Chương 89: Claws of the Panda

We returned back and stood in the central square of Kailume as the afternoon sun burned overhead, greeting us with its brilliant shine. Mo stepped forward like a living mountain in his mighty presence. He was a massive man with middle-length black hair that fell heavily down his back and sides, completely bald on top, adding to the shine of his clean top. His presence alone made the air feel thicker.

Behind him stood his five chosen superstars, each one radiating power that pressed down on us like an invisible weight. Qixian was first, a beautiful, amber-hued warrior woman who stood 1. 74 meters tall with fair skin and sharp, elegant features. Her striking purple eyes scanned us with calm arrogance. Her soft, coconut-milk blonde hair was tied in a cute high side-ponytail with a yellow ribbon, while messy bangs covered her left eye as her right stared straight ahead.

She wore ornate, dark metal lamellar armor with red and gold accents and carried two short rods at her hips. Her Animus shocked the entire square. At only twenty-four years old, she already felt like a storm waiting to break. Next to her stood Pongli, a sixteen-year-old prodigy, 1. 78 meters tall, gripping a crescent sword with three deadly edges. Then came Rufanzhou, a scarred 57-year-old veteran, 1.

72 meters tall, wearing a helmet and constantly spinning twin knuckle knives around his fingers like a skilled juggler. Zhufiana followed, a voluptuous seventeen-year-old woman only 1. 53 meters tall with long hair bound tightly for mobility, dressed in light robes. Last was Fuixze, a corpulent 27-year-old man whose huge belly wobbled with every step. He carried an enormous wooden club with a mercury handle that looked far too heavy for any normal person.

Xihua stepped close to our group, her voice low and tense as she puffed on her pipe.

"Guys, let me share this information with you... maybe it will help in the battle, as Qixian is the only one I know well. She uses Darkness Wings Vestuto. Once those black wings appear on her back, she gains insane momentum and can surge from one spot to another almost instantly. The angrier she gets, the deeper the darkness veils her armor and the more destructive she becomes. Her rods create craters that would make the ground itself scream. I… felt uneasy just hearing the stories."

We spoke quickly among ourselves about strategy, who to send against whom, trying to match strengths while the tension in the air grew thicker. Before we could finish, Merchant Faihzu stepped onto the created stage with a wide, respectful smile that did not reach his eyes. He bowed slightly to both leaders.

"Golden Tooth Agency and Mo the Giant Fierce Panda Agency, it is an honor to see two worthy teams reach the final. Especially you, Zhuofeng the Dirty Finger. For thirteen years, you have led your agency with strength, completing countless dangerous escorts and protecting the weak across Zehnhai. Though the last three years have been… difficult against rising competition, to say the least." Zhuofeng's jaw tightened at the jab, but he stayed silent.

Faihzu turned smoothly to Mo and began praising him lavishly, speaking of his perfect success rate against the mighty Green Bamboo Bandits, how he dominated their deadly forest terrain, and how he held even the strongest western agencies at bay. Mo stood there unmoved, arms crossed, clearly wanting nothing but total domination.

Faihzu then called forward a thin man with glasses, dressed in a loose-fitting, emerald-green silk robe with wide sleeves that shimmered under the light, its cuffs subtly embroidered with gold trim. He held a heavy wooden box filled with numbered tiles.

"Five matches. One versus one. Draw your numbers. As we call you, step forward, and then return to your positions." Xihua drew first and pulled number 2. Xhife drew number 3 right after her. Honzhou Pi, our 34-year-old amber-hued skinned fortress who had placed second overall in training, drew number 5. Zhianghou, the 31-year-old glaive wielder who constantly rivaled Honzhou Pi, drew number 1. I drew the last open number, 4.

The others were too exhausted after the river race and earlier fights, but the team now looked at me with respect instead of calling me "Suren." They called me by my given name: Erumes Flamma. Our opponents were next; the Panda Agency drew their numbers. Mo gave a single sharp nod and his five elites stepped forward one by one, each movement radiating confidence. Rufanzhou, the old scarred veteran, went first.

He reached into the wooden box without hesitation, his twin knuckle knives still spinning idly around his fingers. He pulled out a tile and held it up.

"Number 1," the man with glasses announced. Rufanzhou gave a small, battle-hardened grin, the scars on his neck stretching as he did. Next came Zhufiana, the short voluptuous girl. She moved lightly on her feet, her long hair swaying in its tight bindings. She drew gracefully and showed the tile with a confident smirk.

"Number 2." Fuixze lumbered up third, his massive belly wobbling with every heavy step. The mercury handle of his enormous wooden club rested on his shoulder like it weighed nothing. He shoved his thick hand into the box, fished around loudly, then yanked out his tile.

"Number 3," the announcer called. Fuixze let out a deep belly laugh that shook his whole frame. Pongli, the sixteen-year-old prodigy, stepped up with sharp, arrogant energy. His three-edged crescent sword gleamed at his side as he drew.

"Number 4." Finally, Qixian walked forward. The moment she moved, the entire square seemed to grow quieter. Her soft coconut-milk blonde ponytail swayed, the yellow ribbon fluttering. She didn't rush. She let her purple eyes sweep over our entire team with them lingering especially on me for a second longer than necessary, before she reached in and pulled her tile.

"Number 5," the announcer declared. Qixian's lips curved into a cold, beautiful smile as she tucked the tile away. The way she looked at her opponent was like a promise of violence was coming to him. With that behind us and both sides lined up before the created arena made out of heavy stone and freshly placed from loose material hardened thanks to the sun, it started with Round 1 – Zhianghou vs Rufanzhou. Zhianghou activated his Waternaut Fish Vestuto.

His armor transformed into sleek, glistening fish-scale skin that shimmered blue-green. Water chains wrapped around his limbs as he increased his own weight, making his golden-toothed iron-coal glaive heavier with every step. He roared and charged onto his enemy. Rufanzhou answered with his Vestuto. Bright angelic light exploded around his arms, turning his twin knuckle knives into radiant fists surrounded by holy battle-monk aura. Every punch cut the air with searing force.

The two veterans clashed in a storm of steel and light. Zhianghou's water bullets sprayed across the field while Rufanzhou danced through them, his glowing fists leaving trails of light that burned deep gashes into the ground. They exchanged over a hundred blows, blood flying, armor cracking, until Rufanzhou landed a devastating uppercut that sent Zhianghou crashing out of the ring. Rufanzhou won the first round. It was 1–0 for the Fierce Panda Agency, drawing applause from the merchant, exactly as he had wanted.

Round 2 – Xihua vs Zhufiana Xihua stepped into the ring, pipe still clenched between her teeth, a thin trail of smoke curling from the corner of her mouth. She looked calm, almost bored, but I could see the sharp focus in her eyes. The moment the signal sounded, she activated her Phantasmal Incense Vestuto. Thick, living smoke exploded outward, flooding the entire battlefield in a dense, white-grey mist.

Zhufiana called forth her Vestuto Speed Gallantry Armor and lunged forward like a bolt of lightning, yet Xihua moved like a ghost inside the haze, her light robes fluttering as she closed the distance with blinding speed. Then Xihua struck. From within the smoke, a long, vicious whip materialized as it formed entirely of twisted, razor-sharp thorns made of solidified incense. The whip cracked through the air with a sound like breaking bones.

Zhufiana barely dodged the first lash, but the thorns still grazed her shoulder, tearing through cloth and drawing blood instantly.

"You're fast," Xihua muttered around her pipe, "but speed means nothing if you can't see the one who whips at you." She cracked the thorn whip again and again. Each strike came from a different direction as the smoke twisted and reshaped around her. Zhufiana spun and weaved like a dancer, avoiding defeat by centimeters, but every time she tried to counter, Xihua's smoke reformed into new whips that lashed at her from blind spots. The fight grew brutal.

Zhufiana finally closed in, landing a powerful palm strike to Xihua's ribs. The impact sent Xihua skidding backward, but she didn't fall. Instead she smiled through the pain and retaliated. Her thorn whip wrapped around Zhufiana's left arm like a living serpent, thorns digging deep into flesh. With a savage yank, Xihua pulled her opponent off balance and slammed her into the ground hard enough to crack the earth. Zhufiana screamed in rage and broke free, blood dripping down her arm.

She charged again, faster and more desperate. The two women traded vicious blows in the thick smoke combining fists, elbows, knees, and the constant crack of Xihua's thorn whip echoing across the square. For several long minutes it looked almost even. Zhufiana's agility and raw power nearly overwhelmed Xihua multiple times. But experience won out, since Xihua had far more battles in her pipe. Xihua suddenly vanished into a cloud of smoke, reappearing directly behind Zhufiana.

Her thorn whip coiled around the smaller woman's entire torso like iron chains, thorns biting deep into her skin. With a roar, Xihua spun and flung Zhufiana violently out of the ring. The girl crashed hard into the dirt outside the boundary, coughing blood. Xihua stood victorious in the center of the ring, breathing heavily, sweat mixing with smoke on her face. She took a slow drag from her pipe and exhaled.

"Too slow for the kill girl," she said quietly as her smoke wandered into the open sky. Round 3 – Xhife vs Fuixze Fuixze lumbered into the ring, his massive belly wobbling with every step. The moment the signal rang out, he activated his Fire Charcoal Skin Vestuto. His skin flushed deep red, then began to darken and harden like burning wood. Veins of glowing orange cracked across his body as he grew larger and heavier with every passing second. Xhife answered without hesitation.

His Wind attribute wind demon monkey Vestuto erupted around him, transforming his body into a fierce demon-like monkey covered in sleek black-green fur with glowing emerald patterns. His upper body stayed broad and powerful while his lower half compacted, becoming shorter yet far more agile and bouncy. Wind swirled violently around him like a living storm. The two clashed instantly. Fuixze roared and swung his enormous mercury-handled wooden club in a wide arc.

The impact created a crater three meters wide and sent shockwaves through the entire square. Xhife leaped high, using the wind to bounce off invisible currents, and came crashing down with his staff spinning like a tornado. The staff struck Fuixze's shoulder with hurricane force, but the charcoal giant barely flinched. Instead he grew even larger, his skin turning pure black charcoal as pain fueled his power. They fought like absolute legends for nearly twenty-five brutal minutes.

Fuixze's club smashed the ground again and again, forcing Xhife to use his insane agility to dodge and counter. Xhife bounced from left to right, spinning in mid-air and delivering staff strikes that carried the full force of swirling winds. Every hit landed with explosive impact, yet Fuixze kept growing stronger the more damage he took.

"Come on, monkey boy!" Fuixze bellowed, his voice like cracking burning logs.

"Hit me harder!" Xhife snarled back, eyes glowing emerald.

"As you wish, fat bastard!" He spun his staff so fast it created a visible whirlwind and slammed it into Fuixze's chest. The giant staggered for the first time. But the more Fuixze bled and burned, the bigger and angrier he became. His club swings grew heavier, faster, and more destructive. One grazing blow caught Xhife across the ribs, sending him flying across the ring and coughing blood. Still Xhife got back up, bouncing on the balls of his feet, wind howling around him. They traded blow after devastating blow.

The ring floor was ruined with craters and scorch marks. In the final moments, both warriors poured everything they had left into one last strike. Fuixze's flaming club and Xhife's hurricane-charged staff collided with such force that the entire arena cracked loudly and dust exploded outward with both being outside the Arena. The judges raised their hands.

"Draw!" they shouted. Mo, who had been watching with cold indifference, finally snapped. His face twisted with pure rage. He crushed the thick wooden armrest of his seat into splinters with one hand and shot to his feet, eyes burning with fury. One loss was acceptable, barely, but a draw right after… that was too much beneath his Agency capabilities, he thought.

Round 4 – Erumes Flamma vs Pongli Pongli stepped into the ring with a cocky grin, twirling his three-edged crescent sword once before resting it on his shoulder. The sixteen-year-old prodigy looked far too confident for his age. The moment the signal boomed across the square, he activated his Thunder Heaven Breaker Vestuto. Black tortoise-like plating erupted across his entire back, thick and impenetrable.

The front of his armor twisted into a savage skeletal design, ribs and sharp bone protrusions forming a terrifying exoskeleton. His helmet morphed into a demonic skull-like visage with glowing thunder eyes. Lightning crackled violently across his whole body as he became a living storm of speed and raw destructiveness. The air around him smelled of ozone and burning metal. I charged forward in my Cor Flamma Vestuto first.

Red and orange flames roared to life around me, turning the ground beneath my feet into scorched glass with every step. We collided like two meteors in the center of the ring. The impact sent a shockwave that blasted dust outward in a perfect circle. My flaming sword-axe met his lightning-charged crescent sword in a deafening explosion of fire and electricity. Sparks and embers flew everywhere as we traded blows at blinding speed.

I immediately targeted his most transformed back, the only weakness I could see of his as he never really utilized it. I unleashed Elsa di Fuoco, the Hilt Fire Blaze with a normal heat I currently thought was best matched to test my theory out. First strike was at 3200 degrees. My flaming aura slash exploded against his tortoise plating in a brilliant inferno. The heat was so intense the air itself screamed, yet the black plating barely even glowed. Almost nothing happened to it.

Then came my Second strike with my absolute strongest at 3450 degrees in full swinging arc. I poured every drop of rage and Animo into the swing. The flame crescent burned white-hot as it slammed into his back. The temperature made nearby grass catch fire instantly, but the tortoise shell held firm with only a faint crackle of protest. Stubbornly, I unleashed Third Strike, which had now reached 2, 899 degrees. Still useless.

The plating laughed at my flames as my opponent, Pongli, let it happen, fully knowing his back could tank it all without him breaking a sweat or batting an eye. Pongli threw his head back and laughed arrogantly, his skull-helmet eyes flashing with thunder.

"Is that all you have, Suren? Pathetic! I thought the famous Suren would at least make me sweat not bore me to death!" His words stung, but worse was the pressure I felt burning into my back from Zhuofing's intense gaze and the hopeful eyes of Xhife, Xihua, Honzhou, and every soldier who had bled with me through the Trial of Iron Will. They had trusted me. I could not let them down... i wanted them all present a Victory. Something inside me snapped for goal of the sought after win.

I roared with everything I had and released the seal I had been desperately holding onto with overloading my brain to unlock my soul Vestuto. My Soul Attribute Vestuto erupted violently. Charcoal-grey shadowy armor with a cold silver sheen exploded across my body, vents along the joints releasing thick plumes of hot smoke. Unstable flames and writhing darkness mixed into a monstrous, swirling storm around me. My eyes glowed with eerie silver light as raw, uncontrollable power flooded my veins.

The temperature around me dropped sharply even as flames still licked across the shadowy plates. I stopped holding back completely. I became a blur of a grey demon with burning fire inside me. He closed the distance in an instant and unleashed a storm of attacks. My Elsa di Fuoco released a flame of such intense heat, reaching 4, 900 degrees, that it burned the man fiercely. Surprised by the assault, he withdrew into his shell to tank the damage, hiding inside it for the first time while charging his counterattack.

Seeking a glorious victory, my subconscious seized the opportunity. I unloaded a barrage of punches that landed all over the skeletal front plating of his shell. For the first time, cracks appeared due to the pure intensity of the Elsa di Fuoco flames and the relentless follow-up strikes. The shell cracked wide open before he could unleash his hidden thunder burst. His back armor was now completely exposed and vulnerable.

Pongli's arrogant grin vanished into thin air as he realized his advanced defense was shattered and it was over.

"What the hell is happened for it to break so easily?!" He stood up in a panic and swung his crescent sword in a lightning arc, screaming as he released the half-loaded ultimate of his "Thunder Burst!" However, I slipped through the shocking, thundering strike like smoke and drove a soul-infused fist straight into his open chest. The impact lifted him off the ground and sent him skidding backward, blood spraying from his mouth.

I pressed the advantage mercilessly, mixing Elsa di Fuoco slashes with dark flame punches that left burning black craters wherever they landed. Every strike I landed made the soul flames on my armor burn hotter and wilder. My control was slipping, but the power… the power felt intoxicating. Pongli tried to counter with thunder-charged slashes again as he regained his footing and tried to reposition under the heavy barrage, but I was faster now and far more brutal.

I grabbed his sword arm with a flaming gauntlet and slammed my knee into his ribs, hearing something crack. He screamed in pain and rage, lightning exploding outward in a desperate omni burst that burned my armor. It ignored the agony and kept attacking, driving him toward the edge of the ring. One more combination and It would finish this for us. I was about to end it just one more strike.

Mo suddenly leaped into the ring like a descending mountain, his overwhelming Animo crashing down on both of us with terrifying force. The sheer pressure felt like the sky itself had fallen on my shoulders. My Soul Vestuto screamed in protest but was forcibly suppressed. The soul armor shattered and retreated deep inside me, leaving only painful muscle spasms rippling across my body. I dropped to one knee, breathing hard, blood dripping from my mouth and nose. Faihzu rushed forward, face pale.

"Draw!" he declared loudly, his voice shaking.

"This match is declared a draw! Both fighters have shown exceptional skill. We will not allow this to escalate into unnecessary death!" The entire square was dead silent for a long moment before erupting into roaring cheers and shocked murmurs. I slowly pushed myself back to my feet, legs still trembling from the forced de-Vestuto, and glared at Mo with burning hatred for ruining my match. He stared back at me with cold, near-obsessive calculating eyes, as if he had just seen something he both coveted and feared.

He apologized to our leader for ruining the duel, but in reality, it was pure jealousy that had driven him to interrupt. The concept of someone wielding two different attributes was something he could not stop dissecting in his thoughts. He found himself wondering what it would be like to dissect me, considering I was only a Suren. For now, however, with the mission still ahead, he suppressed his raw desire. Round 5 – Honzhou Pi vs Qixian Qixian entered the ring last.

The moment she activated her Darkness Wings Vestuto, massive wings of pure, writhing darkness erupted from her back. Her entire body became veiled in deep blackness. Her purple eyes glowed with murderous intent as she looked straight at me. Honzhou fought bravely. He activated his Root and Stone Fortress Vestuto, turning into a living fortress of green-brown armor reinforced with vines.

He fired volleys of bullet seeds at 5, 000 to 11, 000 kilometers per hour and tried to trap her with slowing vine rings and fly-trap plants. For a short moment it looked like he might slow her down. It was not enough. Qixian became a nightmare of speed and destruction. She sludge from one spot to another in bursts of pure darkness, appearing and disappearing like a vengeful ghost. Her twin rods created craters with every swing. Each impact shook the ground violently.

She tore through Honzhou's vine defenses like paper, smashed his stone armor apart, and finally slammed him out of the ring with a devastating double rod strike that left a ten-meter crater where he landed. The fight lasted less than four minutes. Qixian stood victorious, breathing calmly, yet her eyes never left me. The jealous, murderous glare she gave me made it clear, that she wanted to smash my head into the ground with those rods. With all five matches complete, only the battle for third place remained.

Third Place Decider – Treasure Seeker Agency vs Safety Delivery Agency. The two agencies faced each other in a best-of-three 1v1 format. The tension was thick. Safety Delivery Agency knew they were fighting for their pride after being dominated earlier, while Woushal looked desperate to wash away the humiliation from his earlier loss. First Match This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

One of Safety Delivery's strongest elites stepped up against Aifa of Treasure Seeker. The fight was extremely close. Aifa's Mirror Lotus Armor created countless reflective mirrors that fired deadly lasers, while her opponent used precise shield work and thehalberd strikes to deflect and counter. For nearly twelve minutes they traded blows back and forth, neither gaining a clear advantage. In the end, Aifa landed a perfectly timed laser barrage that broke through the shield and forced her opponent out of the ring.

Treasure Seeker took the first win, but Safety Delivery had shown impressive resilience. Second Match Lingo of Treasure Seeker faced another elite from Safety Delivery. Lingo's Bloodfang Ravager Vestuto turned him into a brutal whirlwind of burning claws and savage strikes. His opponent fought with disciplined precision and strong defensive techniques, keeping the match dangerously close. They exchanged heavy blows for fourteen minutes, both warriors covered in blood and burns.

Lingo finally overwhelmed his foe with raw aggression and a flaming claw strike to the chest, securing the second victory for Treasure Seeker. Third Match – Deciding Bout Woushal's son, Woushi, stepped forward with an arrogant smirk.

"I will end this here father," he declared. Safety Delivery sent their best remaining fighter, a tall muscular warrior wielding a heavy spear. The moment the fight began, Woushi activated his Electric Eel Armor. Blue lightning crackled across his body as his the halberd glowed with a violent 10 cm thunder aura. The final match was the most intense of the three.

Safety Delivery's warrior fought brilliantly, landing several powerful spear thrusts that actually damaged Woushi and forced him to recharge his Animo multiple times. For fifteen long minutes they battled at a ferocious pace. Woushi's Ampere Step let him read his opponent's movements perfectly, while his thunder-infused thehalberd delivered devastating electric strikes. In the end, Woushi overwhelmed his opponent with a continuous barrage of lightning-enhanced thehalberd swings.

One final strike, carrying over fifty million volts, blasted the Safety Delivery warrior out of the ring with a thunderous explosion. Woushal threw both arms into the air and roared in triumph, his arrogant smirk returning in full force.

"That's my son! That's how Treasure Seeker fights!" He laughed loudly, clearly overjoyed to at least salvage third place after the earlier embarrassment. His team cheered wildly around him, especially Woushi, who stood tall with crackling lightning still dancing across his armor. Because Treasure Seeker had won all three matches, Safety Delivery had no path to a comeback. The final rankings were announced by the Merchant. Mo the Giant Fierce Panda Agency took first place. Golden Tooth Agency took second.

Treasure Seeker Agency took third. Safety Delivery Agency came last. We received our coins. six hundred osmium felt heavy in our hands, yet the pride burning in my chest felt far heavier. Some of the other agencies looked furious. Merchant Faihzu stepped forward once more with that same calculating smile, ready to reveal the next part of the Merchant Trial that could still change everything for all four agencies.