The lights of the dueling arena rose to an impressive brightness, while the rest of the room dimmed. Gwen turned, surveying her surroundings, the light reflected in their eyes, and she could see the faces of their companions.

"Probe magic," she said softly, a little prophecy in her eyes to get a better idea of what she was seeing.

Mage. There are mages everywhere. Except for the service staff, the entire room is filled with leaking particles of elemental magic. It's like looking for a specific drip in a Jackson Pollock painting.

She quickly dispelled the magic from her eyes, wondering how her master and her seniors could use the same magic to achieve such an effect. Does she need training to block out the noise, or to limit the impact to a specific area? Once she can resume her training regime, this is another mystery to be solved.

At the same time, a flash of silver mana summoned an almost naked mage, who was wearing only a pair of blue boxing shorts. His face was handsome and well-defined, but his most impressive feature was his roaring torso, sculpted and oiled, with floodlights accentuating every inch of muscle.

The women began to whistle and cheer, and even Gwen let out a few boos in the heat of that moment, while Mags Cantor's well-proportioned body glistened in a blinding aura.

But why male models? Gwen jokingly asked herself. Of course, it was a joke, and she could feel the magic radiating from a still pond, like concentric rings of water that had been displaced. No matter what he looks like, Cantor is the real deal.

"As for the challenger—" You spoke again. "We have Margs Lamba from the northern states of India, tigers from Punjab, stone crushers, troll killers!"

Mana and the audience flashed once again: a dark-skinned man, wearing a brown robe, a blue belt around his waist, and a white gold-threaded turban wrapped densely around his head.

"I hope you've read the invitation and done your homework, because the competition is about to start. Fairies of the House of Rice, go out and fulfill your duties!"

The trapdoor on stage opens, revealing a group of young women in tight black dresses, their figures almost like body paintings. Like fairies in the forest, they were scattered among the crowd, placing bets and exchanging crystals for chips, while the two mages in the Lord of the Rings stared at each other.

"It's not a fight to the death, is it?" Gwen asked Mina, who was cautiously optimistic about the setup. The clubs, the sets, the plays, seemed too elaborate to be an underground ring of death. After all, what a waste of resources it would be to train a mage to become a mage if they were to duel the Grim Reaper for fun and trivial things like crystals.

"Well, you know. Mina turned and walked to the stage. "'No' – but that's not to say it won't happen. For the challenger, it's just ego and joy. For these mercenary mages, it depends. ”

"Why?"

Who's watching who's betting. What's the key. These people are hooligans, have no state and no affiliation. They can certainly invite others to join their organization, or invite others to join their organization. ”

"Hmm. Gwen crossed her legs and stared at the stage.

The bet took another 15 minutes or so, and while each mage showed off their abilities, the skills were of little value. Challengers have an advantage here, especially if they are unheard of and unknown.

"What's so special about Mags Cantor?" she broke the silence again.

"He is an expert of the CQC company and was a member of the Indonesian special forces. After the extermination of the islands of Micronesia, he was abandoned by his team. It is said that he lived alone in the black zone for a year. In case you're wondering, he's a body-enhancing transformer and pencil hand. ”

"Pencil Thera?what's that?" Gwen asked. Is it a new school of magic? Maybe it's homegrown magic.

"Oh my gosh, Cerrat is shit, man!" "Bitch is like putty and shit in your hands. Tao Zi gushed out why there is

"Shhh

The lights dimmed even further, and the girls in black faded into the dramatic darkness. All eyes fell on the two mages in the center of the Force cage.

"Now, the moment you've been waiting for, the first match, the showcase, the pleasing to the eye, I'll give you two archmages to fight, Cantor vs. Magus Lamba! The rules are the same, give in first! Be the first to break through the shield!"

A dimensional door later, Yoe appeared on top of the Force cage and strode across its surface, sending out a creepy spark.

"Let's go!"

The two maggots moved at the same time.

"Stone Strike!"

"Gaseous!"

Margs Lamba opened the trick of a classic front-loading spell, and he most likely has been nursing since he arrived on stage. A burst of sharp stone emerged from the thin air and struck Cantor's tracks, slamming into the Force Wall and the equally reinforced floor. The range of this spell easily spanned a radius of 6 meters, grabbing Cantor throughout the explosion.

"Bargain!" shouted someone from the crowd. How tedious it would be if the game ended in a second.

However, Cantor had already anticipated an alpha attack that his opponent had prepared beforehand. The problem with preloading spells is that mana particles inevitably leak out of the caster, which gives the discerning observer a lot of clues as to what direction they are headed.

In contrast, his gaseous form was almost instantaneous at the third layer, far more convenient than the powerful stone strike at the fifth layer. The CQC fighter immediately turned into a cloud of poison gas, offsetting the physical damage caused by the downpour.

Lamba cursed loudly and waved in the open space in front of him.

"Stonewall!"

"Shapeshifter!"

It's completely unclear what Cantor has become, as he is still in a gaseous state, but three encounters go into battle, and it is self-evident who has the upper hand.

"Stone skin!" As if that weren't enough, Lamba then surrounded himself with an obsidian-like layer of stone. Then he carefully examined his surroundings. After all, it was impossible for Cantor to exit the dueling ring without being sent off, so he had to extend the dance floor within a radius of more than 20 meters or so.

Unable to find his opponent, Lamba is not worried. He is divided into abandoners and evokes, defenders and criminals in duels. As long as he can fend off Cantor's sneak attack, he can turn their chances around in a single trade.

Between piles and pieces of stone, viewers on the other side of the Force cage can quickly see Cantor recharging his batteries.

"Hurry"

"Empowering"

"Magic Weapon"

"Oh hell! it's coming! Ass is barking!" one of the boys slapped Tao and screamed in glee, watching one incantation after another. This lamb may be a skilled monster hunter - but he lacks experience in dueling with other mages. If he had been a little smarter, he would have continued to thump the stage. When faced with a magician, one would rather be oh than let the opponent have breathing room.

Cantor is ready.

"Blink!"

Within a second, the stone mage was next to the golem. The shapeshifter reached out and touched Lamba, pretending that he was going to unleash a transfiguration spell to destroy the Indian mage's stone skin.

"Wave of Destruction!"

Lamba has also been waiting for Canto. He'd been nursing another spell, and this time, a wave of power that could even affect Cantor's gaseous form.

"Got you!" Lamba declared triumphantly, watching Cantor's illusory image disappear into nothingness. "!"

A second spell suddenly appeared from above Lamba and landed on him, his legs clasped around the latter's neck, and the illusion of invisibility vanished as the CQC mage moved to attack. With a deft movement, Cantor struck the head of the stone-wrapped mage with both hands, resting his hands on Lambba's ears and letting out a loud thunderclap.

Lamba staggered back a step, apparently affected by a sudden blow to the head, and he lost his sense of direction due to his lack of concentration.

Then, Cantor's other gas forms vanished, revealing the morphed body that Cantor now possessed.

Troll!Gwen gasped. She had never seen anything more terrifying. Cantor's arms were long and crooked, and his legs now stretched over Lamba's torso as the Stone Mage tried in vain to throw Cantor down.

"Have you succumbed?" Cantor filed, wrapping his slender fingers around Lamba's neck.

"You can try!" Lamba boasted. "I'll find you!"

"Thorn shield!!—Some jagged, sharp pumice stones began to spread out in concentric circles around Lamba, cutting into Cantor's flesh.

Cantor apparently quickly healed his external wounds, regaining green, seaweed-like blood from his troll's flesh.

"Go with the flow. "Canto fell off Lamba and seemed to lose control.

"Here!" Eric screamed, screaming excitedly, stomping his feet.

Cantor fell halfway through, his bent body bent into an impossible angle, his leg wrapped around Lamba's waist. Like a whip, he pushed his lower body to the front, and when his long arms wiped the poor mage's feet off the ground, Raba lost his balance. Apparently, Lamba had never experienced anything like this before, being wedged from the ground by an opponent who was lighter and more nimble than his stone statue, and he immediately lost his footing in the ensuing panic.

Cantor, meanwhile, spun in mid-air in a quick, non-stop motion, and he and Lamba spun 27 times in the air, resulting in himself on top and Lamba below, with his head facing forward.

"Crunch!"

In an instant, there was a loud bang, and Lamba's head hit the floor of the Force cage.

A loud "pop" sound tells the audience that Lamba is wrong about any faith in his shield, because when the mage loses consciousness, all the philosopher's stones in this area begin to shatter and limp to the floor.

The arena was filled with ridicule and cheers, and Gwen had to cover her ears with her hands.

"Fuck it!" Eric triumphantly announced. "Always bet on Cantor! I've just won two HDM companies!"

Cantor rose from the floor and bowed vigorously, restoring the splendor of his carving.

So that's why he's almost naked. Gwen realized. Cantor is acting out an incredible Hulk scene. The shorts he was wearing must have been a self-matching magic item, otherwise the girls would have fainted by now.

Lamba was kicked off the stage by two betting girls, dressed in nurse costumes that left no imagination in the slightest. They put the unfortunate mage on a stretcher, got to his knees exaggeratedly, and pushed him to the infirmary that Gwen hoped for, instead of the trash can in the back.

The Force cage was disillusioned, and Euan floated quietly to the floor. He began to gush in praise, but his voice died out in the over-agitated passion of the crowd.

Canto began to sign his shirt and chest, getting some cues from the excited sponsors who threw crystal cards at his feet. Several Lady of the Rings on behalf of Cantor hurriedly solicit money from Mi's patron.

"So, what do you think?" Mina asked, watching Gwen's face flush rosy.

Gwen had to admit that watching the two magicians Duke it for their own viewing pleasure was quite exciting. In the last five minutes, she learned a lot of illusory tactics.

Just as she was about to answer, an all-too-familiar hand reached out to her shoulder.

Gwen looked up and saw Dai, a self-righteous smile formed on his face, immensely confident. Dai Xianglong looked down on her, or more accurately, he looked down at the American collar of her shirt, which had a modest but inspiring cleavage.

Should she shock him?, Gwen wondered, and forced herself to stay calm. She had plans for the young man.

"I'm glad you're all here," Day said with a smile. Behind him was Vivian, but no one else seemed to be there. "Well played, huh? Cantor was the best. I sponsored one of his earliest races

They waited for Day to finish gossiping and continue to do his aggressive business.

"Now Peaches ......"

Let's go. Gwen shifted her weight so that the hand she wore wouldn't dig into her collarbone. It felt like a stupid move, an insecure possessiveness, as if she was going to run away or run away.

“... Didn't you say you're going to show me tonight? What kind of gangster do you want to do? Or are we going to settle the money now?"

Tao's friend fell into an awkward silence.

Tao himself looked like a deer, trapped by a dazzling flame.

"Dai ...... Mr. Wei, Peaches "just kidding-" Eric wanted to intervene.

"Shut up!" said Day.

Eric flinched.

"Well, what would that be, Peach? ”

"Are you going to fight, bitch?" After Dai insulted Eric, Tao's demeanor seemed to change.

"Don't be stupid. You are no match for me. But you know what? Somebody wants to fight you. Dai Bingguo replied arrogantly: "I'm going to make it simple." ”。 "If you can beat him, you win. ”

A hideous-looking young man walked out from behind Dai, and his appearance was so majestic that it overshadowed the young man standing behind him. Gwen could tell from the pale skin of the newcomer that this was a young man who liked to indulge in vices.

"Lin Frederick!" Tao shhed. "What the fuck are you doing here, fool?"

"I'm here to satisfy you, peaches," Frederick grinned, flashing his pearly white. Frederick has an unforgettable Asian face, which must have been handsome if it weren't for his pale face like a ghoul. "I don't think the beating earlier today was satisfying enough, so I'm here to give you a chance to make amends. ”

"Fred, don't be so stupid," Mina interrupted. "Our fathers don't want to see you fight or get hurt. ”

"Just a round, a little practice match. Who can blame that?" Frederick winked menacingly at Mina. "You were there this morning, did I mess with your brother? He's the guy who wants to be tough. If you want to blame someone, blame his mouth. ”

"you two," Mina grimaced. She didn't like Frederick ignoring her wishes. Mina can make the rest of his life hellish by talking to his mother or father, but it's neither here nor there. Now, she didn't want to jump into the grave that her brother had dug for himself.

"Okay, peaches, are you fighting and scraping together the money, or are you going to be coquettish and give me the money?" Dai Bingguo showed no mercy.

"Hey," Gwen interrupted. She gestured to his hand, which was still resting on her in an all-too-familiar way. "Take the paw away. ”

"Gwen. Dai gave her a dreamy look. His hand rested tightly on her shoulder. In fact, he moved it a little closer.

It's true. This guy has a dead end. Gwen imagines Cariban's love for his wayward appendage. She put a hand on Dai's finger and lifted his annoying arm from her shoulder like a rotten rag, letting it fall to his waist.

From Dai's back, Vivien's eyes were filled with venom.

Dai gave her a look, thinking he didn't care about her refusal, and turned coldly to Peach.

"Well, if you refuse to honor our agreement, I can always contact your father and ask for the crystal in person. It's not the first time anyway. ”

Tao's bravado was now as red as a monkey's ass, and at this point, it was obvious to everyone that he didn't actually have a hundred HD to use. Neither did Mina, who spent 20 bucks on a shopping spree, and neither did Gwen, and she wouldn't have been able to scrape together a dozen if she tried.

"How about this?" Dai Xianglong turned around and looked at Gwen with a free look. "You can convince your hillbilly cousin to hang out with us for a few days, and I'll leave it alone. ”

Tao looked as if he was going to blow up the coffin.

Gwen was about to stand up and beat Dai Li hard, when Tao Yuanming suddenly scolded a rhyming word.

"Fuck you!

I'll beat you in your game, anytime

Spank you like a bitch until you have nothing to say

Come here, stupid, I'll show you the way

Scared? Too late!

Get down on your knees and pray!"

"Oh, damn sick rhyme my man. ”

"Woohoo"

"What's wrong!"

"Fuck the magic cop!"

His friends, who had always been dignified, were now shouting and complaining, turning into a jubilant and misleading moral support.

Tao Yuanming let go of his sickly "runny nose", and although he seemed to be very satisfied with his performance, his face became as pale as a sheet.

"I'll think so," Day spat coldly, his face overlapping crimson in multiple places. "Frederick, I want you to make sure he regrets those words completely, completely. ”

"You get the idea, Dai. Frederick smiled at Tao.

"And you. Day turned to Gwen, then leaned uncomfortably against Gwen's face, so close that she could smell the alcohol he exhaled. "After that, we'll see each other often. ”

"At what point did I agree to get involved?" said Gwen waited until Dai Lia couldn't hear before turning to Mina and Tao in an angry voice.

Dai Lisa had retreated to his little corner of paradise, a VIP area, where he and his friends had their private little fairy attendants. "What a bastard," Gwen said angrily - if the man really was a jerk, then make good on his promise to give them VIP treatment on vacation. Where is her champagne flute?

"Why am I part of the prize box? I just want Tao to go with us. ”

"Okay......" Mina pinched the bridge of her nose. "You ask to bring Tao, you deal with it. ”

"Day knows me...... Sixteen years old?, Gwen asked Mina, skeptically.

"He's rich, he's an arrogant scoundrel. By the way, his father was the chief of police. So good luck. Also, if you know what's best for you, don't involve the Song family. I'll do everything we can and try to pay that guy, but if he's really looking for you......"

Mina didn't say the words, but Gwen could see the frustration in her cousin's eyes. What Mina meant was that if this Dai wanted to be rough with her, they had no choice but to upgrade. But what happens when this happens, and where does the responsibility stop?

She looked at Tao, who was trembling, his adrenaline was fading at the moment, and he was only now beginning to understand what he had done.

A hint of laughter touched Gwen's petal-pink lips.

Can't you hurt the chief's son?

Boy blue ball can't hit in the face?

No problem.

She can handle it.

There is more than one way to skin a cat.