Chapter 67: The Experience of Being Beaten (Fourth Update)
[To improve Melee Combat Specialization, consume Soul Crystal (Medium) x1 + 50,000 Paradise Coins. Yes/No to improve.]
"Continuously improve 10 levels."
Su Xiao had vaguely noticed something: his Blade Master skill was vastly different from the basic abilities learned through scrolls. He hadn't discovered this earlier when improving Gun Proficiency because that skill had granted an ability at a very low level, though it was weak and had almost no development potential.
After paying 10 Soul Crystals (Medium) + 500,000 Paradise Coins, light flashed before Su Xiao's eyes again, and he entered that damn dojo once more. The only thing that happened here was getting beaten up.
Over a dozen blurry figures materialized and charged at Su Xiao simultaneously. He crouched and executed a side kick...
Ten hours later, a slightly dazed Su Xiao stood inside the Skill Upgrade Pod. He had taken a lot of beatings today. The method for improving "Melee Combat Specialization" was far too monotonous, completely different from improving Blade Master. When improving Blade Master, Su Xiao had seen an old man practicing swordsmanship under an ancient tree, witnessed a powerhouse who shattered a world with a single slash, and more.
Though monotonous, it had to be said that Su Xiao's close-combat capabilities had significantly improved. He could clearly feel this. He opened his skill list to check the attributes of Melee Combat Specialization at level 40.
[Melee Combat Specialization (Passive)]
Skill Effect: Increases melee combat attack power by 97%, greatly enhances melee combat techniques and reaction speed.
Branch Ability: Close-Range Perception Enhancement (Ability activated at level 40).
...
Su Xiao then checked Blade Master at level 40.
[Blade Master (Passive)]
Skill Effect: Increases blade weapon attack power by 194%, greatly enhances blade techniques.
Level 10 Additional Ability: Rhythm of All Things (Top Tier)
Level 20 Additional Ability: Blade Aura
Level 30 Additional Ability: Heart Blade
Level 40 Additional Ability, Edge of the Blade: Blade Aura flight speed +120%, Edge Value +15, Armor Penetration +20, Blade Aura upgraded to semi-solid.
...
Both were level 40 basic abilities, but they were completely incomparable. Although there was a rank difference, the gap between them was far too large. Now, Su Xiao finally understood why improving Blade Master cost so much—because the improvements were equally massive. High cost, high reward. No contractor would refuse that.
Su Xiao walked out of the Skill Enhancement Hall. He was exhausted. Heaven knew how many punches and kicks he had endured earlier.
Returning to his Exclusive Room, Su Xiao planned to sleep until he naturally woke up. Unfortunately, a certain "demolition crew" clearly disagreed.
Crunch, crunch...
Eight hours later, the sound of gnawing came. Su Xiao sat up abruptly, his movements extremely practiced as he grabbed the 70-size slipper from the bedside table. This thing could easily pass for a wide rubber whip.
The gnawing stopped. Bubu Wang, a few meters away, froze. It was biting a chair leg. This poor chair had already lost two legs.
Crunch, crunch...
The sound of chewing came. Su Xiao turned his head to see Amu holding a chair leg covered in bite marks. It had already eaten two-thirds of it.
Su Xiao sat on the bed, his mouth twitching slightly. He never imagined that Bubu Wang had learned to divide labor when it came to wrecking the place. It was responsible for gnawing, just for the thrill of it, while Amu was the "vacuum cleaner," tasked with "destroying the evidence."
"Finally caught you red-handed. Today, I'm settling accounts for the 980 Paradise Coins worth of furniture from before too. You've even learned to divide labor."
Still half-asleep and a bit groggy, Su Xiao grabbed the slipper and walked toward Bubu Wang, shirtless.
Bubu Wang backed up a few steps, its "innocent" little eyes seeming to say, "Master, let me explain. This time, the chair really started it. Really!"
"Owww~"
"Moo~"
After washing up, Su Xiao felt much more refreshed. If he had to describe how he felt now, it was powerful. Of course, that wasn't from beating up Bubu Wang and Amu. Those two had decent stamina; the slipper was more of a psychological deterrent.
In truth, only Bubu Wang was actually intimidated. Even back when it was an Imperial Tool, Su Xiao had "disciplined" it with the slipper, giving it an instinctive "fear" of the thing.
As for Amu, it was just scared. In front of Su Xiao, Amu's courage dropped by at least 99%. When Su Xiao picked up the slipper, Amu—who wouldn't flinch even if bathed in lava—trembled. Su Xiao didn't actually hit it or Bubu Wang; that would have been a waste of energy.
After washing up, Su Xiao left the room. Bubu Wang looked at Amu, signaling to continue. Amu's courage had nearly evaporated, and it immediately shook its head.
Two minutes later, Su Xiao suddenly pushed the door open. Bubu Wang was lying lazily on the floor. It looked at Su Xiao as if to say, "Master, did you forget something?"
Su Xiao scanned the furniture in the room, nodded in satisfaction, and left.
After Su Xiao left this time, Bubu Wang sat up. It was the daily battle of wits between a man and his dog. This round, Bubu Wang won.
Su Xiao soon arrived at the Arena. For the rest of his stay, he would fight here, striving to break into the top ten. If it were before, he wouldn't have had the confidence, but now it was different. His strength had improved significantly in recent times.
In fact, the Arena rankings directly reflected Su Xiao's current strength. His current rank was 108.
Match after match began. When Su Xiao got tired, he slept in the contestant lounge. Bubu Wang would deliver meals on time.
Clang.
A blade light flashed. A female contractor stumbled back several steps, one hand clutching her throat as blood spurted between her fingers.
"You bastard... where did you come from?"
The female contractor's face was covered in tattoos. She was no pushover—or rather, the 12th-ranked contractor in the third-tier Arena couldn't possibly be one.
Su Xiao flicked his long blade. His left arm had disappeared, severed by her Death Radiation Thread. Before this match ended, his arm wouldn't regenerate.
"Looks like I won't need to use that."
Su Xiao spoke, and the female contractor's pupils contracted.
"You're trying to challenge the first-ranked Mad Fox? Or Wild Flame? Give up. Those two are complete monsters in the third tier."
The female contractor staggered a few steps. She knew the situation well. With her current injuries, she was bound to lose. His True Damage was terrifying; her Mind Net had almost no defensive effect. So she had no choice but to surrender.
[276 Consecutive Wins!]
Golden large characters appeared above the Arena. The previously noisy audience fell into dead silence. They had never seen such an exaggerated winning streak.
"Damn."
The female contractor's body vanished, and Su Xiao disappeared as well.
Returning to the contestant lounge, Su Xiao leaned wearily on the sofa. He didn't have much time left in Reincarnation Paradise and couldn't fit in another match.
[Contestant: Su Xiao.]
[Status: Extremely Fatigued.]
[Rank: 11th (Third Tier).]
[Consecutive Wins: 276.]
[Top Ten Reward: Not Obtained.]
...
He was only one step away from the top ten. The first place in the third-tier Arena was Mad Fox, second was Wild Flame, and third was a contractor named White Crocodile.
[Notice: The Hunter's stay time in Reincarnation Paradise has reached its limit. Returning to the Real World soon.]