Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 241 (Patreon)

Chapter 241: The Arena Falls Silent

One hour before the match, the venue was already packed, and the live broadcast had started an hour early.

At this time, the first floor of Heavens Arena was filled with a large crowd of spectators who hadn't been able to get tickets. They were either sitting or standing, crowded around various monitors.

In the city, even the TV retailers had all their televisions on, broadcasting the live feed from the venue, not to mention the huge screens mounted on buildings.

In the broadcast, a young woman in uniform held a wireless microphone, standing at the outermost edge of the spectator seats, an employee tasked with energizing the atmosphere inside.

"Please look at the audience inside the venue, we have less than an hour to go until the start of the match, but the venue is already full!"

"Ascending to the two hundredth floor with a flawless record, Luo is currently a highly praised dark horse. But today, he faces Arsonist Sundy, who has already secured nine victories!"

"Who will fall and who will stand? Let's wait and see!"

"Before the match starts, please watch the exciting fight footage of Luo and Sundy!"

The screen then switched to the video, and the hype girl tucked away her microphone and walked towards the commentary desk.

She wasn't a commentator but needed to communicate regularly with one to ensure that everything went smoothly inside.

Thanks to the exciting editing, some time was killed, and the broadcast then switched to the streets.

Following the camera, many pedestrians were seen stopping in front of various outdoor televisions, all waiting for the match to start.

The camera randomly searched for passersby to ask who they supported, and the audience both inside the venue and in front of the TVs watched this unfold.

"Of course, Sundy!"

"Why?"

"Because Sundy has already secured nine victories and is very close to becoming a floor master."

After randomly asking many passersby, the support was overwhelmingly in favor of Sundy.

Competitors watched the live broadcast on TVs in the rest area, Luo saw it but showed no reaction.

Buhara, also in the rest area, was visibly angry, muttering that Luo should defeat Sundy, to which Luo could only offer a wry smile.

Bisky looked at Luo and said, "You've already seen the edited fight footage. Although you couldn't make out Sundy's Nen, you probably have a rough idea now."

"Hmm, I wasn't very keen on watching it." Luo shrugged, unaware that the organizers would release the edited footage.

Bisky sighed, "That makes it a bit less challenging."

Initially, Bisky had hoped that Luo would face Sundy with no prior information, but the organizer's intervention spoiled her plans.

From the edited footage, some of Sundy's main offensive moves were visible. Not to mention his weapon-like claws, his attacks, as his moniker 'Arsonist' suggested, involved fire!

It was unclear how Sundy could spew gasoline and then ignite it as an attack method, but his Nen seemed to greatly enhance the fire's power and range.

At first glance, dismissing Sundy's martial arts skills, his fire-breathing act appeared more like a circus performer's stunt. However, when his Nen infused the flames, it became terrifying.

Participants who had lost to him usually suffered severe burns, though, with enough money, treating burns was not an issue.

Luo understood what Bisky meant. Since he was aware of Sundy's attack methods, the value of the fight had diminished.

"It's okay, this is just a warm-up for the first round. There will be plenty of opportunities later."

He had decided to participate in the Combat Olympics, but before that, he aimed to secure ten wins and then defeat Antomu.

As for Arsonist Sundy, honestly, after watching the footage, he wouldn't underestimate him, but he also didn't feel threatened.

Bisky nodded, "I've bet everything I own on you. If you lose, don't come to see me."

Buhara and Sanbica exchanged glances, having also staked their fortunes on Luo.

"..." Luo was speechless.

Given the disparity in their experience, the odds opened today were quite rare.

Bisky and the others knew Luo's real strength and understood that after this fight, the odds for Luo's matches would likely not be as they were today.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was time for the match.

The long-silent atmosphere in the venue suddenly exploded like ignited gunpowder, erupting in waves of sound.

"Thank you for your patience, please welcome Mr. Sundy to the stage!" The commentator girl shouted from the commentary desk!

A robust man slowly emerged from the passage below and stepped onto the ring, it was Sundy.

Today, he was dressed exactly like the day before, but with an added accessory: pitch-black claws fitted over his hands, emitting

 a chilling aura.

As Sundy made his appearance, the cheers in the venue grew even louder.

As long as Sundy won today's match, he would have a chance to challenge for the position of floor master, meaning Sundy was one of the strong candidates for the future floor master, and importantly, ninety percent of the audience had bet on Sundy winning.

"Sundy's popularity is as high as ever, listen to the cheers in the venue! Everyone is boiling with excitement!"

"Next, please welcome Mr. Luo to the stage!"

From the opposite passageway, Luo walked slowly towards the ring.

When it was his turn to appear, the cheers were noticeably weaker.

Though starting from the lower floors, many in the audience had become fans of Luo, he was still a newcomer, and his fan base was far smaller than that of the long-time contender Sundy, hence the difference in the odds.

Luo stepped onto the ring, facing Sundy.

Seeing Luo reach the two hundredth floor still unarmed, Sundy's eyes flashed with a cold glint.

Below the two hundredth floor, the use of weapons was prohibited, but above, any weapon was allowed.

In these rules, even bringing a fire extinguisher specifically against Sundy would be acceptable, but Luo had prepared nothing.

Outwardly, Luo seemed to bring nothing, but in reality, his weapon was concealed within a silver flame tattoo on the back of his hand, yet in this battle, he didn't plan to use the True Master.

On the ring, the referee spread his arms, positioning the contenders.

"Any weapon is allowed, please gamble with your dignity and honor!"

The referee began with the standard opening remarks, then, his gaze shifting between the two, he didn't immediately shout to start.

The huge display screens hanging on the walls of the venue showed Luo and Sundy in a silent standoff.

"Oh, finally, the moment everyone's been waiting for! When the referee shouts to start, the battle will kick off immediately!" the commentator girl shouted enthusiastically.

The audience responded with passionate cheers, and at the same time, most people around the world watched this scene on their TVs, computers, mobile phones, and even radios, receiving the live commentary.

The media and Heavens Arena had put much effort into promoting this, achieving impressive results, marking a long-awaited spectacle.

Everyone who knew Luo, from all over the world, watched the ring through the broadcast.

Even Netero, temporarily putting aside his duties, sat in a quiet room watching the live broadcast, with Bean accompanying him.

"The chairman really cares about Luo." Bean thought silently as he watched Luo's calm demeanor on the screen.

On the scene.

The referee stepped back five paces, a movement that indicated the match was about to start.

Then, he raised his hands and shouted, "Begin!"

As his words fell, he swiftly retreated and jumped off the ring.

Depending on the contestants' strength, the referee usually chose to stay on the ring or jump off, and with today's contestant being Sundy, the referee definitely wouldn't stay.

"The match has started! But neither side has made a move!"

After the referee stepped down from the ring, Luo immediately employed Ken, smoothly enveloping his body in aura, while Sundy also used Ken.

Among the viewers watching the live broadcast, including experts like Chairman Netero and Silva, all nodded slightly upon seeing Luo's use of Ken.

"It seems Bisky has taught him well."

Netero, holding a cup of tea, smiled at the corners of his mouth.

On the ring, Sundy, enveloped in a slowly undulating aura, looked at Luo and sneered, "You are an important stepping stone for me, rest assured, I will spare your life."

With that, Sundy suddenly moved, charging directly towards Luo. As he ran, his chest swelled.

"Sundy makes the first move! But Luo is completely still, you should know Sundy is a man known as the Arsonist!" the commentator girl's voice echoed throughout the venue.

Seeing Luo stand still, Sundy snorted coldly in his heart, despite having seen the official edited footage, still so presumptuous!

Luo knew what Sundy was about to do, and what the swollen chest meant, which is why he remained unmoved.

"Spewing gasoline to ignite it, then enhancing the range and power with Nen, although stronger than ordinary flames, is still just fire." Luo stood his ground, readying an attack posture.

At that moment, Sundy suddenly spat out gasoline, then with a flick of his head, sprayed a fan-shaped mist.

After spewing the gasoline, Sundy's swollen chest receded, his pitch-black cold claws slicing through the air, sparking a few sparks that instantly ignited the still-airborne liquid gasoline.

"There it is! Sundy's Arsonist Feast!"

In an instant, clusters of fire blazed in the air, not large enough to harm anyone.

But the next second

, when Sundy infused his Nen into the flames, the audience at the venue and in front of TVs erupted into intense cheers.

A terrifying wave of fire swiftly formed, radiating oppressive heat, sweeping towards Luo on the other side of the ring.

Viewers watching the live broadcast could even feel a wave of heat coming at them through their screens.

This move, Arsonist Feast, had always been Sundy's opening gambit, capable of covering half the ring with high-temperature flames, forcing the opponent to awkwardly flee the ring immediately.

In this vast world, many strange phenomena exist, like the various peculiar eating disorders.

Sundy once suffered from such a disorder, his craving not for food, but for gasoline!

His physiological symptoms and body structure were unusual, leading him to start drinking gasoline from a young age, yet his body showed no adverse effects.

Like Sundy, there are many such peculiar patients worldwide, though others may crave iron, copper, or alcohol…

With age, the symptoms gradually came under control, and after Sundy encountered Nen abilities, he developed his own Nen.

He was a Transmuter, but his Nen had a more tangible presence, merely obscured by his method of use.

"If you can't dodge the Arsonist Feast, you won't have another chance."

Sundy snorted coldly, watching the flames that had engulfed Luo. The outcome of this battle was already clear.

Seeing the flames take effect, those who had bet on Sundy winning immediately erupted into celebration.

"Oh my God, Luo didn't dodge the flames, could he have perished in the fire?" the commentator girl's tone was thick with surprise.

At that moment, the celebratory noise inside the venue abruptly stopped because the fire that could easily devour a large villa vanished instantly.

Not gradually, but in an instant!

This sudden development stunned those who thought Sundy had won.

The flames seemed erased from this space, and Luo, unharmed, sprinted to Sundy's front in the moment the flames disappeared.

He raised his hand, swung his fist!

Luo's punch, wrapped in aura, struck Sundy in the stomach. The latter spat out a large amount of a gasoline-blood mixture, then flew backward out of the ring, crashing straight into the wall that separated the audience.

With a loud bang, the wall shattered, and dust billowed.

Sundy was buried under the debris, his life or death unknown.

Just a second ago, Sundy had used Arsonist Feast, engulfing Luo with terrifying waves of fire, but the next second, such a large range of fire vanished as if erased by an eraser.

Then, Luo rushed in close, punching Sundy out of the ring, the entire turn of events happening too suddenly!

The audience in the venue was stunned, even the professional referee was at a loss for what to do next, while the commentator girl stood with her mouth open, speechless.

The incomprehensible scene turned the once-noisy venue suddenly silent.

Luo stood on the ring, retracting his fist, looking towards where Sundy had fallen.

At this moment, the director gave a close-up of Luo on the broadcast.

Through the live broadcast, countless viewers outside saw Luo's calm expression, with no signs of burns on his body.

How did he manage with such raging flames?

The audience at the venue was bewildered, let alone the outside audience, who had no idea what had just happened.

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