Zheng Zha's explosive abilities underwent a massive transformation due to the appearance of the Mithril Ring of Implosion. Firstly, he gained an immense extension to the usage time limit for his "Explosion" skills; secondly, he could now conserve a portion of his internal energy and Vampire essence to suppress his output, reserving the full power of his "Annihilation" skill for moments of dire crisis to turn the tide.

Thus, once Zheng Zha discerned that the opponent’s self-created skill mirrored his own "Explosion" ability almost exactly, he unleashed his power without reservation, plunging headlong into battle with the muscular man.

It was vividly clear that, setting aside any potential severe side effects or aftershocks, the "Berserker" skill granted a near-perfect augmentation of raw power. The middle-aged man, whose baseline physical conditioning was several times inferior to Zheng Zha’s, found his combat efficacy slightly exceeding that of Zheng Zha in his "Explosion" state. This dominance extended beyond mere strength and speed; the man appeared to have unlocked the Second Stage of the Gene Lock, exhibiting reaction times, agility, and instinctive combat techniques that were undeniably on par with Zheng Zha's own unlocked Second Stage.

Zheng Zha's eyes were glazed over in confusion as he ceaselessly brought the Tiger Soul Blade down upon the muscular man. For the moment, this represented his only remaining advantage: his weapon was vastly superior to his opponent's.

The blade projections generated by channeling his internal energy sliced across the man's form several times. Though the target managed to evade the fatal blow by the narrowest margin each time, the power contained within the Tiger Soul's light could not be so easily dismissed. After several exchanges, the muscular man was heavily scarred, having already lost half of one palm and two fingers. The ground where they fought was slick with spilled blood.

Yet, Zheng Zha found it strange; the more wounded the man became, the stronger he seemed to grow. As the severity of his injuries increased, the muscular man’s speed and power escalated. His movements were unbelievably fluid, and every attack was executed with uncanny precision. In just a few exchanges, his twin-bladed great-axe had already carved several wounds into Zheng Zha. After only several dozen seconds of intense fighting, both combatants were thoroughly lacerated.

Zheng Zha subtly circulated his Vampire energy, using it for barely a second—just long enough to melt the ice shards clinging to his body and the thick frost coating the Tiger Soul Blade. Then, slamming his foot down, he swung the massive Tiger Soul Blade horizontally toward the muscular man. The ten-meter-long, invisible yet palpable blade projection, if fully unleashed, would not merely cleave flesh, but would slice a massive fissure through the very corridor they occupied. The sheer, world-breaking power of the Tiger Soul’s light was undeniable.

They had long since fought their way out of the conference room. With both "Berserker" and "Explosion" activated, their combined speed and strength had reached astonishing levels.

In just ten seconds of brutal exchange, they had already demolished several thick alloy walls, finally reaching this long corridor. From one end to the other, the passage they fought through had become grotesquely warped, its floor deeply imprinted with their violent footfalls.

Seeing the horizontal sweep of Zheng Zha’s attack coming, the muscular man did not hesitate.

He savagely embedded his twin-bladed great-axe into the adjacent alloy wall, using it as a pivot point. Before the blade projection could connect with his body, he leveraged the axe’s support to flip himself around. Having evaded the horizontal slash, he immediately stomped hard against the floor, accelerating violently as he charged forward, bringing the great-axe down toward Zheng Zha’s head.

Zheng Zha, driven to the brink of fury himself, brought the Tiger Soul Blade up to meet the axe blow head-on.

A deafening clang of metal against metal erupted, sending both Zheng Zha and the muscular man skidding back nearly ten meters.

They slammed into the walls on opposite sides, each coughing up a mouthful of blood.

However, the muscular man recovered faster. As if uninjured, he braced against the wall, hauling himself out of the shallow crater he’d made, and let out a furious roar. He launched himself off the rear wall and charged back toward Zheng Zha.

(He... he’s starting to pant now, and his muscles show multiple tears, though I can’t tell about the bones. In terms of pure physical endowment, he’s definitely inferior to me. As expected, "Berserker" is an overwhelmingly powerful suicide skill; its physical toll exceeds even "Explosion," and he’s using it with this inferior frame. In another minute at most, he’ll kill himself from the strain!) Zheng Zha recalled Chu Xuan’s instructions: his power level had far outstripped the rest of the team, and whenever possible, they should aim to capture opponents alive. This was why he had initially held back. Furthermore, he worried about Luo Gandao’s safety; if the enemy team members started dying too rapidly, the remaining members of the Southern Continent team would inevitably fall into panic—a scenario nobody could guarantee survival from. Therefore, he tried his best not to take a life... (Though I think that, if he’s intent on self-destruction, I can’t possibly capture him alive—unless... I use "Annihilation" to stun him instantly. But the speed and force required for that state are too terrifying; I can’t control the power well enough to merely knock him out. If I accidentally kill him...) These thoughts flashed through Zheng Zha’s mind in an instant. He then saw the muscular man closing the distance rapidly. With no other choice, he raised the Tiger Soul Blade to parry once more. As he blocked the axe edge, Zheng Zha sharply kicked the flat side of the blade. This combined force—the blade impact plus the powerful kick—sent the muscular man flying several meters outward. Zheng Zha could not waste such an opportunity; he instantly channeled his light movement techniques and charged in, closing the distance before the man could bring his great-axe around again.

Compared to wielding a greatsword, Zheng Zha was far more familiar with close-quarters grappling and striking. After all, before acquiring the Tiger Soul, he had used countless other weapons, spending most of his time relying solely on his fists and feet. Thus, as the muscular man threw a punch toward him, Zheng Zha countered with a close-in fist strike. However, this initial punch was delivered with a feint of empty force. As the man's fist met his, Zheng Zha’s other arm drove a sharp elbow upward from below; his free hand transformed from a fist into a claw, gripping the opponent’s striking hand just as the elbow struck with a sharp crack against the man’s joint.

No matter how robust the physique, the joints remain the body’s most vulnerable points. The power generated by Zheng Zha’s "Explosion" state—multiplied countless times beyond its base level—was immense. The elbow strike instantly hyperextended the muscular man’s arm joint, violently dislocating it. But before Zheng Zha could follow up, the man retaliated, driving a knee into Zheng Zha’s chest and blasting him several meters back.

This instantaneous mutual assault left both injured, but Zheng Zha’s damage was comparatively minor. More importantly, the muscular man’s arm joint was compromised, effectively neutralizing that limb for the foreseeable future. If Zheng Zha proceeded cautiously, the fight should have been decided; the man could not last ten more seconds.

Yet, before Zheng Zha could press his advantage, the muscular man let out a ferocious roar and violently wrenched his own injured arm, forcing it back into position. The muscle tissue in that arm was visibly contorted in unnatural bulges. This brutal realignment must have fractured bones and torn muscle, pain severe enough to render an ordinary man unconscious. But the muscular man seemed unharmed, save for his breathing becoming ragged and the blood-red tinge in his eyes deepening. In return... his speed and power became even more terrifying.

Zheng Zha rolled away, narrowly dodging a savage swing of the great-axe. Where he had stood moments before, the axe left a meter-wide crater in the alloy floor. As the muscular man’s injuries seemed only to fuel his rage, his immense power now surpassed even his own "Explosion" skill. Seeing the man’s labored breathing worsen and fresh blood begin to seep from his eyes, ears, and nose, Zheng Zha finally resolved to use "Annihilation." This man was clearly near death anyway; he would risk using the skill at a controlled setting—succeed and capture him, fail and kill him, but at least avoid a total loss.

"Well then..." Before Zheng Zha could activate "Annihilation," a figure enveloped in crackling blue electricity burst laughing around the corner from behind him. This Caucasian man was wreathed in lightning, resembling an elemental avatar. His hair stood up in sharp, pointed spikes, and the path he traversed left the floor scorched black, indicating he was saturated with electrical energy.

The white man roared with manic laughter, "Damn it, Captain of the Middle Continent Team, I’ll f***..." "Get out!" Zheng Zha had no time for pleasantries, and fueled by the terrifying speed and power of his "Explosion" state, he swung the Tiger Soul Blade in a single, swift arc. Before the man could comprehend what was happening, he felt a chill in his legs as he tumbled to the ground; his lower body had been severed clean in two by the blade projection. Before he could utter a sound, a dark shadow—a fist—plunged downward toward his face. With a dull thud, the white man was instantly knocked unconscious.

Zheng Zha spun around just as a great-axe swept horizontally toward him. He executed a hurried ‘lazy donkey roll’ to avoid it, then sprang up without hesitation. His internal energy and Vampire essence began to collide violently within him.

"Annihilation!" he roared, leaping forward...

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