The Colosseum

Today was the day of Chen Daolin and Candice's wagered duel.

One was a newcomer who had entered the top hundred just one month after joining the Training Camp. The Extreme Martial Arts Hall had recruited him and placed great importance on him, and he was currently the most talked-about new face in the camp.

The other was a veteran who had studied at the Training Camp for three years and climbed to rank 75. He was considered one of the best among his peers, and many of the camp's instructors had praised his Movement Technique and swordsmanship.

The duel was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. The time hadn't yet come, but some students and instructors were already gathered in the ninth-floor hall of the Nine-Layered Tower, chatting and debating among themselves.

The European Union students who supported Candice stood apart from the Huaxia faction backing Chen Daolin, the two sides facing off against each other.

"Candice will definitely win this fight."

"Candice has been at the Training Camp for three years, while Chen Daolin hasn't even been here for two months. I also think Candice has the better chance of winning."

"Chen Daolin broke into the top hundred last month and has made huge progress this month. I think he has a chance of winning."

Some in the crowd supported Candice, while others backed Chen Daolin. But there were more Candice supporters. Newcomers generally couldn't compare to veterans, and the difference in how long the two had been at the Training Camp was enormous. Many people had already lost confidence in Chen Daolin.

At around 10:20, Chen Daolin and Candice appeared at almost the same time.

Their eyes met, as if sparks had flown between them.

Candice grinned. "Chen Daolin, you're going to lose today, and you're going to lose badly. I'll show you that the Training Camp isn't as simple as you think."

Chen Daolin shot back without backing down, "I hope you don't start questioning your whole life in a little while."

"Candice Polenas, Chen Daolin, enter the Challenge Room!" an electronic voice echoed through the ninth-floor hall.

"Good luck, Senior Brother Chen!" Zhao Ruo clenched her fist and waved it at Chen Daolin from the crowd.

"Good luck!" Chu Qiang, Shi Jiang, and the other Huaxia Country students stood together, cheering Chen Daolin on.

"Candice, don't lose!"

"Go, Candice!"

Amid the cheers of their respective supporters, Chen Daolin and Candice entered the Challenge Room and sat on the sofas, each putting on a helmet. The next moment, they appeared together in the Virtual Space.

Chen Daolin and Candice quickly put on their combat suits and chose their weapons. Then, as the lower-ranked fighter on the Black Dragon Ranking, Chen Daolin selected the battlefield: the Ancient Roman Colosseum.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The vast, magnificent Colosseum was built from white stone, with tier upon tier of steps circling down around the arena. Thousands upon thousands of spectators in ancient Roman clothing filled the stands. Chen Daolin and Candice, dressed in combat suits and armed with weapons, were the stars of the day, fighting to the death as deafening cheers shook the sky.

Candice reached out like a prince, intoxicated, and made a gesture as if embracing the arena. "Ah, what a wonderful place. I'm already looking forward to seeing how you die."

Chen turned his head toward him, his expression calm. "You're going to die horribly."

"Begin!" The electronic voice echoed above the enormous Colosseum.

Candice wore a black combat suit and raised the long sword in his hand as he walked toward Chen Daolin, step by step, a mocking expression on his face. "You're nothing but a clown. I'll show you that there's always someone better."

Whoosh!

Candice sprang forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

Whoosh!

Chen Daolin quickly raised his spear and charged straight at him without hesitation.

The spear tore through the air, its tip flashing coldly as it lunged at Candice like a venomous snake.

Candice moved like a phantom, swaying from side to side. In a bizarre motion, he slipped beyond the reach of Chen Daolin's spear, then thrust his sword at Chen Daolin's arm with lightning speed.

Chen Daolin lowered his wrist, bringing the spear down in time to smash against Candice's sword.

A tremendous force surged from Candice's sword. He was startled: Chen Daolin was actually stronger than him.

"I refuse to believe your spear technique and Movement Technique can match mine after I've spent three years at the Training Camp!" Candice's gaze turned cold. His movements grew even more elusive, while his swordplay became stranger and more unpredictable. He thrust more than a dozen times in quick succession, every strike aimed at Chen Daolin's vital points.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sharp, frenzied clashing of metal rang out in a rapid barrage. In an instant, the two had exchanged more than a dozen blows.

Relying on his superior strength, speed, and reflexes, Chen Daolin managed to block Candice's attacks, but his expression was already strained.

His Movement Technique is definitely close to Perfect Level, and his swordsmanship has probably reached the peak of Proficient Level. His skill is far beyond mine. Chen Daolin understood this in an instant.

Their physical abilities were identical, but the gap in skill was immense. Even though Chen Daolin had activated Kaio-ken x4, bringing his strength, speed, and reflexes to four times their previous level, Candice still had him on the back foot.

"Hahaha! You think you're the only genius? The only one who works hard? I've practiced swordsmanship since I was a child, eight hours a day. I trained until my arms ached, and I did it for over ten years to reach this level. The gap between us is enormous. Accept your fate!"

Candice's expression was wild as he circled Chen Daolin and attacked fiercely.

Chen Daolin watched him coldly. Then he moved, and his speed suddenly surged to an unbelievable level.

"What?" Candice was astonished. "How is he so fast?"

There was no time to think. Candice instinctively tried to dodge.

But his body couldn't keep up with his reflexes. He had only just begun to move when an overwhelmingly powerful force knocked the long sword from his hand. A pain struck his chest. He lowered his head and stared at the spear shaft buried in it, his face filled with disbelief.

The tip of the spear emerged from Candice's back.

"You..."

Candice tried to say something, but no words came. His eyes dimmed.

"Challenge over. Chen Daolin wins!" The electronic voice echoed through the Colosseum. The entire arena blurred and vanished.

"Did I really lose?" Candice was still immersed in his defeat, unable to believe it.

"His strength, his speed..." Candice understood one thing: Chen Daolin had been hiding his true strength all along.

A wave of fear swept over him.

"He's already this terrifying after just joining the Training Camp. What will he be like in the future? Never mind. I can't afford to mess with him." As a member of a powerful family, Candice knew when to hold back and when to give way.

"Chen Daolin." After taking off his helmet, Candice bowed to Chen Daolin as he was about to leave. "I was wrong about what happened before. Please forgive me. I hope we'll have another chance to spar in the future."

Chen Daolin looked at Candice. Seeing his sincerity, he nodded, his expression calm. Candice's sudden change in attitude had taken him by surprise, but that was all. His goal had never been the elite students at the Training Camp. He aspired to stand at the very pinnacle of the world, like Hong and Thunder God.

"Challenge over. Chen Daolin wins!" The electronic voice echoed through the ninth-floor hall, and the people waiting outside burst into an uproar.

When Chen Daolin came out, the way they looked at him had changed.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Chen! You won! You're treating us today!" Zhao Ruo excitedly came over to him.

Chen Daolin smiled. "Sure, I'll treat you. No problem."

Several Huaxia Country students also crowded around to congratulate him. Chen Daolin stood in the middle of them, surrounded like a star.

After this fight, Chen Daolin had proven his strength once and for all, becoming a dazzling rising star at the Training Camp. Everyone knew that he would likely surpass them all one day—and might even become a Beyond War God.