Chapter 58: Determined to Win

The spectators in the stands watched the unfolding scene below, cheering loudly. They saw that Team 10010 had already secured the points needed to leave the arena, yet they showed no intention of stopping. Judging by their momentum, they might even break the record.

The Grand Elder truly lived up to his reputation. Even though the dungeon he oversaw in the Great Wilderness Mountain had been destroyed and he was now temporarily residing here, his judgment remained keen. The puppets he recommended proved formidable in battle.

Inside the coliseum, the monstrous figure noticed the four challengers and sensed that another bloody fight awaited him. However, he stood motionless for a long time, lost in thought, leaving the members of the Falcon Squad puzzled.

If we were to shift our perspective to the monster, we would discover that two conflicting voices warred within him: one savage and utterly irrational, brimming with murderous intent, akin to “slay gods if they stand in my way, slaughter buddhas if they dare block me.” The other, gentle and faint yet stubborn, sprang from the core of his humanity, resisting the savage urge.

In the end, the violent personality won out. He charged madly at the Falcon Squad. Faced with such ferocity, they quickly dodged, wisely avoiding his attack.

Missing his mark, the monster refused to relent. Without pausing, he lunged at Zhao Nana next.

Zhao Nana, the only woman among the four, was the weakest in every respect and could not withstand even a casual attack from this monster. With no time to dodge, she instinctively raised her arms to shield her head.

Zhang Xingmin, always vigilant, provided remote support to protect his teammates. He swung his Longevity Lock between the monster and Zhao Nana like a tripwire, causing the monster to crash heavily to the ground and stirring up a thick cloud of dust. Meanwhile, Lin Xiaofeng's support arrived: his bullets struck the monster, but it was as if they hit metal, sparking and bouncing off harmlessly.

“Damn, this guy's skin is even tougher than that half-beast!” Lin Xiaofeng exclaimed in alarm. His Yuri gun was useless now, effectively leaving him with one disabled arm.

Taking advantage of the moment before the monster could rise, Brother Long hurriedly pulled the terrified Zhao Nana aside.

When the monster got up, he continued to attack the four. The Falcon Squad scattered, attempting attacks from various angles, but nothing worked. Brother Long had used the Thunder Shield to withstand several blows, yet the recoil nearly shattered his organs, while the monster remained unfazed. Zhao Nana's Phantom Blade couldn't even scratch him.

“Is his skin made of the same super-hard shield as Captain America’s?”

“Or is it like Achilles’ heel from Greek mythology?”

“Maybe he’s an upgraded version of the Metal Man from the Jiangcheng Botanical Garden?”

Their brief debate yielded no answers, but with no time for careful analysis, they could only try whatever came to mind.

In dire moments, such improvisation was their best option—even if it failed, it was better than sitting idle and awaiting doom.

Of all the possibilities, the simplest was Achilles’ heel. They tried attacking the monster’s heel, but it made no difference. If it were as easy as the old tales, it would be like an open-book exam—life rarely grants such simplicity.

They pressed on. The area men most fear to be struck is the groin, but the monster’s shorts gleamed with a metallic sheen. Kicking him there might injure themselves rather than their foe.

Desperate, the four launched a barrage of random attacks, hoping to stumble upon a weakness.

At last, after countless blows to the monster’s abdomen with the Thunder Shield, Brother Long noticed a flicker of pain on the monster’s face.

The Falcon Squad had found their breakthrough and concentrated their firepower on the comparatively softer abdomen. But the monster was no fool; realizing they targeted his abdomen, he curled up defensively.

As the monster seemed on the verge of frenzy, Zhao Nana, positioned behind him and seeing Zhang Xingmin’s Longevity Lock binding him, suddenly thought of something. She focused her aim on the monster’s tail. She recalled that when cats lose their tails, their balance falters—perhaps this monster was similar?

After stabbing four or five times, her Phantom Blade finally pierced the tail. As she worried about how to sever it, she unexpectedly pulled the whole tail free.

It turned out the monster’s tail was not a part of his body nor meant for balance, but was inserted into his rectum, housing a simple device containing drugs that clouded his mind with hallucinations.

Previous opponents had already yanked it several times, loosening it, and this time Zhao Nana managed to pull it out completely, blood still clinging to it. The sight made her nauseous.

With the foreign object removed, a subtle change came over the monster’s expression, as if he felt much relieved. Indeed, anyone would be uncomfortable with something stuffed in their rear. If you visit a hospital’s proctology department, you’ll find patients who, after the initial thrill, plead desperately with doctors to remove whatever odd object they’ve inserted.

Of course, another crucial reason for the change in the monster’s expression was that the drug controlling his mind and body was beginning to lose its effect.

The Falcon Squad, unaware of these developments, continued their assault. Suddenly, the monster seemed weakened—bullets pierced his body, and the Thunder Shield’s barbs tore through his skin.

By the time the Falcon Squad realized what had happened, it was too late to stop. The monster collapsed heavily to the ground, his strength spent.

For the first time, a sense of guilt washed over them.

Surrounding the fallen creature, the four tried to rouse him.

At last, the monster’s lips moved, and a faint “thank you” escaped him. He hadn’t spoken in so long that his voice sounded rough and strange.

“Wake up... Wake up... Are you alright…” The four desperately hoped for a miracle.

But miracles exist only in legend. The monster revived briefly, a fleeting return to consciousness. He knew the Falcon Squad wished to save him, but it was too late—not only because of the injuries, but because the drugs had drained his life force.

Moreover, his hands were stained with too much blood. He was both pitiable and guilty. This time, he could finally find release. He truly thanked these four; if they hadn’t ended his life, he might have continued killing, perhaps until his body became as rigid as a metal statue and could move no longer.

Through his words, the Falcon Squad’s guilt eased somewhat—they were simply saddened now. Even when the arena’s host announced their victory as Hunting Kings and granted them immediate passage out of the coliseum, they had no heart left to celebrate.