"Round two! Dragon Nation Team, Feng Baobao, versus Psycho Soldiers Team, Chin Gentsai!"
This matchup made the least sense to everyone watching.
One was an immortal-looking, bleary-eyed grandmaster of fist techniques.
One was a vacant-eyed, seemingly harmless panda girl.
"Heheheh!" Chin took a swig of wine and smiled warmly at Baobao. "Little lady, there's an interesting... flavor about you. This old man is curious—where are your roots?"
His words were cryptic, but the elite fighters present—Terry, Ryo, and others—understood the deeper meaning.
This old man had seen through Baobao's "extraordinary" nature!
"My roots?" Baobao tilted her head, thinking seriously, then pointed at her feet. "Right here. Otherwise, how would I stand steady?"
Chin Gentsai: "..."
A hint of helpless amusement flickered in those seemingly cloudy eyes.
"Very well!" He asked no more, slowly assuming a drunken fist stance. "Then let this old man weigh your worth."
The instant those words fell, Chin's seemingly wobbly figure moved!
His footwork appeared chaotic yet somehow aligned with natural law—unpredictable, impossible to anticipate!
BOOM!
An aura far more overwhelming, far more unfathomable than Kensou's erupted!
Absolute Domain 15%!
Cloud's pupils contracted sharply!
This harmless-looking drunken old man was... also a hidden Domain-class fighter!
And... Cloud could keenly sense this wasn't even his full power! He was hiding more deeply than anyone!
Facing Chin's grandmaster-level pressure, Baobao's vacant face showed gravity for the first time.
She put away her cleaver and rolling pin, letting her hands hang naturally. Her entire presence became ethereal and intangible.
Battle commenced!
Chin's figure appeared ghost-like at Baobao's side, a seemingly soft "Gourd Strike" aiming for her ribs!
But Baobao's body twisted at an angle that completely defied physics, narrowly evading the blow!
"Oh?" Surprise flickered in Chin's eyes.
Then Baobao moved.
No techniques. No patterns.
She simply... relied on the most primal, purest combat instinct to throw her fist.
BANG!
Fist met palm!
Baobao grunted as she was knocked back several meters, leaving two deep grooves in the ground.
Chin also retreated half a step, the drunken smile still on his face.
"Such... such pure power!" he murmured. "Not a trace of impurity, returned to the origin... what is this girl's background?!"
What followed completely overturned everyone's understanding.
Chin's Drunken Fist was elegant and agile, endlessly transforming, filled with martial wisdom and zen philosophy.
Baobao's attacks were simple and brutal, completely lacking aesthetics.
Just the most basic straight punches, kicks, elbow strikes... but every attack was unbelievably fast and terrifyingly vicious!
Moreover, she seemed to lack pain sensation entirely, completely ignoring her own defense, fighting in a near "trade blow for blow" berserker style against Chin!
For a time, the stage held one fighter like an enlightened monk and another like a beast descending from the mountains—and they fought to a standstill!
Finally, Chin seemed to see something.
During an exchange, he deliberately revealed an opening.
Baobao seized the opportunity without hesitation, driving a "Peasant's Palm" containing all her strength into Chin's chest!
PFFFT—!
Chin spewed a mist of "wine vapor," his entire body sent flying. Just as he was about to fall off the stage, his waist gourd hooked onto something, stabilizing him.
He wiped his mouth and looked at Baobao—who had also taken his palm strike, blood trickling from her lips, yet whose eyes remained pure—and his face broke into a genuine smile of appreciation.
"Heheheh... the younger generation is to be feared, indeed..."
He waved to the referee.
"This old man... admits defeat."
With that, he casually hopped off the stage, as if the loser wasn't him at all.
Though Baobao had sustained light injuries... Dragon Nation Team had once again clinched victory 2-0!
The spectator area had gone completely numb.
"I... I now believe that scar-faced uncle and panda girl really are immortals," one spectator murmured.
Cloud gazed deeply at Chin, who was drinking again, heart filled with respect.
He knew—in that match, Chin had held back.
This grandmaster had only wanted to test Baobao's depths and... in his own way, without hurting her, had given her some guidance.
This magnanimity, this breadth of character—truly worthy of the title "Grandmaster"!
...
"Round three! Dragon Nation Team, Cloud, versus Psycho Soldiers Team, Athena Asamiya!"
Though the outcome was decided, this match still commanded everyone's attention.
"Cloud," Athena looked at him, her beautiful violet eyes filled with determination, "even though our team has lost... my battle with you starts now!"
HUMMMM—!
A powerful, pure spiritual force erupted from her body!
Pink telekinetic energy swirled around her, making her appear like a goddess descended to the mortal realm!
"Come!"
Facing the battle-ready Athena, Cloud smiled.
He released his own spiritual power! An invisible yet equally powerful mental wave collided with Athena's force in midair!
...
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