The arena held its breath.
The Enforcer's hand rose slowly, dark energy condensing into a single point—dense, oppressive, and utterly destructive.
And it was aimed at one person.
Jiang Chen.
[CRITICAL THREAT LOCKED]
The system's warning blared relentlessly in his mind.
"Move!" Chen Yu shouted.
But Jiang Chen didn't.
Not because he couldn't—
But because he understood.
I won't outrun this.
The energy gathering in the Enforcer's palm distorted space itself. The ground beneath Jiang Chen cracked, unable to withstand the pressure.
Luo Tian's eyes narrowed slightly from the side.
"…So this is your choice."
Zhou Yan clenched his fists.
"…Idiot."
Lin Xue's voice was sharp.
"Jiang Chen—fall back!"
But Jiang Chen stepped forward instead.
Golden qi surged.
Not wild.
Not unstable.
Focused.
If I run now…
I'll never catch up.
The system pulsed violently:
[Warning: Overload Risk]
[Current Output Exceeds Safe Limit]
[Recommendation: Disengage]
He ignored it.
The Enforcer's voice echoed coldly:
"Termination."
And then—
He released it.
A beam of condensed dark energy tore through the arena, erasing everything in its path.
Time slowed.
Jiang Chen moved.
Phoenix Shadow Step!
He vanished—
Reappearing just outside the beam's core trajectory.
But it wasn't enough.
The shockwave caught him.
BOOM!!!
Jiang Chen was sent crashing into the arena floor, blood spilling from his mouth as the impact shattered the ground beneath him.
Silence.
Then panic.
"Jiang Chen!!" Chen Yu shouted.
Zhou Yan's eyes darkened.
"…He took it head-on."
Lin Xue stepped forward instinctively—
But stopped.
Because the Enforcer moved again.
Faster.
Relentless.
He appeared above Jiang Chen—
Hand raised—
Ready to finish it.
"No!" Chen Yu roared, charging forward.
Too slow.
Zhou Yan followed—
But he knew.
We won't make it.
Lin Xue's eyes tightened.
"…Damn it."
And then—
Jiang Chen's eyes opened.
Golden light flickered within them—
But something else stirred beneath.
Something deeper.
Something ancient.
The system shattered into fragments of light:
[LIMIT CONDITION BREACHED]
[Hidden Function Unlocked]
[Primordial System — Core Override Initiated]
Everything went quiet.
Even the Enforcer paused mid-motion.
Jiang Chen rose slowly.
Blood still on his lips.
Body trembling.
But his aura—
Changed.
Golden qi darkened at its edges.
Not corrupted—
But deeper.
More primal.
"…What is this…" Zhou Yan whispered.
Lin Xue's breath caught slightly.
"…This energy…"
"…it's different."
Even Luo Tian's gaze sharpened.
"…So you've touched it."
The Enforcer tilted his head.
"Unknown fluctuation detected."
Jiang Chen exhaled slowly.
The pain.
The pressure.
The overwhelming gap—
Still there.
But now—
He could see something beyond it.
The system reformed:
[Primordial Core Override Active]
[All Parameters Temporarily Increased]
[Warning: Severe Backlash Imminent]
Jiang Chen clenched his fist.
So this is the price…
He looked up—
Directly at the Enforcer.
And smiled.
"Let's continue."
The Enforcer struck.
Jiang Chen moved.
This time—
He kept up.
BOOM!
Their fists collided—
And for the first time—
The Enforcer was stopped.
Shock rippled through the arena.
Chen Yu's jaw dropped.
"…No way…"
Zhou Yan's eyes widened.
"…He matched him?!"
Lin Xue stared, unblinking.
"…Impossible…"
Jiang Chen attacked again.
Primordial Strike — Phase Shift!
The strike bypassed the Enforcer's guard—
Landing cleanly.
BOOM!!!
The Enforcer slid back.
A mark—
Appeared on his chest.
Silence.
Then—
The Enforcer looked down.
"…Damage… confirmed."
For the first time—
His voice shifted.
"…Adaptation required."
Jiang Chen's aura flared violently.
Faster.
Stronger.
More dangerous.
But—
Cracks began forming across his arm.
The cost.
The system warned:
[Body Integrity Declining]
[Override Duration Limited]
Jiang Chen ignored it.
He stepped forward again.
"I'm not done yet."
From the side—
Luo Tian finally looked directly at him.
A faint smile returned.
"…Good."
But Lin Xue's voice cut through sharply:
"Jiang Chen—stop!"
He didn't.
Because he knew—
This is the only chance.
The Enforcer raised both hands.
Dark energy surged again—
Stronger than before.
"Escalation authorized."
The arena trembled violently.
Jiang Chen's vision blurred slightly.
His body screamed.
But his mind—
Clear.
Focused.
One more strike…
Golden qi condensed—
Mixed with that deeper, primal energy.
Unstable.
Dangerous.
Perfect.
"Primordial Strike…"
"…Core Break."