Trapped Inside the Beta Test World for 1000 Years-Chapter 72

When Xia Ya threw the sword, it left Apulu Pie completely dumbfounded.
The rebellious girl, who had defiance etched into her very bones, felt her soul almost rise from the gaming pod when Xia Ya drew his sword against the guards! Her excitement made her hair stand on end, and her mind raced with countless scenarios!
Breaking out of jail! Attacking the police! Driving onto the highway! Speeding like the wind! GTA5!
In her mind, Bruno Mars' "Runaway Baby" started playing automatically. She could already see herself leaning out of a car window, flipping off the cops, then diving back in to share a kiss with Xia Ya!
Never mind the style, just go with the flow! That's the gist of it!
But...
In the next second, Xia Ya actually threw the sword!
Threw it!
Not only was she shocked, but the guards were also stunned. Seeing him cleanly cut through the standard longsword, they thought he was a tough nut to crack. The young guards, who had never experienced a monster siege, were ready to turn and flee. But why did he throw his weapon away? Was he crazy?
If anyone was the most bewildered, it was Macha.
This city defense officer was a peculiar person who hated having his mood disrupted.
Xia Ya's sudden rebellion was thrilling and interesting to him. The fluidity of his movements suggested some skill, and Macha was determined to have a fight with this kid.
But then the guy just threw the sword away??
That was extremely annoying!
A normal officer would have immediately ordered the soldiers to seize him... but not Macha.
"Everyone, hold your positions."
He raised his hand to stop the soldiers from advancing, then kicked the sword back to Xia Ya, stopping it at his feet.
"Come, fight me. Beat me, and I'll let you go."
The fire in the Barbarian's eyes burned fiercely, not easily extinguished.
Though he grew up in the Lugor Kingdom, Macha had Barbarian blood, which made him adhere to the Red Earth Prairie's philosophy—solve problems with action if possible. If not, solve them after taking action.
"I won't."
Xia Ya clasped his hands behind his back, like an old man on a stroll.
"If you don't fight, I'll kill you right here!"
"How is that different from being killed because I can't beat you?"
"You..."
Macha was so furious his eyes bulged, and he raised his sword to strike, but just as it was halfway down, Xia Ya shouted:
"Wait!"
Macha frowned, "Changed your mind about fighting?"
"I'll fight, but you have to go easy on me. Otherwise, it's no fun. With just your strength, you could cut me and my sword in half with one strike."
Xia Ya picked up the sword, flicked his wrist, and assumed a military swordsmanship stance.
Swordsman was a class he trained to level 90 or above in every cycle, the king of all weapons. Who wouldn't love it? Although it didn't provide attribute bonuses, he had mastered various sword techniques to the point of ease.
Though Macha was a Barbarian, he had been a soldier in Astan City since he was fourteen, and military swordsmanship was his forte, which he had honed to level 8. It wasn't the most efficient use of his time, but it showed his skill and straightforwardness.
"Alright, alright!"
Macha's eyes burned with excitement, and flames seemed to ignite his entire body, spreading from his arms to his sword. In the twilight, it looked like he was wielding a red lightsaber.
"I'll keep my strength at a normal soldier's level. If I exceed it even slightly, the flames on the sword will flare up, and everyone here will be a witness. If I still can't kill you under these conditions, then it's just not your time to die."
"Alright, then I..."
Before Xia Ya finished speaking, he shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
In that instant, memories of past encounters with "Blood Burner" Macha flooded his mind. Countless images of the opponent—aged, bloodied, or standing like a god among ruins—overlapped and merged with the officer before him, whose slightly surprised smile slowly widened.
—He would laugh and then praise my courage.
"Hahaha, young man, nice ambush!"
Just as Xia Ya expected, Macha laughed, his skin stinging from Xia Ya's fierce aura, instantly putting him on alert.
This level 45 Barbarian Swordsman, with a strength of 125 points, habitually used his full power, then suddenly realized it was too much, compressing it to what he considered a normal level—27 points.
During that half-second, the flames on the sword would swell, the light blinding him temporarily to his opponent's movements.
Opportunity!
Just as Xia Ya scripted, flames erupted fiercely on Macha's sword. The Barbarian officer didn't expect the young man's sudden attack to be so intimidating, instinctively using all his strength. As the fire filled his vision, a scorching sense of shame surged within him.
But before he could regain his composure, the blurred figure, already hard to see through the dazzling flames, suddenly vanished!
In a blink, gone!
Not good!
Without thinking, Macha turned and swung his sword, the flames illuminating the entire city gate, making it look like a cartload of hay was burning, highlighting the officer's deeply embarrassed red face.
Clang!
The Frost Longsword, which had accompanied Xia Ya for nearly ten days, met its end, shattered by Macha's strike. Xia Ya himself was sent flying by the force of the sword, crashing heavily against a city wall. Fortunately, he adjusted his posture mid-air, letting his shoulder and back absorb the impact, or that single blow would have killed him against the wall.
He coughed up blood, leaning against the wall to sit up straight with difficulty.
Though beaten like a drowned rat, his expression was that of a victor.
"Ha... this firelight, it's quite blinding," Xia Ya teased with a smile.
Macha was left holding only a sword hilt, the blade having melted away just before striking Xia Ya, the true force that shattered the Frost Longsword being the phantom formed by his burning blood.
"Blood Burner" Macha ended up here from the Red Earth Prairie because, at seven or eight, he lost control of his emotions during a conflict with peers, causing his blood to ignite and burn a child to death. Thus, he was deemed a cursed individual and exiled by his tribe. Luckily, a passing slave trader took a liking to him, bringing him to Astan City, where he stayed in the gladiator arena until he was fourteen, and then was noticed by Burkeville, becoming a soldier.
Nowadays, Macha could control his blood's combustion at will, turning it into combat power, making it his personal hallmark. This brief loss of control was the first in years...
Xia Ya's words left Macha feeling utterly embarrassed, the Barbarian awkwardly turned away, waving his hand.
"Release everyone except that Allendale guy. They're not a problem."
"Yes, sir!"
Xia Ya breathed a sigh of relief, simultaneously sensing countless awe-filled gazes from the soldiers. Without looking, he knew his reputation in Astan City had quietly risen from neutral to nearly friendly. In the barracks, it would definitely be friendly.
On the other side, Andrew's joy vanished instantly with Macha's words.
"Huh? No, I..."
Before he could finish protesting, he was shoved into the dungeon.
...
It wasn't until the four of them reached the Lef Workshop that the female Rogue snapped out of the earlier scene.
"Big guy, did you just... get a free bucket of that grass? And the round-faced uncle got locked up..."
"Consider it borrowed. I'll return it in a couple of days and get him out."
"Get him out? How?" Apulu Pie was instantly excited.
"Nothing to do with breaking him out." Xia Ya pushed her drooling face away. "The warden of Astan City is a level 42 dual-wielding berserker, stronger than Macha by a notch, with a built-in chicken-slaying skill. If you want to go, don't drag me along."
"Then how will you get him out? Are you going to bribe the police chief or something..."
"Something like that..."
Xia Ya slumped into a chair, pulling up the combat log to try and alleviate his physical pain with a sense of accomplishment.
"Wow, that brute's leftover force took 760 of my health, leaving me with less than 300..."
Lef went to the backyard to make medicine for his injuries, while the female Rogue kept pestering him with questions. Yveline walked behind him, her slender fingers massaging Xia Ya's shoulders.
Just then, there was a loud knock on the door.
"Who is it?"
The female Rogue opened the door in surprise.
Before she could see clearly, a figure with a milky scent rushed in, making a sharp turn and lunging at Xia Ya.
"Xia Ya—"
"Mia... hey, hey, don't—"
Xia Ya nearly lost the remaining 300 health from suffocation.