Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 382 A Brutal Duel!
The monster seemed to have noticed the expedition team's presence. It stopped and stared at them with its purple eyes. The oppressive aura emanating from it indicated that this was no ordinary beast.

"How strong is it?" Old Wu asked.

"Judging from the energy fluctuations, it's roughly at the seventh or eighth level of the planetary realm," Karl analyzed. "While not particularly strong, we still need to be careful in this special environment."

The two sides faced off for a few seconds, then the monster suddenly let out a deafening roar and charged at the expedition team. Its speed was astonishing; it covered the tens of meters in an instant.

"Scatter! Prepare for battle!" Karl shouted the order.

The expedition team immediately dispersed, forming an encirclement. Several key members opened fire simultaneously, unleashing a hail of high-energy laser beams and plasma projectiles at the monster.

However, something unexpected happened. The attacks struck the monster, causing some damage, but the effect was far less than expected. The monster's scales seemed to possess strong defensive capabilities, and the tentacles on its back could release some kind of energy barrier.

"This guy's defense is stronger than we thought," one of the team members shouted. "Normal attacks will be ineffective!"

"Concentrate fire on its weak points!" Karl commanded. "Aim for the eyes and abdomen!"

The battle intensified. The monster was not only incredibly strong defensively, but also possessed astonishing attack power. Its claws could easily tear through steel, while the tentacles on its back could unleash purple energy waves, posing a significant threat to the expedition team.

"Brother Luo Wen, should we make a move?" Luo Feng asked, looking at the intense battle with some eagerness.

“Observe first,” Rowan calmly analyzed the situation. “It seems they can handle it; let’s not reveal our strength.”

Indeed, although the battle was intense, the Black Shark Mercenary Group was highly experienced in combat. They quickly devised an effective tactic: several people would draw the monster's attention while the others attacked from the flanks.

"Aim for its eyes!" Old Wu shouted, and at the same time launched a high-explosive grenade.

The grenade struck the monster precisely in the left eye, and the flash and shockwave from the explosion caused it to roar in pain. Purple blood flowed from its eye, clearly indicating a severe injury.

The wounded monster grew even more enraged, wildly waving its tentacles and unleashing even stronger energy waves. Several team members were struck by the energy waves, sustaining minor injuries despite their protective gear.

"It's going to fight desperately, be careful!" Carl warned everyone.

Just then, the monster made an unexpected move. It suddenly stopped attacking, the tentacles on its back began to vibrate rapidly, and the surrounding mist began to gather around it.

"This is bad! It's gathering energy from the mist!" the technician shouted a warning. "This could be some kind of special ability!"

Sure enough, as the mist gathered, the monster's wounds began to heal rapidly, and its aura continued to grow stronger.

"We can't let it complete this process!" Karl realized the danger. "Attack with full force! Interrupt it!"

Everyone began to attack desperately, but the gathering fog formed a protective barrier, greatly reducing the effectiveness of the attack.

“This won’t do,” Rowan observed the situation. “If it fully recovers, the battle will become even more difficult.”

"Shall we make a move?" Luo Feng asked.

“Wait,” Rowan noticed Karl’s movement, “it looks like the commander is going to take action personally.”

Indeed, Karl had moved to the front of the group and begun to gather his strength. As a stellar-level powerhouse, his strength far surpassed that of the others in the group.

"Everyone back off!" Karl shouted, unleashing a powerful surge of energy from his body.

He raised his right hand, and blinding light began to gather in his palm. It was an extremely powerful energy attack; the air itself began to distort due to the intense heat.

"Annihilation Beam!"

A thick beam of energy shot from Karl's hand, instantly piercing the mist barrier and striking the monster directly in the chest. The powerful energy sent the monster flying dozens of meters away, crashing heavily into a boulder.

The monster let out a final, defiant roar before losing all life. Purple blood flowed from its wounds and was quickly absorbed by the ground.

“All done,” Karl said, withdrawing his hand, his expression still calm. “Clean up the battlefield and check the wounded.”

After the battle, everyone gathered around the monster's corpse to examine it. It was indeed a creature they had never seen before; its body structure was peculiar, seemingly evolved specifically to adapt to the misty environment.

“The scales on this thing are very special,” the technician said, taking a scale for analysis. “They contain a large number of unknown elements and have a very strong energy conductivity.”

"The tentacles on its back are also interesting," another team member observed. "They seem to be organs specifically used to manipulate the mist."

"It seems the creatures of the Forbidden Mist are indeed extraordinary," Karl concluded. "Everyone needs to be extra careful; this may only be the beginning."

Luo Wen and Luo Feng observed from the sidelines, gaining many insights from the battle. Although the monster wasn't particularly strong, its adaptability to the environment was astonishing, reminding them to remain vigilant at all times within the Misty Forbidden Zone.

“Collect some useful samples, then move on,” Carl ordered. “We can’t linger here; making too much noise could attract more trouble.”

The team quickly collected samples of the monster's scales, blood, and tentacles, then regrouped and set off again. The battle was over, but this was only the first step in their adventure through the Forbidden Mist Realm.

"We've encountered such a creature on our very first day," Luo Feng said to Luo Wen as they continued their journey. "The road ahead is unlikely to be peaceful."

“Indeed,” Rowan nodded in agreement, “but this also proves that the Forbidden Mist Domain truly holds many unknown secrets. If we can persevere to the end, we might actually find treasures that can help our cultivation.”

“I hope so,” Luo Feng said, “but right now the most important thing is to ensure my own safety.”

The following morning, the "sunrise" in the misty forbidden zone appeared particularly eerie. Due to the thick fog, sunlight could not shine in directly, only forming a hazy glow that enveloped the entire world in a silvery-gray halo.

The expedition spent the night on a relatively open flat area where the fog was slightly thinner and visibility was better than in other places. Everyone spent the somewhat uneasy night in their individual tents, with sentries taking turns to ensure no dangerous creatures approached.

"Gentlemen, pack your gear and get ready to go," Karl's voice rang out in the camp. "Today we're traversing an area said to have spatial distortions; we must remain highly vigilant."

Rowan crawled out of the tent, stretching his stiff body. He had barely slept last night, not only because of the unfamiliar environment but also because of his unease. After yesterday's battle, he was even more certain of the danger this team posed, especially the ruthlessness displayed by their leader, Karl. "How are you feeling?" Luo Feng walked over and asked in a low voice, "You seemed to be tossing and turning all night."

“I’m a little worried,” Rowan answered honestly. “These people are strong, but I don’t have a good feeling about them. Did you notice their expressions after yesterday’s battle?”

"You mean that kind of excitement?" Luo Feng nodded. "It's definitely a bit abnormal. Ordinary explorers would be tense or relieved when encountering danger, but they seem to be enjoying the fighting and killing."

“Yes, that worries me,” Rowan said as he packed his gear. “We have to be extra careful and not give ourselves away.”

Just as the two were talking in hushed tones, a quarrel suddenly broke out from the other side of the camp. Luo Wen and Luo Feng looked up and saw that it was two team members who had participated in the battle yesterday arguing fiercely about something.

"I shot down that scale! Why should I share it with you?" a tall, thin man with a scar on his face shouted angrily. His name was Rex, an assault soldier in the team, who had fought bravely in yesterday's battle.

"Bullshit! It was my attack that injured that beast, that scale should rightfully belong to me!" Another burly man with a face full of scars retorted without backing down. His name was Patton, and he was in charge of heavy firepower support, wielding a powerful heavy laser cannon.

"What are you arguing about?" Old Wu asked, frowning as he walked over after hearing the commotion.

“The question of ownership of this monster scale,” Rick held up a shimmering purple scale, “was discovered when we were collecting samples after yesterday’s battle, and now we’re arguing about who should own it.”

Rowan examined the scale closely and found that it was larger than ordinary scales and emitted a stronger energy fluctuation, clearly the most precious part of the monster.

"It's just a scale, is it worth arguing about like this?" Luo Feng said to Luo Wen in a low voice, somewhat puzzled.

“No,” Rowan shook his head, “feel the energy fluctuations of that scale; it’s definitely not an ordinary trophy.”

Following Luo Wen's instructions, Luo Feng carefully sensed the scale and indeed discovered that it contained a very special energy that seemed to have some effect on cultivation.

"No wonder they're fighting over it," Luo Feng suddenly realized. "This kind of treasure is indeed very rare."

The argument continued and seemed to be escalating. Both Lake and Barton had fiery tempers, and neither was willing to back down.

"Enough!" Karl's voice suddenly rang out, and everyone stopped what they were doing. "What kind of behavior is this, making noise so early in the morning?"

“Commander,” Rick immediately turned to Karl, “please uphold justice; this scale should belong to me.”

"Bullshit!" Patton retorted, not to be outdone. "Captain, I saw that scale first, it should belong to me!"

Karl slowly walked between the two men, his cold gaze sweeping over them. The entire camp fell silent; everyone could feel the dangerous aura emanating from their leader.

"You want this scale?" Karl's voice was eerily calm.

"Yes, Commander!" the two answered in unison.

“Very well,” Karl nodded, then gave a cold smile. “Since you all want it, let’s solve it the old way.”

"The old way?" Rowan looked at the other team members around him with doubt and found that their expressions had become serious.

“A duel,” Old Wu explained softly, “is a tradition of the Black Shark Mercenary Group. When irreconcilable disputes arise, they are resolved through a duel.”

"A duel?" Luo Feng was somewhat shocked. "Just for a single scale?"

“In the Black Shark Mercenary Group, duels are sacred,” another member added, “and duels are fights to the death.”

Upon hearing this, both Luo Wen and Luo Feng felt a chill. To wage a life-or-death duel for a single scale—such a rule was far too cruel.

“You both heard that,” Carl said to Rick and Barton, “the duel, the winner gets the scales, the loser, naturally, gets nothing.”

Rick and Barton exchanged glances, their earlier anger turning into hesitation in the face of a life-or-death duel. After all, risking one's life for a single scale did indeed require considerable courage.

"What? Scared?" Karl's voice was laced with sarcasm. "If you're scared, it's not too late to give up now. Of course, those who give up will be expelled from the team and left to fend for themselves in the Misty Forbidden Zone."

This statement effectively cut off any possibility of retreat. In the dangerous environment of the Forbidden Mist Zone, being expelled from the team is practically a death sentence.

"I accept the duel!" Rick said through gritted teeth. "Barton, you fool, today is your death day!"

"Hmph, you'll be the one dying!" Barton retorted, not to be outdone. "I'll show you what happens when you offend me!"

“Very good, you have guts,” Karl nodded with satisfaction. “The duel shall now begin. The rules are simple: no ranged weapons allowed, only melee weapons and individual abilities may be used, and the fight will continue until one side is dead.”

The other team members quickly cleared a space, forming a makeshift duel arena. Luo Wen and Luo Feng stood at the back of the crowd, watching the impending life-or-death duel with mixed feelings.

"This is insane," Luo Feng whispered. "They're risking their lives for a single scale."

“No, it’s not just about the scales,” Rowan analyzed calmly. “It’s the captain establishing his authority, letting everyone know that his rules and authority are not to be challenged.”

Indeed, Rowan saw through Karl's true intentions. Through this brutal duel, the captain not only resolved the dispute but also warned everyone of the absolute obedience to his authority.

Both Rick and Barton drew their melee weapons. Rick used a sharp military knife, its blade engraved with intricate runes, clearly a high-quality weapon. Barton, on the other hand, pulled out a massive warhammer, which, though seemingly bulky, possessed astonishing power.

“Begin!” Karl announced coldly.

The words had barely left his mouth when the two lunged at each other. Rake, agile as ever, attempted to use his speed to get behind Barton, while Barton, relying on his strength, swung his warhammer in a frontal assault.

"Clang!" The saber clashed with the warhammer, producing a piercing metallic sound. Although Rex's saber was sharp, it nearly slipped from his grasp under the immense force of the impact.

“Your strength is not what it used to be, Rex!” Barton said with a sneer, continuing to swing his warhammer.

(End of this chapter)