Chapter 52: Hammer Him
The atmosphere in the audience was intense. It had to be said, the Devil race's talent for commentary was a pleasant surprise.
Hack's performance, at the very least, greatly improved Su Xiao's impression of the Devil race. When devils got goofy, it was utterly unstoppable.
"Stop laughing!!"
Hack, on the high commentary platform, bristled with feigned anger, his beard and mustache sticking out. He looked furious, but the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.
"Truly a crowd that makes you both love and hate them... but this is why Hack stands here. Since you've come to the Void Arena, let the revelry begin.
Time's almost up. The second match is about to start."
Two more contestants entered the arena. Their strength wasn't weak, but among the many participants, they were at most mid-tier.
Through initial observation, Su Xiao identified several troublesome opponents:
The mage who had previously fused Wind and Water elements.
The burly man with a scar on his forehead, whose homeland had been destroyed by the Blade Demon.
A man with mechanical gauntlets on both arms, whose arms hung down to his knees.
A male demon, a hybrid of the Demon race and humans, with horns on his head. Su Xiao sensed a spatial attribute from him. After making eye contact, he determined this demon hybrid was not an ally.
A creature covered in black scales, with only a single eye, its race unknown. Its fingernails were extremely sharp, and its overall appearance was ferocious.
Besides these contestants, there was also a very strong Insect race member. This Insect was Bank, who was born with arm blades. Bank joined the Void Arena out of boredom, not for rewards or fame, showing how battle-hungry he was. However, Bank had been suppressing his strength, his purpose unclear.
These six contestants all gave Su Xiao a considerable sense of threat. Of course, these were only the strong enemies exposed on the surface. There should be more hidden powerhouses lurking in the shadows. This Void Arena was truly a place where dragons and tigers lay hidden.
While Su Xiao was thinking, the second match on the field had already ended. One side had their head twisted off. The victorious 'Dokia Star' raised his opponent's head high, blood streaming down his blue skin.
Having his head twisted off alive sent chills down the spines of some timid audience members, but over 99% of the crowd cheered. They showed no discomfort from this bloody scene.
The pace of each match was faster than expected. In just about half an hour, two matches had already concluded.
Su Xiao leaned back in his seat. It might still be some time before his turn. During this period, he needed to memorize the number plates and fighting styles of other contestants to prepare for future matches.
Match after match passed. Hack on the commentary platform remained in a state of excitement. Even after commentating over a dozen matches in a row, he was still pumped.
The matches proceeded in an orderly fashion. Before long, the eighteenth match began. The contestants entering the arena for this match surprised the audience.
The first contestant had a peculiar appearance—an upright-walking crocodile. This was a warrior from the 'Vitan Star,' who had undergone brutal training since childhood, belonging to a battle race.
Although his appearance was unusual, in the Void, this crocodile brother's looks weren't that rare. There were many races with even stranger appearances.
What made the audience feel odd was the second group of contestants entering. That's right, a group, not a single person.
"Rigged!!"
A female audience member shouted, clearly dissatisfied.
"Everyone, calm down, let me explain..."
Before Hack could finish his sentence, a barrage of empty drink bottles, fruit peels, and other items was thrown at him. Helpless, Hack could only duck behind the commentary desk, not daring to show his head.
When the audience calmed down a bit, Hack wiped non-existent cold sweat from his forehead.
"The situation with the second group of contestants is special. They are bound by fate. I hope this explanation helps you all understand."
Hearing Hack's explanation, the audience erupted in murmurs. They had all heard of being bound by fate. It was an extremely rare situation. Even among twin brothers, being bound by fate was almost unheard of.
If they were truly bound by fate, then entering together made perfect sense. In the Void's understanding, several individuals bound by fate were considered a single entity. Because their fates were tied together, if one died, the fate of the others would be nearly dead, followed by endless misfortune, and they wouldn't live long. Being bound by fate was a kind of talent, similar to a racial talent, but superior to it.
Seeing the audience's reaction, Hack breathed a sigh of relief. This was the result from the notary office. He looked at the field. The second group of contestants consisted of three people. Due to calming the audience, he hadn't finished introducing them.
"The three brothers entering are collectively known as the National Football Team. Although Hack can't understand the meaning behind this name... Hack quite likes these three brothers."
That's right, it was the National Football Team, and all three entered together.
At this moment, the Three Brothers of National Football were beaming with pride. They hadn't expected to enter together either. When the number plates were distributed, the three brothers only received one plate, which delighted them beyond measure.
"Big Brother, we're going to hit the jackpot this time. Should we go for first place?"
The second brother of the National Football Team was clearly overflowing with confidence.
"Of course. There are three of us. That's enough for a game of Dou Dizhu."
The eldest brother was also in a good mood. He hadn't actually expected the three of them to enter simultaneously.
"Big Brother, that crocodile seems a bit unhappy. And this guy... could he be the Desert Big Spender: Rekton?!"
The honest third brother sized up their opponent, the upright-walking crocodile.
"Hey, Rekton over there."
The eldest brother shouted. The crocodile brother nearby looked confused. His name wasn't Rekton, so he turned to look behind him. Behind him was a vast expanse of yellow sand.
"My name is Gu'e, not Rekton. You've got the wrong person."
The crocodile brother's voice was deep. He held a broad-bladed battle axe in each hand. His body was embedded with spiked armor—not worn, but embedded into his flesh and skin.
"Big Brother, he's not Rekton. I'm so disappointed."
"Hammmer him!"
"Yeah, hammer him. How dare he not be Rekton."
The three brothers' opinions were surprisingly unanimous: hammer him.
As a battle race, the crocodile brother naturally wasn't afraid of the Three Brothers of National Football. In his view, even if he faced three opponents, he could still win.
Just as the two sides were glaring at each other, Hack announced the start of the match.
"Forty."
The eldest brother of the National Football Team roared. The "forty" he mentioned represented a small energy hammer.
The three brothers stood in a row, golden light flickering in their hands. Three short-handled golden energy hammers appeared in their grasps.
The three brothers simultaneously crouched and threw their energy hammers in unison.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
The three energy hammers spun rapidly through the air, creating a whistling sound as they broke the wind. They didn't fly in a straight line but split into three paths, each arcing in a parabola towards the crocodile brother. Judging by their trajectories, the three hammers would converge at a single point.
The crocodile brother was a seasoned veteran. He lunged forward, dashing at super-high speed out of the convergence point of the three hammers, easily dodging the three small energy hammers.