Chapter Twenty-Three: The Final Match (Part Two)

“With your level of strength, you dare to think you can kill me?” Xia Yan scoffed with disdain. “Do you really believe you can break through my defenses? If you want to boast, at least try to knock off a single hair first.”

“Die!” Darren roared with madness, dark energy flickering in his hands as he lunged at Xia Yan.

Xia Yan shifted to passive defense, gathering fire elements that solidified into armor-like material, forming a shield before him. He understood his opponent’s abilities well; in this arena, attacking would gain him little. Even close combat was futile—his movements were completely anticipated, as if he were throwing punches right into Darren’s fists.

So, defense alone would suffice. He only had to wait until Darren could no longer maintain his abilities, then finish him in one stroke.

Dragging out the fight, Xia Yan knew, would not work against him.

“This can’t be, how is this possible, how is your defense so strong?” Darren was shocked; he had not expected this outcome at all. He had been confident of victory. Once he activated the “Crimson Eye,” this arena became his domain—how could Xia Yan possibly withstand him?

Xia Yan’s firearms could not target him directly; even if they could, Darren could anticipate every attack and dodge flawlessly. In close quarters, Xia Yan was like a joke—Darren only had to extend a fist, and Xia Yan would run right into it.

But he had miscalculated, overlooking the abilities Xia Yan had developed on his own.

The element system—fire element—was a nearly perfect ability, equally adept at offense and defense. Xia Yan used it solely for defense, outlasting Darren’s stamina.

The frustration was suffocating.

Blood sprayed from Darren’s mouth; his “Demonization” had faded, and he was barely maintaining the “Crimson Eye,” clearly struggling. This ability, used for too long, would sap his life force and could even kill him. The time had already exceeded Darren’s expectations.

Now, the counterattack began at last.

Xia Yan strode forward, each step slow and heavy, his expression cold and angry. His fist struck out, powerful and fierce, unrivaled in its force.

Darren was sent flying, blood gushing forth and painting the ground crimson as he coughed up mouthfuls, collapsing to the floor, unable even to crawl.

Xia Yan approached, stamping down on Darren’s right hand joint. The scream that burst forth was like a pig being slaughtered, chilling to the bone.

Looking at Darren now, his face was not only pale but twisted in agony, almost pitiful to behold.

“Hmm!” Xia Yan glanced around and noticed something strange: the spectators seemed oblivious, not even calling out. Nina, the instructor in the distance, watched the arena tensely, but showed no sign of noticing anything amiss.

Yet, two heavy blows had just made Darren spit blood and break bones—how could they not have seen?

“Are they all seeing an illusion?” Xia Yan’s eyes flickered. “That demon mentioned earlier that even if I called for help, my voice wouldn’t reach anyone… This is the perfect chance to kill him.”

With that thought, Xia Yan’s eyes turned cruel and bloodthirsty. No one who incited murderous intent against Tao Lu could live comfortably afterward—at least, this demon trash would not be an exception.

To be prepared to kill, one must be prepared to be killed. The demon should understand this simple truth. He was proud and arrogant, but now, it was time for him to pay for his sins.

Darren immediately saw Xia Yan’s cruelty and murderous intent.

“No, Xia Yan, you can’t kill me!” Darren cried out in terror. “Xia Yan, you can’t kill me; I’m a demon, a pure-blooded demon. If you kill me, you’ll regret it!”

Xia Yan’s expression shifted. Darren seemed unable even to dispel his illusion ability—a pathetic power indeed.

“Die!” Xia Yan moved in a flash, appearing before Darren and smashing him with a brutal punch, sending him flying like an arrow.

Darren’s bones shattered with a crackling sound, breaking into pieces, perhaps even powder. The pain nearly made him lose consciousness, leaving only the faintest spark of awareness.

Soon after, Xia Yan moved again, intercepting Darren in midair and slamming him to the ground with an elbow, raising clouds of dust skyward.

Darren had only a flicker of breath left.

“No… Xia Yan, you can’t kill me! You can’t… If you kill me, you’ll be judged, the demons will avenge me, you’ll die!” Darren begged for his life, but Xia Yan ignored him, stamping down on his head. In an instant, Darren’s skull exploded.

The battle was finally over.

…

Fuxiang City, inside a villa.

“How… How is this possible… Impossible…” Ai You, the head of the institution, could scarcely believe it; her nephew was dead.

She trembled with rage, her eyes filled with despair and terror, unable to accept the truth.

Darren’s strength rivaled the institution’s management, yet he had been killed by an unknown “transfer student.”

Gu Yue’er clenched her fists, her face lit up with a smile that could pierce any shadow and reach the blue sky.

“Wonderful, Xia Yan won—it’s Xia Yan who won!” Gu Yue’er exclaimed.

Xia Yan had shattered the fate set by the institution head. Gu Yue’er truly felt proud of him.

You are the best, Xia Yan.

“Damn… damn…” Ai You glared at Gu Yue’er. This girl had not been traumatized, nor had her purification ability been triggered.

“Unbelievable… How could it end like this?” Ai You was unwilling to accept it, but no matter how she struggled, her nephew was gone forever.

…

Spectator stands.

“Oh my god, what’s going on—were we all seeing illusions just now?”

“It’s over. Xia Yan won, and the demon is dead, his skull shattered.”

“Kids, close your eyes—don’t look.”

“Heavens, Xia Yan won! I placed a huge bet on him early on—now I’ll make a fortune, haha!”

“I told you, Xia Yan would definitely take first place.”

The crowd cared little for the demon’s fate. For them, Xia Yan’s victory meant profit, and that was enough.

Though the stands were abuzz with excitement, the institution’s staff and instructors wore grim expressions—Xia Yan had killed Darren, and that was not something easily overlooked.

Tao Lu clenched her fists, her heart pounding. “Xia Yan won—it’s him! He killed that bastard, good.”

She nodded, murmuring, “Though I couldn’t avenge myself, Xia Yan did it for me.”

“How could this happen?” Gong Kui’s face was grim. “That demon was the institution head’s nephew. Killing him outright will trigger judgment from the institution. Xia Yan could be executed—how could he be so reckless?”

In this arena, joy and sorrow mingled.

For Xia Yan, the demons would demand judgment.

If guilty, he would die!

If innocent, he would live!