It Won't Take Much of Your Time

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Several marines wielding "Iron Hammers" drove four wooden stakes into the ground, then used them as anchors to string up ropes. In moments, a simple ten-meter-square ring was complete.

Marines from across the Training ground were drawn to the ring. Even several Instructors stood at a distance with their arms folded, eagerly watching the spectacle.

"Get him, Linus!"

"Show the rookie what you've got!"

The Veterans howled excitedly, wishing they were the ones in the ring. It was only natural for the Instructors to look after rookies, but seeing a newcomer steal the spotlight every day naturally left them dissatisfied.

At the center of the ring, the two stood less than a meter apart.

"My nickname is Iron Hand."

Linus bent down and picked up a stone. After weighing it in his hand, he suddenly clenched his fist. Veins bulged across the back of his hand, and in less than three seconds, the hard stone was crushed into fragments by his bare hand.

"See that?"

Linus opened his palm and let the broken stones fall to the ground. "My grip strength exceeds One Ton. I can easily crush stones and bones. That's where my nickname comes from."

"Impressive!"

Luo Ya praised him sincerely.

He was only 187 centimeters tall. Standing before the two-meter-thirty-or-so Linus, he looked like a child, and the other man's fist was bigger than his head.

A tall, burly build represented formidable strength. Crushing stones was effortless for him, and he also had a whole range of advantages in attack range, defense, and more.

It was hard to imagine how powerful those seven- or eight-meter-tall brutes were, not to mention the twenty-meter-tall Giant Tribe.

"Then, let's begin!"

The two turned and returned to the edges of the ring.

Linus spread his arms like a ferocious beast about to seize its prey. He bared his teeth in a savage grin. "Don't worry. This will be over soon. It won't take much of your time."

"I think so too."

Luo Ya raised both fists and readied himself. Though he was at an absolute disadvantage in size, he showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, he felt something strange.

I can win!

"Begin!"

"Woooo!"

The moment Fullbody, acting as referee, finished speaking, Linus howled and charged at Luo Ya with his arms spread wide.

The ground itself seemed to tremble!

Luo Ya was neither intimidated nor willing to retreat. He calmly fixed his gaze on his opponent, clenching his fists as he gathered strength.

This feeling!

It was completely different from when he faced Fullbody. Linus was more like a rabid beast, relying on his powerful physique to charge recklessly without any technique.

He was full of openings!

When the distance between them closed to one meter, Linus's thick arms suddenly reached out to seize Luo Ya. If he caught him, he could snap Luo Ya's spine in an instant.

"Too slow."

Luo Ya's gaze turned cold. Linus's attack trajectory was perfectly clear in his eyes. With a Glide Step to the left, he easily avoided the grab.

Slap!

Both hands grabbed empty air!

"What?!"

Linus was shocked. He had not expected Luo Ya to be so agile, easily evading his killing move.

Before he could even unclench his fists, his vision blurred. Luo Ya had already quickly moved to his left side.

Straight Punch Assault!

The straight punch, carrying a fierce gust of wind, slammed into his abdomen!

"Ughhh!!!"

Linus doubled over, bloodshot veins instantly filling the corners of his eyes. He vomited a mouthful of stomach fluid and staggered backward, clutching his abdomen.

"Linus is hurt!"

The entire crowd erupted.

No one had expected the sturdier Linus to be driven back head-on by Luo Ya after just one exchange.

"Damn it!"

Linus clutched his Kidneys, cold sweat pouring down his face from the intense pain. Fortunately, Luo Ya had not pursued him. Otherwise, he might already have lost.

When he moved his hand away, a large bruise covered his waist.

This brat is incredibly strong!

"Senior Linus, can you keep going?"

Luo Ya's eyes burned as he smiled and crooked a finger at Linus. "Don't worry. It won't take much of your time."

"..."

Linus's pupils shrank. Rage instantly consumed his reason, and he roared as he charged at Luo Ya. "You only landed one punch! Don't get carried away! I'll crush you, you little brat!"

"Then come and do it!"

Luo Ya met him head-on with a cold voice.

He finally understood why he had been completely unable to fight back when he first sparred with Fullbody.

When your attack intentions were easily seen through, even a fool knew how to respond. Fighting as clumsily as Linus and he had before was only suitable for crushing opponents whose physical abilities were far inferior to your own.

"Spin~ jump~~"

Luo Ya bounced on his toes, circling Linus like he was breakdancing and easily avoiding the incoming hands.

Two months of secretly practicing dance had made his body increasingly flexible. His waist could even bend nearly ninety degrees, making his attacks and evasions more versatile.

"Damn it, why can't I catch him?!"

Linus grabbed at Luo Ya again and again, but every attempt fell just short. Instead, he kept taking heavy punches from Luo Ya, and the repeated setbacks rapidly changed his mentality.

Once he realized he might lose, his attacks became even more chaotic.

His entire body was full of openings!

"Senior Linus, losing your cool will only make you lose faster."

When Linus reached for him again, Luo Ya spun to his side and swept his right foot downward at Linus's ankle.

Bang!

Linus lost his balance and crashed heavily to the ground. When he raised his head in embarrassment, he saw Luo Ya extending a hand toward him.

"Thank you!"

Linus's face flushed red as he took Luo Ya's hand and stood up.

Final round!

The two stood one meter apart, facing each other in fighting stances. Unlike before, the roles of challenger and challenged seemed to have switched.

Linus was drenched in cold sweat. Unable to hold back, he swung his right palm.

Slap!

Before his right palm had even traveled halfway, Luo Ya violently slapped it aside. The hand was forced off course, grasping at empty air to the left, and Linus's body tilted along with it.

The next instant, a storm of attacks descended!

Hah!

Luo Ya shouted. The hand that had struck aside Linus's right arm snapped back, its backhand smashing heavily across his face. Then came the left palm, followed by the right fist!

Face, chest, waist, abdomen!

From head to toe, over a dozen punches and palm strikes rained down on Linus, driving him backward again and again without any chance to retaliate.

When a heavy palm strike to the waist and abdomen sent Linus stumbling back several steps, Luo Ya quickly followed. He spun down sharply, planted both hands on the ground, and launched himself upward, both feet together smashing into Linus's chin!

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking was unmistakably clear!

"Fly!"

Linus was sent flying. His body sailed over the ropes and fell stiffly onto the sandy ground outside the ring.

K.O!

At that moment, the Training ground fell utterly silent.

Looking at the unconscious Linus, the marines could hardly believe their eyes. Their trusted Iron Hand had been defeated so easily by a rookie.

Even Fullbody stood dumbfounded. What kind of training had Luo Ya undergone while he had been slacking off to achieve such an astonishing performance?

And that brat had actually used dance techniques to show off in battle. Why had he never thought of that?!

Suddenly, the Veterans felt a chill run down their backs.

The rookie's burning gaze, like that of an evil ghost, had settled on them!