September 4th, 17:50.

In the personal space training ground, Jamie Smith's figure flickered like lightning, his body displaying astonishing flexibility and strength under the guidance of the "Heavenly Python Evolution Technique." His movements were sometimes like a dragon emerging from the water, sometimes like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, each twist and turn filled with a perfect blend of power and beauty.

As the final movement was completed, Jamie Smith took a deep breath, his body seemingly sublimated at this moment. He opened his personal combat panel again and tapped lightly, "Evolution Technique maxed out."

Genetic Evolution Technique: "Heavenly Python Evolution Technique" (Advanced 18%) (Training time 602 days, cannot be improved)

Body: 195

Skills: Marksmanship (Tier 3 46%), Footwork (Tier 3 5%), Shield Technique (Tier 3 32%)

Basic Combat Power: 4680

Actual Combat Bonus: 40%

Combat Power: 6552

"I've practiced the evolution technique more than twenty times today, and the improvement is getting harder and harder," Jamie Smith thought as he looked at his personal combat panel, "My physical fitness has improved a bit since this morning, let's see if I can make it through this time."

Whoosh.

His figure disappeared from the training ground again, falling like a meteor and landing at the foot of the Star Tower.

"I've failed the first four attempts today. With marksmanship, I still can't hold up under the Tiger King's attack. If I use the shield technique, I can hold out for a longer time in front of the Tiger King, but the damage from the shield strike... with the Tiger King's physique, it's useless."

Using a spear, he could indeed hurt the Tiger King! But the Tiger King's claws were too terrifying, and Jamie Smith simply couldn't hold his ground.

"Back then, Master used a combination of shield and blade. One hand with a shield for defense to buy time, the other hand with a blade not aiming for the Tiger King's vitals but to increase his wounds. Over time, as the Tiger King's injuries worsened and his strength decreased... that's when Master was able to slay the Tiger King."

"But I can't imitate Master, our combat styles are different."

"The only way for me to succeed is with a spear."

Jamie Smith understood this point clearly.

A spear, at least, could penetrate the defense! It posed a threat to the Tiger King!

"It's no wonder that after more than a month since the Star Tower opened, among so many masters worldwide, only six have managed to pass." The closer he got to victory, the more he understood how difficult it was to succeed, and Jamie Smith once again arrived at the third floor of the Star Tower.

The familiar tropical rainforest environment, dim and damp, with plants growing wildly, Jamie Smith, wearing light armor and holding a spear, looked around.

His ears twitched, picking up a barely audible sound, and Jamie Smith immediately looked in the direction of the movement, catching sight of the dark yellow eyes staring at him from the shadows.

"You big cat, stop hiding," Jamie Smith said with practiced ease, charging forward with his spear. The fierce tiger, feeling provoked, also charged out.

The two engaged in a head-on confrontation.

Jamie Smith leaped lightly, dodged with agility, thrust his spear, and withdrew without lingering.

Swish!

The fierce tiger had a fatal wound on its neck and vanished into the void.

With his body's all-around enhancement and the improvement of his spear technique, the ordinary fierce tigers on the third floor no longer posed a threat to Jamie Smith.

"Roar~~~" A deep growl sounded, and tigers began to appear from all directions, surrounding him, including the largest and most formidable, the Tiger King. One of the Tiger King's front legs was taller and thicker than Jamie Smith himself, like a furry pillar, and its head was enormous, its physique terrifying. Heavy strike attacks were useless against it.

"Little guys, get off work quickly, don't waste time, I have to deal with the Tiger King," Jamie Smith said, holding his spear and charging forward.

Immediately, six fierce tigers roared and charged.

Swish, swish, swish!

Jamie Smith's body moved with a changeable footwork, his spear turning into a blur of illusions, killing three fierce tigers in the blink of an eye. The remaining three tigers were greatly alarmed, jumping and dodging, and more fierce tigers attacked.

"Haha... These ordinary fierce tigers, after my breakthrough in footwork, are indeed much less threatening," Jamie Smith, being human and smaller in stature, found it easier to dodge and weave through the larger tigers, which struggled to form a perfect encirclement. Generally, he only had to deal with two or three fierce tigers at a time.

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His spear was faster in killing than a sword.

After killing a total of twelve fierce tigers, the Tiger King, who had been silently observing Jamie Smith, let out a low roar and finally charged out, with the other tigers obediently cooperating with the Tiger King. Jamie Smith's expression also changed slightly.

"Whoosh." Jamie Smith dodged behind other fierce tigers, not engaging with the Tiger King at all.

The Tiger King roared, but Jamie Smith, being small and agile, darted around, his spear flying, continuously reaping the lives of ordinary fierce tigers. The remaining tigers... were also used by Jamie Smith to block the Tiger King.

Jamie Smith displayed his footwork, reaping tigers. Master Ray Willow still needed to get close for a strike! Jamie Smith could pierce one with a single thrust of his spear, making it easier than his master.

"It's one on one now," Jamie Smith said, looking at the Tiger King.

There was no other way.

If he got too arrogant and faced the encirclement of the Tiger King and fierce tigers at the same time, he wouldn't be able to hold on for ten seconds.

With no worries behind him, facing the Tiger King one on one, he could fight for a longer time.

"Boom." The Tiger King pounced, a foul wind in its wake, its huge paws, each larger than Jamie Smith's shield, were like massive furry clubs.

Jamie Smith dodged, hiding behind a large tree, and made a quick thrust with his spear.

The incoming huge paw was incredibly agile, hooking down and striking Jamie Smith's spear blade, causing a clang and deflecting his thrust.

While deflecting the move, the Tiger King leaped forward, closing the distance. Jamie Smith dodged again, his spear thrusting at the Tiger King's neck, but the Tiger King's front leg slightly lifted, knocking away his spear, while the other paw deftly grabbed at Jamie Smith.

"Bang."

He retracted his spear to block, and the terrifying impact force sent Jamie Smith flying backward. In mid-air, he stepped on a tree trunk and whooshed to a distant spot.

The Tiger King leaped through the air, its speed terrifying.

Jamie Smith was in a sorry state.

At a disadvantage in speed and agility, he could only use the environment, the large trees and numerous vines, which hindered the large Tiger King. Even though the Tiger King could shred a large tree with one paw, it always took time.

One spear thrust after another.

"Puff." The Tiger King, impatiently tearing apart a large tree, was caught off guard as a spear suddenly erupted, piercing its left front leg, breaking the skin, and withdrawing, leaving blood staining the fur.

"To attack the Tiger King's vitals directly is impossible. Only by first injuring its limbs, reducing its threat, can there be a chance to strike at its vitals," Jamie Smith realized this through repeated engagements.

The massive Tiger King furiously pursued the slippery human master.

Jamie Smith used the environment to delay time, or relied on his spear for defense and blocking, but after defending for a long time, mistakes would inevitably occur.

"Whoosh." A huge paw came through the air, grabbing Jamie Smith's body, and he vanished into nothingness.

"Failed again," Jamie Smith appeared outside the Star Tower, reflecting on the battle, "This time, the one-on-one fight lasted quite a long time, and I added seven wounds to the Tiger King, but it's still not enough to kill it."

"To win, either my spear technique needs to be improved, or my footwork needs to be enhanced," Jamie Smith thought, "But I can feel that it's not far off, within a week, I should be able to pass."

Being able to fight one-on-one with the Tiger King for so long meant that his strength was very close, and he could see the hope of passing.

...

At home, after dinner, Jamie Smith and May Lee sat on the sofa, eating fruit and watching TV.

"Jamie, you've been in the virtual world for too long today, almost the whole day, sixteen hours, right?" May Lee asked.

"Half an hour short," Jamie Smith smiled, "I won't go in for now, I'll enter

the virtual world just before the competition starts."

"Why are you pushing so hard?" May Lee asked, "In the past, we only went into the virtual world after dark, right? Have you changed your routine?"

Jamie Smith gently hugged his girlfriend and sighed, "On one hand, I feel like I'm getting closer to passing the third level of the Star Tower, and I want to push through in one go. On the other hand, the pressure from Senior Ray Cloud is just too great."

"Did you pass?" May Lee asked, then immediately slapped her own head, "I'm being silly, if you had passed, the whole network would have exploded, and the whole world would know about it."

"The Tiger King is too strong, its body surpasses the advanced evolution technique in every aspect," Jamie Smith said, "Although its combat intelligence is not as good as humans, defeating it... is still a very difficult task. I should be able to pass within a week."

"Within a week?" May Lee was excited, "There are only six people on the Star Tower list now, and within a week, there probably won't be ten. Then Jamie, you would be in the global top ten."

"Don't be too excited about things that haven't happened yet," Jamie Smith said, "What we need to face next is Senior Ray Cloud."

May Lee lay in Jamie Smith's arms and responded, "Yes, Senior Ray Cloud's footwork is unfathomable, archers at a distance pose no threat to him, and when they get close, Ray Cloud can catch up with a flicker, and it's over with one slash."

"Archers can't threaten him, and ordinary team members can't threaten him even more," Jamie Smith said, "As for one-on-one... I have to admit, I haven't even passed the third level of the Star Tower."

There were only a few hours left before the competition started.

But indeed, he lacked confidence.

"Even if you fail, it's a rare experience to hone your skills," May Lee comforted, "Some people win and some people lose in a competition. Don't mind the success or failure of the moment, the competition among masters in the virtual world is a matter of the next ten years, or even longer, and we should look far into the future."

Jamie Smith leaned down and kissed his girlfriend's forehead.

Whenever he was tired, his girlfriend would comfort him, making him more relaxed.

"Today we're free, how about we have some fun?" Jamie Smith looked at May Lee with a smirk.

May Lee's face turned red, and she said, "Take a shower first!"

"Alright!" Jamie Smith immediately got up and rushed towards the bathroom.