Reincarnation Paradise
Chapter 956: Unstoppable

Emerging victorious from among 260 contestants and advancing to the top 20 was Su Xiao's initial target. The Void Arena employed an elimination system. After receiving their number badges, the first-round draw would commence. Given the total number of participants was a round number, there would be no byes in the first round.

Su Xiao examined his badge, which was roughly the size of a playing card. One side displayed the number 106, while the other side featured three symbols. At the top was a hexagonal shape, likely representing a certain faction. The middle showcased a crown, a symbol he had seen once inside the castle, probably representing Alice's faction. The bottom displayed a circular shape, possibly a currency symbol from the Void. These three symbols represented the three factions involved.

To Su Xiao's disappointment, the badge did not display the demonic goat's head emblem, which would have made things much simpler.

After the public draw, the first-round matchups were revealed, and Su Xiao's badge changed, now showing a number 51—indicating his opponent's number for the first round.

Before the matches began, contestants would go to great lengths to hide their numbers. A large screen in the registration area displayed a ladder diagram. All contestants started at the bottom rung. Victors would ascend, while the defeated would lose their chance, with no resurrection rounds.

The Void Arena was perilous, with a high chance of death for those who lost. Even survivors were often severely injured, making a resurrection round unnecessary and impractical.

Su Xiao needed to survive several rounds to reach the top 20:

First round: 260 to 130Second round: 130 to 65Third round: 65 to 33Fourth round: 33 to 17

There was ample rest between each round, as only one arena was available, providing more rest early on and becoming more intense later.

The Void Arena had few rules, almost none. Even high-powered explosives, if acquired, could be used in the arena. Mechas and similar equipment were commonplace. Due to the minimal rules, the death rate was extremely high. Statistics showed a 40% to 50% death rate in the Void Arena.

In other words, out of ten participants, only one or two would leave unscathed, with the rest either severely injured or dead.

Despite the terrifying death rate, many still participated, drawn by the lucrative rewards. Additionally, it was a chance to rise to fame. Some contestants would withdraw around the top 20 and accept recruitment from major factions.

Spectators came not just to watch but also to recruit talent. Sponsorship fees from major factions were a significant income source for the arena, often more substantial than ticket sales.

Su Xiao walked through the contestants' passage towards the arena's centre. Other contestants were nearby, each wary of the others, as no one knew their opponents yet. The Void Arena was fair, evidenced by Alice's inability to sabotage Su Xiao beyond distributing the revealing flyers.

Alice couldn't interfere directly in the matches due to the involvement of the other two factions. Thus, she resorted to publicly revealing Su Xiao's identity as a Shadow of Extinction to make him enemies rather than sabotaging the matches.

The matches themselves were guaranteed to be fair. Any underhanded tactics by Alice would not be tolerated by the other factions, as the arena's reputation was crucial to all hosts.

Walking through the contestant passage, Su Xiao arrived at the centre of the arena, positioned in the contestants' viewing area, located just below the general audience seating, closest to the sandy battleground.

A deafening cheer erupted from the crowd, millions of spectators from various races, their combined voices creating an overwhelming roar. Even before stepping into the arena, Su Xiao felt his blood boiling with excitement.

The audience was a mix of numerous races, some of which Su Xiao had never seen. There was a two-headed, troll-like giant holding snacks, with each hand feeding a different mouth, the two heads bickering occasionally, showing distinct personalities.

Nearby, a large octopus held a massive beer mug, the size of a water tank, seemingly filled with beer. The octopus gulped down the beer, burped, and drunkenly cheered.

A more bizarre sight was a mouse-like creature named Mr Rat, holding a bottle of strong liquor and embracing a cute girl from Lalata Star, known for their beauty and animalistic traits. This girl was part of the performance troupe that had been entertaining the crowd.

Mr Rat's behaviour was almost a provocation to the hosts, but no one dared to intervene. The reason was the terrifying entity backing Mr. Rat, known by many names: Planet Destroyer, War Calamity, Source of Living Disasters, Void Swordmaster, and Void's Most Powerful Lunatic, among others.

This entity, notorious throughout the Void, had caused untold destruction. When present near any planet, defences would immediately be withdrawn, not as a welcome, but out of sheer terror of the consequences of resistance.

Statistics indicated that the entity had directly or indirectly caused the deaths of billions. The specific numbers were uncountable, leading to an unparalleled level of fear and caution.

No one dared to stop Mr. Rat's antics because of this entity. Even Alice, with all her power, wouldn't dare provoke Mr. Rat. Though the entity hadn't been seen for years, rumoured to have vanished into the deepest part of the Black Abyss, no one could be certain if it was truly dead. If it wasn't, provoking Mr. Rat would be a grave mistake, as the entity was known for its fierce protectiveness.

Even without the entity, Mr. Rat's forces were formidable—a group of war-crazed soldiers willing to kill without hesitation. Waging war against them would require an unbearable price.