Another wave of thorns erupted from the ground, faster and fiercer than before, but Xiang Yu faced them head-on. With a powerful leap, he twisted mid-air as the deadly projectiles grazed past him, narrowly missing their target.
He landed flawlessly, the crowd gasping in awe, even amidst their hatred for him. An electric tension rippled through the arena, and he exhaled sharply, feeling his blood boil with adrenaline. There was no holding back now.
The air around him shifted, growing heavier and darker. A crimson aura began to ripple from his core, faint at first, but unmistakable. Xiang Yu closed his eyes for just a moment, feeling the power surge within him; when his eyes opened again, they burned with an unholy fire. The demon core had awakened.
