"Don't worry yourself to death," Larry said with a slight smile, hinting at something more.
"I'll find you another opponent, and I promise you'll get a good fight!"
After speaking, Larry's shadow seemed to come alive, twisting wildly as if a great terror was breaking free.
Suddenly, the shadow expanded rapidly in every direction like blazing flames or a massive black cloth.
The ground, the rock walls, even the ceiling turned pitch black, as if darkness had swallowed the whole world.
With this sudden change came an eerie, deep breath that filled the air.
The endless black thoughts felt like an ocean of ink, quickly engulfing the entire arena.
The heavy, suffocating atmosphere filled the cave, making it hard to breathe, like being trapped deep underwater.
Despite Ging's strong aura, he couldn't hold out even for a moment and was completely overwhelmed by this "black sea."
Then, a small figure appeared on the field, moving like a ghost.
Its body seemed made of smoky gray shadows, with a helmet-like shape around its face.
Two curved horns jutted from the top of the helmet, with a smaller horn nestled between its ears.
Its eyes glowed orange-red with yellow pupils, and above each eye was a yellow oval mark.
A smoky collar swirled around its neck, and shadows hovered around its feet.
At first glance, it looked like a large, dark chocolate marshmallow, but despite its cute appearance, it radiated a terrifying aura.
When Marshadow fully revealed itself, a desperate, overwhelming breath descended on Ging.
His body, which had just been upright, bent slightly under the pressure, and cracks began to form beneath his feet.
The weight of this presence was like a mountain pressing him down, making him tremble.
"This can't be!"
Ging's expression twisted in shock as his eyes locked onto the small figure.
The indifferent look he'd worn moments ago vanished completely.
In comparison to Marshadow, Ging's aura seemed weak and far less intimidating; Marshadow's presence was utterly dominant.
Though Marshadow's body was smaller, the intense, dark aura surrounding him made him seem like a towering demon king.
Suddenly, Ging's pupils first shrank, then widened, as if caught in some kind of illusion, his gaze fixed on Marshadow.
Something about Marshadow's presence stirred a deep, primal fear within him; it was a strange aura, eerily similar to that of a snake.
Ging's body bent forward slowly, as if his spine was being pulled apart.
Despite the surge of aura coursing through him, he felt incredibly small and fragile, like a tiny raft tossed helplessly in a stormy sea, vulnerable to being smashed to pieces at any moment.
This was Ging's first encounter with true SS-level power, and before he could even properly tap into his own strength, he was facing SS-level Marshadow.
It was unbelievable.
Gritting his teeth against the overwhelming force, Ging roared silently in his mind, 'I will never be scared again. No matter what, I will win.'
Even though his momentum was suppressed, he refused to give up.
His eyes sharpened with determination, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from his spot.
Moments later, Ging reappeared right behind Marshadow, gripping the Hundred Slash Knife tightly.
He launched the same attack as before, blending teleportation with his blade, but this time his power was exponentially greater.
Drawing on the massive aura from the gem inside him, Ging made the Hundred Slash Knife far deadlier than before.
He poured an intense burst of aura into the blade, aiming to land a single, decisive blow.
The knife gleamed like a polished bone blade, its sharpness almost tangible just from the light it reflected.
"Die!"
Ging's face twisted with fierce resolve, eyes blazing red like a gambler risking everything on one final bet.
Marshadow, however, tilted his head innocently, almost playful, then suddenly lifted his foot and delivered a precise kick to Ging's right side, like a soccer player expertly shooting a goal.
To Marshadow, Ging's every move was clear and easy to counter.
The impact echoed loudly, marking a pivotal moment, the first encounter with an unown and a surprising breakthrough, just like that unforgettable instant.
Ging was kicked hard in the right side by Mashado, twisting his body painfully.
Despite his evolved form, Ging hadn't made any real progress; he was still getting beaten by his opponent.
And that opponent was no ordinary foe; it was the fantasy beast Mashado!
His eyes widened as a tremendous force struck him from the right, so powerful it was nearly impossible to resist.
With a loud bang, Ging was thrown leftward like a missile, crashing into the rocky cave wall and leaving another mark behind.
Inside the ruins, Ging's face darkened with pain and frustration.
The confident expression he had just moments ago was replaced by grim agony.
He spat out a mix of blood and debris, gasping heavily as his chest heaved.
His body was covered in wounds, especially his right side, which was seriously damaged, completely shattered, with cracks spreading across the entire right half of his body.
Through the broken area, his diamond-like core gleamed clearly, visible to anyone looking.
If Ging were human, he would have been torn apart by Mashado's brutal kick.
He cursed inwardly, disbelief and anger contorting his face.
How could his enemy possess such overwhelming strength?
Ging looked terrifying in his battered state.
Maybe Mashado had held back on purpose.
The ruins around him bore the scars of their battle, and Ging had hoped to finish the fight quickly with his trump card.
Instead, he was the one left beaten and broken.
This failure shattered his confidence, driving him into a state of madness.
But as his breath gradually steadied, a fierce red light flared in his eyes.
He pressed both palms against the rock walls on either side, channeling endless aura into them.
The diamond glow spread across the black stone, erasing the rough stone dust and triggering strange changes within the rock itself.
Ging's face brightened as he pushed his body to release even more aura.
The diamond-like glow spread like a wave, creeping over the surrounding rocks and expanding its reach.
The rocks, mostly made of black shock stone, began to take on the texture of diamonds under Ging's control.
But he wasn't aiming to create worthless gemstones; he wanted the strength that could turn the tide of battle.
The light grew stronger and more intense, casting eerie reflections on Ging's twisted, almost unhinged expression.
He had completely lost control over his emotions.
The aura that had already been drained from his body now poured out wildly, fueled solely by his desire to win the next fight.
He finally understood why the enemy hadn't attacked when he was badly injured and collapsed, because they hadn't taken him seriously at all.
Gritting his teeth until they ached, Ging's grimace became terrifying.
Outside the cave, chaos still reigned, but the scene had changed.
Scattered all around were the bodies of countless stone giants, silver giants, stone giants, and even special mutant giants, all fallen in battle.
So far, there's one thing all these creatures have in common, they're all dead.