Mengdie's face turned pale. This unfamiliar sense of distance was unlike the Feng Yi she once knew. Perhaps, at this moment, what Mengdie wished for most was for him to call her "little fangirl" one more time, like he used to.

But he didn't. Feng Yi acted as if he hadn't seen her at all. Or maybe, from the moment Feng Yi reappeared in this world, he'd resolved to sever all ties with everyone from his past. Perhaps it wasn't his true intention, but faced with an irreparable rebirth and irreversible time, this might be the best outcome.

Better to remember than to meet; better to forget than to reminisce. Those who long for him need not pine; those who don't need not remember.

"Everyone's reunion ends here. Please don't forget about my presence," the bizarre creature interrupted coldly.

As the voice rang out, everyone turned to see the bizarre being, its entire body gleaming black, surveying them coldly. Little had they expected that this monster could speak like a human.

After all, being able to speak implied the possibility of communication, and communication suggested room for negotiation. Everyone was stunned for a moment before Blade Warrior took the initiative to avert conflict with words, "Bizarre one, you can communicate with us?"

"Hehe…" The bizarre one let out a sinister laugh, clearly uninterested in conversing with Blade Warrior. "You've all come to oppose me, so why don't we warm up a little now?"

"Hey, I'm speaking to you."

Only then did the bizarre creature cast a fleeting glance at Blade Warrior. "But I have no desire to answer the questions of an ant."

"What?! You dare call me an ant..."

The bizarre one spread its hands indifferently. "Let's cut to the chase. Are you coming at me one by one or all at once?" After finishing, it turned to the silent Feng Yi and said, "You seem to have something to say."

"Correct. I have a proposal."

Everyone's attention shifted to Feng Yi.

"I'm listening."

Feng Yi said, "How about, as you mentioned earlier, you don't retaliate while we attack with all our might, to see if we can exhaust you? I don't believe you'd dare to keep your word."

Feng Yi's words left everyone stunned! What? Having the bizarre one not counterattack and standing still while letting everyone unleash their full force? That sounded impossible.

But Feng Yi believed it might be feasible. Of course, he didn't genuinely think the group could defeat the bizarre creature. Instead, his intention was to use this opportunity to expose the true disparity in strength between the group and the bizarre one.

"Trying to goad me, huh? You might say they aren't worthy."

"Damn it, your tone is arrogant beyond belief."

"Hehe… is that so?" The bizarre creature dismissed Sky Shadow's remark with a shrug. "Fine then, as Feng Yi suggested, we'll play by the terms we agreed earlier: I'll stand still, letting you attack freely."

Everyone froze again at this declaration… Really? It would stand still, allowing them to attack freely? Was it foolish or was its confidence so overwhelming that even without counterattacking, it believed they couldn't harm it?

"Who's going first?"

They exchanged uneasy glances, hesitant to make the first move. Eventually, Zhang Xiaobo gathered his courage and asked, "Are you… sure you won't fight back, just standing there for us to attack?"

He couldn't fully trust the bizarre creature's words. After all, it was a monster. Such promises were not to be taken lightly.

The bizarre one smirked disdainfully. "I wouldn't stoop to deceiving ants."

"Alright then, I'll go first. I'm up."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaobo stepped forward, volunteering to test the bizarre creature's reaction. It had to be said—he had some confidence in his attacks, as long as there was no retaliation involved.

The crowd gasped...

Even the one with the weakest defense, Feng Yi from an alternate dimension, believed the bulky Zhang Xiaobo hadn't a chance. He knew Zhang Xiaobo's combat strength wasn't enough to challenge even him, let alone the bizarre creature that made everyone's skin crawl.

"Alright, I'm making my move. Don't forget you promised not to hit back!"

With that, the hefty man charged forward, launching a military-inspired boxing stance as he cautiously approached the bizarre creature.

In truth, the group couldn't help but feel conflicted. They didn't know the source of the bizarre creature's confidence, but letting Zhang Xiaobo attack freely might reveal the gap between their strength and its. On the flip side, even if Zhang Xiaobo couldn't inflict real damage, his efforts might help gauge the enemy's strength, giving them a clearer picture of its capabilities.

Swish!

Zhang Xiaobo threw a fierce straight punch aimed at the bizarre creature's face, followed by a powerful kick powered through his torso.

Thud and rumble—with no reaction from the bizarre creature. As Zhang Xiaobo's relentless attacks unfolded, he began to execute a series of almost unimaginable moves, striking with furious precision, trying to overwhelm the bizarre being from every angle.

Crackling sounds filled the air...

Half a minute of high-intensity attacks passed in a flash. Yet, the bizarre creature remained standing exactly as it had before, entirely unmoved, as if Zhang Xiaobo's blows weren't landing on a living form but rather on reinforced steel. Not only had Zhang Xiaobo failed to cause damage, the bizarre creature still hadn't triggered its defensive shield—it hadn't even entered a protective stance.

"Impossible… Can't break through? Seriously?"

Zhang Xiaobo was utterly dumbstruck. The creature's skin was so thick, its defense so high, that continued attacks wouldn't just fail to harm it—they'd wear down his fists. His knuckles were raw and nearly bleeding. Zhang Xiaobo couldn't believe it; the power behind each of his punches wasn't comparable to Sky Shadow's devastating strikes, but against a normal person, his blows would result in fatal injuries. A single punch would easily kill.

Yet such intensity couldn't even scratch the bizarre creature. As Zhang Xiaobo stared in shock, the bizarre one casually tilted its head, observing Sky Shadow and Roland with icy contempt, casually beckoning them with a hand.

This… this was an open challenge.

Sky Shadow laughed coldly. He couldn't miss the mockery in the bizarre creature's gesture. Falling for this provocation would indeed be foolish. But as much as Zhang Xiaobo wasn't the strongest, his inability to break through even slightly spoke volumes. This monster's confidence clearly wasn't unjustified. It truly had the power to back up its arrogance.

On the battlefield, Zhang Xiaobo had abandoned punches and kicks for grapples and holds, climbing over the bizarre creature like a frenzied obese monkey, trying to twist its neck and limbs with all his might. Yet no matter how he exerted himself, it wouldn't budge an inch—as unwavering as a nail hammered into stone. The bizarre creature seemed utterly unaffected.

A flurry of moves left Zhang Xiaobo gasping for breath, exhausted and panting heavily...

"No way… Why is there no reaction at all?"

Sky Shadow remarked casually, "You can't even break its defenses. Continuing further would only waste energy. Let someone else try."

"Damn, that's brutal. Why don't *you* step up?"

"I need time to observe."

Feng Yi sighed deeply. He knew it was pointless. Even Roland—stalwart at the peak of the Legendary Realm—would struggle to even breach its defenses, much less inflict real damage. This creature was composed of energy itself, constantly absorbing energy from the environment. Zhang Xiaobo's level of attack? Not only would it fail to harm the bizarre creature, it might even allow it to absorb some stray stellar energy from their efforts.

"Let me have a go."

Blade Warrior suddenly stepped forward, determined to test the bizarre creature's power. Zhang Xiaobo was simply too weak, but it was different for her. At least she possessed First-Order strength, which might hold a chance—even if minimal—of breaking through its defense.

"Sis, are you sure?"

"Enough talk. Step aside."

Blade Warrior's gaze hardened. "Ha!" With a fierce battle cry, her movements became sharp and forceful—light yet carrying undeniable weight. She charged straight at the creature, her fist aimed directly ahead.

With a deafening crash!

A cyclone suddenly erupted between them both.

…

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