https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-483-The-Match-and-Bronze-Fortress/13676976/
Chapter 482: A Lopsided Battle
The stands were alive with the roaring cheers of Players—shouts, chants, and frenzied excitement echoing through the arena.
“War狂哥, Charge!”
“For Om Misea!”
The name Steel Tide thundered across the battlefield, a rallying cry for the masses. Meanwhile, support for Worldly Wanderer was sparse—only a handful of close friends and allies stood in quiet solidarity.
In the crowd, AAA Building Materials Brother Wang wiped tears from his eyes, whispering softly, “Come on, Floating Life… you’re the last hope of the CiviliansPlayers.”
“毅力帝, go!”
“Float Life Brother!”
Brother Wang’s younger comrades behind him echoed the words in hushed tones.
“Competitors, please take your positions.”
A smooth, melodic voice cut through the air—the commentator, a beloved Player in her own right, famed for her voice and striking beauty. Her nickname: Red Maple.
“Clearly, the home crowd is electric today,” she said. “No wonder—the red side’s contestant is none other than the Guild Leader of Mechanical Divinity, the legendary Professional Player… Steel Tide.”
She paused, glancing at her notes with a slight frown.
“As the first Artificer Player ever to rise to prominence, Steel Tide’s power is undeniable. His Guardian Armor is a masterpiece—perfect gear, a flawless fusion of technology and magic, equipped with Field Shield, Elemental Lightning Cannon…”
“Steel Tide!”
“Flesh is frail, machines shall ascend!”
The crowd erupted once more.
“Hah, seems like Steel Tide’s really popular,” Red Maple chuckled. “Now, our blue-side contestant—Worldly Wanderer…”
She hesitated, flipping through her nearly blank notes.
“He’s also an eighth-level Player,” she said after a moment, regaining composure. “Though… let’s be honest—Worldly Wanderer only entered the game during the Northern War. Now, he’s hit the level cap. That’s real perseverance. His strength shouldn’t be underestimated.”
“Red Maple’s so sweet,” someone murmured.
“This guy’s got it rough—right off the bat, he faces someone like Steel Tide.”
The response was quiet. A few scattered cheers, then silence.
Hearing this, Worldly Wanderer’s lips twitched.
There was no turning back now. He stepped onto the battlefield, his movements heavy, his breath steady. As the ground trembled beneath him, a deep, rhythmic Boom… Boom… echoed through the arena.
From the shadows, Steel Tide emerged—riding his towering Aether Armor, a six-meter monolith of steel and power.
Two figures stood side by side: one a giant, armored colossus; the other a mere human, dwarfed beneath the machine’s shadow. The armor’s silhouette swallowed Worldly Wanderer whole.
This was no fair fight.
Still, Worldly Wanderer lifted his head, locking eyes with the pilot inside the cockpit. His grip on his sword trembled—not from fear, but from tension.
Stay calm. Don’t fear. Even professionals aren’t invincible. That iron beast has weaknesses. It must.
You’re destined to become a Professional Player. You’re meant to claim the Dragon Flame Champion title. How can you fall here—on the first step of the Preliminary Tournament?
His gaze hardened. His mind raced, crafting tactics, strategies, possibilities.
This giant has poor mobility. If I use Phantom Step to close the distance, he won’t react in time. Then a sliding tackle from behind—strike the back of the armor with my Longsword. Kill the pilot. End the match in one blow.
Begin my career as the Guild Leader of the legendary Mechanical Divinity! One battle. One name. Instant Deification.
His hands shook—now not from fear, but from adrenaline and anticipation.
Inside the cockpit, Steel Tide leaned back, scratching his head, baffled.
“Huh… this guy looks kinda… weird. Creepy, even.”
He sighed. “Eh, just get this over with. The Guild’s got a million things to handle—Geneticists and Blacksmiths arguing over funding again. Emotional exhaustion, man.”
He paused, then added, “Speaking of… how the hell do you lose when a Gundam is riding your face?”
The crowd roared on, cheers and chants crashing like waves.
Red Maple’s voice rang out, clear and crisp.
“Competitors, ready?”
“Three… two…”
“One.”
“Fight!”
Before the referee even finished speaking, Worldly Wanderer stepped back—swiftly, deliberately—putting distance between himself and his opponent.
He studied the enemy, eyes sharp, mind racing.
Find the flaw. One shot. One chance. One kill.
“Worldly Wanderer is being extremely cautious,” Red Maple observed. “He’s choosing to maintain distance.”
“But according to official data, his class is Champion Warrior—a close-combat heavy hitter. He must have a unique strategy in mind.”
“Wait—look! Steel Tide is firing the Elemental Lightning Cannon right away!”
Inside the cockpit, Steel Tide pushed the control lever, muttering, “Just end this quickly. Heard they’re about to start fighting over armor and synth-beasts…”
A blinding flash erupted from the left arm cannon of the Guardian Armor. Electric arcs danced across the entire surface of the suit, crackling with raw energy.
Boom!
A lightning bolt, thick as a dinner bowl, shot forth—aimed straight at Worldly Wanderer.
“He can’t move now!”
“This is it!”
In that split second, Worldly Wanderer’s eyes snapped wide. His grip tightened on his sword. The silver bracelet on his wrist flared with light.
Phantom Step!
Boom!
The lightning struck the spot where he’d stood—ripping open a massive crater. Dust and smoke billowed. But Worldly Wanderer was gone.
He reappeared—sword in hand—behind the Aether Armor.
“Whoa!”
The crowd gasped.
Red Maple blinked. “Unbelievable!”
“Worldly Wanderer has used Phantom Step to slip into the blind spot! Is… is a miracle actually happening?”
With Chilling Blade gripped tight, Worldly Wanderer charged forward—sliding across the ground in a perfect, fluid motion.
This is it! Use Enhanced Heavy Strike on the armor!
In a flash of blue-white lightning, he leapt high—slicing down at the back of the Aether Armor, where the cockpit lay.
The crowd held their breath.
Would it happen? Could a miracle truly occur?
Clang!
A sharp, metallic ring.
Worldly Wanderer was thrown backward like a ragdoll. His sword flew from his hand, embedding itself into the ground. The Aether Armor stood untouched—its rear shield glowing faintly, protecting the pilot.
“What… what?” Worldly Wanderer lay on the ground, stunned.
Red Maple’s voice quickened. “Worldly Wanderer’s surprise attack failed! The armor has a Field Shield on the back!”
“Such force fields are incredibly expensive—each small patch costs over a hundred gold coins!”
Steel Tide chuckled, slowly turning the armor around.
“After getting ambushed and losing my gear last time, I learned my lesson,” he said. “Full-body shielding is the way to go.”
“I call it… the Turtle Shell Tactics.”
Worldly Wanderer stared at the smirking Steel Tide, seething.
This is just pure money-grubbing!
He raised his hand, pointing furiously.
“Referee! He’s cheating!”
“Sorry,” Steel Tide said, raising a massive fist—bigger than a pot—his propulsion unit flaring with blue flame.
Boom!
The ground shook. Dust exploded into the air.
When the cloud cleared, a massive pit lay in the center of the arena. Worldly Wanderer was sprawled in the crater, his body broken, lifeless.
“It was an accident!”
That was the last thought in his mind before the screen went black.
“Financial power is part of strength,” Steel Tide declared, raising his fist proudly. Steam hissed from his back. “This… is how Artificer battles are fought!”
The crowd erupted again.
“Another crushing victory!”
“Congratulations, Steel Tide—winner of this round!”
“Ohhh! Ohhh! Ohhh!”
“War狂哥 is unstoppable!”
“Flesh is frail, machines shall ascend!”
Worldly Wanderer—still in the Game Pod, waiting to respawn—scrolled through the Forum.
He found a video fast.
《Artificer Is the Future! Steel Tide One-Punches Eighth-Level Warrior》
His face darkened.
There he was—Worldly Wanderer, the unfortunate background figure in the spotlight.
[Wow, that damage.]
[War狂哥 is still savage.]
[What does Artificer have to do with this? Pure gear dominance. With that kind of cash, I could do better!]
[The guy on the other side wasn’t weak—he just got unlucky. Ran into Steel Tide, a legend.]
[Isn’t this the "Perseverance Guy"?]
[True. Just making it to level 8 takes guts. I couldn’t do it.]
Reading this, Worldly Wanderer’s expression eased.
“Yeah… I lost. Not because I’m weak. Just bad luck against a player like Steel Tide. I fought with honor. I’m still proud.”
“What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. Every trial, every setback—only strengthens my resilience.”
He clenched his fist. His gaze, once dulled, burned once more.
“So… sorry, future opponents. Next match. I won’t lose a single one.”
Players received free Rapid Resurrection, but lost XP upon death. Still, Worldly Wanderer had enough XP saved to stay at level 8.
With the server shutting down soon, the next match was fast-approaching.
This time, he spent every last coin at the Imperial Armory, buying a top-tier armor.
This time… I will win.
One and a half hours later.
First Arena.
“22054, Worldly Wanderer.”
Under the spotlight, Worldly Wanderer reappeared—eyes blazing with confidence. He even waved at the crowd, drawing murmurs.
“Isn’t that the guy Steel Tide one-punched earlier?”
“What? He’s the one who got knocked out in a single hit?”
“Poor guy… wonder who his next opponent is.”
The whispers stung. But Worldly Wanderer clenched his fists, forcing a smile.
This failure was just an accident. Next time… I’ll show them all my true strength.
This is the beginning of my career.
“00023, Great威 Tianlong.”
The referee’s voice rang out.
Worldly Wanderer froze.
He looked up.
From the corridor, a towering figure emerged—nearly three meters tall, his body thick with muscle, a bald head gleaming under the light. He grinned, showing a set of perfect white teeth. His arms, thicker than a man’s torso, waved casually at the crowd.
His form was sculpted like a god’s.
“Great威 Tianlong—the Monk’s deity!”
“Is this the Guild Leader of Shaolin Temple? The First of the Eighteen Arhats?”
“They say he drank a high-concentration Dragon Blood Elixir, yet didn’t grow scales—instead, his body became stronger than a living dragon!”
“Unbelievable!”
“Man, this guy’s bad luck… always gets matched against monsters.”
Red Maple described the stats. The match began.
“Great威 Tianlong’s strength and speed are beyond human limits!”
With a thunderous Boom, the monk leapt—cracking the ground as he launched himself into the air, leaving two small craters behind. Dust flew as he soared over ten meters, landing with a perfect, silent stance—no damage at all.
No armor. No weapon. Just raw power. This is my moment. Enhanced Heavy Strike!
Worldly Wanderer swung his sword in a sweeping arc—aiming for the monk’s sculpted body.
“Bhagavat, Bhagavat, Boom!”
Shock Fist!
The monk’s massive fist slammed forward, a wave of Qi erupting like a storm. The force struck Worldly Wanderer square in the chest.
Boom!
His armor shattered. He was sent flying, crashing into the ground, barely breathing.
Crack!
The sound wasn’t just metal. It was the breaking of his dreams.
Great威 Tianlong laughed, flashing his white teeth.
“Son, the Monk’s fists are the strongest weapons!”
“Another overwhelming victory! Congratulations, Great威 Tianlong!”
“And let’s also salute Worldly Wanderer—his resilience in the face of defeat is truly admirable. A lesson in never giving up.”
“Fck me…”
Boom!
Before he could finish, Worldly Wanderer blacked out again.
Inside the arena, Great威 Tianlong scratched his head sheepishly.
“Haha… my strength’s been growing too fast lately. Still learning how to control the Qi.”
The Forum exploded.
《Monk Is the Strongest Class! Great威 Tianlong One-Hit Kills Eighth-Level Warrior!》
[Great威 Tianlong’s a monster. Not even close to us common players.]
[Yeah, the Internal Test Players have too many of these beasts.]
[Why is this Floating Life guy always the background character?]
[This guy’s luck is insane. Is he competing with Charlotte for the First Gambler’s Curse title?]
“Wait… it’s Worldly Wanderer!”
Lying motionless in the pod, Worldly Wanderer screamed in anguish.
This wasn’t my fault. The enemy was too strong. The arena was unfair. My gear was weak. How can a normal person fight a monster like Great威 Tianlong?
He’d been crushed—fair and square.
Yet, players on the Forum showed genuine sympathy.
“…And one last chance.”
His eyes flickered with a final spark of will. He wouldn’t give up.
Even if he couldn’t advance, he’d leave behind a victory. A name. A legend.
This was his final shot.
Now, people were starting to notice him. If he won this match… joining a top-tier guild wasn’t impossible.
In the Game Pod, Worldly Wanderer clenched his fists.
This time… no matter who I face, I won’t let up.
One and a half hours later.
First Arena again.
“00325, I'm Going to Eat a Steamed Bun.”
The referee’s voice rang out.
The stands exploded.
“Stuffed Bun the old rogue!”
“He hasn’t updated in two months—just chasing Players all day!”
“Get him out of here! I want to see his update video!”
“Relax. I trust Stuffed Bun. He’ll quit on his own. No need to worry.”
“Hahaha! He’ll bun back home!”
In the passage, Worldly Wanderer’s eyes lit up. A smile crept onto his face.
This guy’s probably weak. Finally—soft target!
He hadn’t watched Stuffed Bun’s videos—he knew only that he was an Entertainment Uploader. A casual streamer. How strong could he be?
Not even a real gamer. How can he beat me?
After losing to a rich warrior and a muscle god, I can’t lose to a YouTuber?
This is my chance to prove myself!
His sword hand trembled—not from fear, but from excitement.
This time… I’m really winning.
Half a minute later, Worldly Wanderer stared up at the sky.
A Wyvern circled above, its shadow sweeping across the ground.
The beast’s wings cut the air with a high-pitched screech.
“What… what is happening?”
Why do I, who’ve worked so hard, keep facing monsters like these?
“Referee! He’s cheating!”
“This is a solo match! A Two-Headed Dragon? That’s clearly an outside assist!”
He pointed at the sky. His face, once determined, now looked numb.
“The referee replied: ‘The Wyvern is a contracted mount of the Crimson Scale Conqueror class—personal property of the player. It meets competition standards.’”
Worldly Wanderer stood on the ground, staring up at the two-headed dragon.
He’s got a close-range ability. But I can’t fly. Am I supposed to leap and cut off the dragon mid-air?
And why is this entertainment streamer a Crimson Scale Conqueror—the ultimate warrior advancement?
He’s outclassing me in every way. The Champion Warrior class is completely outmatched.
Where’s the entertainment? This isn’t funny—it’s a nightmare!
The intelligence from the audience was wrong.
But there was no time for grief.
The enemy was above him.
“Arooo!”
“Noodles, let’s go!”
A deep, rasping roar echoed from the sky. The voice—Stuffed Bun—shouted with excitement. The wings slashed the air with a scream.
With a Battle Cry, Stuffed Bun and the Two-Headed Dragon resonated—generating a terrifying aura, so powerful it felt like a Red Dragon’s phantom image loomed behind them.
Swish—
Worldly Wanderer couldn’t dodge. The lance pierced his chest.
“Another crushing victory. Seems Worldly Wanderer wasn’t prepared for air attacks.”
“Congratulations, I'm Going to Eat a Steamed Bun!”
“Lao Man won?”
“Whoa?”
“Wait—did you really think he was weak? He’s just hidden among legends.”
“Think! Empire of Ashen’s Dragon Blood Baron, Senior Overseer, Crimson Scale Conqueror—how could he be weak?”
“Don’t worry, it’s just prelims. Stuffed Bun will bun in the Elimination Tournament. He’s really that bad.”
“I’m a true Stuffed Bun fan. I’d never win.”
“Man, this Floating Life guy’s got it rough. Only three matches, faced 2.5 pro players
(End of Chapter)
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