Someone in the League, but it's the Taiwan Server System

Since this is a no-holds-barred fighting pit, he naturally had to push the rules to their absolute limit—that is the professional standard a veteran fighter should possess.

Hidden within his gloves was a row of sharp iron spikes.

They were like brass knuckles.

But far more brutal than any brass knuckles.

"Do you know how I got the title 'Skull Crusher'? I'm going to make you taste the agony of all those losers..."

Avase took a deep breath, his massive frame radiating an extreme sense of oppression.

He was getting serious now—using his weapon to crush a man's skull.

"That line is exactly what I should be saying to you." Sett chuckled, his body shifting slightly—the movement identical to the boxing footwork his opponent had used earlier.

"A clumsy imitation... Go to hell!"

Avase roared as he threw a right hook, both its speed and power a cut above what he had shown before.

Sett dared not be careless and immediately raised his arms to block.

Yet, he had still underestimated the power of those "brass knuckles."

Snap—! In a split second, the sharp iron spikes pierced through the cloth wrappings and skin, digging deep into his muscles.

The intense, searing pain made Sett involuntarily knit his brows, while the sudden weakness spreading through his arms alarmed him even more.

Avase gave him no chance to catch his breath, following up with a barrage of heavy punches.

Thwip, thwip, thwip—! The sound of spikes tearing through flesh grew increasingly dense, and the ring was soon splattered with blood.

Unsurprisingly, Sett was forced back into the corner of the ring once again.

The audience erupted into cheers—the Avase they had bet on was going to win! They were going to make money!

"Weren't you so arrogant just a moment ago!" Avase's face twisted, his laughter sounding truly pathological. "Come on! Come on, kid!!"

"I know what you are! A half-breed of Noxus and Vastaya!"

"You damn mongrel! You should have run away with that coward of a father of yours!"

"Die! Die!!"

Sett remained silent, using his arms and fists to protect his vitals as his body quickly became riddled with wounds.

But there was not a shred of despair in his eyes.

There was only excitement and rage.

The pain was numbing, and the blood was igniting the wildness deep within his bones.

He had had enough... enough of the days spent being called a half-breed.

Just because his biological father was Noxian and his mother was Vastayan, did he have to endure such insults and discrimination?

Just because his father had abandoned them, did he have to suffer the malice of this world?

Wasn't he the original victim?

"Have you... had enough!!"

Sett swung his right fist.

The tattered cloth wrapped around his knuckles had snapped, revealing an iron fist that shimmered with a faint golden light.

Avase saw the incoming punch; he had even predicted the trajectory of the fist, but...

He couldn't move.

He felt an incomparably terrifying pressure.

He wanted to run, he wanted to dodge, he wanted to block with his own fists... but his body refused to obey.

He could only watch helplessly as that iron fist grew larger and larger.

Until it struck him square in the bridge of the nose.

Thud—!!

Bang—!

His massive body flew backward as if struck by a cannonball, only coming to a halt when he slammed into the floor outside the ring.

The floor beneath him shattered on impact.

His skull was completely deformed, blood mixed with bodily fluids gushing out, and his limbs twitched uncontrollably; he looked as if he had already lost half his life.

The once noisy and chaotic fighting pit fell silent in an instant.

Everyone stared with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Only Chen Ce revealed a smile that suggested everything had gone exactly as expected.

"Remember this, all of you! My name is Sett!!"

In the ring, the final victor, Sett, was venting the fury and exhilaration burning in his heart:

"I am not a coward like my father! I am a born powerhouse!!"

"If anyone dares to call me a half-breed again, I'll make sure they leave their life on the ring!!"

"I am—Sett!!"

With that, he strode off the stage, roughly snatched the final prize of the night—a pair of brilliant Imero Stones—from the trembling bunny girl, and hoisted them above his head, roaring to claim the glory that belonged to the victor.

Witnessing this soul-stirring scene, Chen Ce, who had intended to challenge the night's champion and intercept the Imero Stones, changed his mind.

It wasn't that he lacked the courage, nor that he felt he couldn't defeat Sett—with the skills he currently possessed, let alone the Sett of this timeline, even the peak-era Sett who would one day become the "Underground Emperor of Ionia" would be no match for him.

He simply... had other plans.

It had not been easy for Sett to reach this point, rising from a half-Vastaya man who was spat upon, mocked, and insulted; if he were to step onto the stage now to defeat him and snatch away the glory he had fought so hard to earn, it would be a bit too heartless.

Besides, Sett was counting on tonight's prize money to properly honor his poor mother—he was, after all, a famous filial son throughout Ionia.

In any case, there were other ways to obtain the Imero Stones.

One might even say, better ways.

And that was...

To "start" with his mother.

Chapter 45: The Eternally Youthful Lady

Under the night sky, the scenery of Ionia was pleasant, with strange, glowing plants illuminating the path home.

Sett wrapped his arm wounds with tattered rags and bundled the night's winnings and prize money into the blue cloth bag he had brought with him.

The gold coins in the bag clinked, emitting the sweet scent of wealth, yet his mind was filled only with his dear mother.

That kind, gentle, beautiful, yet pitiful Vastaya woman.

She had fallen in love with a Noxian, a gladiator from the fighting pits... she bore him a boy, a "half-beast" boy.

The people of Ionia could not accept this forbidden union and drove her out of their tribe... yet she remained happy.

Because she had a beloved husband and a precious child.

Regrettably, this happiness did not last long.

That Noxian, that gladiator from the fighting pits... Sett's biological father, had left without a word on a quiet morning.

He never returned, and the wife and child he left behind were powerless against the malice of the crowd... they were driven out again and again, with everyone venting their spite upon them.

Rumors, insults, mockery, slander, and harassment... trouble was constant.

Yes, ever since that Noxian gladiator left, those who couldn't help but wag their tongues at the sight of Sett felt that their chance to spout nonsense had finally arrived.

Young Sett was confused, not knowing where his father had gone or why he suddenly encountered trouble everywhere he went.

But as he grew older, Sett gradually understood everything.

He grew quickly, learning to turn a blind eye to people's provocations and insults. Before long, he also learned to use his fists to teach people to shut up.

He also understood his father's departure.

He was an irresponsible coward, a loser who only knew how to shirk his duties, a... pure piece of trash.

Later, he came into contact with the Underground Fighting Pit—the place where his father had once been.

He discovered that he was born to be there.

In just a few bouts, he earned more money than he could have made in half a year of labor—even though he had sworn to his mother that he would never set foot in the Underground Fighting Pit where his father had once stayed.

Regardless, he never wanted to live the life of a punching bag again.

Regardless, he would never leave the Underground Fighting Pit.

And he would never tell his mother.

Thud.

Sett stopped in front of the dilapidated little bungalow and pulled out the equally worn-out key to open the battered door.

The candle inside was still lit; the gentle and kind Vastaya woman had not yet gone to sleep.

"Sett, where have you been?" his mother's tone was somewhat cold.

Well, regardless of the tone, the moment Sett heard his mother use his full name, he knew he was in trouble—trouble much harder to resolve than any gladiator in the Underground Fighting Pit.

Mom's nagging was far more terrifying than Avase's jabs.

"I went to work," Sett replied. "There was a lot to do today, so..."

"So you stayed busy until the middle of the night?" The woman shook her head and sighed softly.

"Sett, I don't want to doubt you... likewise, I hope you can be honest with me."

"Everything I said is true." Sett's tone remained firm, but his eyes began to dart away, and he lowered his head.

"If you say it is true, then I believe you."

"Yeah... thanks, Mom."

"Get some rest early."

"Wait..." Sett grabbed his mother, who was preparing to leave, and shook a handful of gold coins from his bag—a third of his winnings from tonight.

It wasn't that he was selfish or wanted to keep the majority of the gold for himself; he simply didn't dare produce too much money at once. If he did, it would be even harder to explain what he had been doing out there.

"Good heavens, so much money!" Even though Sett had been conservative, his mother was still astonished by the gleaming coins.

"Sett, where did you get all this money? You can't earn this much doing carpentry!"

The woman furrowed her brows, her tone turning icy.

Yet, beneath that coldness lay a deeper sorrow.

She was terrified... terrified that her only son had gotten involved in something dangerous—perhaps something illegal, or perhaps some dirty, back-breaking work that required risking his life.

"Listen to me, Sett. Mom doesn't need this much money; I only want you to be safe! If this money came from an illicit source, I want you to return it. If you earned it through your own hard work, I want you to promise me you'll never do it again!"

"This really is... from carpentry... I took on a big job today..." Seeing his mother truly angered, the lie Sett had prepared stuck in his throat, and he began to stammer.

Her gaze made him feel as though he were sitting on pins and needles. He stuttered, unable to form a complete sentence.

Fortunately, at this "critical juncture," a calm knocking sounded at the door.

"I'll get it!" Sett immediately headed for the door as if grabbing a lifeline. "Mom, go get some rest! We can talk about this tomorrow!"

"If you don't make this clear to me tonight, I won't be sleeping." Unfortunately, her stance remained firm.

Sett felt a headache coming on, and he pulled the door open with a hint of caution—he was worried that someone from the Underground Fighting Pit had tracked him down. It could be for the money, or perhaps to seek revenge for the big oaf whose championship title he had snatched tonight.

Sett's right fist was already clenched, ready to throw a powerful punch at a moment's notice.

Creeeak—the old wooden door dragged across the floor, emitting a harsh, grating sound.

Then, Sett saw two people.

A human man with empty hands, and a Vastaya woman carrying a fruit basket.

Before he could even react, the man laughed heartily and pulled him into a warm embrace.