Sterl arrived at the arena just in time, entering the venue at a leisurely pace through the teleportation portal.
As the faint glow of the teleportation light faded, he noticed several familiar faces nearby—
The quasi-divine he had defeated earlier was there, along with the Vajra Supreme he had taken down, and even the Heartstealer Demon, whom he had eliminated in a single blow...
There were also a bunch of lesser-known contenders whom he had dispatched even faster, their names slipping his memory entirely.
As Sterl gazed at the crowd, they were all staring back at him. The other participants nearby had realized that "David" had just teleported in. Instantly, a multitude of eyes turned toward Sterl.
Fear, panic, hesitation, unease...
The setting for the final chaotic brawl was a vast mountain field, stretching across tens of thousands of kilometers. Even beings of the Supreme level would require several seconds to traverse it.
What players dreaded most was the possibility of respawning right next to David. This guy was utterly ridiculous!
Despite others analyzing that David specialized in high burst damage with weak defenses, the reality was, up until now, even those at the quasi-divine level had been taken out in a single strike!
Who could confirm whether he had ever fought with all his strength before?
In a chaotic brawl, to secure a higher ranking, one had to eliminate as many opponents as possible. Encountering David meant certain death, as he wouldn't hold back, leading to a high probability of being instantly eliminated! All the hard work they had put into the competition could be undone in an instant.
Conversely, if they were far from David, he would need a few seconds to reach them, and he wasn't foolish enough to chase someone down recklessly. The time it took him to fly over would allow the players nearby to strike many times.
This significantly increased their safety and chances of advancing.
The players around Sterl wore anxious expressions!
However, this anxiety quickly dissipated as they noticed—
Hang on, while David was indeed powerful...
The lineup surrounding him was the all-star team of strong contenders before the finals!
Almost all the formidable players had respawned right next to David.
Although they might not have had a rapport before, their years of combat experience allowed them to communicate strategies with just a few exchanged glances.
The conclusion was clear.
Eliminate David!
Get him out of the competition!
This was the most sensible approach!
Moreover, old grievances surged to the surface.
Many of the powerful players recalled the humiliation of being defeated by Sterl and couldn't help but feel eager for revenge!
Aren't you strong? What good is your strength?
You don't care about personal relationships when it comes to survival in this game?
You took us down in front of countless members of the Hall of Valor.
Do we not care about our dignity?
Now it's your turn to die!
Tick-tock~
Tick-tock~
Tick-tock~
In the chaotic arena, a countdown flickered before the players' eyes.
The time was about to hit zero!
Sterl simply stared ahead, his expression unreadable.
The other strong contenders, though unable to move, were filled with murderous intent and anticipation in their eyes!
David must die!
Yet, they felt a heavy pressure in their hearts! The terrifying combat prowess David had displayed earlier was enough to unsettle anyone!
...
At this moment, it wasn't just the contestants feeling the pressure; the audience outside the arena felt it too.
"Should we switch?"
"It's still not too late to bet on David getting eliminated!"
"Is there any need to hesitate? The looks on everyone's faces clearly show they're planning to team up!"
"While David is indeed incredibly strong, he's been far too arrogant on his way here! Now it's time for him to pay the price!"
...
It's important to note that as the odds fell, the required contribution points and resources increased. If it weren't for the initial odds being so high, this bet on David's elimination would have already dropped to a very low value, making it worthless to bet on. .net
It was clear that this wave of excitement was almost entirely driven by the Supreme who had wagered three hundred million, causing everyone to get swept up in the frenzy.
...
Aside from the strong contenders in the arena who had been humiliated by Sterl and were now glaring angrily at "David," the rest of the members of the Hall of Valor—from the third-class players to the Supremes—had a changed perception of David!
"David" was about to help them earn a significant amount of contribution points!
At this moment, in a hidden, luxurious room nestled within a spatial crevice in the arena, countless rare treasures sparkled throughout the space, featuring amenities such as temperature control, fragrant air, and background music.
If an ordinary player, or even one of the Supreme-level demigods, were to enter, they would be utterly astonished.
The temperature-controlling device was a lamp with a shimmering glow.
That glow emanated from the souls of those who had mastered the Laws of Flame and Frost!
Inside the box providing the air fragrance were peculiar humanoid figures that tirelessly ran about, exuding delightful scents.
All of these humanoids had achieved legendary-tier strength!
If even the decorations were so extravagant, one could only imagine the status of the individual seated within the room.
...
The figures in the room exchanged glances.
"Do you think David can survive being surrounded?"
Suddenly, someone spoke up.
"Him? He's as good as dead! He'll be the first to be eliminated."
"It's a bit premature to say that now; after all, David's weak defense is just a speculation."
"It doesn't matter who wins or loses; he will eventually be dealt with."
"Exactly..."
...
In a matter of moments, the figures in the room exchanged a myriad of information.
Their perspective differed from the frenzy outside; it was more transcendent.
Was David strong or weak?
It didn't matter.
These individuals were the sixteen seed competitors of the Valor Combatants tournament. To them, no matter how fierce David was, they could band together to deal with him!
Below the Supreme level, strength has its limits.
The attribute bonuses from talent have a ceiling, the potency and proficiency of Platinum Skills have a cap, and while Law Power can be learned infinitely, the increase in overall combat effectiveness diminishes with accumulation.
The figures did not deny David's power; they could even speculate that he was exceptionally strong, considering him to be flawless below the divine level!
But so what?
If he couldn't break through the limits of divinity, he was nothing more than an ant!
In this tournament, every slot gained in the finals would yield considerable additional benefits, greatly aiding these individuals in their quest to reach the divine level.
Thus, they formed a loose alliance; everyone outside the seed competitors was an enemy!
For this group, even if David managed to force his way through the onslaught, he was destined to reveal all his trump cards...
"Afterward, we can easily take care of him."
"Besides, there are plenty more instances to come..."
In the room, an extremely wide and hefty old man, resembling a mountain of flesh, said slowly, his face shaking with wrinkles.
...
At this moment, a storm was brewing!
The final selection before the Valor Combatants tournament finals was stirring the hearts and minds of nearly everyone in the Hall of Valor.
However, there was one thing that few seemed to realize.
The gods, who were usually eager to join in the excitement, had completely vanished!
Not a single deity was spectating this tournament!
This was an exceedingly unreasonable phenomenon.
Gods are also beings with curiosity; they enjoy a good spectacle.
The Valor Combatants tournament is one of the rare entertainments within the Hall of Valor.
How could they possibly miss it?