Yes—
He had broken through.
Zhao Xuan had advanced!
From a Third-Tier warrior to a true Fourth-Tier Grandmaster.
He wasn't even sure when it happened.
Perhaps when Zhao Shi's finger spear had nearly pierced his throat.
Perhaps when he'd been pinned to the ground, his limbs shattered one by one.
Or perhaps… when he watched Di Ruqing charge toward Zhao Shi again and again—
bleeding, desperate, and unyielding—just to protect him.
Somewhere in that storm of rage, grief, and unwillingness,
Zhao Xuan's body underwent a transformation unlike anything before.
There was a reason why people said there was a chasm between the Third and Fourth Tier.
Because after breaking through—
every attribute of the body doubled.
Yes, doubled.
What did that mean?
It meant that—
in his Dragon-Human form, amplified tenfold—
Zhao Xuan's physique had now nearly reached ten thousand points.
Five thousand and ten thousand.
That was no small difference.
Because as the saying went—
"When quantity changes, quality transforms."
"Rest well. From here on… I'll handle the rest."
After kicking Zhao Shi across the field, Zhao Xuan knelt beside Di Ruqing,
placing an energy vial gently to her lips.
A gust of wind came from behind—
"Thud!"
His body tensed, and Iron Body activated instinctively.
A heavy blackened fist smashed into his back.
"Boom!!"
The impact shook the air—
but Zhao Xuan merely staggered a step forward.
That was all.
"Impossible!!!"
Zhao Shi's roar was half madness, half disbelief.
"Nothing's impossible."
Zhao Xuan straightened slowly,
his eyes cold as steel.
He twisted his torso, his leg sweeping out like a blade—
Storm Kick: Thunderous Eight Trigrams!
Crackling arcs of violet lightning wrapped around his leg,
weaving together with black Armament Haki.
The air split apart as the strike howled toward Zhao Shi.
With a body of nearly ten thousand points of strength,
Zhao Xuan's speed was monstrous.
Zhao Shi—despite being a Fifth-Tier powerhouse—
found that he couldn't dodge.
Him—a dignified Grandmaster—
cornered by a newly advanced Fourth-Tier?!
Absurd!
And yet—
"BOOM!!!"
The thunderous kick landed squarely on Zhao Shi's chest.
He stumbled backward—
one step, two, three, eight steps—
each step cracking the ground beneath him,
fractures spreading out like spiderwebs.
"This can't be! It's impossible!"
Clutching his chest, Zhao Shi screamed, blood at his lips.
"You're just a Fourth-Tier! You can't beat me! It's not possible!"
He trembled as realization struck.
"It must be… a secret art! A forbidden technique that boosts your strength temporarily! That's it!"
But before he could steady himself—
"Step, step!"
Zhao Xuan appeared before him again in a blur.
Storm Kick: Thunderous Eight Trigrams!
"BOOOOM!!"
Lightning exploded, filling the air with blinding light.
Zhao Shi blocked with Armament Haki,
but the force still sent him stumbling back.
"Come on then!" Zhao Shi snarled through gritted teeth.
"Let's see how long your secret art lasts! Thirty seconds? A minute? Two? Once it ends—you're finished!"
Zhao Xuan didn't reply.
He simply vanished—
and reappeared in front of Zhao Shi again.
Another kick.
Then another.
Then another.
Each one landed heavier than the last.
Zhao Shi's footing shattered beneath him as he was forced backward—
again and again—
until finally—
"BOOOOOOM!!!"
Zhao Xuan's last strike sent him flying,
his body crashing into the ground and carving a crater several meters deep.
Blood spattered the air.
Zhao Shi coughed violently, gasping for air.
"This isn't possible! Not possible!" he shrieked.
"What kind of monster are you!? How can you keep this up!? What secret technique lasts this long!?"
"BOOM!!!"
Another kick.
Zhao Shi's body convulsed as blood burst from his mouth.
He fell, trembling, to the dirt.
"No… no… this isn't a secret art…" he muttered, voice shaking.
"This… this can't be… unless—unless it's your Devil Fruit power!?"
His pupils shrank.
The more he looked at Zhao Xuan's half-draconic form,
the more his mind twisted with greed.
"If I can take it… if I can take that fruit…!"
His hands trembled.
His eyes turned crimson.
Even through the pain,
he could only think of stealing that power.
"BOOM!!!"
Zhao Xuan's foot slammed into Zhao Shi's abdomen,
driving him deeper into the ground.
Blood gushed from his mouth.
Then came another strike—
his broken arm crushed beneath Zhao Xuan's heel.
"You broke mine," Zhao Xuan rasped,
his voice low and trembling with fury.
"So now—I'll break yours. Tenfold."
He raised his leg again.
"CRACK!!!"
The sound of bone snapping echoed.
Zhao Shi screamed in agony.
Zhao Xuan's foot rose again—
"CRUNCH!!!"
More bone gave way.
"AAAAAAHHH!!!"
Zhao Shi's cries pierced the night sky.
Then, suddenly—
his aura flared violently.
His body convulsed—his skin pale, his hair graying in seconds.
He'd used it—
the Forbidden Limit Art.
A secret technique that burned away life force
to unleash several times one's strength.
Zhao Xuan narrowed his eyes.
"So… you've reached your last resort."
Zhao Shi charged, his speed doubled—
but his life ebbed away with every heartbeat.
Zhao Xuan didn't retreat.
He stepped forward.
Their fists met—
"BOOM!!!"
A shockwave tore through the ruins.
Both staggered back—
Zhao Xuan, three steps.
Zhao Shi, two.
"Ha… hahaha!" Zhao Xuan laughed coldly.
"So that's your great power? Pathetic. Even with your life on the line—you can't beat me."
He blurred forward—
strike after strike,
kick after kick,
each blow carrying the roar of thunder.
The ground cracked beneath their feet,
the air trembling from their clash.
But Zhao Shi's breathing grew ragged.
His vision blurred.
His strength—fading.
Fear crept in.
"No… no… I'll die. I'll die here… to this monster!"
"Still distracted?"
Zhao Xuan's cold voice rang beside his ear—
and before Zhao Shi could react—
"CRACK!!!"
A final kick landed squarely on his chest.
Bones shattered.
Blood exploded from his mouth.
He crashed to the ground once more,
barely conscious.
"Boom!!"
Zhao Xuan stomped down, pinning him in place.
Zhao Shi writhed, gasping.
Then—his strength vanished completely.
The forbidden art's time had run out.
"So soon?" Zhao Xuan muttered coldly.
He lifted his leg—
and brought it down again.
"CRACK!!"
Zhao Shi's arm broke once more.
His screams turned into hoarse, pitiful cries.
"You were arrogant a moment ago, weren't you?" Zhao Xuan growled.
"Let's see how strong you are now."
One stomp. Two. Three. Four.
Each blow crushed another bone.
Each scream grew weaker—
until finally—
Zhao Shi's legs and arms were completely shattered.
His breath was shallow.
His body limp.
And then—
his eyes rolled back,
and he fainted.
"Hmph. Consider yourself lucky."
Zhao Xuan's voice was low, devoid of mercy.
He placed his hand on Zhao Shi's head—
and twisted.
"CRRRRACK!!!"
A sickening snap echoed through the air.
Zhao Shi's neck turned a full 360 degrees.
The light in his eyes faded instantly.
Zhao Shi—dead.
The Fifth-Tier Grandmaster had fallen.