches? Useless. Ice spells would’ve frozen his joints solid, turned the ground to frictionless ice. No jumping, no charging – just a clumsy giant sprawled helplessly.

In short, an Ice Mage had plenty of methods to turn opponents into motionless targets—whether by piercing them with razor-sharp Ice Shards or using magic to freeze them into tortured ice sculptures. If Midi truly relied on brute force like a half-giant, he’d be no match for Ice Hand. Their professions already countered each other, and ice control dominating brute strength created a double disadvantage. No matter how sharp Midi’s Sword Edge was, he’d never get opportunities to strike.

Though shocked by Midi’s power, Ice Hand felt only wariness, not fear. He remained confident he could control this surface-world brute—hence his deliberate provocation.

Midi answered the taunt with a cold laugh: “Brute force is enough to crush you!”

What? Still relying on brute force?

Gasps and shocked murmurs swept the arena. Some thought Midi too easily provoked. Others questioned his thinking. A few assumed he only knew direct combat, hence his agreement. Regardless, none favored Midi.

Even Galantis frowned, nearly scolding him as her subordinate. Yet the sight of the black-haired human’s utterly calm expression silenced her. Could he truly overcome professional counters? Unknowingly, the priestess clung to this hope.

Hearing Midi’s reply, Ice Hand froze momentarily before roaring with laughter. “Let’s see you reach me!”

As he spat the words, blinding white frost surged toward Midi.

Ice Mage skill: Frozen Seal!

The frost flooded the arena. Anyone touched by it would become an ice sculpture. While Midi’s Golden-Red Sword Lights countered such attacks, this was merely Ice Hand’s opening move. “Come! Break through this!” he jeered—but his voice died mid-taunt.

A blazing Exploding Flame Orb tore through the icy mist like paper, hurling toward Ice Hand’s face. Panicking, he fired a crystalline ice spear at it.

High-temperature flames clashed with the frozen weapon. The spear melted instantly; the orb exploded. A fiery Whirlwind erupted, blooming like a blinding flower in the dim arena and scattering all icy mist.

Asura skill: Explosive Flame Wave Sword.

This was Midi’s answer. He’d vowed to use brute force—but never specified charging on foot. Training in direct combat didn’t mean only melee strikes.

Using ranged skills for reckless clashes wasn’t just another form of “direct combat”?

If close combat honed the body and life force, then this magical bombardment was about pushing one’s magic to its breaking point!

“You… you’ve mastered an Asura skill…” Ice Hand stammered, his face pale.

Though he’d shattered Midi’s Exploding Flame Orb, the blast’s searing winds still battered him. The dark elf’s silver hair and eyebrows curled from the high temperatures, while his robe now sported dozens of charred holes from stray sparks.

But Ice Hand couldn’t care less about his appearance. How could this human—who supposedly relied solely on brute force to rise from the gutter—wield the Explosive Flame Wave Sword, a technique demanding masterful magic control?

During the fight against the half-giant, Midi had shown nothing but pure sword soul techniques!

How could one person wield both sword soul and Asura skills?

While Ice Hand reeled, the Wolfspider tribe warriors buzzed louder. Their intel painted a clearer picture:

Midi had used the Berserker skill “Blood Awakening” against the Lizardman.

Inside White Rock Cave, he’d deployed the Ghost Cry skill “Silence Array.”

His daily techniques belonged to the sword soul.

Now came the Asura’s signature move—Explosive Flame Wave Sword.

Did this human truly command all four categories of Demon Swordman skills?

No—judging by his flawless execution, he’d mastered them! That Explosive Flame Wave Sword outclassed even typical Asura versions!

“You misunderstand brute force,” Midi sneered. “It means crushing opponents head-on without tricks. Range doesn’t matter. Ready for my magic?”

As he spoke, the dual swords “Eliminate” and “Kill” hummed in unison. Their crisp vibrations froze the surrounding magic, then dragged it violently into twin magic vortexes swirling around Midi.

The Spirit Dragon Sword’s aura surged through his arms into his palms, channeled into the sword hilts, then focused into the glowing Sword Edges.

Double Explosive Flame Wave Sword!

If he was playing the brute, he’d commit fully. One orb might get countered—so he’d launch two, doubling the firepower!

Wasn’t “brute force” about overwhelming the enemy with unstoppable firepower suppression?

Roaring as magic flooded his veins, Midi thrust both swords. Two Exploding Flame Orbs shot forth, morphing from starbright sparks into roaring fireballs trailing crimson flames—twin enraged dragons breaking their seal!