Chapter 4 - The Training Space

[Are you sure you want to enter Gladiator Space - Training Space?]

[Yes/No]

Lin Shen stared at the two options before clicking [Yes], determined to see what this so-called Training Space was all about.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Lin Shen found himself standing on a tall rock in a barren land. In front of him loomed a tall mountain, its surface riddled with holes of various sizes.

"Is this the Training Space?" Lin Shen pondered aloud. "Hey system, what kind of training is this?"

He waited, but there was no response.

"Hey system, are you there?" he asked again, his voice echoing across the desolate landscape. Still, no answer came.

Lin Shen tried several more times, calling out to the system, but every attempt was met with silence.

He was now confused—what should he do? Where should he go? What had happened to the system? Why was it not responding? His eyes darted around, taking in the barren landscape and the tall mountain in front of him, its surface riddled with holes of various sizes. Some holes were as small as his fingertip, while others were several meters wide.

Before he could decide on his next move, his attention was drawn to a sudden movement. An extra-sized ant emerged from one of the larger holes. The creature was more than three meters tall—a monstrous version of an ant that defied any natural proportions he remembered from his past life, where the occasional ant would scurry by and be easily crushed underfoot.

Lin Shen stared in astonishment at the colossal insect. The sight was so surreal that it momentarily pushed his confusion aside. Now, not only was the system silent, but this bizarre, gigantic ant also loomed before him, raising a new question: was it a threat or just another oddity in this strange training space?

For a moment, he hesitated, unsure whether to approach one of the holes or flee from the creature. The silence of the system and the surreal nature of his surroundings left him with nothing but a deep, unsettling uncertainty about what to do next.

As soon as the enormous ant caught sight of him, its beady eyes narrowed with predatory intent, and it charged. Its massive mandibles snapped hungrily, and its body—armored with a carapace as tough as ancient rock—loomed over Lin Shen. The insect's size and ferocity were unlike anything he had ever encountered.

Instinctively, Lin Shen leaped to the side, barely dodging the ant's first lunge. His body moved on sheer instinct—a remnant of his predecessor's childhood fighting skills—and adrenaline surged through his veins. For a brief moment, the barren Training Space was filled with the clash of instinct and danger.

The ant skidded to a stop and then swiped its powerful forelegs toward him. Lin Shen narrowly avoided the sweeping strike, rolling across the rock as shards of dust flew in every direction. He could feel the vibrations of the ant's charge echoing in his bones. Every instinct screamed at him to retreat, yet the challenge forced him to stand his ground.

Drawing on his fragmented martial training, Lin Shen countered with a series of rapid strikes. He aimed his blows at the gaps in the ant's exoskeleton, hoping to find a vulnerable spot. His dagger—Venomfang Dagger—glinted briefly in the harsh light as he slashed at the creature. But the thick, chitinous armor deflected most of his efforts, leaving only shallow wounds that barely slowed the monster.

For nearly an hour, the fight raged on. The barren land became a chaotic battleground, punctuated by Lin Shen's quick dodges and desperate counterattacks against the relentless assault of the giant ant. Each time he managed to land a strike, the ant responded with a furious burst of power, its heavy body striking like a battering ram. The blows left Lin Shen bruised and battered—his arms ached from the relentless effort, and fresh cuts began to spiderweb across his skin.

Despite his best efforts, the ant's carapace proved stubbornly resilient. Lin Shen's strikes did little more than chip away at its outer layer, and the poison from his dagger had only a mild effect on the creature's colossal form. Yet, with every passing minute, the ant's movements grew more sluggish, its roars of fury tempered by the accumulating injuries.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of intense struggle, the ant faltered. Lin Shen saw his opportunity—a brief pause in the creature's defense. Summoning every last bit of strength and technique he had inherited, he unleashed a final, concentrated assault. His dagger found its mark in a narrow chink between the hardened plates, and with a final, desperate thrust, he drove the blade deep into the ant's vulnerable flesh.

The giant insect let out a deafening screech and, with a shudder that shook the very ground beneath him, collapsed onto the barren earth. Panting heavily, Lin Shen sank to his knees, his body trembling from exhaustion and pain. Cuts, bruises, and fatigue marred his once-refined body, each injury a testament to the brutal fight.

For a long moment, the silence that followed was as heavy as the dust that settled around him. Lin Shen's eyes slowly opened, and with a weary, triumphant smile, he whispered to himself, "That... was close." Despite the injuries, he had emerged victorious, and with that hard-won experience, he knew he was one step closer to becoming stronger in this strange new world.

The defeated ant suddenly crumbled into ashes, and in its place, two small light green orbs materialized. Lin Shen, still catching his breath from the intense battle, cautiously approached the orbs. His curiosity outweighed his wariness, and as soon as his hand made contact with one, both orbs vanished into thin air.

"Huh! What happened?" Lin Shen muttered, his voice a mixture of surprise and disbelief. He had just earned rewards for his hard work, and now—poof—they were gone as if they had never existed.

Before he could ponder further, the ground beneath him began to tremble. His eyes darted toward the towering mountain, where he noticed a disturbing sight: from various holes scattered across the mountain's rugged surface, a horde of ants was emerging. These ants varied in size—some no larger than a human thumb, others nearly as tall as a man—and they all moved with a singular, menacing purpose directly toward him.

Lin Shen's heart pounded in his chest as the shaking ground amplified the sense of impending danger. The once quiet and barren training space now felt charged with the promise of another brutal test.