Chapter 326 - Underground Fighting Ring Boss’ Visit
In the later matches, Han Wu leveraged his exceptional mental focus to manipulate his Fireball into a variety of shapes and sizes, demonstrating the full extent of his potential. With numerous Assists from the teachers and students, his Fireball quickly reached Level 20, and he unlocked its third effect. He was presented with three options.
[Option 1: Black Flames – Fire is almost inextinguishable before the death of the victim.]
[Option 2: Mana Burn – Burns off the mana of the enemies.]
[Option 3: Track – Automatically homes in on enemies.]
Han Wu wanted to select all three but was forced to choose only one. Ultimately, he chose Black Flames. Combined with Blood Fuel, his Fireball became a nearly unstoppable weapon that was capable of burning relentlessly until his enemies were utterly destroyed. The synergy created a devastatingly powerful combo.
At the same time his Fireball reached Level 20, Han Wu achieved the rank of Superior Disciple. Thanks to his remarkable potential and the guidance of his Life Aspect, he gained a new Skill called Vigor. This support-type Skill could be applied to anyone. It could boost all of the target’s potential slightly while significantly enhancing their primary potential.
Using Vigor, Han Wu and his team swept through every opponent and earned the honor of representing their academy in the official interacademy competition. Naturally, the trio received generous rewards for being the top team. Each of them pocketed 100,000 credits.
For Han Wu, it was a substantial sum, but it barely made a dent in the cost of cultivation items. His potential was already high, and advancing further would require a far greater investment. The reward they had earned was not nearly enough.
Fortunately, with a month still remaining before the interacademy competition, the three had plenty of time to train.
Meng Qi, the wealthiest of the three, suggested an option known only to him. “Why don’t we enter a Survival Site? My family has secured a route for one. What do you think?”
Since Han Wu had transmigrated into this world, he had no idea what a Survival Site was. He did not want to waste time dredging through the original Han Wu’s memories, so he asked Meng Qi directly, “What is a Survival Site? Can we defeat monsters to level up?”
Meng Qi and Leng Ning exchanged puzzled looks.
“Have you been playing too many games? Since when can defeating monsters level you up?” Meng Qi said. “Survival Sites are quarantined zones where humans are forbidden to live. The environment is almost always harsh, and many powerful beings roam there. A normal person couldn’t survive even a single day.”
Han Wu frowned in confusion. “Then why should we go there?”
Meng Qi explained carefully, “There are countless treasures hidden there. Since it’s a dangerous place humans rarely visit, natural treasures accumulate that can help us boost our potential or even grant Assist Points.
“There could also be herbs or other resources we cannot consume directly, but that can be refined into something usable. Those items usually sell for a high price. This is all common knowledge—you could easily look it up online. Don’t you have a terminal at home?”
Han Wu scratched his head, feeling embarrassed. His family was poor, but they still had a terminal and Internet access. He simply had never checked it since arriving here.
“Then we need to leave soon.” Impatience crept into his voice. Now that he had become a Superior Disciple, he needed more Assist Points to level up Vigor. After all, it possessed all seven attributes, making it seven times harder to advance than any other Skill.
Leng Ning stopped him with a calm hand. “Why are you in such a rush? Survival Sites are extremely dangerous. We need to prepare before heading there. The academy gave each of us 100,000 credits, so I suggest we buy the necessary equipment first.”
Her words were clearly aimed at Han Wu. Both Meng Qi and Leng Ning came from wealthy families, so 100,000 credits was trivial to them. They worried that Han Wu, coming from a poorer background, would risk skipping proper equipment to save money.
“Sure.” Han Wu nodded. As someone from the Divine Civilization, he had long since handled sums far greater than his current 100,000 credits. There was no reason to withhold the money for the sake of pride when acquiring the necessary equipment.
Leng Ning felt a flicker of surprise at how quickly Han Wu agreed to part with the money. Clearly, he trusted them enough to let them handle the purchase, and that earned him a measure of her approval.
A set of equipment for entering a Survival Site cost far more than 100,000 credits. They had quoted that price only because it matched Han Wu’s available funds, carefully preserving his ego and reputation.
Han Wu transferred the money to Meng Qi and returned home to await their update.
During that interval, the boss of the underground fighting ring had tried repeatedly to lure him into the arena, but Han Wu declined every invitation. His previous visits had been solely to earn money and accumulate Assist Points. Now, with a better opportunity in hand, the fighting ring held no appeal.
Han Wu’s actions had infuriated the boss. Without Han Wu fighting in the ring, many fans from Ember stopped showing up, and the flow of betting money slowed to a trickle.
How could the boss make any real profit if no one wagered on the matches? Selling tickets alone would never cover his losses.
When Han Wu rejected him, the boss felt insulted and deceived. He could not allow such insolence to go unpunished.
“Find me everything you can on that brat! The more, the better. I want him to pay for insulting me!” he barked at his subordinates.
Within half a day, they returned with every scrap of information they could gather, including Han Wu’s face and some details of his Skills.
The boss studied the files and discovered that Han Wu was just a regular student. His fist clenched tightly. “That poor bastard. How dare he try to fool me? I will kill him.”
He flung the papers into the air and roared, “You! Gather some of the fighters loyal to us. We’re going to pay him a visit today. Let’s see what his parents look like.”
The announcer nodded and quickly assembled five strong fighters to accompany the boss to Han Wu’s home.
Han Wu’s parents were at work, leaving the boss and his men waiting outside. He swore he would recover every coin he had lost because of Han Wu.
However, it was Han Wu, not his parents, who returned home first.
The boss sprang to his feet and bellowed, “You! Do you think you can quit whenever you want? Do you know how much money I’ve lost because of you? Do you think you’re in charge here?”
Han Wu’s temper flared as he met the boss’s stare. “I will go if I want to, and I won’t go if I don’t. That is my freedom and my right. I am not some slave who obeys every command.”
The boss’s anger shifted into a chilling, deadly calm. His voice lost its fire and took on an icy menace. “You are dead to me.”
Han Wu realized instantly that the boss intended to kill him, and he knew he had to strike first. There was no reason to let anyone who threatened his family live.
I must end this. The sooner, the better. Han Wu conjured a black Fireball and hurled it straight at the boss.