Chapter 527: The Rising Queen (1)

The first autumn rain arrived earlier than usual. It was a cause for great happiness for the freemen and slaves of Urawa Base City. In this era, water was more valuable than oil. Everyone collected the rainwater eagerly, since it could be stored for drinking after some simple purification. However, the radiation from star beasts had made natural rainwater unsafe for direct consumption. Still, every time it rained, it became a festival for the freemen and slaves.

In the private backyard of the Urawa Dojo, a meticulously designed drainage system channeled precious rainwater directly into the sewer. The courtyard, styled like a traditional zen garden, was serene and minimalist.

Faint white steam swirled gently in a four-cornered pavilion within the courtyard. It housed a ten meter wide hot spring. A short and stocky man sat on the stone steps by the edge of the hot spring, his eyes closed as he rested.

His hair was shaved in the traditional Jiepeng-style crescent moon cut. His face was brutish, and his chest was covered in thick black hair resembling that of an uncivilized gorilla. He radiated a fierce and intimidating aura.

Four young and fair-skinned women, all beautiful and in the prime of their youth, knelt beside him, their bare bodies carefully massaging and wiping him down. It was a scene of beauties surrounding the beast.

The master of Urawa Dojo, Hankasa Mitsu, approached slowly in the rain. His tall and slender figure and scholarly air was accentuated by the bamboo umbrella he carried.

"Lord Dragon Slayer, the Tsukiha Family has agreed to our latest terms. The reward for the victor of the duel will be the Orochi-01 mechanical body." Hankasa Mitsu spoke with a smile on his face, "The upcoming duel is in your capable hands."

Dragon Slayer was the honorary title of the beast-like man soaking in the hot spring. He was one of the pillars of strength for the financial conglomerate known as the Redshirt Group.

Dragon Slayer was also the seeded contender representing Urawa Dojo in the martial arts tournament in Urawa Base City. It was rumored that Dragon Slayer had undergone a total of 1,837 New Martial Arts surgeries. It was said that less than 10 percent of his body was still his original flesh. The rest of his body had been replaced by mechanical components. His powerful engines and weapons were comparable to an entire mech combat unit.

His lifelong ambition was to destroy Great Xia, a nation that revered the dragon as its symbol. Hence, he named himself Dragon Slayer. After completing his suite of New Martial Arts surgeries, he began targeting Great Xia’s martial artists with relentless drive.

Three years ago, he had traveled to Great Xia. He had joined an underground boxing ring and achieved a terrifying record of 48 matches, 48 victories, and 48 lethal kills. Later, he was recalled to his homeland to undergo his final surgical enhancements.

Now, Dragon Slayer was said to be the only cyborg within the Redshirt Group to possess the combat prowess of a Saint. Sending him to Urawa Base City was a testament to the Redshirt Group's investment and determination to win.

"A trivial matter," Dragon Slayer said as he slowly opened his eyes. "The downfall of the Tsukiha Family has already been set in stone. What a pity. One of the top ten conglomerates of the Empire that was instrumental to its rise to power, now destroyed by internal strife."

Hankasa Mitsu looked humble as he replied, "The Tsukiha Family is no longer capable of ruling this land. It is only natural that someone more competent should take their place in serving the Empire. The Redshirt Group is undoubtedly the more suitable master."

Dragon Slayer did not pursue the conversation any further and instead shifted the topic. "The Tsukiha Family is no longer a concern. Our primary opponent this time is the Asura Dragon Gang’s representative. Do we have any intelligence on them?"

The Jiepeng Empire and the Yiggs Union had always acted in unison on matters concerning Great Xia. In fact, the rapid advancement of Jiepeng Empire's New Martial Arts technology had benefited greatly from emulating Yiggs techniques and receiving their assistance.

At least on the surface, the relationship between the two nations remained in a prolonged honeymoon phase. However, even the sweetest of partnerships could experience conflicts of interest. Over the years, the Inquisition that was controlled by the Yiggs Union, had been infiltrating nations worldwide, including the Jiepeng Empire. The Asura Dragon Gang had entered the fray for control of Urawa Base City with the backing of the Inquisition. Their goal was to seize this strategic city.

If the Asura Dragon Gang were to become the rulers of Urawa Base City, the Inquisition would gain full control over the region. This would effectively turn the city into a private playground for the Yiggs Union, reducing it to a true colony. Those in the upper echelons of power were fully aware of this looming threat.

However, the Jiepeng royal family did not dare risk an open conflict with the Yiggs Union. Thus, a martial arts duel became the only viable solution. Both Dragon Slayer and Hankasa Mitsu understood the significance of this duel.

"We have intelligence that the Asura Dragon Gang has hired a former Punisher from the Inquisition known as Huangshi, a retired member of the Blade of Verdict. He is said to have once slain an elderly Saint from Great Xia," Hankasa Mitsu reported as he pulled up a digital file.

The digital file displayed a giant bear of a man who stood at an imposing height of 2.3 meters. He was bald and sported two intersecting scars on his face. His body was covered with red tattoos of a peculiar giant bear. The most striking aspect of the image was the lifelike roaring bear’s head on his chest.

"A retired Punisher?" Dragon Slayer sneered coldly. "He retired just a week ago? They dare call that retirement? This is clearly a shoddy backstop by the Inquisition. This man is a formidable opponent. I've heard of him. It’s said he can transform into a Thunder Ice Bear, which has demigod bloodlines. He's not easy to handle. I’ll need to upgrade my weapon systems..."

But before he could finish his sentence...

Bang!

Something crashed heavily into the hot spring. The metallic tang of blood immediately filled the air, accompanied by a bone-chilling cold that seeped into the surroundings.

"Who's there?!"

Dragon Slayer reacted with astonishing speed. His body moved like a flash as he leapt out of the hot spring. A fine layer of pale golden scales surfaced on his synthetic skin, forming an armor that resembled the battle armor of ancient warriors.

Hankasa Mitsu was no slouch either as he positioned himself behind Dragon Slayer in an instant. The two focused on the hot spring pool, where a massive, white bear head bobbed back to the surface. Its face was twisted and grotesque as it continued to exude a terrifying aura of cold. Blood oozing from it filled the air with an icy chill.

In the blink of an eye, the expansive pool of hot spring water had frozen solid. The four alluring maidservants were also turned into ice sculptures as they were sealed within the frozen water.

"Thunder Ice Bear?!" Dragon Slayer exclaimed in shock.

The chilling bear head unmistakably belonged to the fabled Thunder Ice Bear, a creature reputed to carry demigod bloodlines. Without question, it had to be the fully transformed head of Huangshi, the retired Punisher they had just been discussing. Their most formidable competitor was dead.

𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Judging by the scene, Huangshi had unleashed his ultimate divine abilities before being decisively defeated and beheaded in battle.

But who could have done this?

A shiver ran down Dragon Slayer's spine. In the next moment, he suddenly sensed something.