I will eventually become a god through sheer hard work.

Thunderous applause and cheers resounded throughout the stands, as everyone eagerly anticipated the upcoming match.

"This commentator is quite good at making things up, no wonder he's a famous commentator... But there's such obvious bias in his words, he's paving the way for Xue Mowang, he's practically saying outright that Otogi Suzuka is a stepping stone."

"Isn't it obvious? Putting aside the fact that Xue the Demon King is one of us from Zhuxia, we'll definitely have to favor him. If we don't, people will start stirring up trouble online... Besides, Xue the Demon King is currently a hot commodity for the U19 organizers."

"Because of Xue Mowang, the popularity of U19 this year is several levels higher than in previous years... They're probably going to make a fortune. The price of broadcasting rights has been raised again and again, and the stock price of the parent company, 'Xingtian Entertainment,' has gone crazy."

"...But isn't this just praising someone to death? The higher it is raised, what if Xue Mowang loses? Then it will all be boomerangs."

"That's none of their business. The boomerang got stuck in Xue Mowang's body, not theirs."

"If Xue Jing loses this match, he'll really be in big trouble. Everyone's been praising him so highly, calling him invincible among his peers. They've even started taking out loans to vote and ask fans which title they think Xue Jing will get first... If he loses to the Far East people, tsk tsk, I can't even imagine."

"How could he possibly lose? Zhou Yinglin was widely recognized as the strongest player among the U19 participants before the competition. Almost everyone predicted that he would be stronger than Otogi Suzuka. But what happened? He was completely crushed by Xue Jing."

"Xue Jing is clearly a top-tier talent in his age group, the kind you wouldn't normally include in discussions about young geniuses. If Otogi Suzuka faced him, she wouldn't perform much better than Zhou Yinglin. I bet five cents she'd be a 0% kill!"

"Martial arts competitions aren't calculated that way... While raw strength is the biggest factor in determining victory or defeat, the balance of power and performance on the day are also very important, so it's not always the case."

"You guys are so boring, always arguing about combat strength. We'll find out when the match starts. Why don't you gossip about the chemistry between Otogi Suzuka and my husband? They look so good together, they're both so good-looking..."

In the audience, a group of friends were having a discussion when a brightly dressed, beautifully made-up young woman next to them interrupted them.

Looking at the small fan with Xue Jing's picture printed on it in her hand, everyone fell silent for a moment, then began to point at the arena below:

"Ah, they're coming out!"

"The match is about to start, so let's stop talking and just watch the game."

……

Xue Jing slowly walked out of the contestant passage.

The spotlight shone at his feet, and countless cheers and applause erupted for him.

He was dressed in a pure black martial arts uniform, his expression calm, as he walked step by step toward the ring.

Spotlights followed him, and countless cameras filmed him from various angles, leaving no blind spot unnoticed.

Different poses from various angles were projected onto the large screen above the arena, and each time the image changed, screams and cheers erupted from the audience.

Since his two matches against Zhou Yinglin, he has basically stopped paying attention to his online public opinion, only occasionally learning from snippets of conversation from those around him that he must be very popular.

After being there in person and experiencing the feeling of over 200,000 people cheering for him, I was somewhat moved.

I had a real feeling that I had become a 'big star'.

Although he wasn't particularly interested in this aspect, he still felt a bit fired up.

He shifted his gaze slightly to his opponent opposite him, who was also slowly walking onto the ring.

She was stunningly beautiful and elegant, dressed in a black haori, with her waist-length hair tied in a high ponytail. Her expression was so gentle that she seemed to be meeting her lover rather than participating in a competition.

Otogi Suzuka.

Unlike his previous matches where he played emptied of his hands, this time he was carrying a beautiful, old-looking longsword. The gray-brown hilt and scabbard were covered with faded and oxidized marks, exuding a sense of historical weight.

"It's been a long time, Lu Sang."

Xue Jing glanced at his knife and laughed.

"Mr. Xue".

Otogi Suzuka spoke gently.

His eyes, which could even be described as alluring, faintly revealed a burning passion.

Like a volcano about to erupt, it is temporarily suppressed by the shackles of reason, but it may burst forth at any time.

"I've been waiting to stand on this stage with you for so long... I never imagined that just over ten days would be so unbearable."

Otogi Suzuka smiled gently.

"Xue Jun, do you know how I feel right now?"

Stared at by those eyes that seemed to look at a lover, Xue Jing's lips twitched, and his fist hardened.

"What does it feel like?"

He answered casually.

Otogi Suzuka raised her head slightly and sighed:

"I'm scared."

He pulled up his sleeve and extended his right hand, which was clenched into a fist.

That hand was trembling.

"After stepping onto this stage and seeing you, every inch of my skin and every cell in my body is desperately shouting at me."

he murmured.

"We can't win, we absolutely can't win, run! Run! Run away immediately, turn around and run away..."

"Xue Jun, compared to when we first met, you make me feel even more hopeless now."

Xue Jing listened without changing his expression and did not respond.

As Otogisuka spoke, a look of infatuation appeared in her eyes:

"...That's fantastic!"

"The thought that Xue Jun is getting stronger at a speed that I can never catch up with, and that the possibility of defeating Xue Jun is getting slimmer and slimmer... makes me excited."

"We tried our best, used every means, and gave it our all, but even so, we still couldn't win!"

"Ah~ah~ I'm so desperate, Soharu らしいです (so great)."

Otogi Suzuka's cheeks flushed, making her extremely beautiful, yet her alluring beauty was so captivating that it was unsettling.

"If I could really cross this ever-rising mountain, what immense happiness I would feel..."

"Even though that immense happiness is almost unattainable for me, just the thought that I am striving towards it makes me feel happy."

His gaze toward Xue Jing grew increasingly tender, while at the same time, his fighting spirit burned ever brighter.

"Xue Jun, you are my happiness."

He reached out and slowly grasped the hilt of the long sword at his waist.

"Let's hurry up and...fight!"

He whispered.

Xue Jing shook his head and said, "You really are a idiot."

As he spoke, he walked to the weapon rack at the edge of the arena, picked out an ordinary longsword about 1.2 meters long, and held it in his hand.

"...Both players, take your positions, ready."

"Now, witness it for yourself..."

"Game start!"

As the commentator's impassioned voice faded, the referee waved his hand toward the center of the two fighters on the stage, announcing the start of the match.

The cheers, applause, and noisy discussions of the audience gradually subsided, and they stared intently and expectantly at the ring.

Otogi Suzuka positioned herself in a slightly crouching position, her left hand gripping the scabbard of the long sword at her waist, while her right hand gently stroked the hilt.

"The essence of the spirit flow is summed up in one sentence: the art of Iaijutsu."

He spoke softly.

"Xue Jun... be careful."

next moment.

"Qiang——!!"

With an enormous clang of metal striking metal, the scene on the arena shifted abruptly, as if a frame had been cut.

The two, who were originally several meters apart, vanished from their original spots at the same time and reappeared in the center of the arena, their long swords clashing together.

A visible circular wave of air suddenly spread out from the center of the two, causing the repulsive membrane surrounding the arena to ripple.

"Varied……!?"

"Who saw it clearly?"

"What the hell is that speed?!"

The eyes of everyone in the spectator area widened in disbelief.

Before anyone could react, the situation on the field changed again.

"Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-"

The sounds of metal clashing, almost dozens of times per second, rang out continuously. Two unseen figures tumbled back and forth on the arena, their location only indicated by the sparks flying in the air.

The cascading blades ripped deep cracks into the arena floor, leaving it in ruins in no time.

In the midst of the fierce battle, Xue Jing's eyes transformed into silver-white vertical pupils, which narrowed slightly.

'interesting. '

Whether it was a sudden burst of power or something previously hidden, Otogi Suzuka's strength at this moment felt much greater than Zhou Yinglin's.

In particular, the speed and continuity of his attacks were even better than his. However, he used "Eye Flow" to see through the weaknesses in Otogi Suzuka's attacks, which is why they managed to draw.

'And that knife…'

Xue Jing felt the strain on his longsword, which had been enhanced by the [Master of Soldiers], as he experienced the intense clash.

It truly lives up to its reputation as an unbreakable blade, capable of withstanding temperatures of tens of millions of degrees without even a single particle changing; it is indeed ridiculously hard.

"Xue Jun, let me witness your power that fills me with despair!"

The excited voice of Suzuka Otogi rang in my ears.

Xue Jing's gaze paused, and suddenly, a strong sense of oppression began to emanate from his entire body, shaking the void. Visible black lightning patterns surged from his body.

Immediately, all the black lightning energy converged and wrapped around the longsword in his hand.

"Don't die, Lu Sang."