IMUC-CHAPTER 188 CLASH

In the dueling arena, beams of light shone down as the sound of footsteps echoed from the underground passage leading from the square.

Amidst the applause and cheers of the extraterrestrial audience, Kyle strode out forcefully, standing tall on the vast field, his gaze serious and determined.

In his hands, he held mechanical-crafted swords and a shield as cold weapons. His perfect human physique was clad in the silver metallic armor provided by the Sakaar guards, making him look like an immortal war god who had experienced battles of all sizes.

"Oh my Sakaar, it really is Mr. Kyle!" In the audience seats, Enri, her siblings, and Calvin were left speechless as they looked at the figure in battle-ready attire on the field.

On the elevated platform at the dueling arena, in a viewing room where Grandmaster and his trusted aides were situated, Slaughter sat on a seat near Grandmaster, gazing downward expressionlessly.

He watched Kyle below, and in a voice only he could hear, he muttered, "I know your strength all too well, and it's truly terrifying. But no matter what, you cannot defeat the champion, who belongs to the far superior species."

As if in response to his words, the reinforced glass vial within the slaughter's trench coat pocket trembled slightly. The already cracked vial now had a new fracture.

"Alright, the challenger has come out. Now, let me introduce tonight's main lead, the defending champion!"

Grandmaster was a master at setting the atmosphere. Coupled with the defending champion's popularity that had been cemented over time, an instant wave of applause and cheers erupted, far exceeding that for Kyle, filling the air.

A human-shaped shadow slowly emerged from the entrance across the field.

On the dueling grounds, Kyle appeared tense, his palms holding the sword and shield were sweaty, and he gazed straight at the tall figure about to step out from the entrance. He keenly felt the immense pressure that bore down on him.

"The reigning champion, the lifeform who has held the championship six times in a row, the undisputed king without a crown. He is 'Demon King' Kratos!" Grandmaster's voice boomed with excitement as the massive figure finally emerged completely from the entrance.

It was a tall, burly bald man with a rugged and boldface. Red markings adorned his left eye, and a thick black beard covered his chin. Iron chains were wound around the backs of his hands, and his towering figure was clad in simple primitive leather armor that could hardly be called protective.

The moment he appeared on the field, his naturally overpowering aura swept through, immediately inciting a tidal wave of cheers from the audience:

"Demon King! Demon King! Demon King!"

Kratos paid no attention to the audience's cries. He strode forward, locking eyes with Kyle in front of him, and said in a deep voice, "My opponent for this match is you."

"Who else but me?" Kyle's heart was pounding uncontrollably, and he took a shallow breath, using it to mask his fear.

This was like a cat facing a lion or a dog facing a tiger. The gap in the lifeform chain, along with the bloodline and genes, was making him jittery.

Was he really about to face a god-like lifeform?

"Now, please enjoy this match to the fullest."

With these words, Grandmaster's holographic projection disappeared, marking the official start of the championship match.

He had to strike first and seize control of the battle!

With unwavering determination in his eyes, Kyle's feet swiftly propelled him backward, creating a series of white waves in the air. The turbulent energy tide disrupted, and his speed instantly broke the sound barrier.

Aerial Dash! A skill for explosive linear acceleration!

Kratos remained motionless, seemingly unable to react. In less than 0.1 seconds, Kyle's figure blurred as he covered a distance of twenty meters, arriving right in front of Kratos.

In mid-air, Kyle's right hand gripped the raised longsword, and with a burst of acceleration, he swung it down towards Kratos's exposed neck.

Fully aware of the power difference between them, Kyle's initial explosive attack contained all his strength.

The extremity of what a human physique could produce!

"Clang!"

As the longsword landed on Kratos's neck, Kyle's face filled with shock. He felt a violent tremor in his grip, and the longsword quivered, almost slipping from his hand as it struck Kratos's seemingly unbreakable skin.

In a split second, Kyle's mind went blank. He had been so confident in the eruption of his Aerial Dash that even a god couldn't have avoided it. Yet, he hadn't anticipated that his strike, which should have caused at least a severe injury, didn't even break through Kratos's defenses.

In that instant, he focused his thoughts, and the Ability Cards on Kratos became apparent to him.

Nearly a thousand Ability Cards in White, Green, and Blue colors floated around Kratos, almost blinding Kyle with their radiance. One of the Ability Cards, like a shining crown, hovered above Kratos's bald head.

[God Gene]: The origin gene of the gods. Rare Purple Ability Card (unawakened state).

In the Marvel Universe, the lifeforms at the forefront of evolution were collectively known as Gods. They possessed incredibly superior god-like genes, which granted them a lifespan of at least several thousand years. They excelled in all physical attributes such as strength, willpower, constitution, and speed among all extraterrestrial lifeforms.

They possessed divine power within them, which could be used to enhance attacks, cast spells, or even unleash unimaginable power when buffed on divine tools.

As they gradually awakened their original powers, each member of the god-like species gained different rule-based abilities, such as thunder, fire, ice, death, and more.

Current Status: Extractable (requires continuous extraction within a one-meter radius for three hours, and the Rare Purple prefix exists uniquely, with only one extraction).

Warning: "Kratos's divine power focuses on buffing physical attributes."

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Kyle's longsword, powered by his full strength, slashed down on Kratos's neck, and a few droplets of blood oozed from the impact.

With his first strike failing, Kyle had to retreat quickly.

"That was an incredibly fast burst of speed. Moreover, you actually managed to injure me. You are the first challenger to do so in the past six months," Kratos grinned, showing a row of white teeth. His massive fist, faintly radiating a golden-red divine power, shot towards Kyle's chest as he hovered in mid-air.

Kyle's face turned pale, and he couldn't create enough distance in time. He hastily raised his shield, blocking it in front of him.

As soon as he made this move, Kyle felt a terrifying force flooding onto the shield. It pressed his hands against his chest, and he was sent hurtling backward like a kite with a broken string.

"Bang!"

Kyle was thrown more than thirty meters, crashing into the edge of the dueling arena. The outer wall collapsed, leaving a deep pit as debris flew and dust filled the air.

In the surrounding audience seats, the extraterrestrial spectators collectively opened their mouths, left speechless in astonishment and awe.

From the start of the match, Kyle's aggressive strike, the sword in Kratos's neck, the punch, and Kyle being sent flying had all happened within a single second.

This was a battle of gods! This was what a battle of gods looked like!

"It's safe to say he truly is a god," Kyle coughed a few times. Blood oozed from the corners of his mouth as he climbed out of the rubble. The metallic shield on the ground had a massive fist imprint in the center, and its cracks made it apparent that it wouldn't be able to withstand a second punch.

"But the fight has only just begun!"

Kyle gazed at Kratos, who stood undefeated in the arena, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. He decisively activated the trump card he had prepared over the past two days. "Vis, Iron Suit Mode, prepare to activate!"

(End of this chapter)

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