Chapter 34: Facing the Dark Horse Crisis, Unleashing Supernatural Powers to Turn the Tide

On the arena stage, under the spotlight, Mao Yu’s figure appeared exceptionally upright and commanding.

Victory in the preliminary round had greatly boosted his confidence, yet upon learning that his next opponent was Li Ming, an inexplicable pressure settled over him.

This Li Ming was truly an enigma!

Mao Yu inquired around but only gathered scattered whispers.

“Deeply concealed,” “Playing dumb to catch the tiger,” “A dark horse among fighters”...

Such remarks only made Mao Yu more vigilant.

In the stands, Mao Ling waved a small flag, cheering loudly for Mao Yu, “Brother, go! Take him down!” Feng Yao watched the arena quietly, a hint of worry in her eyes.

“This Li Ming is quite interesting...” Mao Yu thought as he gazed in Li Ming’s direction.

The gong sounded to start the match, and Li Ming slowly stepped onto the platform, a faint, barely noticeable smile on his face.

He raised his hand, sending a seemingly ordinary energy wave toward Mao Yu.

“Is that all?” Mao Yu smirked, effortlessly dodging the attack.

However, what happened next astonished him.

Li Ming’s attacks were like magic tricks, each one different and increasingly powerful.

First came flames, then frost, followed by a raging wind, and finally, it transformed into...

A peculiar devouring force!

“What the hell is this supernatural ability? Playing Transformers?” Mao Yu cursed inwardly as he scrambled desperately to evade Li Ming’s relentless assaults.

The audience was captivated by Li Ming’s transformations, whispering among themselves.

“This Li Ming really keeps his cards close!” “Looks like Young Master Mao’s finally met a worthy opponent!” Mao Ling’s face grew tense, clutching her flag tightly.

Feng Yao’s brows furrowed slightly, worry flashing in her eyes.

Li Ming’s attacks came like a storm, overwhelming in number and force. Mao Yu dodged left and right like a nimble monkey but struggled to evade completely.

He felt his stamina rapidly draining, his breaths growing shallow and quick.

“This guy must have some bug, right? With all these flashy abilities, how am I supposed to fight?” Mao Yu grumbled silently but dared not relax for a moment.

Sensing Mao Yu’s weakening state, Li Ming’s lips curled into a cold sneer as he intensified his assault, seemingly intent on cutting him down immediately.

With a loud “Bang!” Mao Yu failed to dodge fully and was struck by a powerful energy blast that sent him flying like a kite with a broken string. He crashed heavily to the ground, blood spurting from his mouth.

“Brother!” Mao Ling cried out from the stands, her face pale as tears welled in her eyes, hands covering her mouth.

Feng Yao also stood, eyes locked on Mao Yu, filled with concern.

Lying on the ground, Mao Yu felt dizzy and as if his bones were falling apart.

“Could it end here today?” A fleeting thought crossed his mind.

Yet he quickly shook his head, dismissing the weakness.

“No, I haven’t even picked up a girl yet, nor reached the pinnacle of the superpowered city. How can I fall now?” He gritted his teeth, struggling to stand.

Suddenly, he recalled subtle movements Li Ming had made earlier during the fight.

Before each ability change, Li Ming’s left hand trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Could it be...

“System, analyze Li Ming’s combat data!” Mao Yu commanded mentally.

The system quickly responded: Li Ming’s abilities were not multiple but a special mutated power—Mimicry.

He could imitate and wield the abilities of other superhumans.

“Mimicry? So that’s it!” Mao Yu’s eyes brightened with understanding, a confident smile tugging at his lips.

He slowly rose, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze burning with determination.

The crowd erupted in cheers as they witnessed Mao Yu’s revival.

“Come on, Young Master Mao! Take him down!” “Young Master Mao, mighty and victorious!” “Young Master Mao will win!”

“It seems you’ve uncovered my secret,” Li Ming’s voice was icy, laced with mockery. “But even if you know, what can you do? Your chances are gone.”

Mao Yu sneered, “Oh really? Who will fall and who will rise remains to be seen!” He stretched his limbs with a crisp crackling sound. “Now, the real battle begins!”

“The show is just getting started...” Mao Yu whispered, a gleam of sharpness in his eyes.

A sly smile curved Mao Yu’s lips as he said, “System, activate ‘Taunt Mode’!”

System: “Taunt Mode activated. Please proceed at will.”

Mao Yu shouted at Li Ming, “Hey, little prince of transformations, tired from playing? Want me to hand you a bottle of nutritional drink?”

Li Ming’s face darkened instantly, furious and humiliated. “You’re asking for death!”

He shifted his ability again, this time unleashing...

A wave of foul stench!

The audience covered their noses, muttering, “What kind of supernatural ability is this? Biochemical weapon or what?”

Mao Ling pinched her nose, disgusted. “Brother, be careful, don’t get knocked out by the smell!”

Only Feng Yao remained composed, her eyes shimmering with an unusual light, as if she saw through Li Ming’s tricks.

Enduring the stench, Mao Yu sneered inwardly, “A mere childish trick!”

He had anticipated Li Ming’s rage and loss of composure, which was the perfect moment for a counterattack.

“System, analyze the components of this stench and identify its weakness!”

System: “Analysis complete. The stench components are... Weakness is...”

A gleam flashed through Mao Yu’s eyes as he took a deep breath, condensing his power into his palm before slamming it hard onto the ground!

“Boom!”

The ground trembled violently, sending a powerful shockwave through the arena that dissipated the stench and struck Li Ming directly.

Li Ming screamed in pain, flying backward and crashing heavily to the ground, unable to get up for a long moment.

The crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.

Mao Ling jumped up excitedly, shouting, “Brother, you’re amazing!”

Feng Yao smiled with relief and pride shining in her eyes.

Mao Yu slowly approached Li Ming, looking down at him with a calm expression, “Thank you for the match.”

Li Ming struggled to rise, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness. “You... you cheated!”

Mao Yu sneered coldly, “All’s fair in war, didn’t you know?”

Referee Wang declared Mao Yu the victor, and the arena once again burst into enthusiastic applause.

Mao Yu turned towards the resting area for contestants but suddenly stopped.

He glanced toward the arena entrance, a strange gleam flickering in his eyes...

“Is it him?”