chsdbacks Page 78
Page 78
"A controller?" Shui Long scoffed, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
"Forget about those childish games; it has to be something that allows you to move your body. Otherwise, what am I doing here? Doing stretching exercises?"
His flippant and arrogant tone made the staff member's smile freeze slightly, but her good professionalism kept her polite and she quickly processed his paperwork.
Having received his competition wristband, Shuilong glanced at the number on it and strolled towards the preparation area for the actual combat mode.
His goal was simple: to have some fun, see if there were any opponents who could pique his interest, and incidentally, see if there was a chance to meet a few cute girls.
He showed little interest in the prize money.
In his view, everything in life was simply meant to make him happier.
Chapter 106 The game begins
The back entrance of the convention center, an inconspicuous employee passageway.
A figure, like a ghost, slipped silently into the venue, bypassing all surveillance cameras and security personnel.
His steps were light yet steady, each step landing in the blind spots of surveillance cameras and the gaps in the crowd, exuding a dangerous aura that kept strangers at bay.
It was none other than the "Hero Hunter," Garou.
The wolf's purpose was neither for the prize money nor for entertainment.
He was drawn here by the aura of the "strong".
Such large-scale public events always attract all sorts of people.
Among them might be some heroes hidden among the crowd, or some self-righteous martial artists.
For him, this was not a competition arena, but a hunting ground.
He moved through the crowd, his keen senses scanning everyone who passed by him.
He automatically filtered out ordinary gamers.
He was looking for the aura of a strong person that comes from the very core of their being, forged through countless trials.
Soon, he also noticed the advertisement about the "fully immersive combat mode".
"Oh? Interesting." A cruel smile curled at the corner of the wolf's mouth.
"A stage where I don't have to worry about killing someone, and I can force the opponent to show their true level... This is simply tailor-made for me."
Instead of going to the official registration area, he went directly to the back-end area of the practical mode.
All he needs to do is find a lone contestant, "borrow" their identity and equipment, and he can then legitimately step onto the stage.
And so, the three groups, each with their own distinct purpose, converged here.
Lin Mo, Saitama, and Genos walked towards their designated C-zone ring, ready to face their first match.
Shui Long whistled as he leisurely strolled into the players' lounge in the actual combat mode, looking for his next source of amusement.
The hungry wolf, meanwhile, lurked in the shadows backstage, choosing his first "hunting" target.
------
Backstage, deep in the shadows.
A young man of medium build and somewhat thin was practicing the signature moves of the game character "Thunder Mage" repeatedly in front of a mirror.
He was muttering to himself, looking excited, clearly a loyal fan of "The King of Fighters: Ultimate".
"That's it! 'Million Volts' followed by 'Lightning Flash,' as long as I can pull off this combo, I'm sure I can..."
Before he could finish speaking, a hand silently landed on his shoulder.
The young man was startled and was about to turn around when a sharp pain shot through the back of his neck. His vision went black and he collapsed limply to the ground.
Hungry Wolf casually dragged him behind a pile of equipment cases and then put on the slightly exaggerated VR glasses.
"B-444... Hmph, not a bad number."
The hungry wolf stretched his limbs, experiencing the functions of the VR glasses.
When the VR glasses were turned on, a virtual interface appeared in front of him.
Welcome, player B-444! Please select your game character.
On the screen, dozens of game characters with different styles are lined up in a row.
The wolf's gaze swept over the flashy mages, archers, and fantastical creatures, finally settling on a fighter character dressed in tattered martial arts attire.
"Heh, this is interesting." He chose the role that best suited his own temperament.
[Character selection successful. Your first match will begin in five minutes at Arena 7 in Area B. Good luck!]
Hungry Wolf closed the interface, a bloodthirsty smile spreading across his face. His gaze seemed to penetrate the walls, looking out at the boiling ocean.
"Good luck? No, it's my prey that needs good luck."
------
Area B, Arena No. 13.
The water dragon race barely caused any waves.
His opponent is a burly fitness coach who has chosen the "Rock Warrior" character in the game, a heavy tank known for its strength and defense.
At the start of the match, the opponent adopted a stance, attempting to intimidate the water dragon with their imposing size and the power of their game character.
However, his rival, Suiryu, seemed out of place.
He simply stood lazily at the other end of the ring, his hands in his martial arts uniform pockets, and even yawned in front of thousands of spectators and live cameras, completely lacking in manners.
"Hey, big guy, are you ready to get beaten up?" he said in a flippant tone through the game's built-in voice system.
The fitness instructor's face instantly turned a deep liver color.
What he hates most are geniuses who disrespect their opponents and have a frivolous attitude.
He roared, his muscles bulged in the real world, and he controlled the "Giant Rock Warrior" to launch the charge skill - "Bull Charge".
The game character's massive body kicked up a cloud of dust on the arena, each step causing the virtual ground to tremble slightly as it charged toward the water dragon with tremendous force.
Just as the enormous fist was about to smash into his face, the water dragon's figure swayed slightly, dodging the attack at an incredible angle.
"too slow."
Before he could finish speaking, Shui Long's body was already close to his opponent.
The essence of the Netherworld Fist, which combines flexibility and power, has been perfectly translated into the movements of the game characters.
On the screen, viewers saw the Water Dragon character transform into afterimages, unleashing a storm of attacks on the "Giant Rock Warrior".
Every punch and every kick landed precisely on the opponent's joints and vital points.
The game system kept popping up notifications:
[Weakness Exploit!]
[Combo +10!]
The fitness coach was completely dumbfounded; he realized that his dynamic vision couldn't keep up with the other person's speed at all.
He was just wildly swinging his fists, but he couldn't even touch the hem of the other person's clothes, while his character's health was rapidly declining.
"ended."
Water Dragon felt a bit bored, and in reality, he casually raised one foot and delivered a light roundhouse kick.
The character in the game simultaneously performed a spectacular kick, creating a small tornado that sent the "Giant Rock Warrior" flying high into the air before slamming him heavily to the ground.
Huge red text appeared in the center of the screen.
The entire match lasted only 45 seconds from start to finish.
Shuilong expressionlessly removed his VR glasses, and after a brief silence, the surrounding audience erupted in thunderous gasps and applause.
But he seemed detached from it all, showing no appreciation for the praise.
He casually tossed the specially made equipment to a staff member who was already stunned, put his hands back in his pockets, and continued to search aimlessly through the excited crowd with his lazy yet discerning eyes.
"Boring, all amateurs. Hopefully the next one will give me some fun."
His gaze eventually fell on another match on a large screen in the distance.
Chapter 107 Gale Pavilion "Ghost Dragon"
Arena No. 3 in Zone C is one of the competition areas closest to the corner of the entire convention center.
Compared to the brilliance and attention of the main stage, the lights here were somewhat dim, and the audience was much sparser, mostly consisting of the contestants' family and friends, or some scattered tourists who came to join in the fun.
The emcee's bland voice came over the loudspeaker, devoid of any fervor, merely a routine procedure.
"Next up is the preliminary round of the 'Fully Immersive Combat Mode', match C-3-1."
"Contestants A-777 and A-025, please enter the competition area."
Under the watchful eyes of Genos and Saitama, Lin Mo calmly walked into the competition area and put on the VR glasses.
Meanwhile, his opponent, a young man who looked to be in his early twenties, also put on VR glasses.
He was lean and wiry, with slightly bulging temples and eyes that shone brightly when he opened and closed his eyes, clearly a martial artist who had undergone rigorous training.
"Hmph, a game..." The young man sneered with disdain.
"It's just a pastime for a bunch of laymen. Let them see what true martial arts are."
His name is "Giryu". He is the chief disciple of a karate dojo called "Reppukan". He is a 4th dan black belt at a young age and is well-known in the domestic fighting world.
He participated in this competition not entirely for the generous prize money, but also to hone his skills and prove his martial arts prowess by fighting against strong opponents from all over the world.
[Battle preparation complete, scene selection in progress...]
[Scene loading: Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera Temple]
[Countdown begins: 3, 2, 1, FIGHT!]
With a cold notification tone, the scene before Lin Mo's eyes changed instantly.
A rustic wooden stage, cherry blossoms gently falling from the sky, and in the distance, the tranquil night view of Kyoto's ancient city.