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"Is it something urgent?"
Zhou Shen exclaimed with excitement, "Didn't you listen to the voice message I sent you? Fengtian City has prepared to choose you as the spokesperson for Fengtian City. It's a status that allows you to enjoy unlimited resources and privileges!"
"Someone in Fengtian City must be favoring you. Knowing that I'm close to you, they specifically sent me to convey the message, asking you to head to the 'Virtual Arena' in advance to experience the attack methods of transcendent beings of other levels."
"The city-state competition is also held in the 'Virtual Arena.' It's pretty much the same as the combat assessment secret realm. It replicates all the abilities and items of a transcendent being, but dying there won't lead to actual death."
"It's just that opening it once consumes a lot of energy."
"The usual price for a fight is around 100,000 credit points, only affordable to those from major powers. Fengtian City says that you can use the 'Virtual Arena' for free for this month; the government is footing the bill."
...
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Unable to resist Zhou Shen's enthusiasm, Chen Miao and Hungry Monkey still followed Zhou Shen to the Secret Realm Building and arrived at the 14th floor. Floors 10-15 are all 'Virtual Arenas', where there are various famous AI opponents available for practice and accumulating combat experience.
Under Zhou Shen's guidance, he first watched some battle highlights.
"Hm?"
After watching for a few minutes, Chen Miao went from initially being distracted to frowning tightly. So far, he hadn't encountered a proper fight between transcendent beings, most were just overwhelmed with firepower.
He had assumed that senior transcendent beings were nothing more than having more items, stronger foundations, and higher weapon damage.
But the combat video he was watching almost overturned his understanding.
This was a fight between a level 19 martial artist and a level 21 archer.
Level 20 is a watershed because you can Third Turn, and combat power will greatly increase. In theory, the level 21 archer should overwhelm the level 19 martial artist, but the outcome was surprising, one could say their fighting methods completely overturned his understanding.
He didn't understand the professions of martial artist and archer very well, knowing only that one was a close-combat occupation and the other was long-range.
As the fight began—
The martial artist started off with 'Leap Slash,' instantly teleporting above the archer's head, and his knuckledusters began to emit a yellow glow. This was the activated Level F skill 'Silent Strike.' If this punch connected, the archer would be silenced on the spot, unable to use any skills or items and become a live target.
In the battle footage, key frames would be shown in slow motion, and a detailed panel of the items and skills used by both parties would appear in the void, to help viewers better understand the fight.
The archer reacted quickly, a flash of white light appeared on him.
'Illuminate.'
An archer's basic skill to emit white light for lighting. But almost at the same moment, the martial artist did not punch down but retracted his body violently to ten meters away.
'Far Escape.'
A martial artist's Second Turn basic skill, which can forcefully stop one's charge and push the body back ten meters.
At this point, Chen Miao was somewhat baffled, not understanding why the martial artist retreated. Wouldn't the archer have been defeated outright if that punch had landed? What use was 'Illuminate?' Was the white light meant to be funny?
Following that, the martial artist who had backed away ten meters instantly activated an item.
'Cooling Lantern,' which can instantly reset all Level F skill cooldowns, allowing for another Leap Slash, still accompanied by Silent Strike. Still, the archer's body lit up with white light once again, this time, however, the martial artist didn't hold back and smashed down.
However...
The punching martial artist became stiff on the spot, the archer quickly created distance, and arrow after arrow shot into the martial artist's mouth like a storm.
'Control Rebound.'
This punch smashed squarely into the archer's forehead.
Dead on the spot.
Killed with a single punch.
The battle ended, and the fighter was victorious.
...
"..."
Chen Miao, who had watched the entire battle process, stood in silence without expression. He had never found combat to be so troublesome before. There was so much to learn, starting with mastering the key abilities of other occupations.
He also had to remember the casting effects of other occupations' key abilities.
And get familiar with the combos used by other occupations.
Plus, quick reflexes were essential - if the fighter had been a moment slower earlier, he wouldn't have been the one reversing the kill; he would have been slain outright.
Not to mention, constantly activating and deactivating the protective gear to maximize protection against incoming damage.
Among other complex tasks.
He suddenly understood why there were colleges that specialized in teaching Transcendents - there was indeed much to learn. He also appreciated the value of being "unique" even more, meaning that as long as your combat footage was kept secret, you remained an unknown entity to all opponents.
"What a thrilling fight," said Zhou Shen, who had also watched the entire battle, his face filled with admiration. "That's the strength of a top-tier fighter, attention to detail was spot on. That fighter is Liu Yiquan from Gaobei City next door; he's level 29 now, probably even stronger than before."
"Fengtian City has an AI modeled after him. How about it, Miao, do you want to try challenging him?"
"The AI is level 19."
"Of course, its attack style will differ from the battle we just saw. The AI will self-adjust, employing different tactics against different occupations."
"Okay."
After pausing for a moment, Chen Miao agreed. He, too, wanted to see how he would fare in the heat of battle against this experienced fighter.
...
The battle screen appeared again in front of Zhou Shen and Hungry Monkey.
But this time, it wasn't a video; it was a live broadcast.
"Level 19 Fighter AI Liu Yiquan" vs "Level 14 Gunman Chen Miao."
The battle started quickly.
Right from the start, the fighter repeated the same opening move, a Leap Slash, which almost every fighter employs. It was useful both for probing and attacking.
Chen Miao, however, had no means of Control Rebound.
But he was even more decisive.
A Metal Storm enveloped him, with thousands of bullets spinning rapidly around, striking the leaping fighter above his head directly, blasting the fighter to the ground not far away.
Without waiting for the fighter to get up,
Chen Miao lifted the Tao Wood-modified Thompson Submachine Gun in his hands and pulled the trigger, unleashing a barrage at the fighter on the spot. This time, the fighter didn't use his Deliberate Furious Fist but was immediately pulverized.
Dead on impact.
The battle ended, taking three seconds.