"Congratulations, young Slaughterers."
The voice of the Slaughter King echoed across the Hell Slaughter Arena, heavy and oppressive.
"You have created history since the founding of the Hell Slaughter Arena. Never before have so many hundred-win powerhouses appeared in such a short time."
He stood before his blood-red throne, descending slowly with a dark expression that contradicted his words of praise.
"I hereby grant the five of you the title of Slaughter Gods. You are also appointed as guest elders of Slaughter City. From this moment on, you may enter and exit freely, enjoying privileges second only to mine."
A pause.
"You will no longer need to risk your lives by challenging the Hell Road."
His gaze sharpened.
"So… are you willing to accept?"
The arena fell into a brief silence.
The final member of the Heart of Fire Academy team had just completed her hundredth victory, marking the completion of an unprecedented record. Yet instead of celebration, a heavier atmosphere now pressed down upon the entire battlefield.
The Slaughter King's offer was generous—on the surface.
But everyone understood what it truly meant.
Control.
Containment.
A leash disguised as honor.
For a moment, the past echoed through the city.
The rise of these five "Slaughter Gods" had not only shattered records, but also shaken the very foundation of Slaughter City itself.
Especially the one called the Hell Savior.
Her words had spread like wildfire:
"The rules of Slaughter City are rotten."
"You are not raising warriors—you are raising livestock for slaughter."
"This place could have been better."
It was a statement that should have been impossible to survive in this city.
And yet… it resonated.
For the first time in countless years, many Slaughterers began to question the system they lived under. Not all of them were completely consumed by the Bloody Mary's corruption. Some still retained fragments of reason, fear, and even hope.
And those fragments had found a voice.
A dangerous one.
The Slaughter King's tolerance had reached its absolute limit.
These five were no longer just challengers.
They were destabilizers of order.
A crack in a structure that had stood for thousands of years.
And that… was unforgivable.
"I'm very sorry," Ning Rongrong said clearly, stepping forward as the representative of the group. "But this was our teacher's instruction."
"Our goal is to obtain the Slaughter God Domain by passing through the Hell Road."
"We will be leaving through Hell Road. Please open it."
Her tone was calm.
Unyielding.
Not aggressive—but completely firm.
The kind of firmness that did not seek permission.
The Slaughter King's eyes narrowed.
"Are you certain you will challenge the Hell Road?"
"Confirmed," Zhu Zhuqing replied coldly.
"I agree," Xiao Wu said.
Ye Lingling nodded without hesitation.
Even Hu Liena stepped forward slightly, speaking in a softer tone:
"I will follow Teacher Xin's disciples."
That sentence alone caused a faint stir among the spectators.
The Slaughter King slowly scanned them.
"All five of you… intend to pass through Hell Road together?"
A low, chilling laugh escaped him.
"Very well."
"Since you have chosen to break the rules of Slaughter City…"
His voice dropped.
"Then the first trial begins here."
A violent crimson aura exploded outward from his body, spreading across the arena like a living tide. The air itself seemed to warp under the weight of pure malice.
"Survive one hour against me."
The declaration landed like a hammer.
Instantly, the entire arena erupted.
Gasps, whispers, disbelief.
The Slaughter King himself.
The final test.
Not the Hell Road.
But the ruler of Slaughter City.
"Their opponent… is the Slaughter King!"
"The Hell Savior and her team… are challenging the Slaughter King directly!"