Gunner inspected Magnus idly, completely ignoring the other's trash talk.

[Reader Magnus - Level 31 Dagger Dasher

HP: 546/546 MP: 713/713 STA: 651/651]

After taking stock of his stats, Gunner scoffed. Such an opponent couldn't even fill the gaps in his teeth, so he folded his arms and waited for Magnus to strike.

The MC noticed this and whooped. "It seems the newbie feels that Fighter Magnus is but a poodle that can only lick his boots! How humiliating!"

Upon hearing the crowd's ensuing laughter and jeers, Magnus' face became dark. He glared at Gunner with anger and jumped up, shouting in rage.

"Since you think you're invincible, let me take you down a notch!"

Magnus flipped three times while in mid-air, each time throwing out a set of three black daggers towards Gunner. What was even more interesting and got the crowd to cry out was that each dagger moved through the air like a snake!

This kind of ability was quite common when one used Spark Potions. Still, Magnus' ability was limited in that he could only control daggers, at most a dozen at a time.

In comparison, Jorge had received the same type of ability, yet she was able to control all weapons smaller than a short sword within a certain range.

The daggers hurtled towards Gunner, separating from each other as Magnus usually did to overwhelm his foe. He didn't need all of them to strike, just one. With the first one taking the lead, it would be easy to gouge Gunner's intestines out slowly over time.

Gunner simply watched as the first dagger struck him. The excited expression on Magnus' face and the anticipatory one on the MC as well as the crowd froze, as what they expected to see didn't happen.

Instead of cutting flesh and displaying bone, it rebounded off Gunner's skin as if it had struck metal. There wasn't even a mark on the large lad's bronze skin, making him frown deeply.

Gunner was a man of few words, so he let his opinion be known with one word.

"Trash."

The crowd roared in excitement from his provocation and cool demeanor. The MC beat his chest and cried out: "The newbie shows his disdain for the Fighter Magnus! Truly, without being able to even leave a white mark on his skin, what could you be other than trash?!"

Magnus' face contorted further. He screamed out in hate and anger. "Since you are begging for it, I shall grant you death! Die! Die! Dieeee!!"

He took out his trump card, three silver daggers, and controlled all twelve weapons to strike and slash at Gunner, aiming for the same very same spot.

Magnus felt that since Gunner wanted to be arrogant and act cool, he wouldn't stand on ceremony! Although his opponent's defense was remarkable he refused to believe that they could stand the assault of his daggers.

Once his weapons drew blood, everything would be settled from there as he would play this large oaf to death, then use his oversized skull as a chamber pot to take his daily shits!

Gunner stood there and received all of Magnus' anger like he was a saint. Of course, to Magnus and the crowd, Gunner seemed more and more like an immovable mountain as the daggers slashed at him for more than 5 minutes but were unable to harm him in the slightest.

At this point, there was only despair on Magnus' expression as he had long run out of MP to control his daggers remotely. He just stared at Gunner speechlessly, and so too did the MC as well as the crowd.

Was this even a fight? Why did it seem more like a sculptor who couldn't even carve out anything on his rock? Or a farmer who could only kneel before the almighty weeds in his plot?

Gunner unfolded his arms and pointed to the side of the area stage. Magnus was confused at first by what Gunner meant, until the large lad spoke softly.

"Walk out. There's no point in fighting you."

The crowd took a deep breath. A fighter could only leave the ring under three conditions, the first was at the end of a match, be that as the surviving winner or the corpse of the loser.

The second was forfeiture, but that would have the fighter gain a red streak on their profile, with three meaning that one would be banned from entering the arena.

The final one was getting sent out of the ring. This was what counted as a normal loss and what had happened to Magnus during his first match.

By asking him to get out of the ring and not forfeit, Gunner was undoubtedly showing mercy! A great mercy at that!

Magnus understood this and smiled bitterly. He bowed towards Gunner thankfully, speaking from his heart. "Thanks for the kindness, big guy."

He then wisely got off the stage and slinked away to the exit, the crowd silently watching him leave with mixed emotions. Even the MC was rubbing his scalp with a wry smile, not even knowing what to do about this.

Once Magnus left, he jumped up onto the stage and held up one of Gunner's hands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! Give it up for the newbie who clinched his first victory with easeeeee…. GUNNERRRR!!"

The crowd came back to life as they stared fervently at the calm Gunner who looked more like a spectator than they were.

"GUNNER!"

"GUNNER!"

"GUNNER!"

Gunner gazed at the crowd cheering his name and staring at him passionately, feeling something strange burgeon within him. This feeling of being worshiped for his martial prowess… it felt quite good.

His blood pumped yet his outward appearance remained the same. Gunner felt like he was alive and ready for more. Even though he had not made a single move this battle, he had ascertained the limit of his defenses against same-stage opponents.

They would never be able to beat him if they could not even harm him, so there was no challenge. If he wanted to give the crowd a proper fight and bask in more praises, he would need to go all out.

As such, Gunner turned to the MC.

"Take me to higher floors. I wish to fight against Advanced Fighters!"