Player Reload
Chapter 107 - 103: Volleyball

Chapter 107: Chapter 103: Volleyball

[Skill Name: Iron Armor Cocoon - Use Hardening]

[Type: Spiritual Energy]

[Special Effect: Rock-hard. Temporarily increases an object’s hardness, density, and weight substantially.]

[Consumption: At least 200 points of spiritual energy. Depends on duration, object volume, and hardness level.]

[Cooling Time: 20 minutes]

[Note: Teacher, why hasn’t my Iron Armor Cocoon evolved into a Metagross through training?]

Despite the somewhat frustrating name and note of this skill, its effects are undoubtedly potent.

Under Will’s infusion of spiritual power, the otherwise ordinary volleyball’s surface gleamed with a metallic luster. The moment it made contact with his palm, it emitted a heavy "thud".

The ball spun through the air towards Annie’s head; she couldn’t dodge in time and could only hastily raise her hands, turning them into fluffy cat paws to shield herself.

Crack—

The sound of bones breaking was exceptionally crisp. Annie was blasted away, her arms visibly broken, with copious cat fur swirling down.

Her title "Cat Woman" allows her to temporarily transform into a cat woman form, significantly enhancing her strength, agility, and reaction speed.

But compared to Will, who is of a higher level and stronger attributes, and whose body is implanted with numerous Gen-Sys bio-enhanced glands, she still falls short.

"Ouch..."

Annie kneeled on the ground, her face a mix of cold sweat and tears — this time it was genuine, not an act.

The blood-stained volleyball rolled across the sandy court, eventually stopping, its weight pressing the sand beneath like a shot put.

"Tsck."

Seeing that he hadn’t managed to kill Annie in one strike, Will clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, glancing at the mechanical arm hanging from the ceiling.

The mechanical arm remained still, seemingly condoning Will’s aggressive move.

"Indeed, the camera has relaxed its judgment criteria, treating it as part of the ’beach volleyball’ event."

Will sneered inwardly, "In beach volleyball, hitting the ball against someone accidentally is nothing unusual. Seriously injuring or even killing someone must be normal then."

Driven by Ant’s schemes, this round’s popularity has far exceeded the minimum criteria. There’s no need to worry about failing to meet the popularity threshold and everyone getting eliminated.

Under these circumstances, if he could eliminate all his competitors, the reality show might just end right here.

Perhaps this round was specifically designed for players to fight against each other...

"Will you!"

Leonardo glanced at Annie’s injuries, then turned and glared angrily at Will. However, he really couldn’t say something juvenile like "Are you insane?" or "Why harm a teammate, can’t we all get along?".

Players are not a group waiting passively for their doom; neither Will nor Leonardo are.

"If that’s the case, then bring it on."

Leonardo took a deep breath, picked up the heavy volleyball from the ground, brushed off the sand clinging to its surface, and juggled it mid-air with his arm.

Then, stomping on the ground, he leaped up, swinging his arm backward, the hydraulic mechanisms in his upper body’s right side bones emitting a clear vibrating sound.

As a member of the European Heavy Industry, his appearance remained that of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed handsome man, but beneath the skin, many of his bones and tendons had been replaced with ultra-light alloy material mechanical prosthetics.

These prosthetics generally operate at minimal power to prevent accidents like crushing teacups, squeezing other people’s hands too hard, or hugging a girlfriend to pieces.

And when the prosthetics were activated...

Beneath the skin, the noise from the hydraulic devices whirred as Leonardo’s right arm twisted and deformed at an angle impossible for ordinary people, then, like a whip, it slashed through the air, heavily striking the surface of the volleyball.

Suddenly—

Despite the volleyball being reinforced by the Hardening Technique temporarily, it still underwent a drastic deformation, rocketing towards Will like a heavy artillery shell.

Here it comes!

Will’s expression remained unchanged, his heart even secretly reveling in the thrill of finally being able to fight freely, without having to suppress his true intentions.

He spread his legs and dug his feet deep into the sand to enhance his grip. Clasping his hands together, his arm muscles swelled under the influence of strength-enhancing glands, with veins bulging like earthworms.

Bang!

Since [Use Hardening Rapidly] was an instantaneous skill rather than a sustainable one, Will couldn’t break it midway.

The additional force of the volleyball pushed him sideways, moving him a meter back as his shoes raised a trail of friction smoke; his enhanced arms bore bright red marks, with numerous capillaries bursting.

But still, he managed to catch the ball, flicking it into the air.

"I’ve got it."

Dressed in a white lace swimsuit, Jin Huixing took a few steps forward, leapt up, and with a single hand, slammed the volleyball towards the opposite side.

She had also thought about the hidden implications of beach volleyball—the players could publicly attack each other on camera without any penalties.

With the effect of a certain skill, the volleyball traced an arc that totally defied aerodynamics, bypassing Leonardo’s hand, and headed straight for Annie.

At this moment, Annie, still recovering from a broken bone injury, was busy applying ointment. Seeing the metallic gleaming volleyball flying towards her, her face abruptly changed color. In haste, she activated a skill, summoning a pink Crystal Shield.

Thud!

The volleyball struck the shield’s surface, chiseling several cracks forcefully. Numerous crystal fragments, like a shower of arrows, scattered.

Annie’s entire lower body transformed into a catwoman-like form, her feet forcefully kicked the ground, and she somersaulted backward, avoiding the scattered crystals—her transformation into a cat was a literal shift into a feline half-beast, unlike the smooth-skinned kemonomimi in some anime.

"You fouled!"

Will sneered upon seeing this; volleyball rules stated that players could only use their bodies to touch the ball, not shields, "According to the rules, it’s my turn to serve again."

"Sorry, there are no longer any rules."

Leonardo took a step forward, picked up the volleyball from the ground, and glanced at the electronic scoreboard hanging on the gymnasium wall.

Originally, this round of beach volleyball designed by the production team was not meant to have any rewards or penalties, and scoring was not crucial. Even if Leonardo’s side committed a foul, it would only add a point to the opposing team.

"Trading a point for the right to serve seems a worthwhile deal."

Leonardo weighed the volleyball in his hand, his gaze turning cold, "The essence of this game has changed—it has become about using the ball rights within the frames of a best-of-three to find a way to eliminate the opponent."

"Oho, it seems the players are quite enthusiastic."

Sitting on the bench enjoying the spectacle, Li Cheng chimed in, "I just wonder whether Will’s intensely practiced ’Zero Styles Serve’ or Leonardo’s ’No-Self Realm’ and ’Stormy Outside Spin Serve’ is more formidable.

Ah Hong, what do you think?"

Hey, isn’t that clearly a superpower from the manga ’Prince of Tennis’? Are you really okay with spouting such nonsense? And what in the world is Ah Hong, a nickname of mine?

The usually timid Little Red Riding Hood felt she was almost at her limit—sitting next to this Mr. Ant really tested her nerves every moment.

"Uh, sorry, I usually don’t pay much attention to ball sports..."

"That’s really a pity," Li Cheng shook his head, "I’ve always had a question, when soccer king Messi’s Argentine jerseys are sold out worldwide, what does he wear in the finals? Does he play naked?"