C15 Extra Experience

William, the second-in-command of the Fireforged fighting club, had never before been subjected to such an affront. Ever since his admission to the academy, his talents far surpassed those of his peers, and he had never tasted defeat in combat. Yet, here he was, unable to dispatch this obscure Odin within three moves, which infuriated him to no end.

The fist that Odin had seized was now creaking alarmingly, the pain radiating up William's forearm. Clenching his teeth, William unleashed a powerful strike with his free hand, landing a heavy blow on Odin's chest.

Odin, despite the excruciating pain suggesting his fingers were on the brink of fracturing, was sent reeling back several meters by the impact, only stopping when his hands hit the ground.

The stage bore a deep gouge, testament to the ferocity of William's punch. The air was thick with the scent of gunpowder, and the potent blood energy emanating from William was so overwhelming that those in the audience with lesser cultivation could barely keep their eyes open.

William's combat skill allowed him to tap into his life force, temporarily boosting his strength and speed even when his body was compromised. This surge of power was the source of the formidable pressure now filling the arena.

Yet Odin remained unflinchingly on the stage, even able to see the red mist swirling around William. Suddenly, a notification appeared before his eyes: William's strength had been enhanced by 20 points.

Odin was taken aback by the figure. He was clueless as to what skill William had mastered that could amplify his strength by such a margin in mere moments.

But William afforded him no time to ponder. With a powerful thrust of his legs, William soared into the air, hurtling towards Odin with his enhanced blood energy.

Odin braced himself, anticipating the trajectory of William's incoming fist, and managed to block the strike. The force was so immense, however, that it shattered the solid wood of the stage, causing one of Odin's legs to plunge through. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"How does it feel, kid? My Blood Fist isn't child's play!" William sneered, convinced that Odin was nothing more than a desperate insect, struggling in vain.

Odin arched an eyebrow and swiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with a taunting smile. "Not bad."

William was seething with rage at Odin's demeanor. He lifted his foot, ready to deliver the final, fatal blow to Odin. But Odin wasn't about to stand still and take the hit. With the agility that combat skills are known for, he rolled swiftly to the side, evading William's assault and using the momentum to spring to his feet.

He was aware that William had a killer move up his sleeve, but Odin had an ace of his own that he hadn't played yet—his psychic force. Odin's brow furrowed slightly as he launched into the air, twisting mid-flight to land swiftly behind William. With his hands clasped together, he seized William by the neck before the latter could even react.

"You think you can...?" William's retort was cut short as he suddenly felt an eerie chill envelop his neck. The icy sensation made his hair stand on end, instilling in him a deathly, cold fear.

How could this be possible? William had faced many opponents and knew this to be one of the Ghost Rider's skills. To onlookers, it seemed Odin had physically restrained William, but in reality, he was using the wakan of the Wraith to ensnare him tightly!

"How can this be! You're just a lowly member of the fighting club!" William's voice shook, for he was clueless on how to counter the Wraith's power. His entire body was immobilized by the Wraith's wakan, as if he were trapped in an ice cellar.

"So now, tell me, who is the one certain to die?" Odin's grip tightened, and William nearly suffocated, his vision darkening.

Judging the timing right, Odin withdrew his psychic force and executed a basic practice skill move, flipping William onto the ground.

According to the Fighting Club Ranking Competition rules, if a combatant remains down for more than ten seconds, their opponent is declared the victor.

William lay on the ground, eyes wide with shock. His already weak psychic force had been nearly depleted in his attempt to fend off Odin's Wraith, leaving him in a stupor and unable to stand.

The audience erupted into chaos, unable to comprehend how Odin had effortlessly toppled William using such a simple technique. Silence fell over the Battle Arena, broken only by the cheers and screams of the few who had bet on Odin's victory, erupting after a brief hush.

The three siblings from the fighting club, who had been spectating the entire match, wiped the cold sweat from their brows. It seemed their risky move had paid off after all.

Unbeknownst to them, a figure stood in the shadows of the Battle Arena, his face obscured by a hat. He had been observing the regular matches, but when Odin stepped onto the stage, he felt a strong premonition that this young man was extraordinary. Sure enough, the outcome of the match was just as he had anticipated.

With a disdainful snort, he tipped his hat lower and slipped away from the Battle Arena unnoticed.

Meanwhile, Odin, having concluded his match, plopped down on the ground. It had taken considerable effort to defeat William. If William hadn't been unaware of his identity as a Ghost Rider and inadvertently allowed Odin to close in, the result of the match might have been quite different.

Just then, the system pinged with a new message:

[Defeating William: Experience +20. Defeating the enhanced version of William: Additional 50 experience points.]

Odin stared at the words "additional experience" and was momentarily at a loss for words. Such a boon! A total of 70 experience points in one go. He had made the right call in agreeing to help the siblings. At this rate, he was set for a windfall!

"Heh, if it isn't our champion?" A girl with golden hair, chewing bubblegum and dressed in a uniform with a short skirt, propped herself with her hands on the edge of the arena and executed a graceful flip to land in front of Odin.

"And you are?" Odin asked, puzzled by the sudden appearance of the girl. He racked his brain but was certain he had never encountered her before.

"I'm Coline, your opponent in two days' time. Ever heard of the Wild Dance?" The blonde girl nonchalantly blew a bubble and popped it with a loud 'pop.'

Odin internally sighed and responded, "I'm somewhat familiar."

"Good to know. I'm nothing like that muscle-brained William. I'm well aware of how you won today," Coline said, her voice dropping to a whisper as she leaned in close to Odin.