Chapter 224: Victory in One Move?

Feeling the sharp blade energy, Rod still stood motionless in place, his face bearing that same confident smile, seemingly unfazed at all.
The blade drew closer and closer, and the stands fell silent—everyone’s heart was in their throats. The first impression was that this guy must be insane, refusing to resist or dodge. Was he seeking death?
“Brother Rod!” On the stands, Aida couldn’t help but shout in alarm. The blade was now less than a meter away from Rod, yet he remained still. Was he really courting death?
Everyone’s expression turned grave, filled with worry and confusion. Only Melon kept a calm smile on his face, utterly unconcerned, simply waiting quietly for Rod’s move—stillness until the moment of action, then a stunning strike!
Eventually, as the blade neared him, Rod closed his eyes, as if he were the only one in existence, forgetting everything, ignoring everything around him.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t moving; in fact, Rod had already begun to move, just not visibly. With his eyes closed, though he couldn’t see his opponent, his mind was crystal clear, keeping track of every move. He could even see the blade’s trajectory clearly, as his mental power locked onto it, making it seem as though his mind could see the entire world clearly! The speed gradually slowed, and the world grew quiet. To Rod, the blade moved extremely slowly, as if he could simply stretch out his hand to stop it.
Rod’s calmness and composure made Charles uneasy. Was he seeking death? Impossible—Rod wasn’t that kind of person. Charles wasn’t stupid; otherwise, he wouldn’t have reached his current position. Nor would he have participated in this competition as a mid-tier divine being. After all, many coveted this competition, and there were even many advanced divine beings. The fact that he had earned this qualification spoke volumes.
“Die!” Since Rod wasn’t moving, Charles naturally wouldn’t miss such a great opportunity. He exerted all his strength and covered the distance in an instant. The blade hovered above Rod’s head, ready to split him in two.
“Ah…” Screams erupted from the stands. Some people couldn’t bear to watch what happened next. It seemed everyone could imagine the gruesome sight of Rod being cut in two.
Even the usually calm Lilith clenched her fists tightly, sweat already beading on her palms.

It seemed that everyone in the arena was drawn to this fighting platform, filled with emotions of joy and concern. Members of the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle Clan, the Nash Clan, even the Fields Clan, along with some of their allied clans, showed cold smiles, waiting eagerly to enjoy the spectacle. A trickle of blood appeared on Rod’s forehead; the blade’s energy reached him before the blade itself did. Even Rod’s strong physique and defenses couldn’t withstand the blade energy emitted from a mid-to-high-tier divine-level warrior’s full-powered strike, resulting in a small cut from which blood flowed. Everything happened in the blink of an eye, and it seemed as though the outcome of this match was already decided—Rod was doomed. Many people began to feel disappointed, disappointed in this man filled with legends. Others still harbored doubts, clinging to a sliver of hope, for after all, they couldn’t believe that the man who had streaked across the sky like a comet, illuminating the source of darkness, could be so useless. With the blade just inches above Rod’s head, less than ten centimeters away, many women in the arena turned away, unable to bear to watch any longer. A bloody scene was about to unfold—the first life was about to perish! Although the loss of life in such battles wasn’t unusual, dying in such a manner was hard to bear. Yet, to everyone’s surprise, something unexpected happened at that moment—whether late or fast, with the speed of a thunder god, Rod suddenly moved slightly, and the sharp blade slashed down along his side! Boom… A thunderous roar echoed as the solid ground of the arena cracked, and dust billowed, obscuring everyone’s vision. Only a few super-strong individuals could still see clearly. “You lost!” a calm voice rang out, breaking the silence. As the dust cleared, a strange scene appeared before everyone’s eyes, leaving them stunned in disbelief. Charles’s long blade was deeply embedded in the ground, his body leaning forward from the force of his last strike. Across from him, less than ten centimeters away from the blade, Rod stood with torn clothes; his left side, near the blade, was completely shredded by the blade’s edge, revealing his muscular frame and blood seeping from the wounds caused by the blade energy. In his right hand, a fiery red sword appeared somehow pressed against Charles’s throat, as he stared at his opponent with an indifferent gaze. The two of them remained frozen in that position, as if they had become statues.

Victory in one move! It was completely possible to create a scenario of instant defeat! The scene came so suddenly and was so shocking that many people thought they were dreaming, rubbing their eyes to make sure they weren’t mistaken.
“You lost!” Rod said again, facing Charles’s incredulous gaze.
His voice rang clearly throughout the entire arena, reaching everyone’s ears like a thunderclap. In the next moment, thunderous cheers erupted. The atmosphere instantly reached its peak.
Hundreds of thousands of people cheered in unison, their voices soaring into the sky, as if the entire arena was trembling.
Although most people didn’t know exactly what had happened—after all, everything happened in an instant and was too bizarre—they were still some who saw clearly, such as Melon, Sognar, and Lilith. These people didn’t cheer; their faces showed only shock and disbelief.
Recalling what had just happened, in that split second of life-or-death, Rod simply shifted slightly, and then his Dark Dragon sword was drawn!
At that time, Charles had unleashed his full strength in one move, which he believed would surely succeed—leaving him no room to retreat or any reserve of energy. As a result, under the immense force, he lost his balance and was carried forward by inertia right in front of Rod.
At that moment, Rod raised his Dark Dragon sword slightly and aimed it directly at Charles’s throat—victory in one move. A effortless victory. Yet this seemingly effortless win contained so much depth.
Firstly, there was Rod’s calculation and confidence—precise calculations of Charles’s attacking force and sword trajectory, even his personality and temper were taken into account. With great confidence, because even the slightest mistake would result in death. This showed just how dangerous it was.
Then there was his terrifying speed and precise attack-dodging skills! With precise calculations, he skillfully avoided fatal blows, then delivered a precise strike that proved deadly. This revealed just how terrifying his abilities truly were.
Thinking of this, those who saw clearly couldn’t help but gasp in shock. Such a formidable man—definitely a fierce warrior! Extremely ruthless. Among those present, those who thought they could do the same would surely be no more than one hand’s worth!
“I lost!” With a complex look in his eyes, Charles struggled, feeling the cold aura emanating from the crimson sword. Finally, in utter despair, he dropped his sword and lowered his head, his voice hoarse, filled with profound disappointment and regret.

He was careless—truly careless. He committed the greatest flaw of a warrior: underestimating the opponent and not leaving any reserve for himself. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have lost so miserably, so disgracefully.
Hearing the thunderous cheers around him, Charles felt utterly ashamed! Looking back at his family’s section in the arena, he lowered his head, a hint of regret and guilt flashing in his eyes. The hard-earned spot he had obtained had been wasted by his own actions.
He then looked up at Rod and said sincerely, “I lost. You’re strong!”
Though it was just a brief exchange, it revealed a lot. At least Charles now knew he was inferior in terms of strength. Even if they continued fighting, he wouldn’t win no matter how cautious he was—defeat was only a matter of time.
“Knight Rod wins in Ring 6!” As the barrier dissipated, the referee stepped into the arena, took a careful look at the two fighters, and then announced loudly. The announcement spread throughout the entire arena instantly, amplified by the spread of magical energy and combat aura.
“Rod… Rod… Rod!” The cheers grew louder and more intense.
“Melon, did you teach him that move?” On the stands, Sognar turned to Melon in surprise, a hint of shock in his eyes.
“No!”
“He learned it on his own?”
“You could say that.”
This brief conversation once again shocked those around them—a supernatural talent, a freakish individual! Why not strike him down with lightning? With someone like him alive, did anyone else even have a reason to live? He was a huge blow and a disgrace to everyone else. Even Hei Yao and Hei Yin from the Black Phoenix clan exchanged stunned glances.
Out of the eight matches, Rod’s started the latest but ended the earliest. The others in the arena watched as this once underestimated guy became the most dangerous one.
Back on the stands, Sognar and his group stared at Rod like a monster. They asked many questions but got no answers. In the end, they had no choice but to focus on the other matches, though their occasional inquiries, sighs, and changed expressions made Rod feel uncomfortable.
Rod was the first to secure a spot in the top eight. Shortly after, another match ended. The Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle sent a middle-aged man—though he appeared to be around forty or fifty, everyone knew he was an ancient monster who had lived for a hundred or even a thousand years. He was extremely strong, effortlessly defeating a high-tier divine-level warrior and advancing right after Rod.

Then, the results of each match in the arena were gradually determined! The Nash family also lived up to Rod’s expectations by advancing to the second round! After a day of matches, it was finally over; among those who lost, one died while the rest were seriously injured. Only Charles, who fought against Rod, suffered no harm at all!