Chapter 856: Deathmatch Begins
Upon hearing this, the patrol captain couldn't help but turn to look at Ling Zhan.
In terms of authority, the newly appointed Chief Instructor naturally held the highest.
Seeing Ling Zhan show no objection—instead, calmly watching the centaur team before him—
He instantly understood the Chief Instructor's intentions.
Meanwhile, the centaur team, upon seeing this little chick who was barely over level 150 actually daring to challenge them to a deathmatch, had their ruthlessness triggered on the spot.
"Little chick! You said it yourself!"
"You want a deathmatch duel with our team!"
The previously injured centaur captain, now fully healed, turned toward the patrol captain and said in a deep voice, "Captain, you saw it too. She's the one refusing to let us go. We've agreed to her deathmatch—so now we should resolve it that way."
"There's nothing wrong with that, right?"
The patrol captain chuckled softly in response.
Hmm...
Looks like this group of centaurs still has no clue just how terrifying the power of that feather-dressed girl truly is.
On the surface, yes, she only appears to be in the 150s level-wise—but her strength is far beyond that.
Just like Chief Instructor Ling Zhan.
He may seem to be just a level 165 non-specialist, but his combat ability is something the entire Demon-Slaying Legion has already witnessed.
Even level 190 powerhouses have to tread lightly before Instructor Ling.
Right now, Instructor Ling is already widely recognized as the most likely candidate to reach level 200 the fastest and ascend to the Upper Realm with 100% certainty.
Would his contracted divine beast be anything ordinary?
"Alright then! Let's go by the rules of the Professional circle!"
"The two parties shall have a deathmatch!"
The patrol captain slowly nodded in agreement.
Upon hearing that, the centaur team burst out laughing.
The reason was simple.
Without this deathmatch, their entire team would probably have been detained by the patrol squad.
Don't underestimate the authority of the patrol force.
And don't think they're just some glorified city security.
In truth, the patrol squad oversees all of Ether City's order. In times of chaos, they're authorized to act swiftly and decisively. Even if the higher-ups question them later, the patrol has full protection from liability.
That's because the more powerful the people gathered in one place, the harder it is to maintain order.
Especially here in Ether City.
The globally recognized gathering spot of peak-tier powerhouses—most level 170–190 elites are concentrated here.
If the patrol didn't have enough authority, how would they manage such an overwhelming population of elite Professionals and adventurers?
At this moment—
With the matter now set to be resolved through a deathmatch,
the surrounding onlookers couldn't contain their excitement.
As expected…
Most people really do love a good spectacle.
Since they were bored anyway, why not enjoy an epic showdown?
Very soon...
The cold, elegant Yun Man stepped into the battle arena alongside the centaur team.
The arena, of course, had complete and top-tier spectator facilities.
Above the ring hovered a massive, spherical magic orb.
It buzzed with power, releasing a dazzling cascade of magical light.
Under the light, translucent screens began projecting all battlefield activity for the audience to see in vivid detail.
"Come on, place your bets, place your bets!"
"Centaur adventurer team led by Dremo VS mysterious young maiden!"
"Who do you think will win!?"
Back in Herk Temple, a management official immediately approached Ling Zhan for permission to open betting.
After Ling Zhan gave his approval, the official instantly launched the wager board.
Of course...
50% of all pure profits generated from the betting would go to Ling Zhan.
But when the onlookers saw this usually shrewd manager open the bets without hesitation, they were momentarily skeptical.
Anyone with eyes could see that the centaur team had the clear advantage in numbers and level—they had nearly a 90% win rate.
Under such conditions,
the Herk Temple official still dared to open the bet?
Wasn't that just giving everyone free holy crystal stones?
But here's the catch...
Anyone who frequented Herk Temple's dungeons would know just how cunning this manager was.
He may only be level 150 now, but he had worked his way from a front desk clerk to temple management—proof of his cunning.
There had to be something fishy about this wager.
However…
The audience looked left and right—none of them could see anything suspicious.
Could it really be free money?
Or were both sides secretly in cahoots to set a trap for their wallets?
But the issue was…
Once a deathmatch contract is signed, it's a real fight to the death.
Before entering the ring, either side could cancel or back down.
But once on the stage, there was no turning back.
Would either side really risk their lives just to rig the match?
Thinking this through—
many spectators shook off their doubts and placed their bets.
"I'm betting on the centaur team to win! Three billion holy crystal stones!"
"Same here—five billion on the centaurs!"
"I still don't trust that manager... I'm betting on the girl—thirty million!"
"Are you kidding? The centaur team's got this in the bag!"
"Yeah, I'm in too—this payout ratio is a goldmine!"
Everyone began swiping their holy crystal cards.
The manager kept a blank expression—but inwardly, he was grinning ear to ear.
As expected...
These gamblers, even knowing something was off, couldn't resist betting.
They seriously think that girl is just some random Professional?
"Guess how long this fight'll last?"
"No need to guess—I say it ends in one minute!"
"Aren't you overestimating her? That's a whole team, and Dremo's no slouch. Their squad is one of Ether City's best-known."
"True…"
"So... thirty seconds to decide the match then."
......
As the crowd speculated, a countdown began inside the battle arena.
Boom!!
At that moment—
Every member of the centaur team surged their stats to the maximum.
And started stacking all sorts of buff skills like mad.
They understood the principle—even when hunting rabbits, a lion uses full force—and didn't want to risk slipping up.
So they entered the fight at full power.
Treating that feather-dress girl as if she were a level 190 enemy.