How Do We Play If This Boss Isn't Nerfed?-Chapter 39: All Stats, No Skill

Sun Qian’s gaze swept over Lin Ye, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes. He asked, "Lin Ye, what weapon do you use?"

He wanted to assess Lin Ye’s fighting style based on his choice of weapon.

Before Lin Ye could answer, Chen Meng had already turned, casually plucking a standard-issue, all-black longstaff from the weapon rack on the wall. Without a second glance, he tossed it backhanded in Lin Ye’s direction.

WHOOSH!

The longstaff carved a precise arc through the air.

Lin Ye reached out and caught it firmly.

As his hand closed around the staff, a familiar feeling—heavy, yet perfectly balanced—washed over him.

The weight, the length, the center of gravity... everything was just right.

A flicker of surprise crossed Lin Ye’s eyes. ’Mr. Chen knows me too well.’

Even if he had picked one himself, this would have been his choice.

On the other side of the ring, Wang Hao had also chosen his weapon.

A standard-issue longspear, its tip glinting with a cold light.

He hefted the longspear, glanced at the "fire poker" in Lin Ye’s hands, and a superior smirk curled his lips.

"A staff?"

"Interesting."

The spear, the king of a hundred weapons, could thrust, lift, sweep, and smash. It was a perfect blend of offense and defense, with astonishing killing power.

The staff, on the other hand, was called the Ancestor of Hundred Weapons.

But precisely because it was so basic, few top students ever chose it as their primary weapon.

At the end of the day, it was because the staff simply lacked killing power.

When opponents had similar levels of Qi and Blood, the piercing power of a spearhead far surpassed what the blunt end of a staff could achieve.

"He actually uses a staff? I thought he’d have some ace up his sleeve."

"A master-level Staff Skill is definitely formidable, but that requires a huge investment of time and resources. At our stage, weapons like spears, sabers, and swords have a greater practical advantage."

"Wang Hao’s family spear technique is known for being ferocious. This fight is probably a foregone conclusion."

Soon, both fighters had donned the most basic protective gear.

Sun Qian stepped into the ring himself to act as referee.

He took a deep look at the calm-faced Lin Ye, then at the battle-hungry Wang Hao, and announced in a solemn voice,

"This is a sparring match. No fatal blows."

"Begin!"

The moment his voice fell!

Wang Hao attacked instantly!

He stomped his foot, the entire ring letting out a dull THUD. His burly body charged toward Lin Ye like an enraged bull!

There was no flair to his movements. The longspear in his hand became a straight black line, stabbing directly at Lin Ye’s chest!

The thrust was powerful and heavy, as fast as a thunderclap!

He was going to use the most direct, most domineering method to secure victory in a single blow!

However, midway through his charge, an inexplicable chill rose from the depths of his heart without warning, instantly spreading to his limbs!

Wang Hao’s pupils contracted violently.

He saw Lin Ye just standing there silently, not even shifting his stance.

But in his perception, the Lin Ye opposite him seemed to have transformed into an unshakable, terrifying existence!

It was like the tremor that came from the very soul of prey facing its natural predator!

Lin Ye’s level was one higher than Wang Hao’s.

[Crushing]!

The mechanic took effect!

Wang Hao felt his movements become almost imperceptibly sluggish.

Cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.

’What’s going on?!’

’Why... do my legs feel weak?’

This inexplicable fear created a fatal flaw in his unstoppable momentum!

The students outside the ring couldn’t see the subtle details. They only felt that Wang Hao’s charge had faltered for a moment, which was a bit strange.

But for Lin Ye, who was in the ring, that opening was fatal.

He didn’t use any special staff forms, nor did he channel all of his Qi and Blood.

He simply took a step forward, his standard-issue longstaff swinging upward in a plain, unadorned arc to meet the incoming spearhead with a sharp flick!

CLANG—!!!

A piercing crack exploded in the center of the ring!

Wang Hao felt an indescribably terrifying force surge madly up the shaft of his spear!

His hands went numb in an instant. His control over his weapon was as fragile as paper in the face of this power!

CRACK!

The tough, standard-issue spear shaft bent on the spot into a frightening arc!

Immediately after, that power surged unstoppably into his arms and shattered the bones within!

"Ah!"

Wang Hao let out a cry of pain, the longspear flying from his now-untenable grip.

But Lin Ye’s attack didn’t stop there.

The longstaff continued its momentum and slammed into Wang Hao’s chest.

BANG!

Wang Hao was sent flying as if hit head-on by a battering ram, his feet leaving the ground as he shot backward like a cannonball.

He flew right off the ring, smashing hard onto the ground several meters away and passing out on the spot.

The exchange between them had lasted only a few breaths.

And Lin Ye had only used two simple, unadorned strikes.

Yet he had instantly secured the victory.

The match was decided!

In the vast training hall, the previous chatter gradually died down.

Some of the spectating students by the side of the ring stared wide-eyed, looking dazedly at the figure on the platform who was smoothly retracting his staff, and at the unconscious Wang Hao below.

’What happened?’

’It’s over?’

’It’s over already?!’

The whole thing was ridiculously fast!

’Wait, is the power gap between them really that huge?’

Zhang Yuqing, who had been watching the whole time, had a flicker of emotion in her eyes as well.

She hadn’t seen any profound martial techniques, nor had she sensed any particularly refined use of Qi and Blood.

All she saw was pure, unreasonable power!

’Brute force trumps all technique!’

In the face of absolute power, all skill becomes a joke!

Although Zhang Yuqing also looked down on Wang Hao, and she knew if she went up, it would also be a crushing victory, she still felt that Wang Hao’s loss today was just too pathetic.

He hadn’t even shown a hint of resistance.

On the platform, Sun Qian’s expression changed abruptly.

’He lost!’

’And it was an ugly loss!’

Just then, Chen Meng, who had been standing on the sidelines with a fake smile, saw his own face darken.

He strode over to Lin Ye, who had just stepped down from the ring, and berated him furiously:

"What do you think you’re doing?!"

"Why didn’t you use your full strength?"

"Are you pitying your opponent?"

"Lin Ye, let me tell you, on the battlefield, an attitude like yours—underestimating the enemy, holding back your strength—will get you killed without a proper burial! Do you understand?!"

His voice was sonorous, echoing throughout the entire hall.

Lin Ye was stunned by the scolding.

He had indeed held back. He was afraid that if he went too hard right from the start and scared his opponent off, he wouldn’t be able to farm negative emotion points for his weekly quest.

But Mr. Chen’s words struck him like a heavy hammer, waking him up.

’A fight should be pure.’

’It shouldn’t be tainted by other considerations.’

’To respect your opponent, you must use your full strength to crush them!’

Lin Ye lowered his head. "Teacher, I was wrong."

This exchange between master and disciple left the surrounding students, who still hadn’t recovered from the instant-kill, completely dumbfounded.

’Huh?’

’He... wasn’t even using his full strength?’

’Are you kidding me?!’

’He was holding back with that last strike?’

A vein throbbed on Sun Qian’s forehead.

He was visibly fuming.

’Humiliation!’

’This is blatant humiliation!’

"What are you all standing around for! Get Wang Hao to the infirmary, now!"

He roared at a few students nearby, then whipped his head around, his gaze sweeping over the top students in his own class.

’To hell with ’bullying the weak’!’

’To hell with ’dishonorable victories’!’

Today, he was going to utterly crush the arrogance of these two!

He was going to pick a student who could absolutely dominate this kid and get his dignity back!