As Liam's eyes gazed at the figure sitting in the darkness, the next announcement rolled in without giving him any break.
<Ding. The last and final match of the tournament is about to begin>
<Ding. Player 7 and Player 10 are requested to come to the arena stage>
Liam watched as the guy stood up calmly and walked over to the stage. He was a big and muscular guy just like Derek, but at the same time, there was something austere about him, as if he was a monk or a sage.
He kept his head low and walked onto the stage to stand in front of Liam. Like the others, he also didn't mouth off or say unnecessary things, he just stood silently.
"Hmmm?" Liam eyed him to figure out what sort of a player he was. This was his final test, and he had an uneasy feeling about him. He felt as if he was missing something crucial.
Sure, the player in front of him seemed to be competent and did not behave foolishly, but he wasn't that extraordinary either. At least from just looking at him, Liam didn't get any dangerous vibes.
The gong loudly sounded to announce the beginning of the match.
Surprisingly, this time the two players on the arena stage did not get teleported anywhere. They were still standing on the stage, and something flashed around them.
Liam looked around and decided to test something out. He lifted his finger, sending out a fire bullet, not onto the opponent but the surrounding auditorium.
Immediately, a translucent barrier appeared around the stage, blocking the attack. This barrier had hexagonal patches that glowed before they went back to being invisible again.
Seeing this, Liam's frown deepened. So they were going to fight in this small space?
The first thought that occurred to him was that he had nowhere to run or hide. At the same time, it was the same situation for the opponent.
But who was going to be the hunter, and who was going to be the prey?
While he was trying to be cautious, the other party did not stand still. The match started.
All of a sudden, the big guy blasted forward with tremendous speed. Wisps of wind gathered around him, propelling him and boosting his agility.
Even Liam hadn't achieved such mastery over the wind element. What speed! What power! However, it was still not enough.
Liam could see the punch coming for him. This was a close combat mage! He was fighting against a mage, boxing with his elemental skills.
Without hesitating, he unsheathed his sword and held it steadily to block the incoming attack.
BANG!
The impact resonated loudly as everyone watched in awe. The opponent came in with such an overwhelming force and power, but surprisingly, it was still Liam who was standing at the end.
The other party was pushed back from the exchange, but he was not done yet. The big guy grunted and came in for the kill again.
He used some sort of wind elemental skill buff to boost his agility and came at Liam again and again relentlessly.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The two of them clashed. Fire wisps engulfed the guy's hands, giving him power, the aura of the earth swirled around his legs giving him strength, and wind wisps covered his entire body giving him agility.
What an incredible technique! Liam was amazed. Clearly, the guy was using a technique superior to his own mana boosting technique.
While Liam simply used mana to boost his physical stats, this guy was using elemental wisps to boost the same. The difference between these two techniques was night and day.
Just like the thief, this guy also possessed something extraordinary. Moreover, his items were also not simple. After exchanging so many blows, Liam had already identified two things that stood out.
One was the knuckles. He had some sort of brawler item equipped on his knuckles. These shimmered and emanated a strong aura as each punch flew towards Liam's face.
The other item was the black thread the guy wore around his neck. It was a simple necklace-type item with a rabbit foot as a pendant, but nothing about it was simple. There was a unique aura swirling around that pendant as well.
If Liam was not wrong, then these two items should be similar to the daggers as well. They should be legendary grade and possess item spirits, most probably the tiger for the knuckle item and the rabbit for the pendant.
Liam eyed the two enticing items and wanted to end the match quickly, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was learning a lot at the moment. Sparring with this person was more advantageous than winning over him quickly.
By now, Liam was quite confident that this guy in front of him posed no threat. Sure, for any other player, he was probably an expert that couldn't be defeated. However, for him, it was still not that difficult.
It would take only a few blows to deal with him. So Liam kept dragging the fight purposely to learn more about the technique he was using. At the same time, he was also trying to figure out what was in store for him.
If this match ended, then the tournament ended, and he would be in the clear? But somehow, this seemed too easy. So he continued to drag the fight to make sure that he didn't miss anything.
Seeing this, the players around the PVP tower loudly cheered. No one wanted Crimson Abyss to win at this point except for the people who placed bets on them.
"See! Liam is getting pushed back! He is going to lose!"
"That expert should be the winner of this tournament!"
The masses rejoiced. However, a select few players still noticed something odd. "He is not losing. He is toying with him." Alex grimaced. "Can't he finish it fast? Why is he dragging this?"
"Hmmm. It's not that simple." Mia nodded. "He is thinking ahead."
While everyone continued to watch, Liam finally started ramping things up. But to everyone's surprise, he sheathed his sword back.
Instead, he also started using his fists just like his opponent. He was now using a style similar to the guy and started exchanging punches!
Wind wisps covered him. His fists were enveloped in fire. It was clear that one side's technique was so much better, but Liam's technique was improving.
Everyone felt as if they were watching a boxing match in a fantasy world.
"Mother! He learned it so quickly!" Alex was dumbfounded.
The fight was now completely different. Liam was no longer on the defensive.
With every punch he dealt, the other guy trembled, and the muscles on his body shook. Blood seeped out of his mouth. His physical enhancement was just not enough.
In the end, Liam did an uppercut that removed the last chunk of the guy's health and sent him flying. His muscular body landed on the stage with a huge thud.
GASP! Everyone collectively sucked in a big breath of air. The tournament was really over! Crimson Abyss had won!
All those mouthwatering rewards! Everyone's heart ached as they waited for the final announcement. Some people also started leaving.
"Phew!" Alex sighed. "It's over, right?"
But at this moment, Liam alone frowned. This was because the guy lying face down on the stage twitched. "You are not dead yet?"
He quickly dashed forward to land another blow and finish this fight. However, before he could reach the body on the ground, something flickered, and the next second, the body was no longer there.
POW!
A punch landed on Liam's stomach abruptly, and the person who was previously dead was now standing in front of him, strong and steady. The towering figure narrowed his eyes and scoffed arrogantly.
