Gareth glared at Jett with pure malice. He wasn't just going to defeat Jett; he was going to leave him with a lesson he would never forget.

  "Die!"

  "Skill—Iron Fist!"

  Facing Jett, who had already fallen, Gareth strode forward quickly. He clenched both fists, which glinted with a black metallic luster, and hammered them ruthlessly down towards Jett's head!

  BOOM!

  A terrifying shockwave swept outwards in all directions. Under the immense power of this single strike, the entire stage seemed to tremble.

  Faced with this devastating blow, Jett cried out inwardly, He frantically tried to move his body to dodge.

  But his broken leg ultimately slowed him down. In desperation, he jerked his head to the side and twisted his body, barely managing to move his head out of the path of the earth-shattering strike.

  However, Gareth's blow still landed squarely on his chest.

  With a wet splat, a mouthful of boiling hot blood sprayed from Jett's mouth. His body gave several sickening cracks, the sound of an unknown number of ribs breaking.

  "Cough... I... I..."

  At this point, the outcome of the match was crystal clear. Jett was grievously injured and had no strength left to fight.

  He struggled, trying to open his mouth to surrender. But he suddenly realized that Gareth showed no sign of stopping. A gaze filled with vicious intent was fixed unblinkingly upon him.

  A bad premonition welled up in Jett's heart.

  "You... you..."

  Jett looked at Gareth with anger, but he couldn't get the words out. His throat swelled, a sweet taste filled his mouth, and another mouthful of hot blood gushed out.

  He had always known Gareth's character was questionable, but he hadn't expected him to be this vicious!

  Jett had already lost the ability to fight, yet Gareth had no intention of letting him go. He looked ready to kill him outright.

  The referee, Carlos, saw everything clearly from the side, but hesitated on whether to stop the match.

  According to the rules: being knocked out of the ring counts as a loss; voluntarily surrendering counts as a loss; losing the ability to fight counts as a loss.

  But the determination of "losing the ability to fight" was a tricky business.

  Although Jett looked severely injured, he appeared conscious. It was hard to say definitively whether he had "lost the ability to fight."

  After all, in Beast Warrior arena duels, examples of turning the tables with a sliver of health despite heavy injuries weren't unheard of.

  Furthermore, some Beast Totems with special abilities relied on "taking hits" to fight. Beast Warriors with such totems often had thick skin and high defense, capable of withstanding massive amounts of damage. Although they looked "grievously injured" on the surface, they were actually fine. They would wait for their opponent to relax their guard and then suddenly strike back, "returning" the damage they had just taken with double the power to secure victory in one fell swoop...

  So, considering all these factors, Carlos found it difficult to judge whether Jett had truly lost his combat capability. And since Jett couldn't signal his surrender due to the blood clogging his throat, the match continued in this bizarre state.

  "What's wrong? Not surrendering yet? Then I guess I'll have to show you more of what I can do!" Gareth had indeed noticed Jett's predicament, but he lowered his voice and said this deliberately.

  For him, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

  He could openly maim or even kill Jett on the stage, and afterwards, he could make excuses and feign innocence to escape the blame and punishment he deserved.

  A wave of ecstasy washed over him, and he couldn't help but shout in his heart: My revenge is finally mine!

  He formed his fingers into claws and smashed them viciously down towards Jett's face.

  It happened in a flash. Jett used the last ounce of his strength to desperately shift his center of gravity to the side, barely dodging Gareth's lethal blow.

  "Dodge? You still dare to dodge?!"

  Seeing that Jett still had the strength to evade his attack, the look of madness on Gareth's face intensified.

  He raised his right leg and delivered a direct kick, slamming hard into Jett's lower abdomen.

  Another burst of fresh blood!

  In an instant, Jett was sent flying like a kite with a cut string in a storm. His body traced a messy parabola in the air before crashing heavily to the ground. The blood he spewed formed a red line, painting the entire distance between him and Gareth.

  His already broken right leg dangled like a broken windshield wiper, swinging back and forth in an arc pivoted at the knee.

  "Stop!"

  Only then did the referee, Carlos, snap out of it and shout to end the match.

  "The Freshman Invitational is about exchange and learning! You stop when the point is made! Killing is strictly forbidden!"

  Carlos flashed forward, shielding Jett with his body. Then, he glared fiercely at Gareth and pulled a yellow card from his pocket.

  "Ironpeak Academy contestant, Gareth, violation of match rules. First warning, yellow card!"

  "Sorry, sorry. I saw he kept refusing to surrender, so I thought he wanted to keep fighting. That's why I continued attacking," Gareth said, putting away his previous ferocity and adopting an expression of harmless innocence, shrugging with a smirk.

  In the Star City High competitor's rest area, 'Emperor' Valerius stood up from his chair in a rage. "That bastard! He did it on purpose, absolutely!"

  If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  If it were truly as Gareth claimed—that he thought Jett wanted to continue because he hadn't surrendered—then his attacks shouldn't have been so ruthless.

  'Emperor' Valerius had clearly seen that after Jett fell injured, Gareth's first strike was aimed straight at his head. If Jett hadn't lucked out and dodged, he might be dead right now!

  This proved that Gareth's intent was to maim Jett, or even kill him!

  "Valerius, this Gareth is too vicious, and his Doppelg?nger totem reeks of something strange. Be very careful later!" Dean Sterling said in a low voice.

  Then, he quickly ran out of the rest area to check on Jett's injuries.

  "Mr. Sterling..." On the stretcher, Jett fought through the pain, trying to say something resentful, but his injuries were too severe, preventing him from stringing words together. He could only sigh between gasps.

  "I'm so sorry, Mr. Sterling. It's my fault for being too careless..." At that moment, Gareth also sidled up, trying to offer an innocent explanation, but was immediately silenced by Dean Sterling's fierce glare.

  The conflict between him and Jett back then had caused quite a stir. As Jett's private tutor, Dean Sterling had naturally heard about it.

  He hadn't expected that this expelled student, Gareth, would not only get into Ironpeak Academy but also acquire such an eerie Beast Totem as the Doppelg?nger.

  And his character, far from improving, had become even more vile.

  To take revenge on Jett, he would stoop to such unscrupulous means!

  "Hmph!"

  Dean Sterling gave a heavy snort. As Jett's teacher, he had no desire to say another word to Gareth.

  "Those who commit injustice are doomed to destruction! Kid, remember my words today."

  With that, Dean Sterling followed the medical staff carrying Jett's stretcher out of the arena.

  In the broadcast booth, commentators Leah and Jude were also extremely dissatisfied with Gareth's actions. But as commentators, it wasn't their place to casually express opinions on such matters and sway the audience, so they both chose silence.

  The competition continued.

  'Emperor' Valerius walked out of the rest area, preparing to take the stage. In the preparation tunnel, he encountered Jett lying on the stretcher.

  "Careful... his Doppelg?nger totem's ability... is very strange..." Jett struggled to say.

  The medical staff had cleared the blood from his throat, so he could barely speak now, though his severe injuries still made his words broken and halting.

  "Mm."

  'Emperor' Valerius nodded solemnly, then continued forward, walking out of the tunnel and onto the stage.

  The moment he stepped onto the ring, 'Emperor' Valerius immediately unleashed his Beast Totem.

  ROOOOAR!

  The massive mirage of a Tyrannosaurus Rex appeared behind Valerius.

  He stood with one hand in his pocket, looking at Gareth with utter contempt.

  "You're the one who beat Jett half to death just now, right? Have you decided how you want to die?"

  "What, are you here just to run your mouth?" Gareth sneered, looking at 'Emperor' Valerius with equal disdain.

  "Is Star City High out of people? Sending a 'disabled person' like you to fight?" As he spoke, Gareth's eyes drifted to 'Emperor' Valerius's injured right hand.

  After going all out against Fly in the Martial Trials, 'Emperor' Valerius's right hand, injured from forcibly using Infernal Transformation, still hadn't recovered. Although he didn't need to keep it in a sling anymore, the cast hadn't been removed.

  "Valerius, today I'll sweep your years of fame into the dust!"

  With a savage expression, Gareth suddenly lunged towards 'Emperor' Valerius.

  But Valerius just let out a cold laugh.

  Although his Tyrannosaurus Rex totem wasn't known for speed, relying on his own talent and diligent training, 'Emperor' Valerius believed that in a contest of speed, the vast majority of Beast Warriors at his level were no match for him.

  'Emperor' Valerius dodged and weaved continuously, evading Gareth's attacks one after another, agile as a crimson bolt of lightning.

  After dodging a few times, 'Emperor' Valerius showed a bored expression. "How dull. Is this really all the strength you have?"

  Seeing an opening, he slammed a left fist into Gareth's elbow.

  "Argh!"

  A heart-wrenching scream rang out. Gareth felt his right arm go completely numb, unable to exert any strength.

  "Now, it's my turn to counterattack. To deal with you, I don't even need to use a Skill," 'Emperor' Valerius said coldly.

  In his eyes, Gareth's strength was nothing special. He could defeat him using only ordinary attacks.

  'Emperor' Valerius transformed his fist into a claw and raked viciously at Gareth's abdomen.

  Instantly, five bloody gashes were stamped onto Gareth's stomach.

  Gareth was forced to retreat again and again, crying out inwardly in misery:

  Hit repeatedly and in pain, he could only flail his fists wildly in an attempt to counterattack.

  But how could such disorganized attacks work against 'Emperor' Valerius?

  Valerius dodged every single one and repeatedly seized opportunities to inflict damage.

  "Didn't you feel good beating up Jett just now? Come on, I'll make you feel even better! I'm going to make you endure the pain bit by bit, until you are thoroughly defeated. Enjoy the beautiful process of failure!"

  On the other side, in the Star City High rest area, Dean Sterling's brow was furrowed tight. "Not good! Valerius, finish him quickly! Don't play with him!"

  But how could Valerius on the stage hear the Dean's warning from the rest area?

  Valerius continued to toy with Gareth unhurriedly, gradually backing him to the edge of the ring.

  "I'm bored of playing now. Time to finish you."

  'Emperor' Valerius elegantly raised his left hand, preparing to deliver the final blow to Gareth.

  But Gareth suddenly dropped his panicked expression and began to laugh.

  "Hehehehe... 'Emperor' Valerius, you fell for it!"

  In an instant, with a flash of faint light, Gareth's figure vanished.

  'Emperor' Valerius hurriedly turned around, only to see three "Gareths" standing not far behind him, surrounding him at the edge of the ring.

  One held a spear, one a curved saber, and one a heavy hammer.

  Further away, there was another "Gareth," drawing a bow and nocking an arrow, ready to fire.

  "Th-this..." A look of panic flashed across Valerius's face.

  "Hehehehe..." Gareth's low voice drifted over slowly. "Valerius, do you know what the characteristic of a Doppelg?nger is?"

  Valerius's pupils constricted. He screamed internally that he had been tricked.

  His keen perception, honed from years of martial arts training, told him clearly:

  In an instant, 'Emperor' Valerius erupted with unparalleled momentum, roaring as he sprinted towards the archer "Gareth" in the distance!

  The expression of the archer "Gareth" changed slightly.

  He hurriedly shouted to the "Gareths" wielding melee weapons, "You guys, stop him!"

  Immediately, the weapons of those "Gareths" flashed with light. A hammer, a spear, and a saber attacked 'Emperor' Valerius's head, chest, and lower body respectively.

  'Emperor' Valerius frowned, shouting impatiently, "Annoying little brats!"

  He instantly activated the Skill Wyrm's Lash, sweeping away the spear-wielding "Gareth" attacking his heart with a tail whip.

  Then, adopting the stance of a Hungry Tiger Pounce, he threw his body forward. His body stretched out in mid-air, almost parallel to the ground, ingeniously dodging the hammer aiming for his head and the saber sweeping at his legs.

  Once he landed steadily, 'Emperor' Valerius quickly flipped over. Using a Rising Dragon Coil, he leaped into the air, splitting his legs into a wide straddle, kicking out at the saber-wielding and hammer-wielding "Gareths" simultaneously.

  Those two "Gareths" hadn't expected Valerius to counterattack so quickly, nor in such a tricky manner. Unable to dodge in time, one was kicked in the jaw, the other in the brow bone, and both tumbled backwards.

  After dealing with the three melee "Gareths," 'Emperor' Valerius didn't dare to rest. He quickly turned to face the "Gareth" with the bow in the distance.

  But he saw that "Gareth" revealing a sinister smile. "'Emperor' Valerius, too late."

  "Soul-Chasing Arrow, go!"

  With a violent shout from "Gareth," the bow and arrow in his hands burst with light. Carrying an aura of unmatched speed, the arrow shot towards 'Emperor' Valerius!

  'Emperor' Valerius cursed inwardly. He was not far from the edge of the ring now, with no room to retreat. He immediately channeled all his energy and dodged to the side.

  Seeing that he had evaded the path of the light arrow, the corner of 'Emperor' Valerius's mouth hooked into a smile.

  But a similar smile appeared on Gareth's lips. "'Emperor' Valerius, you're too naive. My Soul-Chasing Arrow... homes in on its target!"

  As soon as the words fell, the incredibly fast arrow of light made a bizarre, sharp turn.

  With the same rock-shattering momentum, it tracked 'Emperor' Valerius and came speeding towards him.

  "What? The arrow can turn?!"

  'Emperor' Valerius was horrified!