Chapter 76: A win is a win
In the arena—
Caelum staggered.
His hand shot to his face. Covering the nose and mouth. Eyes are watering instantly.
"What—" Choked. "What IS—"
The smell invaded. Merciless. Through every gap. Every breath.
His other hand fumbled. Desperate. Storage ring flashed.
WHOOSH.
A barrier appeared. Shimmering dome. Wrapped around him.
The smell passed through.
No effect.
"NO—"
Another flash. Shield materialized. Solid metal. He pressed it to his face like a mask.
The smell seeped around it.
"DAMN IT—"
Flash. Flash. Flash.
Protective talisman. Activated. Golden light.
Wind barrier. Spinning air.
Ice shield. Frozen wall.
Water bubble. Around his head.
Nothing worked. NOTHING.
The smell penetrated everything. Unstoppable. All-consuming.
Caelum’s face turned green. Then white. Eyes bloodshot.
"DESPICABLE!"
Screamed. Voice cracking.
"CHEAP! COWARDLY! I DON’T—"
Swayed.
"I DON’T ACCEPT—"
Fell to his knees. Body convulsing.
"THIS... THIS ISN’T... HONORABLE... COM..."
Face-planted into the water.
SPLASH.
Unconscious.
Body twitching.
Mizuchi shrieked.
High-pitched. Furious.
His master! Down!
The serpent’s eyes blazed. Electric white turned crimson. Rage. Pure rage.
His scales bristled. Lightning exploded outward. CRACK CRACK CRACK!
The water boiled. Steam rising.
But the smell—
Even Mizuchi felt it. Poison resistance high. SS-rank constitution.
But this— this was beyond poison.
This was a curse.
The serpent’s movements became erratic. Jerking. Head shaking. Trying to clear it.
But fury overrode discomfort.
MASTER DOWN.
ENEMY STILL STANDING.
DESTROY.
Mizuchi roared. Soundless. Just vibration. The water trembled.
Then—
He charged.
No technique. No grace. Just raw power. Blind rage.
WHAM!
Slammed into Pie. Full force.
The armored slime rocked. Didn’t fall.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Again. Again. Again.
Faster. Harder. Desperate strikes.
Alex’s thought pulsed.
Calm. Clear.
Sleep.
Pie’s eyes— already half-closed from the battering— shut completely.
"Gulu..." Soft. Peaceful.
His body relaxed. Armor and all. Just... settled.
Sleeping.
In the middle of the battle.
Alex’s thought continued.
Armor. All life to defense.
The suit responded. Glowing faintly. The distribution shifted.
Life: 0%
Defense: 400%
Pure tank. Unbreakable wall.
And Pie’s passive activated. Automatic. When sleeping— defense skyrockets. Natural slime ability.
The two effects combined.
Stacked.
Multiplied.
WHAM!
Mizuchi struck. Full power. Ninety-seven percent output.
The armor didn’t dent.
WHAM! WHAM!
Lightning burst. Water exploded. Thunder cracked.
Not even a scratch.
Left. Right. Above. Below.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Each hit full strength. Each hit desperately.
The armor held.
Impenetrable.
Mizuchi’s movements slowed. Slightly. The smell— finally getting to him.
His attacks weakened. Just a fraction.
But he continued. Loyalty. Rage. Desperation.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
One minute passed.
Two.
The serpent’s speed dropped. Noticeably now. His lightning flickered. Unstable.
Three minutes.
Mizuchi swayed. His massive body was wavering. Head drooping.
The smell— accumulated. Every breath. Every second.
Even SS-rank resistance has limits.
Four minutes.
The serpent’s attacks stopped. Barely. Just... hovering. Body trembling.
His eyes— still crimson with rage— began to glaze.
Five minutes.
Mizuchi’s head dropped. Touched the water. Too heavy. Can’t lift it.
His body coiled. Tighter. Defensive instinct.
Then—
The eyes closed.
Slowly.
The massive serpent collapsed. Crumpling into the contaminated water.
SPLASH.
Unconscious.
Defeated.
By fish cans.
....
Silence.
The arena— those still conscious— stared.
Mouths open. Eyes wide. Disbelieving.
Alex stood. Calm. Hands in pockets.
Pie slept on. Peaceful. Snoring softly.
"Gulu... zzz... gulu..."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Those still conscious— maybe thirty people total— stared.
Disbelieving.
The massive serpent. Twenty-five meters. SS-rank. Ninety-seven percent power.
Collapsed.
Unconscious.
Defeated.
By fish cans.
Then—
"HE WON."
Someone whispered.
"He... he actually won."
"ALEX WON!"
The shout broke the dam.
"IMPOSSIBLE!"
"THE SLIME BEAT MIZUCHI!"
"CAELUM IS DOWN!"
"AN E-RANK SLIME!"
"DEFEATED AN SS-RANK SERPENT!"
Master Feng stood. Swaying. One hand covering his nose with a cloth.
"I..."
Voice hoarse.
"I just witnessed history."
The gray-haired official beside him. Also standing. Also covering his face.
"That boy..."
Shook his head.
"That absolute madman."
Another official stumbled forward. Tears streaming. Not from emotion. From the smell.
"THE BETTING POOL!"
Voice cracking.
"ROSE!"
"FIFTY TO ONE!"
"ALEX WON!"
Others realized.
Horror dawned.
"Oh no."
"Oh god."
"I bet on Caelum."
"So did I."
"We all did."
One man grabbed his head.
"I put FIFTY SPIRIT STONES!"
"Five hundred thousand!"
"GONE!"
Another collapsed to his knees.
"NOOOO!"
Master Feng’s face went pale.
"Two hundred spirit stones."
Whispered.
"Two million."
"Gone."
The woman official who’d been vomiting— now recovered slightly— stared at the arena.
"Rose bet on Alex."
Pause.
"She bet ONE THOUSAND."
Someone did the math.
"One thousand... times fifty..."
"Fifty thousand spirit stones."
"FIVE HUNDRED MILLION!"
"ROSE JUST WON FIVE HUNDRED MILLION!"
Everyone turned.
Looked at Rose.
Still sitting. Gas mask on. Calm.
She waved.
Slow.
Muffled voice through the mask.
"Thanks for the charity, everyone."
Sweet.
Professional.
In the arena—
Alex walked forward. Calm. Hands still in pockets.
"What do you say, guys?"
"Did I do well that you guys almost got blinded??"
Silence.
Long.
Heavy.
Officials looked at each other.
Then at Caelum. Unconscious. Face-down in contaminated water.
Then at Mizuchi. Twenty-five meters of SS-rank beast. Collapsed. Defeated.
One official spoke.
Hesitant.
"The method was..."
Paused.
"Unconventional."
Another nodded.
"Very unconventional."
"Fish cans."
"Biological warfare."
The woman official added.
"Not exactly... honorable combat."
Master Feng stroked his beard.
Thinking.
"But."
"Regardless of method..."
"The outcome is clear."
Others shifted.
Uncomfortable.
But couldn’t deny it.
Finally—
Master Feng spoke.
Loud.
Clear.
"Alex."
Pause.
"You did... Amazing"
"You defeated Caelum."
"Holy Dragon University’s second-ranked first-year."
"With an E-rank Slime."
His voice carried.
"This is..."
Shook his head.
"Unprecedented."
The crowd— those still conscious— erupted.
5000thousand words of crazy reactions~
In the arena—
Alex stood. Calm.
Enjoying the inner peace, regard the surrounding noises.
Breathed in.
Deep.
The smell hit.
Rotten. Putrid. Death incarnate.
But—
He was used to it now.
Nose already numb.
Then—
Golden text flashed.
[MAIN QUEST COMPLETE: Defeat Caelum]
[Slime All Attributes +10%!]
[Title: "Genius Trampler"]
[Effect: Whenever you encounter a self-proclaimed genius, they will feel an irresistible urge to challenge you. Defeating them drops bonus rewards! The more arrogant they are, the better the loot!]
[Loot drop! Your divinity+0.1%!]
[Divinity:0.2%!]
[Your sensation will be super sharp! Especially facing evil beast master!]
[You are a walking detector now!]
[SIDE QUEST COMPLETE: Win Rose a Fortune]
[Rose Affection + 20%!]
[New Reward: Rose’s Full-Body Massage Package (Redeemable Anytime)]
[Fertility +20%]
[Since you turned her on too much! You gain 20% extra!]
[40% boost in total now!]