Chen and Wayne continued reading the letter, and as they read further, they couldn't help but feel amused.
The letter explicitly mentioned the "World Fighting Championship." Although it didn't state the specific reason for inviting Tirion Fordring, it clearly stated that Rexxar's purpose was to fulfill the appointment and spar with Chen to see who was truly the World Champion of Azeroth.
While Chen was still worrying about things like the Kor'kron Guard, Wayne told him directly:
"What is there to worry about? Just go and get it done!"
"Tell me, can you take him or not?"
Whenever Chen thought deeply, he liked to rub his belly, and he was doing so now. "I haven't run into him for several years. I heard he's been active around Desolace and Feralas lately, constantly fighting the local Centaur tribes. I have no idea how much he has improved."
Wayne asked, "What about back then? When you two finally parted ways, who was stronger? Didn't you say you almost killed him?"
A smug smile crept onto the corner of Chen's mouth. "That was because I gave him the extra-strong brew I'd made."
"All you think about is drinking!" Wayne snapped. "I'm talking about fighting!"
"Fighting, eh... then I suppose I was a bit better back then. Hahahaha—hic... ugh, I ate a bit too much just now..."
Samuro, having overheard their conversation, spoke up. "Rexxar has grown much stronger these past few years."
His words immediately dampened the optimistic mood Wayne and Chen shared.
"Those Centaurs are trash. The various tribes and those inside Maraudon are just fighting each other like children playing house; they aren't worth mentioning."
"But the demons there possess considerable combat power. The Troll outposts in that area gathered several armies to attack them multiple times but couldn't stop the demon legion's landing, suffering heavy losses instead."
"However, since Rexxar appeared there, the demons haven't advanced a single step. He slaughtered them single-handedly until they were forced to cluster around the Mannoroc Coven, unable to spread outward ever again."
"Later, those Trolls jokingly claimed that Rexxar had surrounded the entire demon army by himself."
"By himself?!" Thunder-Skin and the others exclaimed in shock.
While they loved music and disliked fighting, it didn't mean they were incapable of it. They had seen demons before; for an expert like Rexxar, facing a small group of demons was a piece of cake, but the idea of one person surrounding an entire army was simply too bizarre.
Samuro shook his head. "That's not entirely correct. There was also his bear."
Chen and Wayne murmured in unison, "Misha..."
"Hahaha!" Samuro's sudden laughter startled everyone. "But you've found the right person. I met him once last year, and we traded a few blows."
Thunder-Skin's eyes sparkled. "Who won?"
"We just exchanged a few moves; there was no victor," Samuro replied.
Chen and Wayne knew better. How could this proud Blademaster admit in front of a crowd that he had been defeated by Rexxar?
Samuro continued, "Whether you can beat him or not, you'll know after fighting me once. However..."
"However what?" Chen asked.
"I've been traveling day and night from Durotar to get here before your deadline. Since arriving, I've been rehearsing with these youngsters every day. I haven't had much rest," Samuro explained. "And this basement... at my age, staying away from the sunlight isn't good for the health."
Hearing this, Wayne understood. Samuro knew that if he fought Chen blindly now, he would surely suffer a crushing defeat. Therefore, if he was to test Chen's strength, he needed a few days of proper rest first.
But the net cafe's layout was a problem. Although there were plenty of rooms...
"Leave that to me!" Before Wayne could finish his thought, a voice came from outside the room. Both he and Chen recognized it immediately as Shadowbreaker's.
It turned out the Duke hadn't been at ease. He worried that the five Horde members gathered downstairs were plotting something and feared Wayne and Chen might be at a disadvantage, so he had followed them down. Now, he understood the whole story.
Chen was the World Champion who had defeated their entire group. Although Shadowbreaker knew this "World" title was missing the Horde's portion, now that the Horde had formally challenged him, they couldn't let the title slip away. Therefore, whether it was Samuro or anyone else, as long as they could help Chen defend his title, the Duke decided to lend a hand.
"My manor by Mirror Lake isn't finished yet, but a few rooms are ready," Shadowbreaker said, looking at Samuro. He still struggled to voice the final words of invitation. His values and stance as an Alliance Duke remained a significant barrier.
Wayne quickly took the opportunity. "Great! It's settled then! Samuro will stay at the Duke's manor, the rest of the band stays here with me, and Chen begins crash training."
Wayne calculated the days and patted Chen's shoulder. "We have ten days! In these ten days, we'll do a special training together to make you the undisputed Number One in the World!"
Everyone moved into action. Shadowbreaker had his servants arrange accommodations for Samuro. The other four band members went to the Darkmoon Faire camp every day for their scheduled noon and evening performances.
Wayne, meanwhile, notified other fighting experts to take turns training with Chen. Naturally, this was all done within Street Fighter V.
A problem soon arose. Chen, who had already reached the top 100 in "Online Mode," had no opponents left in the net cafe. Even when Wayne stepped in, he could only manage a dismal 2-8 record against him over ten matches. This was nowhere near the intensity required for a "World Champion" showdown.
Furthermore, Rexxar's fighting style was vastly different from an average person. He was exceptionally agile and powerful, wielding dual axes to hack and slash, which gave him an advantage over Chen, who was used to fighting empty-handed and using his fists as blades.
Moreover, Rexxar had a very formidable companion—the giant mother bear, Misha. Most people couldn't even beat Misha, let alone Rexxar. This giant bear not only understood Rexxar's commands perfectly but had also learned "Blink" (short-range teleportation) and "Bash" (stunning targets) under his tutelage. Combined with her natural thick-skinned durability, she was an immense asset to Rexxar, the melee hunter.
Not to mention, Rexxar could summon frenzy-capable boars, hawks that breathed lightning, and his unique ultimate move—stampedes of Thunder Lizards that could fill an entire mountainside.
Therefore, training Chen in one-on-one combat was not enough. Wayne looked around and realized only one person—the only one—could simulate Misha's fighting style while understanding Chen's patterns.
That person was Li Li.
And so, the 2-on-1 combat training began. A Street Fighter expert simulated Rexxar's aggressive, slaughtering style, while the little monk Li Li—nicknamed "The Wild Dog"—imitated Misha. Her frantic darting back and forth simulated Misha's "Blink," and her perfectly timed heavy strikes simulated "Bash."
As a result, Chen's record flipped instantly from 8-2 to 0-10...
Even the ever-optimistic Chen began to wear a troubled frown.