Chapter 161 - 113: You Finish Singing, I Take the Stage

Chapter 161: Chapter 113: You Finish Singing, I Take the Stage

Once the basic stat testing concluded, the top one hundred list was published, and the atmosphere in the arena underwent a Transformation accordingly. The previous silence was shattered, replaced by a tense restlessness. Everyone usually focused on their research in the laboratory, but now it was time to prove the fruits of their labor. No one was willing to show weakness.

The list was projected onto a massive screen in the center of the arena. Rows of Gold names rolled upwards from the bottom, and with every scrolling line, low murmurs rippled through the audience.

Chen Shang’s name was ranked sixth. Following his basic information, a small asterisk trailed behind the number "Magic Power 342." It was an outlier marker, signifying that this stat far exceeded the average of the same Level. Of course, almost everyone in the top ten had an outlier marker.

The drawing results for the live combat matches were announced right after the list. Fifty rings would host the first round simultaneously.

Chen Shang quickly located his name. Coincidentally, his opponent for the first round was an acquaintance: Solem.

A wave of whispers swept through the audience. Solem possessed the Thunder Titan Bloodline, and his close-combat explosive power ranked among the top of the Second Level Apprentices. Opponents who drew him usually sighed in despair. But this time, he was up against Chen Shang—someone with an excessive Magic Power Value and a genius favored by Lord Haimer. This was going to be a good show.

Chen Shang stood up from his chair and walked toward the ring. Baal patted his arm from the side. "Don’t underestimate him, brother. Solem’s Bloodline is hard to deal with when it erupts."

"How could I underestimate him?" Chen Shang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. In Baal’s Heart, he clearly believed Chen Shang was stronger than Solem, which was why he offered such advice. Yet, Solem was obviously several years senior to him.

The ring was a standard twenty-meter square. The floor was paved with grayish-white Stone Slabs, and intricate Rune lines were embedded in the crevices between the Stone Slabs.

The surrounding protective Shield had already risen. A faint Blue light membrane enclosed the ring in a translucent cube, isolating it from the outside noise. Hundreds of pairs of eyes in the audience stared at the ring. Some held Crystal Plates to record, while others whispered in discussion. The five examiners sitting in a row at the judges’ table wore expressions even more solemn than before.

The referee stood at the edge of the ring, holding up a red Crystal Plate.

Chen Shang and Solem stepped onto the ring from opposite sides.

Solem stripped off his outer robe. Faint Blue electrical arcs roamed beneath his skin, and his hair stood up slightly from static. Fine sparks of Thunder Light danced in his pupils like two lit lamps. The Thunder Titan Bloodline caused the body to take on the characteristics of lightning when fully activated.

Chen Shang stood opposite him. Under the ring’s lights, his Frost Mage Robe shimmered with a dark Blue gleam, its hem fluttering without wind.

He reached out his hand, palm facing up. A small cluster of Samadhi True Flame shot out from his fingertips. The dark Gold flame burned quietly, emitting not a single trace of heat.

Solem looked at that cluster of Fire and smiled. "Chen, your Water-Fire Heaven Extremes is very strong. I read the paper. But a virtual ring and a live match are two different things."

He clenched his fists, and electrical arcs burst from between his fingers with a loud CRACKLE. "Anything can happen in real combat. You’d better be careful!"

Chen Shang turned his hand over, hiding the flame in his palm. "I’ve also done some research on the Titan System Bloodlines. Please advise me."

The referee raised the Crystal Plate. "Live combat round one, ring five: Chen Shang versus Solem. Rules: Ring out, incapacitation, or voluntary surrender. The use of one-time Forbidden Witch Artifacts is strictly prohibited. Begin!"

The moment the words fell, Solem made his move.

He felt he couldn’t compete with Chen Shang’s Water-Fire Heaven Extremes in a clash of Witchcraft, so he decided to capitalize on the advantage of his Titan Bloodline. He would burst into close quarters directly, refusing to give Chen Shang time to charge up large-scale Witchcraft.

Solem’s forward dash was astonishingly fast. The Thunder Titan Bloodline endowed him with not just Thunder Manipulation Ability, but also instantaneous explosive reinforcement of his muscle fibers. The Thunder Element was etched into his every muscle fiber. His entire right fist was wrapped in blinding Blue-white electrical light. With no flashy feints, he threw a punch straight for Chen Shang’s face, while his left hand sparked with electricity, brewing another attack.

Chen Shang retreated slightly. With a thought in his Heart, One-Element Heavy Water instantly condensed into a thin Water Shield in front of him. It was less than three centimeters thick but incredibly dense.

The lightning-wreathed fist slammed into the Water Shield, sending violent ripples across its surface as drops of Water splashed in all directions.

The Shield shattered, but the momentum of Solem’s punch was also dispersed. With a wave of his left hand, Chen Shang sent three nail-sized orbs of Water-Fire Heaven Extremes flying toward Solem in a triangular formation.

Solem did not dodge. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, and an electrical arc barrier instantly unfurled. The Blue-white electrical net detonated the three orbs of Water-Fire Heaven Extremes in mid-air. The shockwave from the steam explosion was deflected by the electrical arcs, spreading out to both sides and plowing two shallow trenches into the ring’s floor.

Solem charged out of the steam, his hair curled from the searing heat, yet his footsteps never faltered.

"Water-Fire Heaven Extremes is indeed fierce, but you have to hit me first."

Chen Shang didn’t reply. His Eye of Truth was analyzing Solem’s electrical arc barrier. That wasn’t a simple Energy Shield; it was a high-frequency oscillating electromagnetic field capable of deflecting physical and Elemental Attacks. In his field of vision, the barrier’s structure was deconstructed into countless fine Energy lines. Each line carried Blue-white electrical arcs, expanding, rebounding, and oscillating at a fixed frequency.

A prompt popped up on his panel.

[Extractable trait detected: Electromagnetic Shield (Blue) — Source: Solem, Thunder Titan Bloodline. Completeness: 95%. Extract?]