Chapter 235: The Emperor

"You're a piece of shit, Cadio!"

"Bastard, are you here to play the propeller game? I admit you're good at it, but please take the match seriously, okay?"

"Don't let me see you on the street! Or I'll beat the shit out of your head."

"I think your brain is a mess of paste. No other Berserker is like you."

Cadio Rhode, stepping onto the ring for the third time amidst the ear-shattering roar of abuse, had clearly lost his earlier confidence. His breathing was rapid, and his gaze flickered and shifted, unwilling to meet the eyes of the surrounding stands.

"I'll kill you! For sure, you've pissed me off, Andre! I'll make you regret it for life. I wish I could tear you apart—"

The head referee frowned deeply and pointed his black flag at Cadio, a warning for a foul. The latter had to shut his mouth, glaring at Li Mochen with eyes full of hatred.

"Both sides ready, begin!"

When the referee's red flag swept down, Cadio Rhode's aura became wildly chaotic. His body swelled to 2.8 meters, and with his battle armor, he stood a full three meters tall, looking as imposing as a mountain. Black flames condensed around his body.

"You forced me, Andre! I'll smash you into a meat patty!"

With that, the black flames coalesced into a huge phantom figure standing behind Cadio Rhode. On closer inspection, it was a half-bull, half-human form—a massive bull's head on a human body, with limbs and torso incredibly robust and powerful.

The fierce,狂暴 aura instantly swept the entire arena, causing even the referee, who was of Outlaw rank, to change color slightly.

"That's an Ancient Trace! Well done, Cadio!"

"Not just tracing bloodline—he's even awakened a War Soul!"

"Whoa, a War Soul! That's the Minotaur, one of the most powerful demigod Berserkers in history! Cadio actually has Minotaur blood."

"Finally showing your true skills, Cadio?"

"Go on, smash that arrogant bastard flat! Cadio, he just humiliated you!"

"He can't hear us now, right? The Minotaur's War Soul should be dominant. But that's the best part—the demigod Minotaur's combat skills can't lose to a brat!"

This time, Cadio didn't charge recklessly. Holding a pair of Viking axes, he slowly approached Li Mochen, adopting a pressuring posture, trying to corner him.

Having 'awakened' the War Soul, with the Minotaur's residual soul will replacing his own consciousness, Cadio Rhode hadn't lost his mind. Instead, he adopted a steady, step-by-step tactic.

Before Cadio's already giant-like body, Li Mochen, who stood only 1.8 meters tall even in armor, appeared utterly small and frail.

This scene also made Angela Medici, watching from below the ring, change color slightly.

"It really is the Minotaur! That can't be a War Soul—with Cadio's thin bloodline, how is this possible?"

She didn't think Li Mochen would lose. Amo had killed a Level 13 Mage Shadow in close combat even before awakening as a Dragon-Blooded Mage and Titan Holy Warrior.

Though that was with the help of firearms and other external forces, it showed Li Mochen's combat prowess.

But the Minotaur was a demigod after all. A demigod's combat awareness, combined with a Level 7 Berserker's physical abilities, was enough to pose a certain threat to Li Mochen.

"It doesn't matter, miss."

Lina Eldridge shook her head calmly, her tone mixed with complex emotions: "I don't know how Cadio awakened the War Soul, but I know that unless it's the Minotaur's complete soul, it's useless against Andre."

"Useless?"

Angela was taken aback, then said thoughtfully, "Speaking of which, I've never asked you—how did Amo defeat you? You've awakened the Holy Angel bloodline, right? Father certainly wouldn't be stingy with you."

That morning at Linden Academy, when she learned that Lina had gone to see Li Mochen alone, she rushed over. But by the time Angela entered the training room, Li Mochen had already left, leaving only Lina Eldridge kneeling alone on the ground, with the posture and expression of a defeated dog.

"A month ago, the master had someone give me a 'Cloud Saint Stone,' allowing me to possess an Archangel-level Guardian Spirit."

Lina spoke truthfully: "But when I tried to use the Guardian Spirit to suppress Andre, he countered it. That guy—"

She paused, casting a doubtful glance at the ring: "He might have the destiny of an emperor. This so-called 'War Soul' of that level is not qualified to stand before him."

"Emperor?"

Angela couldn't help but laugh. She had always trusted Li Mochen's abilities. But where did this 'emperor' talk come from?

Moreover, in modern society, apart from a few nominal monarchies, where were there real emperors? Such things were already obsolete.

"You find it ridiculous, miss?"

Lina sighed: "I find it absurd too, but standing before that guy at the time, that's what I thought. His aura—unless you've experienced it yourself, you can't understand."

Otherwise, how could one simultaneously possess the Dharma aspects of the three Eastern Heavenly Emperors: Ziwei, Nanji, and Gouchen?

But by then, Angela's gaze had already shifted to the ring.

Li Mochen stood still with his sword, facing the slowly approaching Cadio Rhode, not retreating a step.

Only when they closed to within four meters, and Cadio had slightly raised the Viking axes in both hands, did Li Mochen move. It was an exceptionally simple forward thrust aimed at Cadio Rhode's throat. The sword speed wasn't too fast either; the weapon speed meter outside the ring clearly showed a speed of 320 kilometers per hour.

Many in the surrounding stands showed disdain. A sword speed like that hitting Cadio Rhode would be a miracle. 320 km/h wasn't weak—many Level 7 Mage Swordsmen could only manage that speed. But Cadio Rhode was no ordinary Berserker. His physical abilities were almost on par with Outlaw rank.

And that guy was using a straight-line thrust—even a combat idiot knew that was incredibly stupid!

But in the next instant, Cadio's body stiffened slightly, frozen in place, unable to make any defensive or blocking move.

Li Mochen's sword slipped through the gap, and a moment later, with a 'clang,' struck Cadio's throat squarely!

Under the impact, Cadio staggered back a dozen steps and then sat down on the ground.

This scene silenced all 70,000 spectators in the stadium, and even the referee on the stage was stunned for a full second, until Li Mochen cast a pressing glance at him. Then the referee swallowed his saliva and raised the red flag in his right hand: "Direct hit, five points! The match is decided. Andre Li Wiltonstein wins!"