American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 237 Survive, then win!
The dragon's corpse has not yet been completely cleaned up.

The air still smelled of burnt and acidic liquid.

The host had clearly received instructions to refrain from further elaboration and simply announce loudly:
"The third match! Let's see how much skill our challenger has left after losing that dubious 'divine grace'! Please welcome the 'Immovable Barrier' of the Ring of Victory, with 99 cumulative wins—Philippa!"

"clang--!"

With a muffled clang of shields, an Amazon warrior, exceptionally tall and robust, almost like a small city wall, stepped into the arena.

She was clad in heavy bronze plate armor, holding a massive tower shield in her left hand that almost completely covered most of her body, and a short spear for thrusting in her right hand.

"My goodness! Let's take a look at Ms. Philippa's outfit!"

The host shouted, "The Empire's newest weaponry!"

"The special runes engraved on her plate armor can continuously absorb impact and distribute it throughout her body, greatly enhancing her ability to withstand blows."

"That giant shield is also equipped with a 'kinetic energy deflection' array, which can redirect part of the frontal impact force to the sides."

"As for that short spear, according to insiders, Ms. Philippa engraved special runes on it, giving it 'armor-piercing' power, capable of easily tearing through any chainmail and leather armor!"

Looking at the tip of the short spear, which was surrounded by a wisp of gray air current.

Diana's expression was somewhat grave.

She could sense that the surging power of thunder within the greatsword in her hand seemed to be somewhat depleted.

But that's alright.
She couldn't let Mr. Locke protect her forever. Diana took a deep breath and adopted a standard offensive stance.

"boom--!"

At the start of the battle, Diana attempted to use her speed advantage, slashing with her greatsword in sharp arcs from different angles.

However, Philippa's defense was virtually impenetrable.

The giant shield seemed to have a life of its own in her hands, always able to block the greatsword's path with minimal and precise movements.

Moreover, each time the runes on the edge of the shield lit up, they would transform the impact of the greatsword into visible, transparent ripples that spread outwards to both sides, making the recoil from Diana's sword even more bizarre and difficult to control.

"oh--!"

The host drawled out his words, sarcastically remarking, "It seems the spy lady has had a bad start! Her fierce attacks appear so pale and powerless in the face of Philippa's absolute defense!"

"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

Heavy impacts rang out repeatedly, sparks flying everywhere.

The immense shockwave was transmitted back through the sword, even causing the ground beneath Diana to crack!

In contrast, Philippa's feet seemed to be connected to the ground, remaining completely still, with only the energy ripples on her shield indicating the immense force she was enduring.

Even Philippa remained unmoved, utilizing the superior defensive area of ​​his giant shield to slowly and steadily press towards Diana.

After several unsuccessful attempts to break through, Diana's breathing began to become somewhat disordered.

Philippa, however, keenly captured that moment of stillness!
"drink!"

The female warrior let out a deep growl, seizing the moment when Diana's old strength had just dissipated and her new strength had not yet arisen, she poured all her strength into her shield and thrust it forward!
It's not a block, but an active shield strike!
"boom!"

The giant shield slammed solidly into Diana's breastplate! Although the dense network of electric arcs instantly appeared on the surface of the dark red armor, offsetting most of the impact, the immense physical force still caused Diana to groan and stagger backward uncontrollably, almost losing her balance.

The host's voice suddenly rose, reverting to his usual inflammatory tone: "Look!"

"Under Philippa's counterattack, she has made a series of blunders! She has lost her composure and can only defend herself in a sorry state! The scales of victory are tipping!"

"clang--!"

Philippa, seizing the initiative, immediately turned to the offensive!
She shielded herself with a shield, and short spears swirling with gray energy continuously thrust out from the sides of the shield. Although the attack range was not large, they were extremely accurate and ruthless. Each thrust was accompanied by a shrill whistling sound that tore through the air, forcing Diana to constantly parry with the broad blade of her greatsword, making her appear to be retreating step by step.

"Look! Without the power of trickery, she is nothing!"

"Philippa! Push her down!"

In the audience, those who questioned Diana cheered excitedly.

Philippa clearly intended to do the same.

"Your little tricks are over, girl. Now, feel the pure power."

She spotted the direction Diana was retreating, unleashed another burst of brute force, and used her giant shield to push Diana's defenses, transforming into a steamroller to forcefully push her towards the edge of the arena!

"Oh, look what we've forgotten!" the host announced excitedly. "The arena has a size limit! It seems this lady has been driven to the brink!"

"She's making a last-ditch effort! She'll be swept off the field like trash by Philippa!"

The sand scraped against her feet, making it almost impossible for Diana to put her feet on the ground.

She could already feel the chilling emptiness beyond the edge of the ring from behind.
Philippa's face also showed a solemn expression of impending victory. Her muscles were bulging, and the ochre light on her shield shone brightly as she tried to complete this final crushing blow.

It's now!

The clamor of the audience reached its peak, and everyone believed that the outcome was already decided.

Philippa is also making a final push.

The host shouted at the top of his lungs, "It's over! She's lost..."

"?!"

However, Diana, who seemed to be cornered, suddenly had a sharp glint in her eyes!
She no longer resisted the force; instead, taking advantage of Philippa's forward momentum, she leaned backward with incredible flexibility!
At the same time, the tip of the greatsword, which had been suppressed in front of him, like the tail of a scorpion that had been lying dormant for a long time, silently but quickly slashed upwards!

This sword strike was not intended to inflict damage, but rather to precisely wedge into the tiny gap between the base of Philippa's giant shield and the ground!

"Varied……?!"

Philippa felt the resistance from the shield suddenly vanish, and his forward momentum lost its target due to Diana's fall backward, becoming uncontrollable!

Even more fatally, the tiny fulcrum formed by the sword tip wedged under the shield instantly transformed into a deadly lever under the immense force of her own forward momentum!

"Boom!"

The massive Philippa, due to his own momentum and this exquisite use of leverage, was uncontrollably propelled forward and upward, tumbling over Diana, who had already fallen and slid backward into the arena, in an extremely disheveled manner.
Then--

He crashed heavily outside the ring!
Dust billowed up like a waterfall, burying the glory of the defeated.

The entire room fell silent instantly.

The host seemed to freeze for a few seconds before shouting in an incredulous tone:
"Unbelievable! Diana won! Despite being at a complete disadvantage, she turned the tide with incredible skill! 'Immovable Barrier' Philippa... was pushed out of the ring by her own weight and strength! Three wins in a row! She has achieved three consecutive victories!"

Diana nimbly sprang to her feet.

She looked at Philippa struggling to get up in the audience and nodded slightly as a sign of acknowledgment.

Philippa, however, was clearly somewhat bewildered.
She looked around and confirmed that she was indeed outside the boundary.
Then, she subconsciously picked up the giant shield that had accompanied her in battle for many years and had never let her down.

Philippa looked up and his eyes met Diana's.

The girl's eyes held no victor's arrogance, only tranquility.
Philippa's expression, however, was far more complex.
There was the resentment of defeat, the astonishment of being cleverly outmaneuvered, but in the end, it all settled into an indescribable solemnity.

She seemed to want to say something, her lips moved, but in the end she just gave Diana a deep look and said, "Good luck."

He then struggled to prop himself up, revealing his gauntlets that had long since shattered from the shock of the greatsword. He refused his companions' attempts to help him and limped back to the players' tunnel.

Diana watched her leave, a sense of respect rising in her heart for this true warrior.

To be honest...

Rather than using such tricks to win, she longed for a direct confrontation with this woman named Philippa, a clash of pure strength and skill without any fancy moves.

Use her sword to truly and honorably shake her unyielding defense, and experience the unwavering will behind that shield.
That is the ultimate form of communication and respect between soldiers.

but…

Diana closed her eyes slightly.

Locke's words echoed in his mind.

"Glass cannons... their attack power is as fierce as artillery, but their defense is as fragile as glass, shattering with a single shot. They sound impressive, but in actual combat they are often the quickest to die."

When she opened her eyes again, all unnecessary emotions had been suppressed, leaving only clarity.

The current situation simply does not allow her to waste any extra energy.
To pursue so-called 'honorable conduct' and to play the foolish 'glass cannon' who exhausts himself in a single battle.
Ten consecutive wins...

This is only the third game.

Seven more unknown battles, each destined to be more brutal than the last, await.

The mother is imprisoned and her whereabouts are unknown.
Isolated and helpless, trapped deep in enemy territory.
The assistance provided by Mr. Locke has also been exhausted…

In this situation, any unnecessary expenditure, any prolonged battle to satisfy personal combat honor, is foolish and deadly.

Schemes were not what she desired.

But at this moment, it is necessary.

It is the lever to overcome adversity, and the only way to preserve strength and reach the ultimate goal.

Achieve the most needed victory at the lowest cost.
This is the only ironclad rule that Diana, as the princess of Paradise Island and the daughter who must rescue her mother, should follow at this moment.

Forcibly calming the unease caused by the 'unfair victory,' Diana's gaze returned to its firm and sharp focus as she turned to the center of the arena, awaiting the arrival of her next opponent.

For his mother, he would resort to any means necessary, let alone schemes or even more dishonorable methods.
She would use it without hesitation if needed.

Survive, then triumph.

Everything else is illusory.

At the same time, the host seemed to recover from her extreme shock. She pressed her ears, as if listening for some instruction, a look of tension, even..., flashed across her face.

Excitement tinged with anticipation and fear?

She cleared her throat, amplifying her voice with magic, attempting to regain control of the atmosphere:
"Unbelievable! A stunning comeback! Diana has won her third victory!"

"but"

She then changed the subject, her tone becoming mysterious, "Can the winning streak continue? The real test may have only just begun!"

"Diana?" The name was pronounced clearly, eliciting whispers and questions from the stands. "Is her name Diana?"

"Diana? Who cares what she's called! I want to see her bleed more!"

A female warrior with gruesome scars on her face roared, pounding on the fence as if it were Diana's bones. "That was too easy on her! Next time! Next time, I'd better tear her to pieces!"

“That’s right! Philippa is too clumsy!” A lean warrior licked his chapped lips and excitedly chimed in, “We need a more agile and ruthless ‘executioner’! Ideally, we should tear one of her arms off alive so she can use her remaining hand to grip the sword and keep fighting!!”

"Quack! Well said! That's what battle is all about! Just thinking about that scene makes me want to spit out my teeth!" a crazy, one-eyed warrior screamed.

"Her name is Diana... She could have finished her off with a fatal blow, but she didn't..."

A young soldier spoke to his comrade, his tone complex.

“And she won, with her brains, not that… suspicious Thunder,” her companion replied, a hint of admiration in her voice that she herself didn’t realize. “To remain so calm in such a desperate situation… she’s strong.”

It's obvious.
Some viewers who were originally neutral began to have their mindset subtly changed after experiencing the shock of the flying dragon and the clever comeback.

They no longer simply called for the execution of the spies, but began to anticipate what unexpected performances this young girl named Diana could deliver.

And Diana's subsequent performance certainly did not disappoint them.

"The fourth battle! From behind the Gate of Destruction, a colossal beast symbolizing calamity!"

"—Cerberus!" The host's voice was filled with awe and excitement.

"boom--!"

The gate is open.

Then a terrifying creature, tens of meters tall and the size of a small mountain, stepped into the arena.
The three heads roared simultaneously, the smell of sulfur filling the air, their dark red fur resembling flowing lava.

The audience held their breath, awaiting another fierce battle.

However, Diana calmly assessed the behemoth. As the middle head of Cerberus swooped down, attempting to swallow her whole—

She moved!
His figure moved like lightning, charging straight towards that gaping maw!
In the nick of time, she dodged to the side, and at the same time, the greatsword in her hand, carrying all her strength and the momentum of her charge, transformed into a chilling arc of light, slicing precisely across the relatively vulnerable neck joint from bottom to top!

"Pfft——!"

A huge dog head flew up with an incredulous expression, and blood gushed out like a waterfall!
The massive body stiffened for a moment, then the other two heads let out painful howls and crashed to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust.

Another instant kill!

The host almost broke down in tears: "Impossible! She...she won in one strike...the fourth match, Diana wins!"

His throat bobbed, and the host was on the verge of tears.

She glanced at Her Majesty the Queen, whose face was grim on the platform.
Have those bastards in logistics been kicked in the head by a donkey?!

This girl is clearly a giant-hunting specialist! She might hold back against ordinary Amazon warriors, but she shows no mercy when dealing with these monsters!

Fortunately, the logistics department did not disappoint him.
"Fifth match! Let's welcome the dancer in the shadows, the dual-wielding assassin—Lina!"

She dared not say more or boast more, quickly glossing over her opponent's identity before announcing the start of the match.

"Om-!"

Almost instantly, a slender, ghostly Amazon warrior appeared. Without a word, she vanished into a blurry afterimage, her two curved blades like venomous fangs, attacking Diana from every cunning angle.

"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

The greatsword and the scimitar clashed at high speed, sparks flying everywhere!

Lina is incredibly fast, and she's also adept at using smoke to conceal herself before launching a fatal attack from a blind spot.

This caused the battle to become a suffocating struggle.

The two were briefly separated after a violent collision.

Lina breathed heavily, her eyes filled with surprise and doubt. She finally couldn't help but speak, her voice hoarse: "Your power... your fighting style... you're not like an Amazon."

Diana stands holding a sword.

A shallow cut on her shoulder from the scimitar left a bloody gash, but her eyes remained calm.

Meeting Lina's gaze, she clearly declared:
"I am an Amazon! I come from Paradise Island, I am Diana, daughter of Hippolyta!"

Upon hearing this, Lina's pupils shrank dramatically!

Meanwhile, those in the stands who knew or guessed the meaning of the name stirred up a low murmur of surprise!

How come?
What, a princess revenge story?!

The host was drenched in sweat.

The battle resumes!

Lina unleashed her ultimate technique, her figure blending into the smoke, and in the next instant, she launched a surprise attack from Diana's blind spot, her twin blades aimed straight for vital points!

Diana seemed to react a beat too slow, but she held the greatsword in one hand and raised her other arm, which was covered by a wrist guard, without dodging or avoiding. She was actually going to take the fierce slash head-on!

"clang--!"

A strange metallic clang!

Under Lina's incredulous gaze, the seemingly ordinary wristband suddenly lit up with complex energy patterns, and a powerful reverse impact suddenly erupted!
"Well!"

Lina felt a tremendous force coming from the scimitar, her hand split open, she almost dropped both swords, and was thrown back by the force, landing on the ground in a sorry state.

Diana seized the fleeting opportunity, sweeping her greatsword across Lina's abdomen and defeating her completely.

"Fifth match! Diana wins! She also...she revealed her origins!"

The host's voice was filled with complex emotions, and he even seemed so lost in thought that he misspoke.
"Who is this person hosting this event?!" the Queen asked coldly.

"He just returned from studying abroad," the guard captain explained, "His wording might be a bit...

"Let her continue her studies abroad!" the Queen said calmly. "To Siberia."

The host, unaware that he was about to embark on a journey to Siberia, was wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Then the sixth match will be next."

"The sixth match! It's the Sky Tyrant from the Ancient Forest—the Fire Dragon!"

The host's voice was trembling.

It is still a huge object.
But this is a fire dragon!
On the primordial frontiers of the empire, fire dragons could easily annihilate several trolls or three-headed dogs sent up from hell.

"clang--!"

The gate is open again!

A colossal creature, fifteen meters long, dominated the sky. It opened its enormous maw, and its scorching breath of flames cascaded down like a waterfall, engulfing the entire front of the arena!

Diana was startled and didn't even have time to raise the greatsword.

Instinctively, he raised his left arm, and the magical bracers shone brightly, forming a solid energy barrier that desperately resisted the dragon's breath that was powerful enough to melt steel!

But the power of the fire dragon seemed inexhaustible, causing the bracers to fluctuate violently and even the ground beneath her feet to begin to melt. Under the impact of the dragon's breath, she slid backward continuously, clearly at a disadvantage!
"She can't hold on any longer!" the audience exclaimed.

but.
At this critical moment, Diana did something that surprised everyone.

—She suddenly threw down the greatsword in her hand!

Amidst everyone's puzzled gazes, she took advantage of the gap in the dragon's breath attack, her body suddenly enveloped in the glow of lightning, and with a sudden push off the ground, she raised her wrist guards above her head, directly facing the scorching airflow, and leaped into the air!

She precisely seized the moment when the fire dragon paused its breath and lowered its head to gaze, leaped onto its thick, scale-covered neck, and then climbed upwards!
The fire dragon was filled with shock and rage, twisting and rolling wildly, trying to throw her off.

But Diana seemed to take root in it, her fists flashing with thunderous light.
One punch! Two punches! Three punches!
It slammed hard into the relatively vulnerable junction between the dragon's head and cervical spine!
"Thump! Thump! Boom—!"

Accompanied by the dull thud of bones breaking.

The once invincible fire dragon let out a mournful cry, its flight completely out of control. Finally, it crashed heavily into the center of the arena, carrying Diana on its back, and remained motionless.

He was killed so simply and unpretentiously.
Panting, Diana leaped down from the dragon's corpse and picked up her greatsword.

"She...she killed the fire dragon with her bare hands?!"

"The...sixth match! Diana wins! Six consecutive wins! My God!"

The host was at a loss for words to describe his shock.

The same was true for the entire audience.
Regardless of their stance, they were completely captivated by this extremely fierce fighting style.

this.
This is Amazon for real!

"Diana! Diana! Diana!"

"Tear them apart! Just like you did to the fire dragon!"

"That was awesome! This is what a real fight should be like! This is what we've been waiting for!"

"Who cares where she comes from! This is a real Amazon warrior!!"

"The water's practically overflowing!"

The wave of voices was like a tsunami, drowning out the previous doubts and disdain, or they couldn't help but join the frenzied tide.

Absolute strength and ferocity
In any culture that reveres power, it is the most direct and effective passport.

Diana won six resounding victories, each with its own distinct style.
She forcibly tore a rift in this hostile land, earning the most genuine respect for the strong.

Wiping the sweat, a mixture of excitement and nervousness, constantly seeping from his forehead, the host's voice was hoarse from shouting, but he still tried his best to liven up the atmosphere:

"Six consecutive wins! An incredible six-game winning streak! Miss Diana has shown us what true warrior spirit is! But..."

She pressed her ears, receiving new instructions, and the color drained slightly from her face:
"The challenge of the Ring of Victory is never-ending!"

"True terror often lurks in the shadows of seemingly peaceful times!"

"Seventh scene! Please welcome the Nightmare Gargoyle, from the depths of an ancient tomb, who feeds on nightmares, revels in fear, has a body harder than adamantium, and claws that can tear apart souls!"

(End of this chapter)