Combat King, Bat King, Alligator King

Jiang Wen Hao and Huang Fu Yu found themselves locked in a brutal combat with a colossal alligator, its scales glistening ominously in the light. Their attacks, though ferocious, were no match for the beast's impenetrable defense. Adding to their woes, the alligator's agility was breathtaking. With lightning reflexes, it was able to launch itself towards them at a moment's notice, making it impossible for the duo to anticipate its movements.

Despite their disadvantage, the pair refused to back down. Their bodies radiated a powerful blue aura, a testament to their determination and skill. However, the alligator was still faster and more agile than they were. It reared up on two legs, its tail lashing out with deadly precision, ready to strike.

Without hesitation, Jiang Wen Hao stepped forward and raised his cross, ready to meet the alligator head-on. "Blocked!" he yelled, but the force of the tail sent them hurtling into the arena wall. Although they had managed to lessen the impact, the damage was still evident. Their health bars were now at three-quarters, and they knew they had to come up with a new strategy if they were to have any chance of defeating the ferocious alligator.

"Hao, grant me some time," Huang Fu Yu urgently beseeched Jiang Wen Hao, raising his cross aloft. With steely resolve, Jiang Wen Hao nodded and took up position, ready to deflect the next onslaught.

"Enlarge! Enlarge! Enlarge!" Huang Fu Yu's powerful cries rent the air as his cross grew in size, expanding until it was almost as tall as the fearsome alligator itself. The edges of the cross glowed with a searing orange aura, signaling an impending assault.

Sensing the gathering energy, the alligator let out a deafening screech that reverberated through the entire arena, causing even the spectators to flinch and cover their ears. Undeterred, Huang Fu Yu held fast, channeling his attack with grim determination.

As the alligator let out its ear-splitting screech, Jiang Wen Hao sprang onto his cross and soared towards the beast. With a fierce cry, he brought the cross down with a resounding crash onto the alligator's head, stunning it and causing the screech to abruptly subside.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Huang Fu Yu unleashed his attack, hurtling the enlarged cross with a crushing orange aura straight at the alligator. With no chance to dodge, the alligator could only try to block the massive cross with its tail.

"Pierce!" Huang Fu Yu roared, as the previously impenetrable scales were obliterated as if they were made of tofu. The cross sliced the alligator in half, an overwhelming victory that left the duo breathless and triumphant.

After the grueling battle, Jiang Wen Hao had gained two levels and was now at level 8, while Huang Fu Yu had achieved a staggering level 10. Their injuries had been healed, and they made their way to the audience seats. The rest of the crowd were surprised to find two unfamiliar men sitting at the audience seats. One of them was yawning, as if he had just woken up from a nap, while the other had white hair, pale skin, and was holding a paper lantern.

Beside him was a signboard that advertised the lantern for a whopping 200 bronze coins. The exorbitant price shocked everyone, as only those who had killed the thunder gargoyle would have enough coins to buy it.

Huang Fu Yu, feeling irritated by the pale man's silence, rudely asked, "Are those paper lanterns even useful?" But the man paid him no attention, causing Huang Fu Yu to grow even angrier. Thankfully, Jiang Wen Hao intervened before Huang Fu Yu could do anything rash.

"We would like to purchase one lantern," Jiang Wen Hao said calmly, handing over the required coins to the white-haired man. The man handed them a paper lantern in return.

"Ok, you guys are free to go," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, as if their presence was a mere inconvenience. Jiang Wen Hao and Huang Fu Yu, with their new acquisition in hand, left the arena, wondering about the true purpose of the mysterious paper lantern.

After the duo had left, the pale guy sat back down and the other guy turned to address the crowd. "Alright, let's get this over with. You have three opponents to choose from, and you may either fight alone or with a partner," he announced. "First, there's the Combat King. You've probably seen it before, and it's up to you whether you want to face it alone or in pairs." The crowd recognized the familiar figure lounging in the arena. "Next up, we have the Bat King. You can choose to fight it alone or in a team of three." The crowd looked up to see a gigantic bat hanging upside down in the arena. Its eyes suddenly opened, sending a shiver down everyone's spine. "It likes to scare the weak, but it's actually quite easy to defeat," the man assured the crowd. "Lastly, we have the Alligator King. You can form a team of up to four members to fight it, as its scales are tough. Without the Pierce skill, like that lucky fella had, you won't stand a chance," he added, showing the audience the massive alligator king that Jiang Wen Hao and Huang Fu Yu had just battled against.

"The rules are simple: choose one opponent to fight, and the amount of experience you gain will depend on which creature you choose. The Alligator King offers the most experience, while the Bat King offers the least. And if you're feeling confident in your abilities, taking down the Bat King solo will earn you more experience than working with a team to defeat the Alligator King. But don't worry if you lose; you won't die here, and we'll make sure you're taken care of. However, it's unlikely you'll survive once you leave this arena, so make the most of your time here. You have twenty minutes to decide and defeat your chosen opponent. After that, we'll be sending you on your way, whether you're ready or not," the guy concluded before settling back into his slumber.

Upon hearing the rules, Ya Hui strode towards Yi Lin, propounding that the four of them ought to ally themselves and confront the alligator king together. Yi Lin, in turn, flicked a brief glance at Mei Zhen. Mei Zhen insisting that, as she was only level 3, she needed the lion's share of the experience in order to survive. Therefore she assented, albeit begrudgingly, to the proposal. Jia Le's troop, on the other hand, being composed of six members, had to recruit two more individuals to form two quartets and tackle the alligator king. "Brother Jing, you possess the "Block" skill, don't you?" Shao Qiang inquired with a hint of suspicion. Sun Jing nodded his head sagely, pledging to shield the team from the alligator's attacks. "I, too, acquired the "Block" skill, so I can finally defend myself...err, I mean, the team," Long Tao admitted sheepishly. "I have a skill that is inferior to "Pierce" but should inflict some damage on the alligator," Shao Qiang chimed in. Hao Ren, for his part, announced that he had gained a new ability that could facilitate their triumph over the alligator king. Following a thorough discussion and a unanimous agreement, everyone was primed for the impending confrontation. The guy let out a languid yawn and shook his head in disapproval while regarding the assembly. "Your 20 minutes commence now."