Cataclysm Hunter: I Have an Experience Points System - Chapter 48 - The Committed Actor

Lin Xiao’s second opponent made her entrance, a woman with ear-length hair.

She appeared to be around 30, with evenly distributed muscles that flowed like water, and a physique lean like a graceful cheetah.

“Kid, you’ve got some resilience,” the woman with short hair said, sizing up Lin Xiao with a light chuckle of admiration.

Lin Xiao, panting heavily, seemed much worse for wear.

Yet, he clenched his fists stubbornly, assumed his stance, and shouted:

“Senior, please enlighten me!”

He was like a young man eager to challenge and improve himself, full of youthful vigor.

“Alright then, I won’t hold back.”

The woman charged like an arrow released from a bow, her long legs slashing down like blades.

She didn’t use her full strength, believing her opponent was too weak to continue fighting.

Unexpectedly, Lin Xiao dodged.

His footwork was clumsy, but it effectively evaded the attack.

It seemed this young man had more spirit than she had anticipated…

A smile of approval spread across the woman’s face.

She stopped holding back, mixing punches and kicks, gradually increasing her attack speed.

Lin Xiao dodged left and right, and when he couldn’t evade, he’d brace his arms to block the blows.

It was a struggle; his dwindling strength made it impossible to fully defend, and his footing was chaotic.

Under the relentless onslaught, Lin Xiao looked like a candle in the wind, on the verge of defeat at any moment.

Observing his stubborn determination, the other competitors nodded in respect.

The audience didn’t skimp on applause, rooting for him.

“Go Lin Xiao!”

“You’re doing great! You can do it!”

“Ah, such a fine young man! He’ll definitely become a hunter after graduation.”

“So full of youthful passion, it reminds me of my younger days…”

“Even if he loses, it’s a noble defeat!”

…

The battle had been going on for 10 minutes.

To the audience, it seemed one-sided; Lin Xiao’s defeat seemed inevitable.

But his opponent, the woman with short hair, felt something was off.

Why couldn’t she knock him down…?

She was getting impatient now, even using Vitalis Martial Transformation, but still couldn’t finish the fight.

His strength was lesser, his footwork messy, and his vitalis seemed nearly depleted, right?

Why was he able to hold on so long? And even land a couple of punches on her!

Though the punches weren’t strong due to his exhaustion, they were real hits, and they hurt!

The relentless attacks, the prolonged struggle, yet he was still holding on, and her own condition was declining.

The vitalis of stamina was continuously draining; if she didn’t end the fight soon, she might not be able to face the next opponent.

In her anxiety, the woman fought fiercer, even ignoring some of Lin Xiao’s strikes.

And that became her undoing.

After taking several straight punches, Lin Xiao swept her legs, and the woman with short hair fell sideways.

She reached out to brace herself against the ground, but Lin Xiao seized the opportunity.

He grabbed her legs, sat on her, and pulled back in a textbook jiu-jitsu hold.

The woman with short hair was instantly immobilized, unable to exert any strength.

After 5 seconds…

“Congratulations to Lin Xiao for the victory!”

“Wow-!”

The audience erupted in a frenzy of cheers, some shouting until their faces turned red, others wiping away tears, as if they had achieved victory alongside Lin Xiao.

“Oh my… he really did it!”

“Incredible! Perseverance truly leads to victory!”

“I’m falling for him… I can’t resist this classic hero storyline…”

“This is so exhilarating! The youthful energy and determination… it’s just amazing!”

…

Lin Xiao politely helped his opponent up. The short-haired woman seemed a bit dazed, murmuring to herself, “I actually… lost…?”

“It was because you held back, ma’am!” Lin Xiao pressed her shoulder, speaking earnestly, “If you had gone all out from the start, without giving me time to adapt, I wouldn’t have lasted!”

Is that really the case?

The short-haired woman paused, contemplating for a moment, and began to somewhat agree with Lin Xiao’s reasoning. After all, finding excuses for one’s failures is a natural human tendency.

“Well, a loss is a loss…” she shook her head, looking at Lin Xiao with genuine admiration, “Remarkable, you’ve successfully defended the arena.”

Lin Xiao scratched his head, a smile spreading across his face, a mix of shyness and pride. Such a sunny, innocent young man…

That’s the impression Lin Xiao left on everyone.

“Lin Xiao, will you continue to defend the arena, or are you ready to end your challenge?” The charming female host asked, microphone in hand, her eyes sparkling with a warm smile. Her tone was friendly and gentle, indicating her appreciation for Lin Xiao’s performance.

“I…” Lin Xiao closed his eyes, pausing for a moment. Then he opened them, his face filled with determination. “I want to continue the challenge! Until I can no longer stand!”

“Oh-!”

The audience’s cheers echoed to the heavens, their eyes brimming with tears, moved by his indomitable spirit, showering him with unwavering support and applause.

“He really did it! I’m crying!”

“Oh my gosh! What’s with this kid…”

“Running towards the sunset, that’s the youth I once had!”

“Lin Xiao! I adore you!”

…

The audience was moved by Lin Xiao’s persistence, and the contestants were impressed by his resilience. Even the host wiped the corners of her eyes, smudging her makeup.

For a moment, Lin Xiao became the heartthrob of Arena Room 5.

Unfortunately, this didn’t last long.

He faced opponent after opponent.

…

After a hard-fought third victory, Lin Xiao, trembling, held up the microphone, shouting, “I still feel strength in my body! I won’t give up, I choose to keep fighting!”

…

“My legs are still standing, I haven’t fallen! Arena, continue-!”

“Fighting to the last moment is my dream! Losing on the field is my honor! I will challenge to the end!”

“Sixth match! Come on, I’m still here! If I squeeze out a bit more strength, I’ll have it!”

…

At first, the audience continued to cheer, incredulous and ecstatic, witnessing Lin Xiao achieve miraculous victories.

But as the number of wins increased, their expressions began to change.

“Ahaha… Lin Xiao, do you want to continue the arena, or give up the challenge?” The female host’s eye twitched slightly, her tone subtly nuanced.

“Uh-haha… ha…” Lin Xiao panted heavily, seemingly exhausted, shakily taking the microphone.

“I… I still want to keep fighting! Even though my body is almost done, my spirit is still burning!”

He shouted his passionate lines.

No cheers, no applause, the arena fell into silence.

The audience’s faces were expressionless, their eyes indifferent, a stark contrast to their earlier emotional display.

Lin Xiao scoffed softly, ignoring these fickle spectators. He turned to the contestants’ seats, glaring at the warriors.

Why aren’t you coming up!?

In response to Lin Xiao’s glare, the contestants chuckled, widening their eyes to glare back.

Do you think we’re fools!?