Cannonbolt snorted coldly, curling into a yellow sphere and spinning at high speed before launching himself forward.
The brutal impact shattered both laser beams instantly, the momentum carrying through as he slammed straight into the robot's head.
What had once been an iron skull as solid as bedrock was reduced to something no tougher than tofu before Cannonbolt. It exploded into countless cold fragments that sprayed outward in every direction.
[Successfully defeated the Battle Axe Robot, winning this match]
[Boost Cannonbolt's defense by 10%]
Whoosh!
The spectators in the stands erupted into chaos, cheering wildly for Cannonbolt as hysterical shouts filled the arena.
They had never seen an alien like this before. That bizarre fighting style, bouncing around like a rubber ball while delivering absurdly overwhelming power, instantly crushing a robot in seconds, left them completely stunned.
Behind a glowing screen, a tall, slender figure watched everything in silence.
"Indestructible. Flawless. What a truly valiant warrior."
Its voice was ethereal and indistinct, echoing softly through the control room.
Elsewhere, Kevin stood alone in another arena, facing a powerful alien opponent.
The creature had two horns growing from its head, eyes like massive bronze bells, and purple skin stretched over explosively muscular limbs crisscrossed with bulging veins. It looked like some ancient beast dragged straight from a primordial age, terrifying enough to make any normal person freeze in fear.
Kevin 11 let out a cold laugh, clearly not taking his opponent seriously at all.
"Hey, big dumb ox. Come on, hit me."
The purple bull beast roared, clenching its massive fist before smashing it down toward Kevin.
Kevin sidestepped effortlessly, slipping behind it like a phantom.
Compared to a slow, heavy alien like this, Kevin was far more agile. With one-tenth of XLR8's speed at his disposal, dealing with the purple bull beast was almost laughably easy.
As expected, just as the creature tried to turn around, Kevin threw a blazing punch.
A surging, scorching fire coiled around his fist, burning the air itself as it slammed directly into the beast's back.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion rang out as a wave of searing heat burst outward from the impact point, sweeping across the nearby spectator stands at terrifying speed.
The purple bull beast's bulky body was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, smashing violently into a steel wall before falling still.
Whoosh!
The crowd erupted once again, cheering wildly for the victor.
Kevin threw both arms into the air and laughed loudly.
"Oh yeah! Who's the baddest now?"
"Foul-mouthed, cold-blooded, and utterly ruthless. Looks like a born killer," the mysterious figure behind the screen remarked calmly as it watched Kevin 11.
Meanwhile, Ben's battle was also nearing its conclusion.
Diamondhead reshaped his arm into a sharp spike and cleanly severed the robot's leg. Pressing his advantage without hesitation, he finished it off completely and claimed victory in his match.
"Quick-witted and capable. A fine seed for battle."
The mysterious figure spoke calmly, his hands clasped behind his back.
Dozens of robots hovered around him.
They were uniformly red, wielding long laser blades and resembling ancient warriors. Each stood atop a blood-red hovering sphere that allowed them to fly and maneuver freely.
"Bring the three of them to me," the mysterious figure said hoarsely.
The moment his words fell, an eerie red glow flared beneath the robots' feet, instantly teleporting them in front of Lucian and the others.
Before anyone could even react, the red robots lit up again, crimson light enveloping the group and whisking them away once more, straight to the mysterious figure's presence.
Kevin froze for a split second. Then he spotted Diamondhead and Cannonbolt beside him. His fists clenched as he lunged forward, ready to beat them senseless.
Zzzzt!
Suddenly, a surge of electricity ripped through his back, flooding his entire body like a tidal wave.
Diamondhead and Cannonbolt felt it too, the same violent shock coursing through them.
Behind them, several warrior robots raised their blade shafts, plunging them into their backs and branding circular control devices into place.
With a press of the buttons on the shafts, the controllers could be activated, releasing overwhelming electric currents to suppress any resistance.
Moments ago, Kevin had been full of swagger. Now he looked utterly miserable, black smoke rising from his body as he collapsed to the ground in a sorry heap.
"W-what the hell is going on?" Kevin growled through clenched teeth as he lay there. "Ben Tennyson, where the hell did you bring me?!"
"How should I know?" Diamondhead shook his head. "I didn't do this."
Cannonbolt propped his chin on his hand, his chubby little paws pressed together as he fell into deep thought.
Ahead of them stood a semi-transparent red screen. A tall, slender figure stood behind it like a ghost.
"I am Slix Vigma. This is the Megacruiser Arena. Every challenger chosen must fight in the colosseum, earning entertainment and bounties for me from the audience…"
With his hands behind his back, Slix Vigma's ethereal voice echoed in everyone's ears.
"So… we're on a spaceship," Diamondhead said, glancing out the window at the endless sea of stars beyond.
Cannonbolt nodded. He already knew they had been sent to the interstellar arena.
According to his memories of the original story, the Megacruiser was like a cosmic pirate ship, roaming from system to system and abducting powerful aliens.
They would forcibly implant controllers into their captives, keeping them firmly under control, then force these unfortunate aliens to fight each other to the death. All of it was done to entertain the spectators beyond the arena and rake in enormous profits.
For ordinary people, escaping from a place like this was nearly impossible.
Staring at the unfathomable Slix Vigma, Kevin immediately erupted in curses.
"Who the hell do you think you are? Let me go right now, or I'll—"
Before he could finish, the robot beside him pressed a button.
The controller on Kevin's back discharged an intense current at once. Sparks crackled as he was slammed back to the ground, his body twitching uncontrollably.
Slix Vigma chuckled softly.
"Everything here is under my control. My eyes see everything that happens on this ship. My hands can manipulate all that exists within it."
"In other words, aboard the Megacruiser, I am the ruler."
Hearing that, Diamondhead clenched his fists, itching to rush forward and smash that smug figure to pieces.
Cannonbolt shook his head slightly, then looked at Slix Vigma.
"So there's no chance you'll let us go, is there?"
"Smart." Slix Vigma clapped his hands lightly. "From observing you earlier, I've already grasped your relationships. They don't seem particularly harmonious…"
"Then what exactly do you want?" Diamondhead demanded.
"Patience." Slix Vigma smiled darkly, like a venomous serpent. "Before that, each of you must go through three individual matches. Consider them your assessment. Only after completing them will I issue you higher-level commands."
"Hmph. Higher-level commands," Cannonbolt said coolly. "Like team battles, right?"
"Hahaha! You truly surprise me, indestructible warrior." Slix Vigma laughed without restraint. "Not only is your combat power exceptional, but your mind is sharp as well."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Enough. It's time for your meal. Take them away."
The red robots behind him immediately stepped forward. An eerie crimson glow lit up beneath their feet, and in the next instant, the group vanished, teleported straight to the cafeteria…