I Can Only Cultivate In A Game

The crowd exploded in laughter.

> "That's the guy fighting with no gear?!"

"He's DEAD."

"Bro, they should ban suicides in this club."

Max, Danny, and Jake looked at Victor.

Max scratched his head. "Bruh… I think you should start running."

Danny laughed. "It was nice knowing you, man."

Victor simply grinned while stepping forward toward the ring.

The fight was about to begin.

The caged arena vibrated as Titan-X stomped into the ring as his massive exoskeletal arms and legs hissed with compressed air.

The moment Victor stepped in, a loud chorus of jeers and laughs erupted from the spectators.

> "This guy's dead meat!"

"Does he think he's in a bare-knuckle boxing match or something?"

"Titan-X is gonna turn him into paste!"

Victor cracked his knuckles. He had no intention of revealing his abilities so they wouldn't figure out that he was an awakened—at least, not yet. Even though normal humans shouldn't be able to fight on his level, he had to at least try blending in.

The announcer raised his hands.

Titan-X lunged charged forward with a thunderous stomp causing the ground to quake beneath him. His mechanized servos whirred, enhancing his brutal punching speed as he swung a massive metal fist toward Victor's face.

But—

Victor stepped towards the left smoothly.

Titan-X's punch hit nothing but air, sending a gust of force rippling through the cage walls.

The moment his attack missed, Victor countered with a clean jab to his ribs, causing the metallic plating to rattle on impact.

Titan-X growled and swung again but faster this time.

Victor arched back, dodging with inches to spare like he had seen the attack coming.

'Damn… I'm so much faster than before.'

Victor believed this was due to his recent breakthrough in the game.

Titan-X growled. "What the hell—"

Victor suddenly darted behind him, appearing at his blind spot before Titan-X could react.

Titan-X's frustration grew as his enhanced vision struggled to track Victor's movements.

Victor was about to attack him from behind when Titan X spun around and swung his massive fist in an arc.

Victor jumped backwards, evading the attack.

"Hold still!" he roared while activating the rocket thrusters in his right arm.

Titan-X's fist launched forward leaving a blazing-fast trail in its wake as the rocket thruster screamed behind it.

Victor was caught off guard by the sudden acceleration but instinctively caught the incoming punch.

His fingers dug into the thick steel plating of the exo-fist as he held it inches from his face but the force, caused him to slide back.

A collective gasp erupted from the crowd.

> "HE CAUGHT IT?!"

"WHAT KIND OF STRENGTH IS THAT?!"

Titan-X grinned.

> That's exactly what I wanted, dumbass.

He had planned this—because the moment Victor stopped his fist, Titan-X activated the boosters on his legs and shot himself forward from behind, ready to crush Victor's back with his left exo-fist.

But—

Victor saw it coming at the last second.

He smirked and let go of the exo fist.

Titan-X's right fist—still being propelled forward by the thrusters—smashed straight into his own face before he could even react.

BOOM!

The metal caved in on impact causing blood to spray from his nose as he stumbled back with a dazed look.

Titan-X snarled through the pain and leapt upwards with force, ascending over fifteen feet into the air before grabbing the ceiling of the cage.

He let out roar as he activated all thrusters at once, rocketing downward with his left exo-fist primed to crush Victor.

Fwwiisshh~

Victor stepped towards the side at the last moment, evading the fist.

It was like time had slowed down at this moment as Titan X's descending and exposed unguarded body came into perfect view.

Before Titan-X knew what was happening, Victor slammed a sweeping kick into his exposed stomach—the one part of his body without exo-armor.

A loud thudding rabg out as Titan-X coughed out a mouthful blood whole his entire body was sent flying from the force of the kick.

Victor moved instantly, shooting forward with speed while Titan X body was still spinning across the air.

He grabbed his face in mid-air, and——SLAMMED HIM INTO THE ARENA FLOOR.

The impact cratered the ground causing a cloud of dust and metal shards to sweep across the arena.

Titan-X did not move.

> "TITAN-X IS DOWN!!"

The entire crowd fell silent.

Then all of a sudden—

> "HOLY SHIT!!"

> "HOW THE HELL DID HE WIN?!"

> "WHAT KIND OF TECH DID HE USE?!"

Victor stood wiped dust off his sleeves as he began to exit the arena, unscathed.

He could hear the whispers already.

> "He has to be using some kind of experimental body enhancement—"

"Is he secretly a Velcrest prototype fighter?!"

"No normal human is that fast or that strong!"

Victor simply ignored them while the underground workers moved to remove Titan X body from the arena.

Danny, Max and Jake were all cheering.

"Man I knew you would win!" Max yelled.

"Dude you just told him to rest in piece a minute ago!" Danny protested.

"You two are shameless as fuck," Jake shook his head while the four friends laughed hysterically.

The battles went on to continue from there with other participants taking up the stage when it was their turn.

However, Victor didn't stop at just one victory.

He fought again and again, dismantling opponents with ease.

A brawler with high-frequency shock gauntlets? Victor parried his attacks, dodged every move, and KO'd him in three hits.

A girl with magnetized boots and electrical discharges? Victor weaved through the magnetic field, closed the distance, and knocked her out cold.

A guy with a reinforced nano-blade? Victor disarmed him in seconds and sent him spiraling out of the ring.

Each win raised more suspicion.

No one could understand his movements—his timing was too perfect, his dodging too quick and his attacks too powerful.

Whispers spread—

> "This guy… he's not normal."

"Could he be an illegal augment?"

"There's no way he's all natural."

Victor smirked to himself.

If only they knew.

After winning his semi-final match, the finals were set.

The last competitor stepped forward, adjusting his round glasses as the light from the screen reflected across them.

> "Well, well… VCR."

> "Looks like you made it after all."

It was Nova Cain.

The crowd fell silent.

> "OH SHIT. THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD."

Nova studied Victor closely, then pushed his glasses up with a smirk.

> "I was getting bored fighting amateurs all night."

> "Let's see if you're as impressive as they say."

Final Match: VCR vs. Nova Cain

The announcer's voice boomed.

> "AND NOW, FOR THE FINAL MATCH—"

"VCR VERSUS NOVA CAIN!"