Divine Gift, Yama

When Shi Mo found Bai Xu, he was working on documents in his office. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his focused profile.

"What is it?" Bai Xu looked up at Shi Mo, who had come uninvited.

"Let's have a friendly spar." Shi Mo got straight to the point, his heterochromatic eyes showing a hint of eagerness.

Having just acquired the trump card "Yama," he desperately needed to find a worthy opponent to experience the limits of this power, even if only for a fleeting glimpse. And in the entire Seventh Sequence, apart from Bai Xu, he couldn't think of a second candidate.

Bai Xu paused, her hand holding the pen still, and looked at him with some surprise: "A friendly spar?"

"What? You don't dare?" Shi Mo's tone was calm, but it carried a clear provocation.

Iron Fist, who happened to be reporting to someone nearby, exploded upon hearing this: "Shi Mo! You're too arrogant! How dare you challenge the captain? Captain, agree to his request! Teach this ignorant newcomer a lesson!"

Bai Xu didn't answer immediately. He quietly looked at Shi Mo, seemingly trying to discern something beneath the other's calm exterior. He knew Shi Mo's strength had improved rapidly, but to challenge him in such a short time? That didn't make sense. Unless… he had some special advantage?

"Reason?" Bai Xu asked.

Shi Mo smiled, a smile that was both nonchalant and confident: "No particular reason, I just had an itchy hand. But... how about adding a little stake?"

"What kind of prize?"

"Ten seconds." Shi Mo held up his index finger. "If I defeat you within ten seconds..." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the simple office, as if he could see through the walls to the layout of the entire villa. "Your master bedroom is mine. I don't want to stay in the guest room anymore."

Even Iron Fist was stunned by these words. This bet... was just too damn bizarre! It was for a room change?!

Bai Xu was also clearly stunned; he hadn't expected Shi Mo to make such a request. He looked into Shi Mo's heterochromatic eyes, which seemed to be burning with molten gold and a sea of ​​blood. There was no joking in them, only an almost arrogant confidence.

Ten seconds? Defeat him?

Bai Xu found this utterly absurd.

Even if Shi Mo improves rapidly, even if he might be hiding his strength, defeating me, who possesses S-level rule skills and the "Future Vision" divine contract, within ten seconds? That's simply a pipe dream.

"Captain! Agree to his request! Let him know what's what!" Iron Fist fanned the flames from the side, eager to see Shi Mo suffer a setback.

Bai Xu was silent for a few seconds, then finally closed the document in his hand and stood up: "Okay. I promise you." He was also aroused and wanted to see where Shi Mo's confidence came from.

The central arena in the training area was cleared out once again.

It was said that the captain was going to spar with the newcomer, Shi Mo, who had white hair and heterochromatic eyes, and the stakes were actually the captain's bedroom. Almost all the members of the Seventh Sequence came to watch, including Hong Yuan, You Ying, Lin Chen, and Bai Jin, whose hair was still dripping wet after taking a shower.

"Brother, you're going to fight that kid? And gamble with your bedroom?" Bai Jin leaned close to Bai Xu, looking incredulous. "Are you serious?"

Bai Xu didn't answer, but simply stretched his wrists and stepped onto the ring.

Shi Mo also slowly walked up and stood opposite Bai Xu.

"Ten seconds, start the timer," Shi Mo reminded him.

Bai Xu nodded. He didn't intend to use "future vision." In his view, dealing with a newcomer, no matter how special, didn't require using the divine contract. He didn't even make the first move, but simply assumed a defensive stance, his green eyes calmly watching Shi Mo, ready to see what tricks he had up his sleeve.

However, in the very next second—

Shi Mo moved.

No, to be precise, it wasn't a "movement," but rather a kind of essential "change."

There was no earth-shattering explosion of power, no dazzling visual effects. But in that instant, centered on the arena, an indescribable, incomprehensible, and beyond the comprehension of everyone present suddenly descended!

That is not power, that is... the rules themselves! It is death, it is annihilation, it is judgment, it is the embodiment of the end of all things!

"Buzz—!"

An invisible, thin gray shield instantly enveloped the entire arena, isolating it from the outside world.

This protection was formed by a tiny bit of power that Shi Mo subconsciously separated before using the power of "Yama". Otherwise, just a wisp of this power naturally dissipating would have been enough to cause the mental breakdown and physical annihilation of the team members outside the arena whose attributes averaged several dozen points.

And inside the protective shield—

"Thump!"

Bai Xu didn't even have time to react. The moment that "existence" descended, he felt his soul, body, and even the rules, skills, and divine contracts he relied on for survival were all gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

That wasn't oppression; that was an absolute, unquestionable "definition"! Defining him as... an ant, as... something awaiting judgment!

The power within him instantly froze, and his rule-based skills trembled as if they had encountered their natural enemy. "Future Vision" was forcibly extinguished before it could even be activated! His legs went weak, and he was completely unable to resist the absolute crushing force originating from his life level and rule rank, and he knelt straight down on the ground.

"puff--!"

A large mouthful of blood, imbued with the power of rules and the essence of life, gushed out uncontrollably, staining the ground in front of him crimson. His face instantly turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with unprecedented horror, bewilderment, and... an indescribable fear.

Time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

That terrifying "presence" receded like the tide, coming and going quickly. The gray protective shield on the arena quietly dissipated.

Shi Mo remained standing in the same spot, as if he had never moved, though his face was slightly pale and his breathing was a little rapid. Using "Yama" even for just a second was a huge strain on his current mental energy.

Inside and outside the arena, there was utter silence.

Everyone looked like a duck with its neck choked, eyes wide and mouths agape, yet unable to utter a sound.

Although the protective barrier had blocked most of their breath, the feeling of palpitation and facing the abyss of death was clearly imprinted on everyone's soul!

The excitement and schadenfreude on Iron Fist's face froze completely, turning into utter shock and disbelief.

Hongyuan covered her mouth.

The dagger in Youying's hand almost fell to the ground.

Lin Chen's glasses slipped down to the tip of his nose, and he forgot to adjust them.

Bai Jin was completely stunned, looking at his brother kneeling on the ground coughing up blood, then at the white-haired figure on the stage, his mind went blank.

Bai Xu knelt on one knee, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, raised his head, and looked at Shi Mo. His usually deep and calm eyes were now trembling violently, filled with incomprehensible shock.

"You..." His voice was hoarse and dry, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, "What...was that just now?"

That wasn't any known skill! That wasn't a difference in strength! That was... a fundamental difference! It was an ant facing the heavens, a mortal confronting a god! He couldn't even comprehend what it was!

Shi Mo slowly exhaled, suppressing his mental exhaustion, walked up to Bai Xu, looked down at him, and the corners of his mouth curled up again with that familiar, playful, and matter-of-fact smile.

"I won," he said softly, his gaze sweeping across the vast training area before finally settling on Bai Xu. "Remember the bet. Your room is mine now."

After saying that, he ignored the crowd who were still in a state of great shock, turned around, slowly walked off the stage, and left the training area.

Only after his figure disappeared through the doorway did the stagnant air in the training area seem to begin to flow again.

"Captain! Captain!" Hong Yuan and You Ying were the first to rush onto the stage and help Bai Xu up.

"Brother! Are you alright?!" Bai Jin also realized what was happening and rushed forward.

"What...what just happened?" Lin Chen picked up his glasses, his voice still trembling with shock.

With the help of the two men, Bai Xu stood up and looked in the direction Shi Mo had left. His eyes were still filled with shock, but also with an extremely complex and incomprehensible emotion.

Ten seconds?

No, not even a second.

He just stood there, and he completely defeated himself.

What exactly is that white-haired man with heterochromatic eyes?

At this moment, Shi Mo was in a good mood as he walked towards Bai Xu's villa master bedroom. Although using "Yama" had been quite taxing, the results were satisfactory. Moreover, the new residence he had won looked much more comfortable than the guest room.

As for Bai Xu and the others in the Seventh Sequence being shocked? What does that have to do with him?

He simply won what he deserved within the rules.