Chapter 45: The Duel
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A hive of students poured into the gymnasium and gradually took their seats in the bleachers.
Apart from the huge central battlefield, the surrounding bleachers were carved from large blocks of stone, with stairs at the back leading up to the seats placed on top of the boulders, where Jincheng Middle School’s students sat.
Meanwhile, outside the school gates, students from other schools continued to arrive in dribs and drabs.
Seemingly under instructions from above, the school security guards left the gate wide open, turning a blind eye to the comings and goings. In the guard booth, thick with smoke, two guards chatted leisurely while smoking.
The two dappled dogs that looked like Beast Tamings lying at the guards’ feet were coughing from the thick smoke inside the booth.
One of them stood up, using a paw to open the door handle, while the other followed and sat down by the gate.
Both dogs stuck out their tongues, watching the students go by.
“Excuse me, in which direction is the gymnasium?”
“Behind that teaching building over there.”
“Thanks.”
Chen Lingya and her group entered Jincheng Middle School.
Three walked ahead while Chen Lingya, hands in pockets, casually observed the school surroundings. This was where her younger brother went to school.
The school seemed rather nice.
If I hadn’t joined Wanhai High School, I might be studying at Azure Dragon Jincheng Middle School right now.
“It looks similar to our school’s gymnasium,” Pei Lingmin remarked.
“Athletic fields of schools are more or less the same,” Ruan Jun said, glancing casually at the surrounding students, many of whom were heading in one direction.
“It should be over there.”
Noises of commotion and hubbub came from the school gate behind them, and Ruan Jun turned to see a bus stopping at the entrance.
Three teachers led the way, followed by six students in succession.
“Xintian Middle School’s team has also arrived,” Ruan Jun observed the six students behind.
In the new district, the schools with the potential to vie for the Shu State Cup amounted to two and a half: one was Azure Dragon Jincheng Middle School, one was their own Wanhai High School, and the last half was Xintian Middle School.
It was said that the principal of Xintian Middle School was quite ambitious; in recent years, the school had actively reformed and recruited many top-notch students.
“You all must be confident, right? I taught you the methods before,” Mu Xikai encouraged the students behind him as they walked forward. “There are quite a few students here to watch the match today; show them what you’ve got.”
As they entered the gymnasium, cheers like tidal waves rang out from the high platforms on both sides.
Mu Xikai said to a tall, skinny boy wearing glasses behind him, “Don’t feel pressured this time. It’s best if we win, but don’t be afraid if we lose, their school ranks higher than ours anyway. Just perform as usual this time. Azure Dragon Jincheng Middle School’s team is also considered a strong team in Jincheng. If you can defeat their team head-on, it will prove your strength has reached a certain level. We have hopes of making it to the top eight this year!”
The tall and skinny boy nodded. He pushed his glasses up and looked across the gymnasium at the members of the Azure Dragon Jincheng Middle School team.
He quickly glossed over the three who looked like naive first-year students, as they were not his opponents for the day; his real targets were the other four.
“It’s just a friendly match; don’t feel pressured,” Mu Xikai whispered encouragement, then turned his head and said to Kuang Shiyi, “Since it’s a friendly match, there’s no need to overthink it, right? How about we just get started right now? What do you think?”
“Let’s begin,” Kuang Shiyi said indifferently.
Four official players from each team stepped forward.
At the edge of the venue, Jincheng Middle School’s many teachers summoned Beast Tamers to maintain safety, protecting the students watching around while also stepping in to stop the fight at critical moments. After all, it was only a friendly match, and everything had to be kept safe.
A senior-high teacher, acting as the referee, held a command flag high, “Incapacitation signifies defeat, and Beast Tamers must immediately recall any Beast Taming that has lost the ability to fight. The winning side is not allowed to attack incapacitated Beast Tamings, and the battlefield is confined within the gymnasium. Skills must not be intentionally directed at the audience, and cheating or communicating with people outside the venue is forbidden, with violators losing their qualification to fight. Now, let me repeat one more time…”
Eight players from both sides shouted that they understood the rules.
Only then did the senior-high teacher nod, waving the command flag, “Begin the fight!”
One after another, Beast Tamings were summoned by both sides, with the three reserve players from Chen Xing’s side naturally not qualified to enter the field.
Chen Xing observed from afar the Beast Tamings of the four official Xintian Middle School team members, surprised to find that one of their Beast Tamings had evolved once, while the other three, although not evolved, were not far from their first evolution either.
Overall, judging by their Energy Levels, the strength of the Beast Tamings from both sides was about equal. However, if you were to break it down, generally, the four Beast Tamings on Jincheng’s side possessed Skills with higher Proficiency Levels.
However, team battles are not only about visible Energy Levels and Skills, but also coordination, Attribute suppression, real-life response, and more…
The eight Beast Tamings fought fiercely together, battling intensely.
One of Xintian Middle School’s team’s Beast Tamings had its spine broken; it was trying to burrow underground to stealthily attack from below but was detected by a Giant Earth Turtle. An Earthquake skill shook the gymnasium’s ground, Earth Waves surged, and the Giant-Clawed Pangolin was forcibly pushed out.
The Giant Earth Turtle followed up with a heavy Earth Stampede, and after two consecutive intermediate Skills with high Proficiency Levels, the Giant-Clawed Pangolin was nearly blown back to its ancestral planet, its spine concaving and collapsing, instantly losing combat capability.
Tian Xuechuan’s Ghost-Faced Mastiff had the lowest Energy Level and was the weakest among the four Beast Tamings. The opponent found a weakness and focused their attack on the Ghost-Faced Mastiff, which was beaten so badly that it vomited blood and had large chunks of its scalp shorn off.