What kind of person is this?!
How can he possess such terrifying strength?
The Sun's explosive power had already shocked her, but now it seemed this man who had entered the room acting strangely from the beginning appeared even stronger!
This person... Wait, didn't he claim to be the king?
King... Why would he say that?
The princess stared blankly at Lu Ce's golden mask, countless emotions swirling in her heart as she considered various possibilities.
This is human nature - when someone shows no power, everyone thinks they're insane. But after witnessing Lu Ce's strength, people start carefully reconsidering his previous "nonsense."
Now, feeling his overwhelming aura and the majestic golden radiance emanating from him, the princess felt a splitting headache. That chaotic, frenzied sensation surged again, pushing her sanity to the brink.
"Last time, you played me quite well!"
Only after being used last time did he belatedly realize the deception - but it was already too late. After using that ability, he had to return to the game with near-fatal injuries since the game wouldn't let him die after ending.
But failing to achieve perfect clearance forced him to pay a heavy price for recovery, and his ranking dropped! The previous game had been a crushing defeat for the Sun. Though technically victorious, he felt no different from that Japanese woman - both had lost to this man before him.
Yet Lu Ce showed no reaction to the enraged figure. After a thoughtful pause, his golden mask wrinkled slightly as he uttered words the Sun never expected:
"Who are you? I don't seem to recall."
The flames around the Sun blazed even fiercer at these words.
"Hahaha! Wonderful! Just wonderful!!"
Laughing in extreme anger, the Sun's fiery fist scorched Lu Ce's fingers black - though Lu Ce himself remained utterly unaffected.
Lu Ce's next words cut even deeper:
"Perhaps I simply don't bother remembering insignificant nobodies. That someone as weak as you actually made it before me..."
Glancing at the two guards nearby, he added, "It seems you all are even more useless."
The Sun seemed ready to explode. After their last encounter, he'd specifically strengthened close combat and physical defense, modeling his training after monstrous fighters like "Sin." Yet now face-to-face, this man... proved even more infuriating than before!
Compared to the blue-masked one's taunts, this casual dismissal of him as inferior enraged him beyond measure. The game hardly mattered now - this man was the real target. Without the Japanese players or any common enemy to unite against, he could finally satisfy his burning desire for combat.
Planting his feet firmly on the steps, his armor rippled as he gathered strength for another attack.
"I—"
But Lu Ce's words weren't directed solely at him. The two guards unleashed explosive power, each grabbing one of the Sun's legs and yanking him backward. The Sun crashed face-first onto the steps with a thunderous impact, his flaming head smashing a chunk out of the stone staircase.
"Oh?" Lu Ce raised an eyebrow, looking down at the head beneath his feet. "What were you about to say?"
"How odd - suddenly prostrating yourself like this."
Sun: #@$%^&*!
He wanted to curse, but couldn't - this was Hell Mode after all. Being strong didn't mean absolute freedom.
The guards, now bloodlusted, dragged the flaming giant away, even swinging him through the air! The Sun flipped 180 degrees before being slammed down, shattering an indoor fountain.
Water erupted upward before evaporating in the intense heat, filling the area with steam. The princess watched the chaotic scene unfold, mouth slightly agape. Her already fractured mind, teetering on madness, reeled from these overwhelming developments.
The Sun's entire body erupted in flames, thermal currents lifting him airborne! Apparently after Tokyo, he'd addressed all his weaknesses. Powerful enemies and failure remained the best catalysts for growth.
Meanwhile, the hall trembled again as squads of guards came running - seemingly the entire palace's defensive force converging here. The Sun found himself in a chaotic melee, and within seconds, the grand hall resembled ruins. The exploded fountain now sprayed boiling water everywhere.
Like some rebellious monkey attacking heaven, the Sun had triggered full-scale warfare immediately after the game began. But now something felt off - his eyes kept darting toward "Sin" amidst the guards.
Lu Ce still hadn't moved, calmly observing the battle with the princess standing behind him - looking every bit the king he claimed to be! While the guards and princess temporarily accepted his identity, the Sun certainly hadn't!
Sun: ??
What's wrong with you? Aren't we all players here? Why do you look like their leader?
What's going on? Do you have a different mission this time? What exactly are you?
Beyond rage, confusion now dominated the Sun's thoughts. He and Lu Ce were like game accelerants - both inclined to speed up events. Their encounter, compounded by past grievances, made for explosive chemistry.
Yet even more bewildered were the other "servant" players. Like Xie Antong, who remained quietly in her room. Pressing her ear against the door with a puzzled frown, she heard the commotion outside.
Instinctively, she immediately opened her livestream and asked the first question that came to mind:
"What's happening out there? Did Sin start fighting the guards?"
Viewers responded:
[No, "Sin" is currently leading the guards.]