Chapter 124: Overpowering
Chapter 124: Overpowering
Within just a breath or two, Duoma's body became covered in crisscrossing purplish-red lines, all formed by taut muscles and tendons. His muscles bulged abnormally, and even his bones seemed to protrude, causing his entire body to stretch several centimeters taller.
When he lowered his crossed hands, everyone was startled.
Duoma's face was also covered in chaotic purplish-red lines, and his tensed muscles pulled his mouth, eyebrows, and eyes upward at a slant. The outline of his teeth was visible beneath the taut skin, giving him an incredibly hideous and evil appearance. With his hair tie having come loose during the fight, his unkempt hair made him look like a monster.
Those watching from the buildings on both sides of the street were terrified, trembling at the sight of what they thought was a monster. The Maka students stared blankly, most of them unsure what was happening, but someone like Nali had a look of solemnity in his eyes.
Seeing the strange phenomenon on Duoma's body, Chen Chuan's expression turned serious. He recalled Cheng Zitong mentioning this kind of transformation in passing.
It seemed that after reaching the Second Limit, fighters could stimulate the rapid growth of transmutation organs through breathing and drugs, temporarily enhancing their strength.
However, this was no different from overexerting one's vitality, and in this state, the growth of transmutation organs was uncontrollable, inevitably disrupting the body's normal functions.
In other words, without timely relief and treatment, one's life would essentially be on a countdown.
This opponent seemed even more formidable than before, and he apparently had no intention of holding back.
Chen Chuan guessed that perhaps Duoma had chosen this path because today's events required a resolution.
If that was the case, he would grant his wish.
He unbuttoned his uniform, revealing a white shirt underneath, and tossed his outer garment aside.
Duoma waited as Chen Chuan undressed, even though he knew that with each passing second, his life was slipping away. Still, he respected the opponent before him, perhaps the last one he would ever face.
Once Chen Chuan was fully prepared, Duoma let out a muffled roar from his throat and chest. The ground beneath him shattered, and in an instant, he appeared before Chen Chuan, grabbing his shoulders and lifting him into the air before slamming him down.
Chen Chuan felt Duoma's sudden rush, his reaction speed had been surpassed. But in that moment of being grabbed, Chen Chuan activated his internal force, causing his transmutation organs to swell and resist the penetration of Duoma's force. Surprisingly, the expected force didn't materialize, as Duoma only used a common grappling technique employed by skilled fighters.
Chen Chuan immediately inhaled, tightening his transmutation organs to protect his body. As he was slammed down, the ground shattered beneath him, sending debris flying. He landed in a shallow crater.
Duoma didn't stop there; he lifted Chen Chuan again, preparing to smash him to the side. But Chen Chuan hooked his foot around Duoma's calf, momentarily immobilizing him. As Chen Chuan looked up, he met Duoma's calm gaze and suddenly spun in place, throwing Duoma away with great force!
In mid-air, Chen Chuan retracted his limbs, curling his body into a tight ball, his transmutation organs tensing. The next moment, he collided with the nearby residential building, creating a loud boom as the wall shattered upon impact.
"Chen Chuan!" Luo Kaiyuan exclaimed, clenching his fists, ready to charge at Duoma. However, a Maka student stepped forward to block his path. Luo Kaiyuan grabbed the student, twisted his wrist, and forced him to his knees. Kicking the student aside, he took a step forward, only to be blocked by another Maka student.
At that moment, Chen Chuan pushed off the wall behind him, standing up as if nothing had happened. He brushed off the dust from his chest and once again stepped onto the street.
Everyone, including Guan Xinyin, was astonished to see that Chen Chuan seemed completely unharmed. They stared at him in disbelief.
Chen Chuan looked at Duoma and noticed his rapid breathing and bloodshot eyes. Although he had been overpowered, he hadn't been struck by any internal force techniques, leading Chen Chuan to a conclusion.
Despite the significant boost in strength and speed from stimulating the transmutation organs, the human body was a delicate structure, especially when it came to the intricate internal force techniques honed through countless training sessions, a single misstep could render them unusable, as was the case with Fang Dawei after his body modification, who couldn't harness his internal force anymore.
Therefore, Chen Chuan deduced that even with Duoma's enhanced physical attributes, he couldn't smoothly execute his familiar techniques due to his body's lack of adaptation. Hence, he resorted to relying on his physical advantage in this fight.
This wasn't necessarily a problem, as the principle of 'one force subdues ten techniques' applied; with sufficient strength, one could defeat an opponent without the need for internal force techniques. However, the key was to actually knock the opponent down. The abnormal state seemed to burden Duoma significantly, so Chen Chuan decided to force him to exert more power, increasing his energy expenditure.
Chen Chuan flexed his wrist and said calmly, "Teacher Duoma, it seems this lesson isn't over yet."
Duoma roared and leaped forward.
This time, Chen Chuan was prepared for Duoma's speed and positioned himself a bit further away. As Duoma lunged, Chen Chuan sidestepped, and Duoma crashed into the spot where Chen Chuan had just been, shattering the ground beneath him. His body, now altered, struggled to control its momentum, and he slid forward uncontrollably.
Just as Chen Chuan thought he had evaded Duoma, Duoma reached out, grabbed Chen Chuan's arm, and pulled him back.
Chen Chuan immediately noticed that Duoma's arms and fingers had grown longer since their previous encounter, but she had intentionally maintained her previous state before their renewed clash, successfully creating a tactical deception. This misjudgment caught Chen Chuan off guard, but he reacted swiftly, lifting his leg to block her chest and abdomen, preventing her from pulling him closer.
Duoma tried to pull Chen Chuan closer twice, but when she couldn't, she punched towards his head. Chen Chuan calmly blocked and deflected the punch while continuously dodging to the side. Despite the powerful punch, he managed to deflect most of the attacks with minimal effort, and even when he was struck, it caused him little harm.
After throwing over a dozen punches without much effect on Chen Chuan, Duoma's breathing became more rapid. She abandoned her assault and grabbed Chen Chuan with both hands, lifting him up before slamming him back down to the ground.
This time, Chen Chuan extended his leg just in time to hook Duoma's head, bringing her down with him. She knelt on the ground, still holding onto Chen Chuan, but he used his momentum to push himself up, slamming Chen Chuan back down to the ground. The pavement beneath Chen Chuan cracked instantly.
Duoma tried to repeat the move, but Chen Chuan released his leg from her neck, and with a surge of transmuted organs in his body, he suddenly exerted force at close range, his toes snapping against her side neck.
Despite her enhanced durability, Duoma's grip weakened from the strike. Chen Chuan quickly broke free and spun away, pulling Duoma's arm to disrupt her balance. With his other hand, he clenched his fist and slammed it into her face.
Duoma's head jerked back, and as she tried to struggle, she was suddenly spun around by an unseen force, experiencing a dizzying sensation. Chen Chuan had executed a shoulder throw, slamming her into the ground, causing a spiderweb of cracks to appear beneath her.
The increased transmutation had intensified her pain and drained her vitality, but it had also significantly enhanced her body's resilience, allowing her to withstand the fall without injury.
Chen Chuan had intended to use a chokehold, but he realized that Duoma's skeletal structure seemed to have changed with her increased transmutation, making it ineffective. So, he abandoned the idea and, taking advantage of her prone position, kicked her head. Instinctively, Duoma raised her hand to block the kick, but surprisingly, her five fingers grabbed his calf and flung him away!
Chen Chuan tumbled on the ground, rolled a few times, and then effortlessly stood up, unharmed.
He observed Duoma nearby, panting heavily, her body visibly thinner than before. Her skin, which had been taut earlier, now appeared relaxed and loose.
The strategy was working; the intense fight was rapidly depleting her vitality.
Chen Chuan's body sank slightly, and without waiting for Duoma's next move, he charged forward. Duoma, seeing his approach, took a deep breath and charged as well, but Chen Chuan easily dodged her punch and delivered a powerful strike to her abdomen, followed by a palm strike to her face.
Duoma quickly countered by blocking with her arm, but Chen Chuan countered with a knee strike. Duoma raised her knee in defense, and as they collided, Chen Chuan maintained his knee-lift stance while Duoma retreated several steps.
Chen Chuan slowly lowered his foot, noticing Duoma's weakening strength and slower reactions. Her body's transmutation growth had peaked, and now, as her vitality gradually faded, her physical abilities were declining.
Watching Duoma struggle to catch her breath, Chen Chuan said, "Duoma Teacher, you can give up now."
Duoma roared and charged at him, but halfway through, Chen Chuan kicked her in the head, causing her to stumble and almost fall.
The Maka students nearby gasped in surprise, calling out, "Teacher!"
Duoma struggled to stand, taking a deep breath. Her body, now a deep purplish-red, charged forward without a sound, her force shattering the pavement behind her.
Chen Chuan ducked, avoiding her grasp, and charged forward, lifting her onto his shoulder. With a powerful throw, he slammed Duoma to the ground, causing the ground beneath everyone's feet to tremble.
Duoma struggled to stand again, but halfway up, Chen Chuan punched her in the face, sending her back down. She attempted to rise once more, only to be met with another punch.
The Maka students nearby couldn't bear it anymore and tried to intervene, but they were stopped and restrained by the increasing number of Wu Yi students who had arrived.
Everyone watched silently as Chen Chuan repeatedly punched Duoma, preventing her from getting up.
After another failed attempt to rise, Duoma finally lay still, her body deflated, leaving only skin covering her deformed skeleton. Steam rose from her body as if her bodily fluids were evaporating.
Duoma's raspy voice said, "Students, did you see the patterns on my body? That is the true record of Essence Pulse Studies, passed down through the ages."
Chen Chuan glanced at her and said, "Perhaps you should have shared this openly in the classroom."
Duoma muttered, "Yes, but we don't have time. The world's resonance is intensifying, and the Maka people must secure a place in the era's wave to gain the power to ride it..." Her voice trailed off, and eventually, all sound ceased.
Chen Chuan looked up at the blinding sunlight above and walked towards the group of students who had been waiting quietly.
...
(End of Chapter)
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