thefictionvixens Page 44
Page 44
Bai Zhi, admit defeat. Safety is the most important thing. I'll handle my sister's situation.
But after waiting for a long time, Chuixue did not hear Baizhi admit defeat, so she looked up.
Bakuzan roared "Hell Chop!" and slammed it toward the head of the Kyubeymon costume. The latter, unlike its heavy appearance, nimbly dodged the chop attack and took small steps, circling around Bakuzan.
Whispers broke out among the audience.
The match on the stage didn't resemble a competition at all; it was more like a farce.
"Tch, boring. You pesky bug, just give up!"
Baoshan lunged forward, unleashing a barrage of attacks filled with murderous intent—Hellfire Fist, Hellfire Battle Axe, Hellfire Charge—all aimed at Baizhi, but he managed to dodge them with a flustered and clumsy maneuver.
Three minutes, a full three minutes, and Baoshan had attacked over a hundred times, but all to no avail. The pure white mascot costume remained intact, without even getting dirty.
"Are you kidding me?!"
Sweating profusely, Baoshan realized that dodging once was good luck, dodging twice was a coincidence, but dodging three times, four times... could no longer be explained by luck or coincidence.
"Keep trying, you'll succeed eventually."
Bai Zhi patted the mascot costume's hands, then, in a seemingly reversed manner, began to comfort Bao Shan.
It's more like comforting an ignorant child than an enemy.
"Can you dodge this in close combat? Hellish Grab!"
Baoshan's eyes were bloodshot with rage, and his outstretched arms blocked all of Baizhi's escape routes.
You think you're so good at dodging? Try dodging one more time!
'They've finally shown a weakness. If this doesn't end soon, I won't be able to explain it to Fubuki.'
Inside the mascot costume, Bai Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and finally began to actively control the Cupid mascot costume.
That's right, I took the initiative to start manipulating 0 er er?I3" ling er? control.
All the dodging movements and the verbal taunts were actually performed by the Kyubeymon mascot costume itself.
As for the reason for the verbal mockery, it's probably because Bai Zhi's impression of Kyubeymon is entirely based on the nasty Kyubeymon in the shared space.
"The mascot costume felt incredibly smooth, like an extension of my own arm. It had no negative impact whatsoever; in fact, it cooperated with me actively, significantly enhancing my strength and speed."
By the time Bai Zhi was getting familiar with the mascot costume, Bao Shan had already gotten within two meters of her. Seeing that Bai Zhi didn't flinch, he assumed she was stunned by his imposing presence.
He revealed a sinister smile, increased the strength of his arms, and then Bai Zhi disappeared from his sight. He stumbled and fell uncontrollably off the stage.
Only the audience saw Bai Zhi slightly lower her head, slip out from under Bao Shan's arm, turn around and trip him, ending the match.
The situation changed too quickly. In his confusion, Baoshan heard the stadium broadcast that Baizhi had won. His confusion dissipated and was replaced by a fit of irrational rage.
"Ah! I want you to die!"
With a roar, Baoshan punched the doctor who was examining his injuries, who turned pale with fright.
The fist stopped a moment later.
The deep green superpower light restrained Bakuzan's movements.
"You've lost so ridiculously, do you still want to stay and become a laughing stock?" Tornado crossed her arms and sneered arrogantly, "I can grant your wish."
Tornado is the organizer, and protecting the staff is part of her job.
Besides, Bai Zhi is Chuixue's subordinate. Outside of formal competitions, what right do you have to lecture him?
In the other player's lounge, Bai Zhi held a Kyubey headgear in one hand and pushed open the door with the other, whereupon Fubuki greeted her.
"That's fantastic, Bai Zhi. Bao Shan's agility isn't very high, and you were lucky to get a win. It was a worthwhile trip, but..."
Fubuki leaned forward, bringing their faces closer together, her dark eyes so close to her emerald green pupils that they could feel each other's breath.
"Remember, life is the most important thing. We can earn money slowly. I don't want to see you leave the Fubuki Group one day because of the aftereffects of your serious injury, do you understand!"
"Don't worry, there's a reason why I wear a mascot costume."
Bai Zhi was deeply moved. She smiled gently, rubbed Chui Xue's little head, and pushed her cheek away a bit. With Long Juan present, it was best to be cautious.
"Remember what I said before the match about the 'vest strength'? This isn't a lie I made up; it's a real power..."
"It's alive? That's right, Angelica."
Sykes suddenly interrupted Bai Zhi's explanation.
One-Punch Man: Chapter 93 Talent
Talent is a gift from heaven, and it begins with the martial arts one observes.
The physiological characteristics and endowments that individuals are born with constitute the innate basis for the development of their talents and intelligence.
The starting point for the diverse categories among people.
The true meaning of winning at the starting line.
Psykos possesses innate talents for discerning the origins of freaks and for guiding their development.
He saw and discovered the true nature of the monster king Orochi, who was still human, even among the crowd.
He was transformed into a monster, gradually growing into a monster king at the peak of the Dragon level.
Perhaps guided by the 'Heavenly Eye,' the talent of Sykes is indispensable.
“The mascot costume itself has no power. It is your mental strength and your preconceived notions about the mascot costume that, combined with some kind of energy that even I cannot be sure of, brought ‘it’ to life.”
Sykes adjusted her glasses, carefully examined the costume, scanned it up and down with her superpowers, gave her judgment, and warned Bai Zhi.
"I advise you to get rid of it. It is a life form created by you based on Bai Zhi, but in essence it is a parasitic monster. It will drag you step by step to the edge of becoming a monster, and when a gap appears in your mind, it will bewitch you to completely merge with you and become a real monster."
"Quick, take off the mascot costume!"
Fubuki immediately became anxious, realizing that the impact of the cataclysm on humanity could not be summarized in just a few words.
The subsequent appearance of monsters, the resulting losses, destruction, and killings, have already pushed the conflict between humans and monsters to a point of no return.
Once transformed into a monster, no matter how deep the previous relationship was, the relationship between the two parties will instantly be categorized as hostile by their stance, unless they betray their own clan and voluntarily become monsters.
"Well, I don't deny the risk of becoming a monster. Parasitism is not clear. My relationship with the mascot costume is more like symbiosis."
Deep down, Bai Zhi has a clock in his heart. If he wears the mascot costume for longer than a certain time, he will gradually turn from a human into a monster.
The duration of wearing the costume depends on the individual's compatibility with it. He truly has a talent for this. Within three hours, or twenty-four hours, the moment he wears the costume for more than three hours, he will truly take the first step towards becoming a monster.
"It wasn't the mascot costume that actively seduced me into becoming a monster. The source of its consciousness was me. I am its 'father,' the 'master' it serves, and the 'sustenance' for its growth."
Parental love, faith, the desire to grow—it never intended to harm me, but simply gave me everything through its own means.
With the threat of the tornado looming, Bai Zhi, no matter how unwilling she was to reveal her full strength, had to expose some of it.
The mascot costume happened to be his later attempt, and since he couldn't hide it anymore, he openly showed it to everyone.
The transformation into a monster is a manifestation of the rules of the One-Punch Man world: you have to pay for what you gain.
The essence of human beings becoming stronger is to transform their physical body and mind with an obsession, dreaming, pursuing, and yearning to become the person they dream of being.
Conversely, the essence of freaking out is that human reason cannot control overwhelming desires, leading to being dominated by instinctual desires and having one's reason affected by uncontrollable obsessions, thus becoming a degenerate freak.
Bai Zhi's spirit and reason can transcend the monster-like process of the mascot costume, so he doesn't need to worry about his reason being affected. With Bai Zhi sharing the space, he is quite confident, but he overlooked one thing.
Since becoming a monster in the mascot costume is a talent, and Bai Zhi becomes stronger through sharing, the talent of the mascot costume also becomes stronger accordingly. In the uncertain future of Bai Zhi in the randomly appearing new world, can he really guarantee that his mental strength and rationality will grow faster than the mascot costume's transformation into a monster?
"No, the Fubuki Group is still in its early stages, and it's not yet at the point where you'd have to pay such a heavy price as turning into a monster."
Filled with worry and reluctance, Fubuki didn't want to one day have to personally execute her subordinate and friend.
So what if Fubuki's group develops slowly? She's already far behind her sister Tatsumaki, so she doesn't care about the time.
“Why do you have to do this? The price of becoming a monster is something neither you nor we can accept. Even though we’ve only known each other for a little over ten days, you can barely be considered an acquaintance of mine. Watching an acquaintance go to their death goes against my principles.” Sykes’s tone was erratic: “What exactly is it that makes you choose to take such a risk and wear the mascot costume?”
She thought of the forbidden book about 'opening the third eye' that she had found in the library.
Sykes had studied every step of the ritual, from beginning to end, with perfect clarity, yet the unknown cost still haunted her decision.
If she were still with the Superpower Research Association, she would have started her experiments long ago in order to avoid being overtaken by other superpower organizations.
But now, having witnessed the physical prowess of those who have reached the pinnacle of physical strength, she has somewhat relinquished her lofty ideals regarding superpowered individuals.
Seeing that Sykes, who was no longer as obsessive as before and was now focused on sponsoring funding, couldn't understand Bai Zhi's idea.
"Not for any particular reason, probably because I don't want to experience that feeling of helplessness again." Bai Zhi looked at Chuixue.
In a daze, the latter recalled the look in Bai Zhi's eyes when they first met, Bai Zhi lying in the ruins covered in blood.
Umbrella〉（四）〒卄铃翅倭侕寺扒〤斯〒裙。 Talk about the same perseverance, the same unwillingness to admit defeat.
"So that's how it is. When you chose to become friends with me and discuss a great undertaking together, you were already secretly preparing ways to enhance your strength."
As expected, Bai Zhi swayed Fubuki's suspicions to another track, and took the initiative to exonerate him, shaking his head and holding Bai Zhi's hand.
"Me and the Fubuki Group are not worth such a high price for you."
"It's my choice."
Feeling the increasingly chilling gaze of the tornado, Bai Zhi smiled slightly, stroking Chuixue's smooth, long hair with her other hand.
"Do you remember? When I was lying in my hospital bed, asking you how I could repay you, what was your request? You asked me to create an organization with you to prove that you are second to none. Thus, the Fubuki Group was born."
Back then, you had a lion in your eyes, the dreams and vigor unique to young people. I promised that I would fulfill your wishes. Before the Fubuki Group became a legend in everyone's eyes, I would stay by your side, no matter who the enemy was.
Even if it's Fubuki, your older sister.
Bai Zhi said with a smile, her tone sincere, her words filled with genuine warmth and affirmation.
A young girl's heart is always filled with poetry. Fubuki gazed at the smiling face of the young man before her, somewhat mesmerized.
"Hmph, a lecherous scoundrel who only knows how to flatter." Sykes sneered disdainfully, but a softer side of her heart was touched.
At that time, the two, who had not yet grown up, were intoxicated by the lies of youth and could not extricate themselves from the situation.
Yes, it was a lie, or rather, a lie that was nine parts truth and one part falsehood.
No one could see it, not even Tatsumaki, who was staring intently at her approaching sister.
Bai Zhi's gentle eyes concealed a deep sense of indifference.
One-Punch Man: Chapter 94, Give It to Me!
Bai Zhi, dressed in a mascot costume, executed a sliding tackle in mid-air, kicking the ankle of the overalls expert, who stumbled and fell off the ring.
"The senior brother of Kunmen Fist has left the grand arena. Glasses, the deputy leader of the Snowfall Group, has won the competition. Congratulations to him for entering the top four and having a chance to compete for the championship!"
The referee's loud announcement ignited the cheers and excitement of the audience, the gamblers' celebratory songs, and the blood-soaked curses of the speculators who opened the betting market.
"You did it, incredible."
Fubuki stared blankly at her companion as she staggered down from the grand arena, feeling the unreality of the world.
Is it reasonable that in four consecutive matches, the opponent was tripped up and fell off the ring?
"Luck is also a part of strength. Besides, TV stations look at the ratings results, and dramatic results are what attract people's attention."
Picking up the mascot costume headgear, Bai Zhiruo, who wasn't sweating, pointed something out.
All of the four finalists were familiar faces to Bai Zhi.
Bang, a venerable old master of martial arts; Suiryu, a master of the Netherworld Dragon Fist; and Fubuki, a superpowered beauty.
Unlike Bai Zhi's playful version of the competition, these three opponents were either powerful and skilled martial artists, mercenaries who were proficient in using battlefield weapons, or even biochemical experimental subjects with mechanical modifications, or sorcerers who unleashed negative energy.
Aside from Bang remaining calm and easily defeating his enemies, Suiryu and Fubuki faced several close calls and were nearly knocked off the stage.
The top four contestants took a photo on the main stage, said a few words of victory in front of the TV cameras, and then left one after another.
"You attention-seeking guy, you might escape today, but will you be able to escape tomorrow? Don't try to win by taking advantage of a woman's soft heart. I hate guys who don't respect women."
The handsome-looking Water Dragon whistled at Fubuki, glanced at Bai Zhi, and then turned and left with a pair of affectionate twin beauties in his arms.
"Oh ho ho, excellent young man. There is a price to pay for abandoning the skills you have honed to rely on external things. Your talent and physique are good. The strength you accumulate step by step is what truly belongs to you."
With his hands behind his back and his back hunched, Bang came over to greet him, patting the back of the mascot costume. The touch felt as if he were actually hitting human muscle.
Bang's martial arts skills allowed him to immediately detect the anomaly in the mascot costume. Before leaving, he wanted to guide the promising young man onto the right path.
"I have my own considerations, so I won't trouble you with them."
"You can't hit someone who's smiling," Banggu kindly advised, but Baizhi just smiled and brushed it off.