In Ark Simulator, why do I always get a tough start?

Chapter 170 Ulpian VS Skadi, Ulpian's enlightenment!
Under the intimidation of Skadi's overwhelming power, the arena fell into complete silence.

As for Governor Lucella, who had previously slandered Skadi, he turned pale with fright the moment the entire battle of wits was thrown into chaos, and crouched down in fear, covering his head in defense.

Trembling under the seat, he uncontrollably urinated, filling the surrounding area with a foul stench.

But by this time, those present had no time to despise the governor's disgraceful behavior.

Faced with a deep-sea hunter who possessed the strength of 180,000 horses a year ago, how many of those present would dare to accept Skadi's challenge?
Moreover, even a fool could see that Skadi is no longer the same as before.

As for Skadi's claims about the ruins of a pre-civilization and the martial arts techniques left behind by the God of War, who cares?
From the moment Skadi revealed her strength, everyone believed that she might actually be able to break out of the Sea King's lair on her own.

—But precisely because of this, some of the most gifted individuals want to challenge Skadi.

"Hmm? Sikunda?"

Gazing at Skadi, whose strength had increased by leaps and bounds in just one year, Ulpian felt a long-lost fighting spirit rise in his heart.

But before he could speak, he discovered that his student, Sikunda, had already walked towards Skadi, the center of the arena of wits, ahead of him.

"Teacher, please don't stop me."

Noticing Ulpian's surprise, Sikunda calmly responded as she approached Skadi:
"Besides, isn't the teacher also eager to know just how strong Skadi is now?"

"Well then, let me throw out a suggestion and see if Skadi is qualified to fight the teacher."

Upon hearing this, Ulpian respected Sikunda's wishes and whispered a reminder:

"...Be careful, Siquinda, Skadi has become much stronger."

"Well, I'll pay attention."

With a simple reply, Xikunda ignored the shocked or horrified gazes of the others and used her magnetic field power to leap over!

"boom!"

As she landed with a tremor that shook the arena once more, Sikunda stood before Skadi, becoming her first challenger.

"You are……"

While maintaining her aura of strength, Skadi searched her memory before recognizing the person she had met a few times.

"I remember you. You're Ulpian's student?"

"Thank you for remembering me, Skadi."

Sikunda maintained the etiquette of the Agorians, responding calmly and briefly to Skadi before immediately assuming a fighting stance.

However, unlike Sikunda, who was on high alert.

Skadi showed only a slight degree of concern after remembering that she was Ulpian's student, before quickly regaining her composure.

Facing Siquinda, who possessed the strength of 180,000 horses, Skadi simply said calmly:
"Then to deal with you, I will only need the power of 80,000 horses."

“After all, if I hurt you, Ulpian will blame me.”

"hiss--"

As soon as Skadi said this, a collective gasp filled the arena.

As the chief commander of the Blue Country Coast Guard, Sikunda is quite prestigious in the Blue Country.

Moreover, although she is not a Deepsea Hunter, she possesses 180,000 units of power, which is stronger than most Deepsea Hunters. Sikunda is definitely one of the strongest in Agor.

But what are they hearing now?
Skadi completely disregarded Siquinda!
It is said that only 80,000 horses' worth of power are needed to subdue Sikunda.

If this isn't the ramblings of a madman, then it can only be the absolute composure of the strongest!
But actually, everyone was overthinking it.

Goredia and Ulpian, who were familiar with Skadi's personality, knew very well that Skadi was just quick to speak her mind and had no intention of provoking Sikunda.

But Xikundako thought differently.

“…Skadi, I’ve always been jealous of you.”

Despite maintaining her composure on the surface, Sikunda's clenched fist betrayed her inner displeasure, a result of Skadi's provocation.

While Siquinda looked directly at Skadi's bewildered gaze, inwardly amused, she calmly said:

“I am clearly the teacher’s disciple, and I am no less talented or hardworking than you.”

"But why did the teacher choose you to be a member of his team, but exclude me?"

"Although you may not realize it, I have always wanted to prove that I am stronger than you."

"And now... my chance has come!"

Gathering the strongest magnetic field power she could control, Sikunda stared intently at Skadi, who did not regard her as an opponent and whose body was still full of openings.

"Since you say that you have received the true teachings of the martial god of the previous civilization."

"Let me test just how strong you've become!"

"Magnetic field rotation! 180,000 horsepower!"

In an instant, Sikunda's body transformed into an arrow in the ocean, hurtling towards Skadi at breakneck speed!

"Heavenly Martial Killing Path! The Path of Decapitation!"

While most of the Agorians were still in shock, Sikunda had already raised her hand and was about to strike Skadi, who was still in a daze, in the throat!
Fast, accurate and ruthless!

Xikunda's first move was a textbook-level Heavenly Martial Killing Path!
While lacking some of Ulpian's domineering presence, he possessed a more calculated and cunning nature.

A year ago, Sikunda and Skadi would have inevitably engaged in a fierce, evenly matched battle, with the last one winning by a very narrow margin.

But now, just one year later, Sikunda's all-out attack, which she was so proud of, is no longer worth Skadi's attention.

In Skadi's eyes, Sikunda's attack was as slow as a crab crawling compared to her adoptive father's.

Their power is also vastly different.

“Sikunda, you are too focused on the power of the magnetic field and have neglected the training of the ‘Perfect Realm’.”

Skadi even had the leisure to comment on Siquinda's all-out attack.

"The power of 180,000 horses can only allow you to unleash about 80% of its full potential..."

"Even if it were me a year ago, I could definitely beat you."

"And now... you just fall down."

"Magnetic field rotation, 80,000 horsepower!"

The moment Skadi retaliated, her aura changed!

For a moment, it seemed as if time itself had stopped. The once cold and ruthless Sikunda was stunned by Skadi's attack with 80,000 units of power!

At this moment, in Sikunda's eyes, the originally gentle Skadi had transformed into a bloodthirsty killer whale!
Her punch was as powerful and overwhelming as a tidal wave!
Compared to her, his so-called 180,000 horsepower seemed as powerless as a trickle of water.

How is this going?

Why was it that his 180,000 horsepower was defeated by Skadi's mere 80,000 horsepower?!
Why is there such a big difference?

"Whale Killing Fist!"

"boom--!"

The moment their fists clashed, the entire arena felt a powerful tremor, which shook many of the Agors who were sitting upright to the ground.

Many of the unfortunate governors sitting in the front row were even knocked unconscious by the aftershocks of the two women's exchange of blows.

Only when the smoke from the battle of wits gradually dissipated did people finally see what was happening before them.

Sikunda, who had fought Skadi, was nowhere to be found.

Goredia immediately used her maximum speed to bring Sikunda, who might have been seriously injured by the attack, to a safe area.

The one who actually took Skadi's punch was none other than himself.

It was Ulpian, the third captain who fought Skadi to a draw with the same 80,000 horsepower!

"……team leader?"

"Skadi, you've become stronger in the year I haven't seen you."

Ulbian, who was still in a fistfight with Skadi, spoke with a hint of emotion in his usually calm tone to his teammate whom he was so proud of.

Those were ripples of excitement. Excitement at finally finding an opponent who could go toe-to-toe with you, a strong against a strong, and have a good, satisfying battle.

Skadi, of course, also sensed the intense fighting spirit emanating from her captain.

Fortunately, Skadi was experiencing the same mindset as her captain.

"...I never understood how strong you really were, Captain."

"And only now do I fully understand that I have only caught up with your back, Captain."

With just one punch exchanged, Skadi understood.

Ulpian's perfection in his ultimate realm was in no way inferior to his own.

She was able to complete this transformation because of the guidance of a strong figure like her adoptive father.

Ulpian relied entirely on his own understanding.

The difference in talent is immediately apparent.

“No need to be modest, Skadi, you have already stood on a mountain higher than mine.”

"I think you're the one who broke through to the Star Breaking Realm a few days ago, right?"

When Ulpian asked her a question, Skadi simply nodded silently and frankly.

"—How enviable."

Ulpian also expressed his feelings frankly.

"Moreover, you have also practiced a new martial art. This set of martial arts... seems to be more suitable for you than the Heavenly Martial Killing Path."

"Skadi, you're a lucky girl."

However, the more Ulpian said this, the more Skadi could feel the power gathering in Ulpian's fist!
The two men's fists, pressed together, gradually increased from 80,000 to 100,000, and then to 150,000.

Finally, when Skadi and Ulpian unleashed their combined power of 240,000 horsepower, the ground beneath their feet began to sink!
Humpback whales and killer whales, two of the most dangerous creatures in the ocean, are locked in a fierce battle that is about to erupt!
"Then let me experience your full power, Skadi!"

Ulbian could no longer contain the surging fighting spirit within him and roared:

"Let me see just how much stronger you are than me, having received personal instruction from the Martial God of the Old Civilization and possessing the strength of 250,000 horses!!"

"Skadi, don't hold back, make your move!"

"Two hundred and forty thousand horsepower! Sever the Sea Path!"

They don't make a move unless they're absolutely sure of it, but when they do, they go all out!

With just the prelude to his attack, Ulbian had already completely torn half of the battle arena to shreds!
Faced with the aggressive captain, Skadi no longer dared to be careless or underestimate her opponent, and instead gave an equal response!

"Two hundred and forty thousand bolts of power! Whale-Slaying Overlord Fist!"

Fist against fist! Two hundred and forty thousand against two hundred and forty thousand! A clash of near-perfect, ultimate realms!

However, this powerful punch was far from the limit for the two of them!
"Well done!"

After the battleground was reduced to almost complete ruins, the two, already consumed by fighting spirit, leaped up and continued their fierce battle in mid-air!

"The Path to Severing Heads! The Path to Severing Life! The Path to Severing the Seas!"

Ulpian unleashed all the techniques of the Heavenly Martial Killing Path he had mastered, attacking Skadi in front of him without any mercy!

However, Skadi was not to be outdone by Ulpian's relentless barrage of attacks!
"Whale-Slaying Overlord Fist! Whale Dominates the World! Vacuum Blade!"

“Ah——!”

Punch after punch!
Every touch produced a pain that sent shivers down their spines!

Every punch they exchanged caused a shockwave in the skies above Blue Country comparable to a missile explosion!

But no matter how fiercely the two attacked each other, no matter how little they held back, they still managed to win.

Ulpian gradually realized that each of his punches seemed to be slightly weaker than Skadi's...

This point, perhaps, is not enough to put him at a disadvantage in a single exchange of punches.

But Ulpian knew that this difference alone would be enough to cause him to lose at the most crucial moment of the duel.

Skadi, however, used the exact same power as herself.

Ulpian grew stronger and more ferocious with each battle!
But that tiny gap, no matter how hard he tries to bridge it or how much effort he puts in, still exists.

"Captain, in the ruins of that pre-civilization, I not only learned martial arts that were truly suited to me."

"I also witnessed the true Heavenly Martial Killing Path."

However, after a round of fire, Ulpian and Skadi finished recovering their energy almost simultaneously.

Skadi, however, revealed the truth of the matter to her captain, who was eager to break through his limits.

"The Heavenly Martial Killing Path can only be unleashed by those who harbor domineering ambitions and are ruthless and heartless."

Recalling what her adoptive father had told her a year ago about the fatal flaw of the Heavenly Martial Killing Path, Skadi kept it firmly in mind.

Now, she finally had the chance to tell her captain everything.

"Captain, you are undoubtedly extremely strong, and you have also grasped the true essence of the Heavenly Martial Killing Path."

"But you can't be heartless."

Skadi gazed at her captain, who, though outwardly cold, was inwardly more loyal and righteous than anyone else, and spoke softly:
"Therefore, whether you fight me, other deep-sea hunters, or even the Agorians, you can't really kill them."

"Therefore, you will never be able to unleash the true power of the Heavenly Martial Killing Path."

"But a truly ruthless person can never reach the ultimate realm."

"Without 'love,' one can never propel the peak power of one million horsepower!"

Skadi's words made Ulpian's body tremble violently.

"Heartless and ruthless..."

"That's it, that's it..."

Only now do I fully understand why, no matter how hard I try, I cannot cultivate the Heavenly Martial Killing Path to its ultimate level.

Ulpian's many troubles seemed to suddenly become clear in an instant!
However, just when Skadi thought that what she had learned from her adoptive father would make her captain give up the "Heavenly Martial Killing Path" that was destined to block the path to the top.

Ulbian's lips, hidden behind her veil, revealed a subtle, unexpected smile.

"If you can't be ruthless and heartless, you can't unleash the true Heavenly Martial Killing Path."

"Without love in one's heart, one can never reach the true peak."

"So……"

In an instant, Ulbian, having grasped something, suddenly opened his eyes and stared at Skadi in front of him again.

At that moment, Skadi, sensing her captain's completely icy gaze, felt as if her heart had fallen into an ice cave.

Because of the captain's icy, murderous gaze directed at him!

Skadi could only catch that look in her captain's eyes when she was facing Hai Zi.

Could it be that their captain, in his quest for a breakthrough, actually abandoned his emotions in that instant?

—No, of course not!
At that moment, Ulpian, having finally come to his senses, fully recognized his own path to stardom!

"Then—as long as I regard all my enemies as 'Hai Si'!"

"Every move I make will unleash the true, ruthless, and merciless Heavenly Martial Killing Path!"

"As long as my Heavenly Martial Killing Path is born to slaughter all the Sea Heirs! And to protect everyone in my heart!"

"My Heavenly Martial Killing Path can be both ruthless and protective of love!"

"Boom!"

In an instant, as Ulbian finished speaking, an extremely strong magnetic field surged out from his body!

Just like Skadi's unexpected breakthrough a few days ago!
The powerful beam of light that shot out from Ulpian's body broke through the "dome" of the Blue Kingdom, leaped over the sea, pierced through the isolation layer, and finally destroyed a distant planet before officially ending the war!
Two hundred and fifty thousand horses!
Finally, after Skadi, Ulpian became the second person to break through his own limits!
He has broken free from his destiny, and in the future, he will, like Skadi, embark on a completely different path that belongs to him alone.

(End of this chapter)