A Child in Slaughter City

"Eh~ Slaughter City has children too, and they even have to enter the Hell Slaughter Arena?"

A beautiful girl in a black evening dress watched a child of about ten years old in the Hell Slaughter Arena of Slaughter City. He was facing nine men who were bigger than him, like a little lamb that had wandered into a pack of wolves. He shouted out moves that sounded like Soul Skills but weren't actually Soul Skills.

Dragon Claw Hand, Lotus Drift, Kangaroo Hop, Head-Smash-the-Walnut, Mouse-Steals-the-Cheese, Giant-Axe-Chops-the-Tree, Mount Tai Presses Down, Scorpion Palm...

Yet the nine grown men seemed to have agreed beforehand to work together and kill the child first.

The girl in the black evening dress wore a mask, so her face was impossible to make out, but her voice alone was enough to tell that she was a beauty.

The Black Veil Girl beside her simply smiled. "Don't underestimate that child. He isn't an ordinary kid. If he were, he wouldn't be down there."

The girl in the black dress asked, "Why?"

The Black Veil Girl explained.

"Newborns aren't rare at all in Slaughter City. You saw it when you came in, didn't you? The inner and outer cities are full of men and women indulging themselves. Some women are bound to get pregnant. Some abort the child, while others give birth."

"The King of Slaughter is extremely lenient toward these children, granting them a newcomer protection period until they turn twelve."

The girl in the black dress nodded. "Then what's his situation?"

A few explosions rang out in the arena. The girl in the black dress couldn't help widening her eyes in disbelief.

"Is that food? Buns?"

The Black Veil Girl smiled again. "Just as you can see, his Martial Soul is a bun that explodes. It's like thunder descending. And because he awakened with Innate Full Soul Power, the price he had to pay to obtain a Soul Ring was giving up his newcomer protection period before the age of twelve."

The girl in the black dress understood the reason. "The King of Slaughter simply took advantage of the situation. The child himself doesn't know any of this. He thinks he's lucky, and the King of Slaughter also wants to see how he'll survive."

"That's right. In these three years, he's already won sixty matches. No one this young has ever done that in Slaughter City's history." The Black Veil Girl gazed at the small figure below, her eyes blazing with excitement.

The girl in the black dress was even more shocked. She had thought her Twin Martial Souls were already impressive, along with the so-called Angel God-level Martial Soul. Even the Spirit Hall's Hell Training Camp couldn't compare to this child. She dared say no one on Douluo Continent could surpass him—and he was only a Food-type Spirit Master.

Suddenly, an image flashed through the girl in the black dress's mind: a cultivation failure who had nevertheless worked exceptionally hard at learning Spirit Master theory.

You're no match for him.

She turned to her guide.

"Please sign me up. I want to enter the next match."

"You're sure you want to register for the Hell Slaughter Arena? If you sign up now, you'll forfeit your newcomer protection period."

The Black Veil Girl turned to the girl in the black dress and asked seriously.

Degenerates who went straight into the Hell Slaughter Arena were either out of their minds or very confident in their abilities.

The girl in the black dress pointed at the child below. "I'm not getting carried away just because that kid can win in the arena, and signing up because I can't even match a child. I'm confident in my own strength!"

The Black Veil Girl nodded. "All right! Good luck!"

The girl in the black dress continued watching the match in the arena. It was nearly over.

The little guy wielded two blades, his movements crisp and clean, his speed as fast as lightning. His actions flowed like water, without the slightest hesitation. He used the quickest methods to finish off the enemies before him, making it hard to believe a child could do such a thing.

Now, he had won another match.

Here in Slaughter City, no Spirit Master could use any Spirit Master skills. People could only survive through instinct and their own strength. Soul Power could serve as a source of strength, but not much of one.

Li Pu was different. His Martial Soul was Bun Bomb. It could be eaten, and it could explode. As his strength grew, Bun Bomb's power grew even greater.

His Martial Soul was practically a terrifying Soul Skill, one that Slaughter City couldn't suppress.

Especially after he began competing in the Hell Slaughter Arena. At first, no one took him seriously; they only mocked him. After all, how could a child possibly make it out of the Hell Slaughter Arena?

After Li Pu took the field and kept winning, no degenerate treated him like a child anymore. They saw him as a God of Slaughter—a God of Slaughter they feared and dreaded!

The degenerates feared his outrageously powerful Bun Bomb Martial Soul. They all wanted to kill him, or else get their hands on a Bun Bomb to improve their chances of surviving.

Of course, fear of Li Pu's Bun Bomb was only part of it. Even more terrifying was his control over Soul Power.

The degenerates' relentless pursuit of Li Pu led him to discover how to make Soul Power explode while researching Bun Bomb's explosions.

That turned him from a Food-type support Spirit Master into a terrifying combat Spirit Master.

And that was without even mentioning his mastery of weapons, which earned him the title Martial God in Slaughter City!

Every degenerate who tried to kill him was dealt with. Even after just leaving the Hell Slaughter Arena, he could survive being surrounded by hundreds of degenerates!

Even degenerates who were Soul Emperors, Soul Saints, Soul Douluo, or Titled Douluo eventually died at his hands—including some who were still alive and had excellent records.

Over time, he became an opponent no degenerate in Slaughter City wanted to face.

Everyone who saw him kept well away, not daring to approach him by even half a step.

They could only hope he would hurry up and win a hundred matches so he could leave.

After all, a kid like him was still under the protection of the twelve-year rule, while every day he had to fight children his own age for food.

Because of that, Li Pu had quite a few titles in Slaughter City.

Holy Infant King!

Lord Bun!

Demon King!

But most people called him the Martial God!

He was at ease with every weapon.

Other degenerates didn't have titles. In Slaughter City, they were known only by numbers. Only those who inspired fear, dread, and awe in countless degenerates were worthy of a title in words.

After the battle ended, Li Pu left the arena, ready to make way for the next group of ten.

Li Pu ran into the newly arrived girl with a dark style.

He could tell at a glance that she was new. Her clothes were far too clean.

Her black formal dress was beautiful and well-fitted, with soft colors that showed off her figure. It swayed in time with her steps, and her heels struck the ground with a crisp sound. In the blood-red Slaughter City, it seemed as though only the sound of her heels brushing the ground remained. She was dazzling, like a god who had descended to roam the mortal world.

Even with a mask on, an intangible air of nobility and elegance still radiated from her, stirring an urge to bow down before her.

Clearly, she wasn't a degenerate. She was a traveler who had come here to train!

Their eyes met for a moment. Neither said a word, and then they passed each other.

In Slaughter City, there was no such thing as friendship. Anyone you met outside was either an enemy or a staff member.