Contestants who gain significant attention in Heaven's Arena are often given titles by the audience.
This stage is a process where the audience gradually turns into fans.
The birth of a title depends on the characteristics the contestant displays on the ring.
When Moro fought on the ring, what he most often did was, after failing to counter a move, he would immediately ponder and review on the spot, thinking of a better counter-strategy he could implement, and then guide his opponent to re-enact the previous exchange.
If he encountered an opponent who displayed exquisite martial arts, his frequency and duration of contemplation would noticeably increase.
Thus, after a few days, the audience and fans following Moro all recognized the title "The Thinker."
And they discovered a pattern.
The longer Moro pondered on the ring, the higher the opponent's skill level.
During this time, Moro, as the center of attention, naturally heard the so-called "The Thinker" title, and many fans even came to ask for his autograph.
The atmosphere of Heaven's Arena was largely like this, with a strong fan effect.
And because martial arts matches could be bet on live, many spectators who enjoyed placing bets on-site would spontaneously become avid fans of the consistently winning contestants.
Moro didn't pay much attention to these unavoidable phenomena.
The so-called "The Thinker" title, at least, sounded better than something like "Knife-Hand Killua" or "Palm-Push Gon" from the original work.
However, while he might not care about the title, he wouldn't ignore the potential threat from fan groups.
Just imagine, if a large group of fans suddenly rushed over...
Such a chaotic scene would provide an excellent assassination environment for killers.
Moro wouldn't even be surprised if a killer suddenly pulled out a large gun from within the crowd.
He came to Heaven's Arena partly to hone his own strength, and partly to openly face Nolan's retaliatory pursuit.
But that didn't mean he would generously offer an assassination opportunity, such as being surrounded by fans.
On the fifth day.
Moro fought ten matches and easily advanced to the 100th floor.
There were several watersheds within the levels of Heaven's Arena.
From the 1st floor to the 100th floor was the first watershed.
At this level, the overall skill of the contestants was significantly higher, and their treatment also fundamentally improved.
This led many contestants to resort to unscrupulous means to secure their position and stay above the 100th floor.
Moro was aware of this, but days passed, and he climbed all the way to the 160th floor without encountering any harassment or targeting.
Perhaps his seemingly indestructible performance on the ring deterred some petty scoundrels from acting rashly.
"I've gained a lot during this time."
After finishing his match on the 180th floor, Moro returned to his room.
In less than ten days, a total of 18 matches.
Moro encountered various types of opponents, learning many offensive and defensive routines from them.
More importantly, he expanded his cognitive understanding and accumulated valuable experience step by step.
It's worth mentioning...
The observational skills he developed in the antique appraisal industry were subtly applied to his combat.
Because he constantly focused on observing his opponents' habits of exerting force, after dozens of matches, sometimes just by noticing tiny reactions in their limbs, he could predict their next move.
Though ten days wasn't long, Moro could clearly feel his own growth.
He was like a sponge or a blank sheet of paper; starting from zero, he could better appreciate the explosive short-term progress.
The next day.
Moro stepped onto the ring for a match to the 190th floor.
Having made considerable gains during this period, he had already set his sights on the 200th floor and beyond.
So he changed his original plan to slow down...
As long as he won today's two matches, he could advance to the 200th floor.
"The Thinker! The Thinker!!!"
"Hahaha, The Thinker Moro, I bet on you again today, don't disappoint me!"
"Go, Moro!!!"
The stands were packed, most people having come for Moro.
A single admission ticket had been scalped for dozens of times its original price.
This usually only happened in matches above the 200th floor, which showed Moro's popularity in Heaven's Arena.
And Moro had only taken ten days to create this almost fanatical fan effect.
This was why self-proclaimed powerful fighters flocked to this ring.
It was simply the fastest way to become famous.
"Here it comes—this highly anticipated duel before it even began."
The announcer's clear voice echoed through the entire venue, somewhat quieting the uproar.
"Now entering the ring is the unstoppable and undefeated 'Thinker' Moro, and his opponent is the equally undefeated and rapidly ascending 'Sound-Speed Punch' Tagore!"
Before the match began, the announcer, as usual, introduced the basic information of both contestants.
When she mentioned "Sound-Speed Punch" Tagore, a burst of cheers erupted from the audience stands.
"Tagore, finish him! You can do it!"
"What 'Thinker' crap, Tagore, send him to hell with your Sound-Speed Punch, haha!"
Clearly, in the ring world where strength reigns supreme, this contestant also had a great reputation and was supported by many spectators.
Moro stood still on the left side of the ring, his gaze fixed on the passage ahead.
A powerfully built man with a crew cut emerged from the passage and walked towards the ring.
The man's upper body was bare, his lower body clad in yellow boxer briefs, and his hands were wrapped in layers of white bandages.
Moro observed Tagore, and a hint of surprise immediately appeared in his calm and steady eyes.
His opponent—
Was a Nen user.
Moro's gaze swept over the Ren surrounding Tagore's body; it was very stable, indicating a solid foundation.
Meeting Moro's gaze, Tagore strode onto the ring, his expression cold.
"The Thinker... Hah, those ordinary people don't know the truth, that's why they blindly praise you, mistakenly believing it's a sign of your ease."
Tagore raised his right fist, emphasizing the words "ordinary people" as he coldly said, "But after today, your corpse will help them recognize the truth."
"Corpse?"
Moro raised an eyebrow, not understanding why his opponent harbored such strong animosity.
For a moment, he almost thought the opponent was someone sent by Nolan.
Seeing Moro's somewhat bewildered reaction, Tagore's eyes filled with killing intent, and he sneered, "Don't overthink it.
This isn't special treatment; I only ever do one thing when I step onto the ring, and that is to kill my opponent."
"Oh? Is it necessary to go to such lengths?"
Moro asked with a calm expression.
Upon hearing this, Tagore slowly released his Ren, which swirled around his muscular body.
"If power isn't used for slaughter, then it's meaningless. And this ring legitimizes that act."
"..."
Moro frowned in silence, then released a knowing smile.
Tagore's eyes grew colder when he saw him smile.
In the stands.
Heaven's Arena contestants who had previously lost to Moro, and even the long-ponytail woman who lost in the preliminary round, had come to watch the match live.
They didn't possess Moro's consistent ability to advance, so they naturally paid special attention to those aggressively rising contestants.
Thus, they knew "Sound-Speed Punch" Tagore.
And this guy was precisely the kind of fierce and cruel contestant they most wanted to avoid, one who completely disregarded his opponents' lives on the ring!
"Go, take out that bastard!"
Despite being defeated by Moro, they openly cheered for him.
Although Moro's contemplative reactions on the ring had made their defeats particularly frustrating.
Compared to a brutal contestant like Tagore, they much preferred encountering Moro.
In a crowded corner of the stands.
A handsome man, unlike the surrounding clamor, silently focused on Moro on the ring.
(End of this chapter)
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