LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 12: Chapter 12
Chapter 12: If You're Sick, You Need Treatment
Yu Xiaogang was battered and bruised, his opponent's relentless attacks raining down on him as he crouched defensively, shielding his head.
Perhaps finding the one-sided fight dull, the opponent paused mid-attack to lecture him with thinly veiled disdain.
"Hey, kid, just give up. You're too weak. With soul power under level 20, where did you find the courage to step into this arena? Don't waste everyone's time anymore."
Through gritted teeth, Yu Xiaogang shook his head fiercely. His determination burned through the pain as he replied:
"I won't go down! I want a fair fight with you. I'm a soul master too—I'm not a waste! Luo Sanpao, First Soul Skill: Thunderous Fart, Earth-Shattering Strike!"
The audience, who had been watching the uneven match unfold, erupted into cheers.
"Good job, kid! That's the spirit! Fight, no matter how strong your opponent is!"
"Go get him! Show him what you're made of!"
"Punch him! Right in the stomach! Teach him a lesson!"
The crowd's enthusiasm wasn't necessarily support for Yu Xiaogang—it was the novelty of his audacity. After watching countless fights between equals or obvious powerhouses, the audience was bored. Seeing a weakling like Yu Xiaogang challenge someone far stronger was a fresh spectacle.
However, the illusion of a miraculous comeback was short-lived. Yu Xiaogang's "Thunderous Fart" was barely unleashed before his opponent retaliated with a devastating series of attacks. Each strike left Yu Xiaogang coughing blood, drawing winces from the crowd.
Despite his worsening condition, Yu Xiaogang's resolve remained unshaken. He was determined to fight until the very end, even for something as minor as an Iron Fighting Soul Badge. He wanted—no, needed—to prove to his father and his family that he was not a waste.
---
In the VIP section, Bibi Dong sat alongside Ju Douluo and other members of the Spirit Hall. They watched the fight with varying degrees of interest.
One of the senior Spirit Hall members remarked thoughtfully: "That young man has a pure heart. For someone so weak, it takes incredible courage to challenge a soul master 11 levels above him."
The comment sparked a flurry of discussion.
"Courage is fine, but look at his age. He's at least fifteen or sixteen and hasn't even reached level 20. If I were him, I'd save everyone the embarrassment and kill myself with a tofu block."
"I agree. Watching him cling to the ring is getting annoying. He's clearly going to lose—what's the point of dragging it out?"
"This Iron Fighting Soul Badge competition is meant to showcase decent fights, but this guy is making a mockery of it. If his opponent weren't holding back, he'd have been thrown out ages ago."
Bibi Dong listened to the comments but remained silent. Her gaze was fixed on Yu Xiaogang as he endured the beating. She sneered inwardly.
'This is the man I'm supposed to fall for? Am I insane? Or did someone kick me in the head?'
There was nothing remarkable about Yu Xiaogang. His talent was abysmal, his appearance average at best, and his stubbornness bordered on stupidity. What about him could possibly win her heart?
'Zhao Ling must have written nonsense in his diary. There's no way I'd fall for someone like this.'
Her thoughts wandered to Zhao Ling. Has he arrived in Soto City yet? Bibi Dong scanned the crowd, hoping to spot him, but with so many people in the arena, it was impossible to identify anyone unfamiliar. She gave up quickly, deciding to let Zhao Ling reveal himself in due time.
---
Back in the ring, Yu Xiaogang's opponent was at his wit's end.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered under his breath.
It was his first fight in the Great Fighting Soul Arena, and he had been paired with an opponent who wasn't even level 20. The disparity in their abilities was absurd.
Initially, he had tried to persuade Yu Xiaogang to concede, thinking it would save them both the embarrassment of such an uneven match. But Yu Xiaogang refused to step down, insisting on a fair fight.
'Fair fight?' the opponent thought bitterly. 'The gap between us is so wide that "fair" doesn't even apply. If I go all out, I'll probably kill him by accident. And then what? I'll lose my qualifications and face unnecessary trouble.'
Frustrated, he decided to stop holding back. With a barrage of precise and powerful attacks, he forced Yu Xiaogang into a corner. A final kick sent him flying off the ring.
As Yu Xiaogang landed face-first on the ground outside the arena, his opponent couldn't suppress his irritation.
"You're not even level 20! What were you thinking, stepping into the ring? If you're sick, go get treatment instead of wasting everyone's time!"
---
Yu Xiaogang struggled to his feet, his body battered and bleeding. Despite the pain, he stood tall, his fists clenched and his expression defiant.
"I won't give up," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "I'm not a waste. I'll prove it to my father, my family, and everyone else—I'm not a waste!"
But the audience, which had cheered for him earlier, was less forgiving now.
"Tch. I thought we'd see something interesting, but it was just another letdown."
"Talk big all you want. Trash is trash, no matter how hard you try to deny it."
"Get off the stage already. We're tired of looking at you."
The mocking jeers cut through the air like knives, but Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth and bore them.
'Why doesn't anyone understand?' he thought desperately. 'Why can't they see how much this means to me?'
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(End of Chapter)