Chapter 4: Leader of the Sub-Humans

After departing from the desert ruins, Mels and the others followed Long Yi to the northwest for nearly two days. Although Mels and his companions' martial arts had not yet reached the stage where they could fly freely, with Sol's help, they could barely keep up with Long Yi's flying speed.

However, this put a greater strain on Sol. The prolonged flight magic nearly exhausted all his mana, forcing the group to fly for a while, then walk, landing several times to rest and allow Sol to recover his mana.

Yet, what baffled Mels and the others the most was Long Yi's flying ability. According to Ying Feiyu and others, Long Yi was from the Earth Dragon Clan, which inherently lacked the ability to fly. His martial arts seemed roughly on par with Mels, so logically, Long Yi shouldn't have been able to sustain long flights relying solely on Qi.

However, in reality, Long Yi not only flew effortlessly but was even faster than Ying Feiyu and other members of the Eagle Clan! This inevitably sparked immense curiosity in Mels and the others.

After cautiously inquiring, Long Yi frankly explained everything.

It turned out that Long Yi was not an ordinary Earth Dragon Clan member but a new generation of Sub-Humans modified through advanced technology from a mysterious organization! Long Yi even told Mels and the others that Sub-Humans had begun experiments to improve Summoned Beasts hundreds of years ago. Despite many failures, the latest generation of members now possessed combat abilities no less formidable than humans!

Although Long Yi didn't elaborate on many details, Mels and the others understood that the organization he belonged to must be vast in scale, with incredibly powerful and advanced technological capabilities!

Long Yi and other Sub-Human Summoned Beast warriors were precisely the new warriors developed by this organization to counter the Federation!

After briefly learning about the Earth Dragon Clan Sub-Humans, Mels and the others found it difficult to extract any more useful information from Long Yi. Clearly, Long Yi was a warrior who knew his limits; he would only share information when he deemed it appropriate.

Faced with Long Yi's tight-lipped demeanor, Mels didn't mind. He knew that if Long Yi didn't want to talk, even killing him wouldn't yield the desired intelligence. As long as they followed Long Yi to their destination, all truths would gradually unfold before their eyes.

Traveling in fits and starts, after three days, they finally crossed the vast desert and arrived at the edge of a dense, uninhabited forest.

With just one glance at the surroundings, Mels was convinced this was the perfect location for a secret base.

The dense forest, spanning hundreds of square kilometers, could conceal almost anything. At the very center of this forest stood a towering, smoking volcano.

Within the forest, various strange animals ran about, with wildflowers and fruits everywhere. Compared to the nearby desert, this place was like paradise. Protected by the desert and located at the continent's edge, it was no wonder the mysterious organization chose to develop here.

"That mountain ahead is our destination. From here on, please stay close behind me, or you might be attacked by the guards." Long Yi paused mid-air, turning back to speak seriously to Mels and the others.

Mels and the others knew Long Yi spoke the truth and nodded in understanding.

Seeing that everyone understood, Long Yi said no more and turned to fly toward the volcano. Sol was already quite exhausted, but considering their goal was within reach and Long Yi had warned of possible ground guards, he could only muster his energy, releasing the last traces of his mana to support the group in keeping up with Long Yi's speed as they flew urgently toward the volcano.

Long Yi circled halfway around the volcano, selected a spot, and then slowly descended. Following behind, Mels and the others saw no openings or tunnels below Long Yi and grew suspicious. Suddenly, the scenery before them began to change as Long Yi descended!

A massive, advanced base soon appeared before everyone's eyes.

Only when this advanced base fully revealed its majestic appearance did Ying Feiyu exclaim in awe, "My clan has researched holographic imaging technology for decades without major breakthroughs, yet someone has already reached a practical stage! And on such a vast scale—truly unimaginable! Unimaginable!"

"Holographic imaging technology? What exactly is that?" Kaslo asked curiously as soon as Ying Feiyu finished.

"Haha, simply put, it's using technology to create scenes. For example, if there's a cake on the table, I can use this technology to turn it into an empty plate. That way, no one would steal it! This technology holds particularly great value in military applications, completely deceiving the enemy's eyes and even luring them into traps!" Ying Feiyu explained.

Although Ying Feiyu's explanation was simple and clear, everyone still only half-understood, unclear about the specifics. It wasn't until Long Yi, gradually descending, turned back to call them that Mels and the others snapped out of their shock and followed him down. Trailing behind Long Yi, they soon landed on a wide, central area of the base. As they landed one after another, before they could steady themselves, three Sub-Humans emerged from a building to the north. These three looked almost identical to the Eagle Clan, the only difference being they had no wings on their backs and had a dazzling Summoning Gem on their left arms.

"Everyone, please follow me." The leading Sub-Human scanned the group, then headed toward the northern buildings. Mels and the others exchanged glances, saw Long Yi obediently starting to follow, and without further hesitation, trailed behind the three Sub-Humans at a slow pace.

Along the way, the three Sub-Humans remained silent, and Mels and the others didn't know what to say either. The group entered the largest building in the north in silence.

"Wait here. General Long, please come with us." After entering the hall, the three Sub-Humans stopped Mels and the others, taking only Long Yi away from the group.

Mels felt uneasy about Long Yi leaving first, but he knew this was Sub-Human territory. Even if he strongly objected, it would be futile. So he composed himself and quietly observed his surroundings.

The layout of this building was quite strange. It appeared massive from the outside but was very narrow inside. From the main hall where Mels stood, it was only about a hundred square meters. There were only inward passages, with no rooms extending left or right. Undoubtedly, this building either had a maze-like interior or hidden mechanisms within the walls.

The decorations in the main hall were simple: apart from a few calligraphy and paintings, there were only electric lights for illumination, not even a single table or chair. After scanning the area and finding nothing peculiar, Mels and the others quietly waited for the Sub-Human who would summon them to appear.

Moments later, the three Sub-Humans who had led the way reappeared. One of them said, "The Lord summons you all. Please follow us." Without waiting for Mels' response, he led the way.

Faced with the Sub-Humans' arrogant behavior, Mels and the others felt resentful, but being under another's roof, they had no choice but to lower their heads and silently follow the three Sub-Humans into the inner hall. Upon entering, they saw stairs leading underground.

Watching the three Sub-Humans descend the stairs, Sol couldn't help but whisper mockingly, "Truly creatures that shun the light. Even if they build such a large base, they can only live underground."

As soon as Sol finished speaking, the shoulders of the three Sub-Humans twitched simultaneously.

Mels knew these three were highly skilled; Sol's words had already displeased them. He quickly said to Sol, "Enough nonsense. Where they choose to live is none of our business! Let's wait until we meet their leader!" Hearing Mels, Sol stuck out his tongue and dared not say more. The three Sub-Humans ahead only glared angrily at Sol before falling silent again.

Descending about three hundred steps, an underground hall illuminated by torches appeared before Mels and the others.

Leading the group through halls and rooms, they soon arrived at a vast underground audience chamber. Inside, besides Long Yi, there were two other unfamiliar Earth Dragon Clan Sub-Humans. The three Sub-Humans who had led the way knelt before a black curtain at the far end and then quietly withdrew.

"Are you the human warriors from distant lands and the Eagle Clan Crown Prince?" an aged voice came from behind the black curtain.

Although the old man was being mysterious, Mels still stepped forward confidently and said loudly, "We are indeed from the overseas Kaxiu Continent. We appeared in the Sub-Human world by accident and have no intention of harming Sub-Humans!"

"I am roughly aware of your situation. I deeply apologize for the earlier rash decision to send assassins against you. However, I still wish to know: how exactly did you come to the Sub-Human world? And why do you want to go to the Federation?" the old man asked.

"The reasons are complex and cannot be explained briefly. I can only tell you simply: we were attacked by Sub-Human forces on another island. Then, for some unknown reason, we were thrown into an abandoned prison in the Sub-Human world. As for why we want to go to the Federation Continent, it's simply because we have an irreconcilable hatred with the Federation humans!" Mels replied succinctly after a moment's thought.

"Oh? Years ago, I heard about the Kaxiu Continent. Although I don't know what has happened in the past few decades, the technology on Kaxiu was quite backward then, incapable of creating vehicles that could breach the Divine Barrier. I'm curious: how did you improve your technological level so quickly? Is it related to the Federation Continent? Did you receive technological guidance from them?" the old man asked Mels with a tone of suspicion and vigilance.

"You are right. Our technology on Kaxiu is indeed inferior to the Federation's, not even comparable to the Sub-Human world. But we have our own magic, our own unique races. It is precisely by relying on these advantages that we came here. Respected Sub-Human leader, I must remind you: we are not your prisoners and have no obligation to answer every one of your questions!" Mels was clearly growing weary of the Sub-Humans' endless questioning. As soon as he spoke, he immediately drew hostile glares from the three Sub-Humans standing before the black curtain.

However, the old man behind the black curtain laughed heartily, unfazed. "Haha... Truly, heroes emerge from the young. It was indeed my discourtesy first. Attendants, bring seats." After saying this, footsteps were heard from behind the black curtain. Moments later, the black curtain was lifted high by the surrounding Sub-Human guards, and an old man with white hair and beard, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, walked out unsteadily.

Seeing the old man before them, Mels and the others were greatly surprised because he had neither fur nor scales—he was a true human!

"Haha... Surprised to see me? Actually, no need for surprise. I am merely a shell with a soul remaining." The old man chuckled lightly, then continued, "Remove your Sub-Human masks. They serve no purpose here."

Hearing the old man's words, Mels and the others obediently removed their masks, revealing their original appearances.

For some reason, Mels and the others felt an inexplicable sense of trust toward this fellow human elder. Perhaps it was the feeling of meeting an old friend in a foreign land.

"Now, are you willing to tell me everything? I can assure you, I bear no ill will toward you," the old man said.

Mels hesitated for a moment. Although he felt he couldn't fully trust the old man before him, he still began to recount slowly, telling the elder everything about how they came to the Sub-Human world and why they wanted to go to the Federation.

"Ah, I never imagined that after all these years, those people haven't changed at all!" The elder sighed deeply and continued, "Actually, I died hundreds of years ago, but I couldn't rest easy, worrying about these children I raised with my own hands, fearing they would be enslaved by the Federation government again. So I created this body and preserved my consciousness within it. My original name is Karl Rolans. I was formerly the chief engineer of the Federation's highest biological research center. You may call me Dr. Rolans.

I'm sure you must find it strange: since I am human, why would I help these children? The reason is simple: everyone has a kind side in their heart. These children are lives I researched and created with my own hands; they are like my descendants. Seeing them enslaved like machines, I felt only pain.

By chance, I discovered that some among them possessed self-awareness, so I began to make contact. Unfortunately, most Sub-Humans harbored deep hatred for humans. Even those who could accept me only saw me as a suspicious outsider. Before they launched their rebellion, I tried to stop them, but to no avail. Only when they were on the verge of complete annihilation by the Federation army did I resolve to lead them away from that terrifying hell! In this new world, I passed on Federation technology to them, teaching them to leave their savage ways behind.

Although the new world's land was suitable for their lives, I feared the Federation would eventually discover them. So I returned to my old profession, researching a new generation of warriors. But unfortunately, I was alone, and the progress was slow, as you can imagine. It wasn't until a hundred years ago that the first Sub-Human Summon Warrior emerged through my efforts. By then, the Federation had already created countless Summon Warriors in your world!

To avoid the Federation's powerful combat legions, I had to do everything to avoid contact with the Federation, even killing humans who had any contact with us to protect these poor children. When I discovered you were also human, I decided, as before, to kill you. It wasn't until Long Yi returned with news of you that I learned you were also victims of the Federation, sharing an irreconcilable hatred with them, just like us!"

"So that's how it is." Mels fell silent for a moment, then said, "Earlier, I thought you were establishing a dictatorship here, hence choosing to kill all humans to keep the secret forever."

"Haha... Young man, if I wanted a dictatorship, I wouldn't have chosen to give Sub-Humans higher technology and wisdom. I'd just have them obey my orders obediently. Now, let me ask you: do you thoroughly understand the Federation? Do you know how to oppose them?" Dr. Rolans put away his smile, looking at Mels with a serious gaze.

"This..." Mels clearly hadn't expected Rolans to suddenly ask such a question. He shook his head helplessly and said, "We know very little about the Federation, only that they have powerful Summon Warriors and exceptional technology. As for how to enter the Federation or how to oppose them, we truly have no knowledge or confidence."

"Charging ahead with fervor is a young person's strength but also their greatest weakness. In your current state, I absolutely would not allow you to enter the Federation. I can tell you very clearly: on this continent, there are only two still-functional spatial gate teleportation arrays. One is here, the other is under the management of the Five Clouds Cave. However, no matter what, I will not activate either one!" Dr. Rolans shook his head, then turned to walk back toward the black curtain.

"Dr. Rolans, you absolutely cannot do this! Although we are also Federation experiments, we have our own thoughts! On our continent, countless humans like me could be destroyed by the Federation at any moment. We have no time! Please believe me, let us through the teleportation array!" Mels shouted at Rolans.

"Passing through isn't actually difficult." Rolans seemed to have anticipated Mels' reaction. He turned to face Mels and said, "You must demonstrate your strength with your own hands, prove to me that you can survive in the Federation, that you possess even the slightest possibility of victory! If you cannot prove it, then to protect the tens of millions of children in the Sub-Human world, I will absolutely not risk the Federation detecting the teleportation location by opening the array!" "How can we prove it to you?" Mels asked with firm eyes, full of confidence, looking at Rolans.

"Summoned Beasts!" Rolans spat out the words, then explained: "On the Federation continent, martial skills are no match for advanced weaponry. To achieve victory, one must rely on Summoned Beasts, which hold absolute advantages in speed and destructive power! You must use your Summoned Beasts to prove to me you are the strongest warriors! Otherwise..."

"I agree to your terms, but you must also agree to one thing of mine." Mels was now crystal clear that a battle was unavoidable. Only by defeating this stubborn scholar could they possibly obtain the key to the Federation.

"Go ahead, say it." Rolans remained expressionless.

"These three are princes of the Eagle Clan. In the world of Sub-Humans, the children of various clans have always been suppressed by the Five Clouds Cave. This suppression is growing stronger, and they have absolutely no desire to remain under the thumb of the Five Clouds Cave any longer; they want to carve out their own tomorrow with their own strength. Although this is an internal matter of the Sub-Human world and it's not really my place to meddle, I made them a promise to help with their biggest problem. I know the power you possess is far greater than that of the Five Clouds Cave, so I want your guarantee that, once we pass your test, you'll help the various clans reconcile with the Five Clouds Cave on our behalf, allowing them to coexist peacefully!" Mels declared loudly.

Hearing that Mels had not forgotten them even at such a critical moment, Ying Feiyu felt a strange surge of excitement. However, Rolans did not readily agree to Mels's request.

Rolans remained silent for a long while before finally looking up at Mels and saying, "The Five Clouds Cave is indeed no match for us, but they don't answer to us. To avoid stirring up a storm of bloodshed in the Sub-Human world, I cannot agree to your request. However, I have long heard about the conflicts between the various clans and the Five Clouds Cave. I think we can take this opportunity to resolve them together.

Here's what we'll do: tomorrow, you rest for a day. Within three days, I will summon the top fighters from the Five Clouds Cave. At that time, if you can defeat them all, I believe they will agree to your demands. If they go back on their word, then I promise you, I will spare no cost to completely eradicate the Five Clouds Cave! However, the warriors of the Five Clouds Cave do not have Summoned Beasts, so..."

"Lord Rolans, who says our Five Clouds Cave has no Summon Warriors?" Suddenly, a long laugh came from behind the group.

Mels turned to see a tall, thin Sub-Human with a face resembling a monkey appear before them.

Rolans clearly had not expected this person to come. As he turned to observe the five warriors beside the man, Rolans frowned slightly and said, "Master of the Five Clouds Cave, why have you come here? What's the deal with the Summon Warriors behind you?"

"Hah! The Five Clouds Cave has always been suppressed by you. Of course, this situation has kept me up at night. Do you remember thirty years ago, when five super Summon Warrior embryos went missing from your place? I can now tell you very clearly: they are those very embryos!" The monkey-faced Master of the Five Clouds Cave arrogantly declared to Rolans. "So that fire was your doing! Very well. Since you are already here, it saves me the trouble of sending for you. You must have heard clearly what he said just now. What do you intend to do?" Rolans was clearly angry about the Master's past act of sabotaging the laboratory, but at this moment, he suppressed his rage, trying to ask in the calmest tone possible.

"Of course, no problem. If they can defeat my Summon Warriors, then even if I had no shame, I probably couldn't go back on my word. However, I also have a condition." The Master of the Five Clouds Cave stalked two steps toward Mels, glanced at Ying Feiyu, and said arrogantly, "If you human youths cannot defeat my warriors, will you swear to my Five Clouds Cave's absolute authority?"

Hearing the Master's demand, Mels hesitated. After all, this wasn't his affair; he couldn't make a decision lightly.

However, the three Eagle Clan princes suddenly exchanged glances and said, "We dare not speak for the other clans, but we of the Eagle Clan can guarantee you this: if Brother Mels and the others are defeated, we will never oppose the rule of the Five Clouds Cave in this lifetime!"

"Good! With the strongest Eagle Clan in my grasp, why should I fear other clans daring to rebel? Hahaha..." The Master of the Five Clouds Cave burst into wild laughter, as if victory was already assured and Mels and the others wouldn't last a single blow.

"Everyone, since you have all reached an agreement, I have nothing more to add. You must all be tired today. Please rest for a day. At noon the day after tomorrow, I ask you all to ascend to the Flame Prison Hall to decide the future with a single battle!" Rolans announced loudly. With that, the awkward meeting ended. Mels and the others were then taken by Long Yi to the eastern guesthouse on the surface to rest, while the Master of the Five Clouds Cave and his five subordinates were taken to the western guesthouse.

Although Sub-Human food was not particularly palatable, to maintain their best condition, the youths wolfed it down. Meanwhile, deep in the underground base, Rolans was conversing with Long Yi about the secrets in his heart...

"Lord Rolans, why are you so concerned about those humans? You must remember, we severed all ties with the Federation three hundred years ago. If we activate the teleportation array now, the Federation might detect it and mistakenly think we want to go to war with them again! Once the Federation dispatches a large army to attack us, how will we resist?" Long Yi said.

"I know you must have other thoughts, believing I am too lenient with these humans, right? Alas, you don't understand. These humans likely possess knowledge surpassing that of current Summoned Beasts. The reason I want them to compete in the Flame Prison Hall is twofold: first, to see their true strength, and second, to record all the data on their Summoned Beasts. Once we master the composition data of super Summoned Beasts, perhaps we won't need a hundred years to develop the strongest Summon Warriors! As for the Federation... I will be cautious and decide based on their situation. In short, everything is for the future of the Sub-Humans and for our eventual return to the Federation!" Rolans said.

After hearing Rolans's words, Long Yi fell silent. What exactly Long Yi was thinking, perhaps only he himself knew.

On the morning of the third day, Mels and the others remained in the guesthouse. Everyone knew this battle would not be simple or easy to resolve; any mistake could lead to an irreversible outcome. Therefore, although no one said it outright, everyone quietly stayed in the guesthouse, each gathering their own strength.

During lunch, Mels gathered everyone around him and said very seriously, "This battle is extraordinary; the enemies are certainly stronger than the warriors of the Earth Dragon Clan. If anyone wants to withdraw, speak up now. I will not blame you."

Looking into Mels's eyes, even Kaslo and Sol, who usually loved to joke, remained silent. Mels waited for a while, and seeing no one spoke up, he then said, "Good. Since everyone is determined to fight, we must give it our all! If we lose here, not only will we fail to reach the Federation, but we will also drag down the Eagle Clan. Then, we will have no place in the Sub-Human world, let alone dream of leaving! So, I ask everyone to fight with everything you have!

Also, regarding this battle, Rolans has made it clear: it is a battle between Summoned Beasts. So, Akafir, you should not participate. After all, in a fight against Summoned Beasts, you would be at too great a disadvantage."

"What! Brother Mels, I've followed you all the way here, and now you won't let me fight? I refuse!" Akafir protested unhappily.

"This isn't a game; death can come at any moment in battle. Without the protection of a Summoned Beast, you'd be in great danger!" Mels said.

"No, no! Brother Rek told me to protect your safety. If you don't let me fight, then I'll... I'll... not eat for a day!" Unable to think of a better threat, Akafir could only say this.

Hearing Akafir's words, even Mels couldn't help but smile slightly.

Just as Mels was about to try to dissuade Akafir again, Kaslo spoke up, "Brother Mels, let's decide based on the situation. The guys from the Five Clouds Cave have five Summon Warriors, and we still don't know exactly how they will fight! If it's a one-on-one battle with five participants, then even if you don't let Akafir fight, we'll have to send out another warrior. Look, besides him, we can't find a fifth warrior here! How about this: let's place Akafir last. The outcome will likely be decided before his turn anyway. I think that's better."

After a moment's consideration, Mels felt Kaslo's words made sense. Besides, letting Akafir continue to make a fuss wasn't a solution, so he could only nod helplessly and say, "Alright. Akafir, you can participate, but you must follow my orders. Otherwise, I'll send you back to Rek's side!"

In truth, everyone knew that in their current situation, they could only move forward, not back. But Akafir's mind and thoughts were as pure as a child's, so this tactic worked well on him.

"I'll listen, I'll definitely listen!" Akafir nodded repeatedly at Mels.

Seeing Akafir's somewhat clueless expression, Mels and the others shared a light, good-natured chuckle. However, at that moment, Long Yi silently appeared at the doorway and said, "Everyone, please follow me to the Flame Prison Hall!"

The Flame Prison Hall was not inside the base but was situated above the caldera of an active volcano deep within the base. It was unclear what method the Sub-Humans used, but they had built a circular stone arena over a thousand meters in diameter right over the volcano's mouth. This arena was positioned at the very center of the caldera, with four pathways connecting it to the rim in the north, south, east, and west. Below it churned and boiled red-hot magma. Just fighting on it was perilous enough; even approaching the area, the intense heat could melt an ordinary person. If one accidentally fell off the unguarded arena during battle, the consequence would be complete disintegration, melting into the magma.

Seeing such a perilous location, not only did Mels and the others gasp in shock, but even the Master of the Five Clouds Cave turned pale. Fighting here would require not just the warriors' martial skills and the Summoned Beasts' abilities, but also a contest of willpower!

Walking onto the northern pathway leading to the arena, Dr. Rolans loudly announced, "Everyone, this is the battlefield that will decide everything. We will determine victory through one-on-one combat. Each side will send five warriors, and the outcome of each match will be decided in a sequential battle format. After winning, each warrior can choose whether to continue accepting the opponent's challenge or to withdraw from the fight. The order of appearance will be: our side, the human youths' side, and the Five Clouds Cave side! If anything is unclear, please ask now."

Hearing Rolans's words, Mels immediately understood that the focus of this battle was still on them. After all, if Mels and the others wanted a complete victory, they would first have to defeat Rolans's warriors and then accept the challenge from the Five Clouds Cave. Continuous battles would not only consume a great deal of physical strength but also test their ability to control their Summoned Beasts. However, Mels knew very well that no matter how unfavorable the situation, their only choice was to accept! So, Mels shook his head and said nothing more.

The three Eagle Clan princes clearly couldn't withstand such high temperatures; within moments, sweat was pouring down their foreheads. Fortunately, Rolans then spoke, "Please, human youths, proceed to the eastern pathway entrance. Five Clouds Cave, to the western pathway entrance."

Following Rolans's instructions, as they walked to the waiting area on the eastern rim of the caldera, a green light barrier suddenly rose from the ground around them. This barrier was like a winter's cold wind; as it rose, Mels and the others in the center immediately felt a wave of refreshing coolness.

"To prevent any cheating or interference during the battle, warriors who are not in the central arena must remain within the particle light barrier. I remind everyone here: this is not just a barrier with air-conditioning capabilities; it is also a shield with effects equivalent to particle weapons. If anyone lightly attempts to break the rules of the contest, they will be severely injured by it. Please exercise self-restraint!" Rolans declared.

After hearing Rolans's words, Mels and the others realized they had entered a trap. However, considering the external heat would easily drain their stamina, and since they had no intention of breaking the rules anyway, Mels was quite willing to stay inside. In contrast, the Master of the Five Clouds Cave began howling like a wildcat whose tail had been stepped on. Giving the Master a look of disgust, Rolans opened the western light barrier and said coldly, "You don't have to stay inside if you don't want to, but your warriors must be inside!" After saying this, he entered the northern light barrier. Faced with waves of scorching heat, the Master's pride quickly lost to the sweat on his body, and he shamelessly entered the light barrier.

At that moment, the warrior for the first battle from Rolans's side stepped out from an opening in the light barrier, and simultaneously, an opening appeared in the barrier where Mels and the others were.

Seeing that the warrior responsible for the first battle from Rolans's side was none other than Long Yi, Mels's heart tightened with nervousness, hesitating over whom to send. As they hesitated, Akafir suddenly rushed out of the light barrier, shouting, "Boss, I'll fight the first battle for you, then come back to sleep!"

The light barrier closed the instant Akafir rushed out, leaving Mels no chance to stop him. He could only shout anxiously, "Akafir, get back here! This isn't a place for games. Get back here now!" However, Akafir seemed determined, just standing on the arena grinning foolishly at Mels, with no intention of returning.

"Dr. Rolans, he is not the warrior we sent! Please open the barrier!" In utter helplessness, Mels shouted to Rolans.

Hearing Mels's call, Rolans frowned slightly and said, "The rules of the contest were stated earlier. Once someone steps onto the arena, they are the challenging warrior! Unless they are defeated or willingly give up, I have no authority to open the barrier!"

After saying this, Rolans turned to Akafir and asked, "Young human warrior, are you willing to withdraw from the battle?"

"I'm not called 'warrior'; my name is Akafir. I want to fight the first battle for my big brother, so of course I won't withdraw." Akafir said.

"Good. Since the challenger has no objections, let the contest begin!" Rolans announced loudly.

As Rolans gave the command, Long Yi raised his arm, preparing to summon his Summoned Beast. However, Akafir suddenly shot towards Long Yi like an arrow, his body low. A gleaming, cold sword appeared in his hand from nowhere, its tip aimed directly at Long Yi's vital chest.

Akafir's action took Long Yi completely by surprise. Unprepared for close combat, Long Yi was caught off guard and actually got stabbed in the arm by Akafir's sword. When the intense pain shot through his nerves and he saw his own blood, Long Yi suddenly realized his opponent wasn't joking; he intended to eliminate him in this melee!

Long Yi was no weakling. Akafir's successful strike relied entirely on luck and speed. However, even under such favorable circumstances, Akafir's longsword only managed to wound Long Yi's arm, unable to cause greater damage.

Coming to his senses, Long Yi gave Akafir no further chances. With three lightning-fast backward leaps, he put about three meters of distance between himself and Akafir. Then, drawing the sword from his waist with a backhand motion, he immediately executed a sword stance to block Akafir's pursuit.

In terms of Qi energy, Akafir was clearly not yet Long Yi's match. Although the Qi Long Yi hastily gathered wasn't particularly strong, it was enough to block Akafir's attack and even force him back several meters.

With this breathing room, Long Yi circulated his Qi to first stop the bleeding from the wound on his arm, then flipped and began to execute a set of agile and swift sword techniques.

Seeing Long Yi adopt a strategy of matching speed with speed, Mels actually felt a bit relieved inside. As a longtime friend, Mels knew well that what Akafir feared most wasn't speed, but strength! If Long Yi tried to win with brute force, matching Akafir's power with every move, Akafir probably wouldn't last ten exchanges.

By choosing a speed-based fighting style, Long Yi was essentially giving Akafir a chance to win. Mels believed that Akafir, whose speed even he couldn't match, would definitely not lose to Long Yi in this aspect.

At this moment, Mels couldn't help but start to doubt Long Yi's practical combat experience.

However, things often change just when people think they have it all figured out. Akafir, who had always held the speed advantage, suddenly began to move slower and slower after exchanging a few blows with Long Yi!

Mels's heart sank, and he exclaimed, "Not good! The arena is too hot; Akafir can't take it anymore!"