Hector, being impaled on the spot, naturally wore a look of sheer terror.
He had never expected Lin Ran's offensive to be so swift, precise, and ruthless, defeating him in the blink of an eye.
Now, with his abdomen pierced, Hector felt as if all his strength had been drained away, leaving him utterly powerless.
What was even more devastating was that the sword Lin Ran used to pierce him, made of some unknown material, was continuously siphoning energy from his body…
Lin Ran narrowed his eyes and smiled, looking at the dejected Hector being consumed by the Sword of Victory.
The Sword of Victory, of course, did not possess the ability to absorb others' energy.
This effect was due to Lin Ran having integrated the Golden Dragon Spear into his own body, turning it into a weapon spirit within him.
The advantage of this was that Lin Ran could, at any time, channel the Golden Dragon Spear's two abilities – devouring and absorption – through his own physique and apply them to other weapons.
However, this process of integrating a weapon into a weapon spirit was by no means easily achieved.
After all, if such an excellent effect could be used without limit, Lin Ran would have long since integrated all the divine artifacts…
To accomplish such a feat, one must first possess one hundred percent compatibility with the weapon.
For instance, Lin Ran, possessing the Golden Dragon Martial Soul, could perfectly resonate with the Golden Dragon Spear.
Furthermore, one had to establish a profound resonance with the weapon one possessed.
Then, one's physical condition must also be exceptionally superior. The more powerful the integrated weapon, the more exceptional the body must be.
Moreover, the first integration was generally simpler, with subsequent integrations becoming progressively more arduous.
This was because, with an existing weapon spirit in the body, the integration of a new weapon spirit would inevitably be met with rejection from the old one.
Finally, one must ensure that all unexpected situations can be handled properly during the integration process.
Otherwise, if even a single aspect were mishandled, it could lead to an awkward situation where both person and weapon are damaged, a loss that outweighs any gain.
Therefore, Lin Ran's successful integration of the Golden Dragon Spear was already a remarkably fortunate event…
For example, the current effectiveness in dominating Hector was incredibly significant.
"That's enough… You can't even take one of my swords, yet you make so much noise every day."
"When you go down, don't forget to take a piss and have a good look at yourself, to truly understand your place…"
"Otherwise, one day, you might be casually crushed by some unknown powerhouse on the street, without even realizing it!"
With that, Lin Ran gently twisted the sword's hilt, deepening Hector's wound and intensifying his agony.
This inhumane act naturally drew cries of agony from Hector.
"Scram!"
"A petty scumbag like you doesn't even qualify to be on my kill list…"
After toying with him for a while, Lin Ran reversed the blade and flung Hector away:
"Show him out! Next!"
Seeing Hector lying on the ground like a lifeless dog, Vasily expressionlessly took him over:
"Effra, you're up next…"
"Make sure to be wary of his insidious methods, and be careful not to be caught off guard again!"
The burly man called Effra nodded gravely, then stepped onto the stage:
"Come on! Lin Ran! Mysterious Dragon Countryman!"
"Let me experience your strength!"
Before Lin Ran could say anything, the spectators in the stands were already growing impatient:
"What is Vasily doing? Does he think his team members can actually defeat Lin Ran?"
"Exactly, he's reached this point and still hasn't stepped up himself, insisting on sending his people up one by one to be cannon fodder!"
"Even if he's thinking of wearing Lin Ran down, it's completely illogical…"
"The two who went up just now didn't inflict any significant damage on Lin Ran."
"Exactly, they're completely ineffective at wearing him down!"
"I truly don't know what this guy is thinking…"
"They say a cowardly commander leads to a cowed army. He's definitely scared himself and doesn't dare to fight."
"It's truly disgraceful. If he doesn't dare to fight, why even bother? He should just go home! This is outrageous!"
"…"
These people made no attempt to conceal their voices, and their discussions naturally reached Vasily's ears.
Although Vasily was almost infuriated to death, he suppressed his anger and quietly logged this grievance in his heart.
These ignorant commoners simply didn't understand his plan!
Let them chatter here for now…
When he stages his ultimate comeback, let's see what they have to say then!
Effra, who had entered the arena, appeared unfazed by the taunts, remaining remarkably composed.
"You look decent, much better than that noisy fellow just now…"
Lin Ran said, retracting the Sword of Victory and nodding with approval.
Effra glanced at the rapidly expiring countdown timer and smiled:
"Then… forgive me?"
With that, at the very last second before the timer ran out, Effra let out a roar.
As the roar echoed across the arena, Effra's body underwent an astonishing transformation.
Sharp claws, lustrous fur, a robust physique, broad shoulders…
It could be said that Effra had almost entirely morphed into a physically enlarged black bear demon!
A transformation-type talent…
Lin Ran silently activated his Eternal Kaleidoscope as he observed Effra's suddenly elevated aura.
He had to admit, the density of this guy's energy was terrifying, his entire being now felt like a colossal furnace.
Unfortunately, his current form looked rather cumbersome, failing to inspire any sense of overwhelming power…
Lin Ran mused that he could easily find a hundred ways to toy with and defeat him.
For instance…
Amaterasu!
The moment Effra completed his transformation, a large mass of black flames erupted from within him, instantly engulfing his entire body.
"Roar!"
Despite being struck by Amaterasu, Effra showed no sign of fear. After letting out a long howl towards the sky, he charged ferociously towards Lin Ran like a smoke-billowing train.
Lin Ran, however, remained stationary. Only as Effra blundered to his doorstep did he continue to rotate his Eternal Kaleidoscope.
Kamui!
Following that, Lin Ran phased out, retracting his physical body into the Kamui dimension and projecting an afterimage, causing Effra to completely question his existence.