Floating Island - Triple S Talent

A small text flashed below it: "The duel will automatically begin after the countdown ends. Participants who wish to surrender may raise their hand, and the system will determine the winner."

Carter nodded slightly. "Simple and efficient," he muttered. He pulled out both pistols from their holsters, opened the magazines, and began checking the bullets. Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire

Suddenly, a loud voice pierced his ears.

"You there. Surrender."

Carter froze mid-motion. His eyebrows raised as he looked at the elf with a bewildered expression. "Seriously?" he thought. Was this just a coincidence, or were cultivators always this arrogant?

He let out a small scoff, slid the bullets back into the magazine, then replied lazily, "Can you see the future?"

His tone was calm, almost indifferent, as if the man in front of him was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. He adjusted his glasses slightly, then refocused on his preparations.

The elf's expression shifted. Annoyance began to show on his face, his lips curving into a mocking smile. "Haha… a lowly human."

Carter narrowed his eyes. He could tolerate many things—the insanity of this world, its absurd laws, even the strange tournament system—but being looked down on like this? That was harder to accept.

"Damn, am I stuck in some cliché story? Or does he actually have the power to justify his arrogance?" he wondered.

But before he could question further, the air around the elf began to tremble. Green light gathered at his side, forming a vague silhouette that gradually took a solid shape.

A tree.

Three meters tall, with dense leaves and branches that swayed gently as if sentient. The fresh scent of earth emanated faintly from its body.

Carter sharpened his gaze, his body instinctively tensing.

"Hahaha… I already gave you an easy way out," the elf's voice dripped with mockery. "But you chose to become fertilizer for my tree."

The young elf man stared at Carter with sharp, arrogant eyes. In his mind, this duel was already over—Carter was nothing more than a victim waiting for his fate.

Carter took a deep breath, pushing away all doubt. He couldn't afford to be careless, let alone lose. This was his first battle, and defeat was not an option.

The countdown continued to decrease. 30 seconds remaining.

Carter gripped both of his pistols tightly. A blue light pulsed at the tip of the barrels, flickering in rhythm with his heartbeat. He knew the tree spirit controlled by his opponent would be a significant challenge. However, the elf's body? That was a different story.

In the middle of the arena, time was almost up...

3...

2...

1...

The ground trembled violently. Roots burst forth from beneath the platform, writhing like starving serpents.

"Attack!" shouted the young elf.

Instantly, the main root plunged sharply, aiming for Carter's chest with a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow.

Doom!

The root struck the platform with a deafening crash, cracking its surface. Without a pause, other roots shot out, raining down upon Carter from all directions.

With well-honed reflexes, Carter dodged. His movements were fluid, almost like a dance. But this time, there were too many attacks. There was no escape route.

"I can't avoid them all," he thought. "I have to destroy them."

The blue light on his pistols flared brightly.

"Explosive Bullet!"

Carter pulled the trigger.

Dar! Dar!

The bullets exploded upon impact with the attacking roots. Fire and splinters of wood scattered in all directions, accompanied by shockwaves that made the air around them tremble. One after another, explosions tore through the roots, severing every threat aimed at him.

As the smoke began to clear, Carter stood calmly. He blew on the barrel of his pistol, his eyes gleaming with triumph. A slight smirk played on his lips.

"How was that? Cool, right?" he thought, looking at the elf with a challenging gaze.

But instead of admiration, his opponent merely clicked his tongue, his expression filled with annoyance.

"Tch... I underestimated you," he muttered, irritated.

Carter just gave a faint smile. This duel had only just begun.

"Yeah… you have a lot to learn," Carter said with an approving nod, his expression remaining serious.

"I will kill you!" the elf roared, his anger boiling over. His body began to radiate a green glow, then slowly became enveloped by the aura of the tree beside him. Within seconds, the tree fused with his body, forming a layer of armor, transforming him into a living wooden giant.

In his right hand, a long, sharp branch extended, taking the form of a massive sword. A crimson aura pulsed along the blade as if it were alive.

"Damn… he's really mad," Carter muttered, clenching his jaw.

Without hesitation, he activated his own equipment. A blue glow enveloped his body, while his armor gleamed with a purple sheen.

"I've got armor too," he said, getting into position. He knew he couldn't wait for the enemy to attack first. Moving swiftly, he dashed to the side and fired a barrage of bullets.

Dar… dar… dar…

The bullets sped toward the elf at incredible speed.

Yet, the elf remained unmoving. As the bullets closed in, the fallen leaves around him suddenly shot forward, intercepting the bullets and detonating them before they could reach his body.

"The ability I hate the most… telekinesis," Carter thought in frustration. Not a single shot managed to pierce his opponent's defense.

Tsk.

Before Carter could react, the elf suddenly burst through the veil of floating leaves with astonishing speed. His sword's tip was aimed straight at Carter's chest, ready to pierce through him.

"He's fast!" Carter was shocked, quickly shifting his body to the side, barely avoiding the strike.

But before he could take a breath of relief, the elf spun in midair. His right leg, now reinforced with the wooden armor, swung toward Carter's stomach with immense force.

Boom!

Carter's body was sent flying, crashing hard against the transparent walls of the arena with a brutal impact.

"Ugh…"

He coughed, spitting to the side. Struggling, he tried to stand up, one hand clutching his aching chest.