But even though the chestplate of his battle armor was activated in an instant, it still managed to do the job.
His opponent let out a deep breath—if that punch had landed directly, even with the armor's protection, it might have been fatal.
At this very moment, under the live broadcast's perspective, the two fighters were already within arm's reach. That terrifying punch was just about to land on the opponent's chest.
On the screen, in the next instant—
"Boom!" The dragon claw's crushing trait activated!
Contestant 118's body spun uncontrollably as he was flung backward like a rag doll.
The expression on 118's face froze completely.
How was that possible?!
In his eyes, he had only seen a flash of multicolored vertical pupils and then that rapidly enlarging fist.
Blood mist burst in midair like an explosion, and only then did a deafening dragon's roar echo across the battlefield. Behind Gu You, a ferocious image of a massive dragon flickered briefly.
Although that dragon shadow only appeared for a moment, it left an unforgettable impression on everyone watching.
Every spectator in front of a screen experienced the same sensation simultaneously—suffocation!
Yes, a suffocating pressure. It was as if the very figure on screen emitted a terrifying oppressive force that made it hard to breathe.
A bold and glowing "VICTORY" appeared on the screen. Though it had taken two hits, the match seemed to have lasted barely more than a second. It was undoubtedly the fastest match of the day—and quite possibly the fastest of the entire tournament so far.
After exiting the arena and disconnecting from the Star Battle Network, Gu You stood still for a moment, feeling the lingering rush of strength from the brief battle. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
'Not bad. My control over strength has improved again.'
That overwhelming, crushing force—he liked it. And it felt like his bloodline liked it too.
He then made his way to the rest area. As always, it was lively and bustling. This was, after all, the only place where the warriors of the Blood God Legion could relax and unwind.
At the drink bar, Gu You ordered a beverage and took a seat. The cool sweetness slid down his throat and left a lingering, refreshing aftertaste.
Suddenly, he felt a presence close to him. Almost reflexively, he swept his arm out and caught something.
"Ouch!" A chuckle was cut off by a sharp yelp of pain.
A bulky figure was pulled over the table by Gu You and pinned face-down.
"What the hell, man?"
"Hey, long time no see. What brings you here for a soda today?"
Gu You laughed. "After so many battles, can't I enjoy a few days off?"
"Got it, got it." Jiang Wuyue grinned sheepishly, rubbing his neck.
Then he seemed to remember something.
"Oh right, I heard from Yuxue… You—you made major general?"
As he asked, he glanced at Gu You's shoulder, but there was nothing displayed.
Gu You nodded. "That's right! Let's hear you say 'sir.'"
Jiang Wuyue immediately felt his throat go dry. Just a few months ago, this guy was still calling him 'sir' every other word. Now it had completely flipped.
"You—you rose up way too fast! What the hell did you do to deserve such a promotion?!"
Gu You shot him a glare. "Can't you speak like a normal person? Didn't Yuxue tell you? I defeated Blood Nine. I've replaced him—I'm the new Blood Nine. All Blood Gods are at the rank of general."
"You—you defeated Blood Nine?" Jiang Wuyue looked stunned.
Gu You rolled his eyes. "Shouldn't you be praising my strength right now? What kind of thought process do you even have?"
"Praise my ass. I still remember you beat the crap out of me!" Jiang Wuyue grumbled indignantly.
Gu You smirked. "Disrespecting a superior officer, huh?"
Jiang Wuyue's expression froze. "No, no, that's not what I meant…"
The next day, Gu You faced the first round of the mecha battle finals.
He once again selected a standard mecha, sticking to the long spear as his weapon. After giving the controls a quick check, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
'So bulky.'
No wonder most high-level red-grade mechas were only six meters tall—or even shorter. The bigger a mecha, the less agility it had.
He skimmed through the system interface.
Coincidentally, just like in the soul master battles, his contestant number for the mecha division was also 33.
Right as he noticed that, he was instantly teleported away.
The match was about to begin!
His opponent also piloted a melee mecha, but the weapon was rather odd—not an offensive one, but a shield. A thick, heavy-looking shield.
Melee mechas using shields weren't uncommon, especially in team battles where they served as the front line defense.
"Match start!"
With the electronic voice's announcement, the first elimination round of the mecha finals officially began.
His opponent charged straight at him without hesitation, holding the shield at his side instead of in front. The wide strides were steady, but there was nothing particularly special about them.
'Overconfident?'
Gu You immediately accelerated to maximum speed. The thrusters on the back of his mecha flared white as he lunged forward with his spear aimed at his opponent's chest. At that instant, the speed of the spear surged violently. It tore through the air with a piercing scream, charged with Gu You's explosive momentum, radiating deadly intent.
But his opponent wasn't flustered. Instead, he smoothly raised the shield and assumed a defensive stance.
It was a basic defensive formation—enough to block most direct frontal assaults.
'Looking down on me?'
Gu You was a bit taken aback. 'Is he just handing me this win?'
Clang!
The spear struck, generating a series of loud metallic bangs.
Then… the shield shattered.
The match ended even more quickly than expected.
After exiting Star Battle Network, Gu You returned to his forge room and retrieved the meteorite steel that Ma Shan had provided. It was time to finish these pending tasks.
He still owed a few commissions.
Star Battle Network's tournament schedule was rather baffling—sometimes the matches were a day apart, other times they stretched to three or four. This time, the break was almost two whole weeks.
Even Gu You himself couldn't make sense of it.
But he decided not to worry about it. Starting today, he was going to become a true Saint Craftsman!
It was time to forge genuine soul-forged metals!!
Gu You placed the meteorite steel into the furnace for preheating, then brought out his pair of Life Hammers. His expression grew solemn as he closed his eyes and focused his breathing.
He set the hammers gently on the forge table, letting both arms hang loosely at his sides. His slender arms and fingers emanated an indescribable presence. Full of substance, filled with an aura that was impossible to articulate.
In that moment, Gu You's very presence seemed to meld into the forge room itself.
The meteorite steel began to glow orange as the burn timer ticked on…
(End of Chapter)
---
A Huge Shoutout and Welcome to Pizza man for Joining us on Patreon and Becoming a Member of Bronze.
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, There is 2 Chapters Ahead of Release for Free Memebers on my Patreon.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.