Chapter 438: Butterfly Arena
Chapter 438: Butterfly Arena
At dawn on May 23rd, the fifth and final round of the Cocoon War began.
By this stage of the tournament, the element of random chance had all but vanished. Every remaining player left standing was undeniably strong.
Wang Tan Zhi’s opponent this round was a Classplayer affiliated with The Gods studio. While this fellow wasn’t as formidable as The Gods’ Four Heavenly Kings, he was no ordinary contender. His capability rivaled that of a star player.
Shortly after the random match assignments were announced, this battle was selected by Dream Corporation staff as the marquee match of the round and broadcast live on the main screen of the Mall, streaming across thousands of Mall dimensions.
Feng Bu Jue had anticipated this. The Wang Tan Zhi ID had dominated forum discussions all day. While the hype hadn’t quite reached the fever pitch of when the Invited Player list was first released, it had certainly drawn massive attention.
An unknown underdog had taken down Seven Kill, the 16th-ranked fighter on the Combat Power Leaderboard? Who was this person? Which studio did they belong to? What methods had they used? What proficiency did they specialize in?
Once again, rumors ran rampant. Countless players who claimed to know Xiao Tan, and even more who didn’t, flooded the forums with speculation.
Xiao Tan’s past match videos also saw a surge in views. Excluding the bye round, the other three matches became hot topics of debate.
By now, no one questioned Xiao Tan’s capability—the bye round had become irrelevant. Reflecting back, of Wang Tan Zhi’s three matches, two had ended in instant kills, decisive and ruthless. And his duel with Seven Kill had been nothing short of breathtaking, particularly the final minute of combat… an unquestionably top-tier display within the game.
Thus, it was only natural that Xiao Tan’s fifth-round match was moved to the main screen.
Yet, the match itself failed to live up to expectations. The two competitors took just three minutes to settle the outcome.
Wang Tan Zhi emerged victorious, calm and collected. His victory had been so effortless that the match felt almost dull. Many viewers doubted whether his opponent had simply been too weak…
However, a small minority saw something deeper. The uppermost elite of the game had already added Wang Tan Zhi to their list of the most dangerous adversaries to avoid.
………
At 2:00 AM on May 23rd, the Cocoon War concluded officially. The Top 100 list of the first Peak Conquest Tournament in Terrifying Paradise was released. Ninety fighters had climbed through the ranks, while ten seed contestants joined them.
Next, the Butterfly Arena would commence at dawn on May 25th, also taking place in Sleep Mode. This phase would consist of a single round, with fifty winners advancing to the final stage: the Summit Confrontation.
The key difference between the Butterfly Arena and the Cocoon War was that the match pairings would be predetermined and announced in advance…
Though the matchups were technically randomized, the distinction between a pre-decided random draw and an on-the-spot matchup was like night and day.
The match list was published early on the 23rd, meaning players had nearly 48 hours to prepare before the Butterfly Arena began. During this time, contestants and their backing teams could prepare extensively—analyzing opponents’ videos, acquiring targeted equipment or skills, and more.
This arrangement naturally stirred controversy among players. The forums erupted once more, with conspiracy theorists claiming Dream Corporation was favoring studios at the expense of underprivileged casual players…
Undeniably, Feng Bu Jue, a casual player, was at a disadvantage under these rules. Worse still, he had no choice but to win…
First, he bore the title of Invited Player, making him a target for all. A single crushing defeat would invite endless ridicule. Second, he had become Wooly’s subordinate, the infamous Hell Front and Dark Vanguard. Failing to complete the first step of this initial task would be outright disgraceful.
Thus, Feng Bu Jue approached this tournament with utmost seriousness.
Yet, reality was far graver than anticipated. His opponent in the Butterfly Arena was another Invited Player: Xu Huai Shang.
As previously mentioned, Xu Huai Shang’s name did not appear on the Combat Power Leaderboard, but this did little to diminish her status as a star player.
Let’s delve deeper into why this was the case…
First, she was a beauty—a renowned one in real life. Second, she was a Classplayer, and the top expert of the Scarlet Sakura studio.
These two facts alone were enough to guarantee her fame.
In any era, the term "Beauty Player" naturally drew attention. Yet, most people didn’t expect much from so-called "Beauty Players" in terms of skill…
But Xu Huai Shang was an exception. She was the first female contestant in e-sports history to win an international championship. Whether she’d be the last was unknown, but she was certainly the first of her kind.
Even before joining the Terrifying Paradise game, Xu Huai Shang had been a legendary figure in the gaming world. In terms of popularity, even Order’s Drunken Life and Death, the Four Heavenly Kings of The Gods, and Jianghu’s Swords and Laughter paled in comparison. The Hiei Studio’s idol troupe? Merely dust in the wind.
Physically, Yama, another female player, was no less skilled than Xu Huai Shang and no slouch in the looks department. Yet, standing beside Xu Huai Shang, she became a mere passerby.
With such credentials, Xu Huai Shang could have easily dominated the film industry. Several renowned agencies had long sought to sign her. Veteran talent scouts insisted that with her looks and charisma, she could walk straight into Hollywood, becoming the next Bond girl or even a leading lady—audiences would buy tickets just to see her as a decorative "vase."
Yet, Xu Huai Shang chose to forge ahead in the game circle. Though star players earned far less than Hollywood icons, and though female players faced immense hurdles, she remained undeterred. With absolute capability, she had earned countless honors and become an undisputed top-tier player.
Perhaps it was precisely Xu Huai Shang’s passion for gaming that earned her a fanbase rivaling any movie star, with legions of die-hard followers. She was, without question, a queen-like figure in the gaming world.
For Feng Bu Jue to face such an opponent was clearly a dire situation…
Externally, Xu Huai Shang’s supporters numbered in the millions. Meanwhile, the Mad Bu Jue ID was an urban legend—countless myths surrounded him, but few had ever seen him in action. He had no support to speak of.
Objectively, Feng Bu Jue ranked 2nd on the Combat Power Leaderboard, while Xu Huai Shang stood at 14th. Both were top-tier fighters, elite Invited Players. At least according to the system’s metrics… the gap between them wasn’t insurmountable.
Moreover, Xu Huai Shang was a legendary Class Expert with a reputation that preceded her. Feng Bu Jue himself didn’t expect her to be weak.
Perhaps the only fair advantage lay in pre-match intelligence gathering. Since neither had participated in the Cocoon War, neither had match videos on record. Regarding character data—main force, weapon, equipment, skills, combat style… Feng Bu Jue, as a casual player, had no reliable channels to probe his opponent. And while Xu Huai Shang had the backing of Scarlet Sakura, even they were at a loss when it came to a mystery like Feng Bu Jue…
All in all, this match brimmed with intrigue, and the outcome was anyone’s guess.
Dream Corporation openly announced in advance: this battle would be broadcast live on the main screen as a top priority.
The Butterfly Arena drew countless eyes. Countless questions lingered in the air, awaiting answers…
Who exactly was this Mad Bu Jue, a sudden challenger surging to 2nd place on the Combat Power Leaderboard? Even Xu Huai Shang was dying to find out…
(End of Chapter)
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