Chapter 138: A Clash of Men


    "The situation seems more complicated than I thought," Han Ming muttered, his expression darkening as he stared at the two sets of clothes in his hands. From these garments, he could sense a troubling possibility. Could it be that the Shadow Temple had disguised themselves as palace guards and mages?


    After pondering for a while, Han Ming found no clear answers. Seeing that the sky had brightened, he leapt down from the building and headed straight for the palace.


    When Han Ming placed the two sets of clothes on the table in front of Myron, the old man let out a deep sigh.


    "As I suspected. Someone is deliberately sowing discord between the Monte Empire and the Magic Guild, trying to turn us against each other," Myron said, his voice heavy with concern.


    Han Ming nodded slightly. "Have you heard of the Shadow Temple, Myron?"


    Myron nodded. "I have, but I don''t know much about them. They''re a highly secretive organization, and every member is said to be a master in their own right. They operate in the shadows, leaving no trace. What I don''t understand is why they would do this. What do they stand to gain?"


    Han Ming thought for a moment before replying, "Myron, do you think the Shadow Temple could be colluding with the demon realm?"


    Myron''s head snapped up, his expression one of shock. "You mean...?"


    "Yes," Han Ming continued. "I suspect they''re trying to destabilize the relationship between the Monte Empire and the Magic Guild. If their plan succeeds, the mages might refuse to support us when we face the demon army. Without their help, our strength would be significantly weakened."


    "That makes sense," Myron said, his face clouded with worry.


    "Should we send experts to hunt down the Shadow Temple members?" Han Ming asked.


    Myron shook his head gently. "It''s too late for that. You discovered their temporary hideout, but by now, they''ve likely already evacuated. Finding them again won''t be easy. However, the vice president of the Magic Academy you mentioned—we should keep a close eye on him. His identity is... questionable."


    Han Ming felt a wave of frustration. The situation was too tangled, and he couldn''t see a clear path forward.


    Noticing Han Ming''s distress, Myron chuckled softly. "The round of 32 for the Tri-Nation Tournament starts today. Aren''t you going to watch?"


    Han Ming shook his head. "I''m not in the mood. I don''t have a match today, so I''ll skip it."


    "Han, how''s your... girlfriend doing?" Myron asked suddenly, catching Han Ming off guard.


    Han Ming blinked in surprise. "She''s fine. Why do you ask?"


    Myron chuckled. "No reason, no reason. Don''t worry about the Shadow Temple for now. Leave that to me. You focus on the tournament."


    Han Ming hesitated, but Myron cut him off with a reassuring smile. "Don''t worry. I''ll get to the bottom of this."


    Reluctantly, Han Ming nodded and left the palace.


    ---


    "Where were you last night?" Kulo stood at the door of the villa, her arms crossed as she watched Han Ming return after being out all night.


    Han Ming smiled but didn''t answer. He walked past her and into his room, closing the door firmly behind him.


    With a loud *bang*, Kulo pushed the door open and stood in the doorway. "Are you still mad at me?"


    Han Ming lay on the bed, shaking his head weakly. "No, it''s just... a lot has happened recently. I''m just stressed."


    Kulo''s eyes flicked to the torn clothes Han Ming was wearing, and her voice turned icy. "Did someone attack you?"


    Han Ming was silent for a moment before asking, "Kulo, who are you really? You''re so strong, yet you hide your power. Why?"


    Kulo shook her head slowly. "I''d rather not talk about my identity. Everyone has their secrets, and I hope you can respect mine. I''m with you for no ulterior motive. You can trust me."


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    Han Ming realized he''d overstepped and quickly apologized. "I didn''t mean to pry. I was just curious."


    "I know. Get some rest," Kulo said before turning and leaving.


    ---


    The next day, Han Ming and Kulo arrived at the Tri-Nation Tournament arena. Han Ming had a match that morning.


    Amid the noisy crowd, Han Ming stepped onto the stage. His opponent was a towering, muscular man whose bulging muscles were a sight to behold. The other competitors in the round of 32 watched from the stands, their eyes fixed on Han Ming and the giant.


    "I''m Quake, a sixth-tier earth-element warrior from the Kabu Empire," the man introduced himself.


    Han Ming nodded politely. "Han Ming, second-tier fifth-level water mage from the Monte Empire."


    After the introductions, the two waited for the referee to signal the start of the match.


    In the stands, Huang Ying leaned over to Shang Que and sneered, "This kid''s been hiding his strength. In just two years, he''s jumped to a fifth-level mage. I wonder what kind of treasure he stumbled upon to achieve that."


    Shang Que replied indifferently, "So what? He''s still just a water mage. He''s at the same level as you now. Are you scared of him?"


    "Him? Please," Huang Ying scoffed.


    "Begin!" the referee announced.


    Quake grinned and charged at Han Ming without using any energy, relying solely on his physical strength. Han Ming, instead of retreating, raised his fist and met Quake head-on.


    Their fists collided with a thunderous *crack*, and the specially reinforced stage cracked under their feet.


    Quake laughed, clearly impressed. "Interesting! A water mage who can match me in strength!"


    "Likewise," Han Ming replied with a smile.


    Quake''s excitement grew, and he launched a powerful kick at Han Ming. Han Ming, determined to match Quake''s strength, didn''t dodge. Instead, he countered with a kick of his own.


    Another loud crash echoed through the arena as the stage cracked further.


    "With my strength, I can uproot a giant tree. Yet you can match me blow for blow. I''m impressed," Quake said, grinning.


    Han Ming smiled but said nothing.


    Quake was massive and muscular, but his looks weren''t exactly winning him any fans. Han Ming, on the other hand, had been overlooked after his previous bizarre matches. As a result, the crowd''s cheers were sparse at first.


    But as the two men continued their brutal, no-holds-barred brawl, the audience began to take notice. The sight of two men trading punches and kicks, their bodies slamming into each other with raw power, was electrifying.


    The stage, once pristine, was now a mess of cracks and debris.


    The crowd, initially indifferent, was now fully engaged. Cheers and shouts erupted from the stands as the spectators were swept up in the sheer intensity of the fight.


    "This is what real men do! This is what we came to see!"


    "Go! Go! Go!"


    The audience roared, their voices rising to a deafening crescendo. Even some female spectators, caught up in the excitement, tore off their shirts and waved them in the air, completely oblivious to their exposed bodies. The men, usually quick to leer, were too engrossed in the fight to notice.


    Han Ming smirked. This was exactly what he wanted—to be seen, to make an impression. If he was going to lead a team against the demon army, he needed to prove himself.


    "Nice one!" Quake laughed, wiping blood from his mouth. "But now I''m bringing out my weapon. Watch out!"


    Han Ming grinned. "Bring it on!"


    Quake''s eyes gleamed with admiration as he called to his team below. "Bring it up!"


    Four men carried a massive, nearly three-meter-long war blade to the stage. Quake grabbed it with ease, and the crowd gasped.


    "That... that weapon is insane!"


    The audience was in awe of Quake''s oversized weapon.


    "What about you?" Quake asked, grinning.


    Han Ming nodded and pulled out an equally massive war axe from his storage bag. The axe was even more imposing than Quake''s blade, exuding an aura of unstoppable force.


    "Idiot. Bigger doesn''t mean better," Huang Ying muttered, though he couldn''t deny that Han Ming had grown significantly stronger in the past two years. It wasn''t just his strength—his speed, reflexes, and presence had all improved.


    "Good! Good! Good! It''s been a while since I''ve had such a satisfying fight!" Quake roared with laughter. "I hate mages who just hide and throw spells from afar. But you? You''re different. You''ve got guts! You''re a real man!"


    Quake raised his blade high. "Let''s go all out!"


    "Agreed!" Han Ming said, charging forward and swinging his axe with all his might.


    Quake met him head-on, their weapons clashing with a deafening *boom* that reverberated through the arena. The audience winced at the sound, their ears ringing.


    "YES!"


    "THIS IS AWESOME!"


    "GO, MEN! GO!"


    The crowd''s enthusiasm reached a fever pitch as the two men fought with everything they had. Quake''s blade sliced through the air like a hungry wolf, relentless and fearless. Han Ming''s axe moved like a raging storm, unstoppable and devastating.


    Han Ming felt a surge of exhilaration. The fight was washing away the gloom that had been weighing on him.


    "Brother! Win or lose, after this, will you join me in storming the demon army''s camp and wiping those bastards out?" Han Ming shouted as their weapons clashed again, sending debris flying.


    Quake laughed heartily. "Why not? I was thinking the same thing!"


    "Good!" Han Ming roared. "Then I won''t hold back!"


    "Bring it!"


    Han Ming''s eyes gleamed as he pushed his body to the limit. His axe swung with such force that Quake was forced to retreat step by step.


    Quake glanced behind him and realized he was at the edge of the stage. With a furious roar, he channeled all his strength into one final strike, bringing his blade down on Han Ming with everything he had.


    Han Ming, too, gathered all his strength. His feet dug into the stage, leaving deep cracks as he launched himself forward.


    The two collided with a earth-shaking *BOOM*.


    Quake was thrown off the stage, while Han Ming, thanks to his position, managed to stay on, though he staggered back several steps.


    Quake leapt back onto the stage and grinned. "You win!"


    Han Ming walked over and clasped Quake''s hand firmly. "Neither of us lost. If it weren''t for the stage, you''d still be standing."


    "A win''s a win! Don''t be modest. I respect you, Han Ming!" Quake said, his face beaming with genuine admiration.


    "Men! Well done!"


    The crowd erupted in cheers, not just for Han Ming''s victory, but for Quake''s sportsmanship and the sheer display of raw, unbridled masculinity.