"A game's favorite, the number one in the world."
After saying this, Xie Antong fell silent, calmly watching the battle between the two as if she truly didn't care.
She had already done everything she could. The rest depended entirely on Perfect Life's choice.
Her abilities were limited, and this was the best plan she could devise.
The game itself was openly cheating. When the rules were explained, it was stated that each "player" would have their own room.
It didn't have a room itself—only by actively choosing opponents could it engage. No matter how valiant Perfect Life and the others were, it was meaningless if they couldn't find it.
The players weren't even qualified to discuss whether they could be its match.
Competing against the referee in the same game meant enduring such unfairness.
To face it in battle, they could only wait for it to come to them.
Reducing the number of backup players through Chiyo Eine, seeking The Creator's help, and scheming against Perfect Life—all were for one chance.
A chance to truly sit across the board from it.
And that wasn't even considering whether they could be its match.
But she believed that man would still win.
Perfect Life's expression darkened. He didn't speak or refute anything.
Yet, judging by his actions, he grew increasingly impatient. His movements became wilder, more forceful, completely unlike before.
What Xie Antong truly thought, he didn't know.
To outsiders, she seemed entirely detached, as if her goal had been accomplished the moment Perfect Life arrived.
If Perfect Life lost, the game would face "Sin"—a case of driving away a wolf by inviting a tiger.
If Perfect Life insisted on winning, the game would triumph, cutting off "Sin's" score and possibly ending his reign as the strongest player.
After all, Blank was now hostile to "Sin." This was entirely a scheme targeting him.
That was why Perfect Life was so conflicted. No matter what he did now, he was being used, with no personal grudge against Blank.
But...
Should he defeat "Sin" this way?
If he insisted on winning, would it end without even seeing the game itself?
Become the strongest player the game favored?
Unlike the current one, who was too unruly and always opposed the game, while he was more obedient?
......
How could he possibly choose that!
Now, it seemed he truly had to lose here!
As this option grew clearer, Perfect Life nearly laughed in frustration.
"So 'voluntary crushing defeat' meant this?"
His expression grew uglier, and he vented his fury in frenzied clashes with The Creator, his movements growing increasingly erratic.
"Perhaps I have another choice."
"I could kill you here. Then, even if it comes to this room, it won't gain any points."
Xie Antong shook her head. This was just anger talking.
If she died, the game naturally wouldn't come to this room. At most, it would take longer to find Chiyo Eine and the others.
In reality, this choice was no different from winning for Perfect Life.
But since everyone present already knew this, Xie Antong didn't elaborate, only replying:
"Then why don't you do it?"
Boom!
After several more violent exchanges, Perfect Life suddenly took a deep breath.
The next second, he raised his arm with all his strength, hurling his Halberd like a javelin—a rainbow piercing the sun—straight at Xie Antong!
The Halberd tore through the air with a shrill whistle, ripping through space toward her.
The air behind it condensed and exploded, the speed of the strike even creating visible Mach rings!
Xie Antong's lenses instantly blurred as kinetic equations deconstructed everything before her, slowing the Halberd's approach to a crawl.
But even slowed, its speed was terrifying. With her current physical limits, her reflexes only allowed one move.
—Dodge!
As her head tilted slightly left, the Halberd grazed past her helmet with a thunderous roar!
The All-Seeing Eye helmet's side was instantly scratched, severed strands of hair floating in the air.
Death had brushed past her.
Boom!
The Halberd struck the ground behind her with a deafening explosion.
At the same moment, Perfect Life's stance collapsed, his defenses wide open.
His spatial freeze, his defensive vortex, his Yin-Yang Hands—all failed at once!
In other words, his previously impenetrable guard had now created its own breach!
Even The Creator was surprised by his decisiveness, but in the heat of battle, there was no time to pull back.
Another explosion echoed, nearly simultaneous with the Halberd's impact, as Perfect Life's chest seemed to take a cannon shot. He flew back like a broken kite, crashing to the ground.
The battle was over. Perfect Life—defeated!
Xie Antong's forehead was damp with sweat. That strike had been dangerously close...
"Thank you."
"Cough!" Perfect Life spat a mist of blood, his face grim.
"I hate being used."
"No need to explain. If you hadn't dodged that strike, you'd be dead."
Xie Antong looked up, ignoring his words, and repeated:
"Thank you."
Now, all that remained was to wait for the game!
......
Meanwhile, in another room, Juege was facing his own challenge.
But at this moment, he was struggling to keep his composure—he had encountered an unexpectedly "strong" opponent.