Cataclysm Hunter: I Have an Experience Points System - Chapter 52 - Now, the Conditions are Equal

“Whoosh-”

Lin Xiao exhaled deeply, feeling the surge of energy within him, and flashed a sly smile.

“Watch out, senior…”

His leg whipped through the air, leaving a dark trail behind it. Like a grim reaper’s scythe, it sliced through the air with terrifying speed and power aimed at his opponent.

Hunter Ghost Tiger’s pupils contracted. Without hesitation, he activated his Vitalis Martial Transformation.

“Ha-!”

With a loud shout, his muscles bulged fiercely, vitalis filling his arms as he prepared to block the attack head-on.

Bang-!

Ghost Tiger’s figure shot backward explosively.

Screech, screech, hiss-, screech, screech…

The tough soles of his shoes scraped against the arena floor, leaving a gray-black streak behind.

The venue was filled with the sharp, piercing noise, so sudden and jarring…

Finally, ten meters away, the force of the impact dissipated, and his body ceased its backward motion.

Ghost Tiger lowered his defense, his tense muscles gradually relaxing, easing into a calm state.

The screen zoomed in on his hands.

The sturdy arms that had blocked the whip-like leg were now trembling uncontrollably…

“……”

The arena fell silent, the audience exchanged bewildered glances, eyes full of disbelief.

The hunters in the contestant seats reacted even more “enthusiastically.”

They widened their eyes, clenched their fists, some even slapped the armrests and jumped up.

Their demeanor was nothing like the cool, indifferent attitude from before; their expressions were filled with astonishment.

“……We’ve been fooled again, another little monster!”

The curly-haired female hunter looked at the strands of hair she’d pulled out, pouting and muttering resentfully.

The male hunter who had spoken to Lin Xiao earlier covered his face with his hands, sighing deeply.

“How did Big Bear rank higher than this kid?”

……

“Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!”

“Hahaha! Lin Xiao… no wait! Ash is actually this strong!?”

Gao Liangxiong, the one being talked about, lay on the ground, letting the medical staff apply ointment and bandages.

He raised his head high, eyes wide like copper bells, staring at the arena with excitement.

His booming voice echoed throughout the room, not at all like someone who had just been knocked down.

Thanks to his loud exclamations, the silence in the venue was broken, and the audience seats began to buzz with activity.

“Is this really a junior!? Oh my!”

“That leg was so fast, my eyes couldn’t even keep up!”

“Wow! Could he be the new ‘Ice Princess’?”

“Not quite, but definitely stronger than Big Bear…”

……

Ghost Tiger rubbed his arms, staring at his opponent with a serious gaze, his demeanor completely different from the casual attitude earlier.

“I was wrong; you’re much stronger than Big Bear.”

Lin Xiao chuckled softly, not denying it falsely.

“I’ll take this seriously now and treat you as a real opponent.”

The hunter lowered his stance, an invisible aura began to rise, and a gray veil crept into his eyes.

Bang-!

Like a tiger spotting its prey, he charged forward, exuding a fierce and bloody pressure.

Lin Xiao refused to back down, meeting him head-on, determined to face the tiger’s might.

Fists flew with terrifying force, like cannon blasts, dense as buckshot; kicks were powerful, swift as lightning, striking like thunder.

The two clashed fiercely, neither willing to yield.

They were determined to meet head-on and crush the opponent!

Boom!

As their fists collided, Ghost Tiger staggered back two steps, his mouth twitching as he stared at Lin Xiao.

“How dense is your vitalis… Why is your strength amplification so high?”

Previously, Lin Xiao’s physical strength had been slightly inferior to his.

Now that both were using Vitalis Martial Transformation, the tables had turned, and his strength was being suppressed!

Lin Xiao, with a modest smile, extended a finger and made a small gesture.

“Not bad, just a bit higher than others.”

…

The hunter looked at him doubtfully, then sighed heavily.

“Well, your strength among D Rank hunters is considered strong.”

“But, it’s not enough to beat me!”

Gray energy overflowed, enveloping his limbs like a thin veil.

As delicate as the wings of a cicada, easily torn.

Yet, no one would underestimate this “thin paper,” for it represented the entwinement of energy, a testament to one’s mastery of vitalis.

The moment it appeared, the atmosphere in the venue heated up.

“Quick, put on your scouting glasses, Ghost Tiger is using Vitalis Entwinement!”

“Holy cow! He’s really getting serious now!”

“Is this student that impressive? Ordinary hunters can’t make Ghost Tiger go all out.”

“How many among D Rank hunters can use entwinement? Probably just twenty to thirty percent?”

…

“I’ll use all my strength… to crush you!”

Boom!

The ground burst with an airwave.

Ghost Tiger’s body turned into a blur, instantly reaching Lin Xiao’s side.

His leg, wrapped in ash-colored Flame Thread, struck like a giant axe, aimed directly at Lin Xiao’s torso.

Lin Xiao’s eyes narrowed, taking the attack seriously.

He sidestepped, avoiding the full force of the kick, then shifted his shoulders and elbows to absorb the remaining power.

Tap, tap…

The surging strength pushed Lin Xiao back two steps, as he struggled to maintain his balance.

Ghost Tiger retracted his leg, not pursuing further, and asked faintly, “How’s that? Still want to continue?”

“Getting hit by an attack imbued with vitalis isn’t pleasant, is it?”

“Ha ha… indeed, it’s quite painful.”

Clutching his sore and numb shoulder, Lin Xiao finally understood the wonderful sensation of being struck by Vitalis Entwinement.

Unlike a physical touch, it was like being swept by a steel column, extremely rigid.

And with it, an explosive impact.

It was as if a grenade had exploded right next to his shoulder, the immense force numbing his arm.

Thinking back to when Bai Shan had physically contested his Ash Mode, Lin Xiao gained a newfound respect for him.

…That’s real endurance!

Seeing Lin Xiao’s honest reaction, Ghost Tiger nodded and pointed outside the arena.

“Since you understand, better surrender now. This force isn’t easy to control.”

Lin Xiao understood his concern; the skill was too powerful and could easily break someone.

Unless, the opponent also used Vitalis Entwinement…

…!?

Ghost Tiger’s expression froze, his mouth slowly opening wide, his eyes bulging in disbelief.

…

“Pff-!”

At the players’ bench, a male hunter with a crew cut had just taken a sip of ice water and glanced at the match, spitting it out in shock.

It was messy, but no one cared about his blunder.

All around, the hunters were stunned, their faces filled with shock as they stared at the arena.

Even the noisy spectators gradually fell silent.

They held their breath, their eyes wide, lost for words.

…

Just like the earlier scene.

Dark gray energy flowed out, gradually rising, climbing up his limbs, forming a thin layer of Flame Thread.

Lin Xiao slowly opened his eyes.

Roar-

Dark flames swept up, burning fiercely in his pupils.

The world… slowed down.

“Now that we’re on equal footing, shall we start the next round?”

As soon as he spoke, the room erupted into chaos!