The final exam continued with Apollo defeating an opponent he didn't know. The fight, some might say, was repetitive, as the Beggar just bombarded his adversary with Fire Blasts. However, as he used the technique more, he became more proficient, and it grew stronger.
A person standing on one of the viewing decks watched the explosions on stage.
"This person…" Arke squinted his eyes. He could sense that fighting against this small half-masked individual would be challenging. If he wanted to kill Bel, he would need to fight her as soon as possible, or there was a chance he might get injured beforehand—or worse, get defeated. "They should have arranged it."
But thinking about it, it would be too suspicious if, in the first round, he fought Bel and, let's say, 'accidentally' killed her.
It was better if they were pitted against each other before the final fight.
As the exam continued, it was finally Arke's turn. He stepped onto the platform and defeated his opponent without breaking a sweat. Of course, he made sure his opponent was alive, but it would have been better if the guy had died, as he would now live his life in a vegetative state.
It didn't take long for this round of the exam to end, and the new round began soon after.
The door opened, and a white-robed man entered, holding a basket with numbers.
Seeing this, Arke walked toward the man, and the two looked at each other. "Pick carefully," the man said. Arke's hand stopped midair before he put it inside the basket.
He moved his hand around, carefully touching each piece of paper until he felt one with a slight crease. Arke stared at the white-robed man, who avoided his gaze. Smirking, he pulled out the paper.
"Thanks," Arke said, the smirk not leaving his face, while the white-robed man bowed slightly and walked out of the room.
As the door closed, Arke stared at his paper, which had the number '1' written on it.
"Oh, I guess it's showtime," Arke muttered, the smirk turning cold as his eyes narrowed dangerously.
He walked back to his viewing deck, his eyes scanning each room. He paused for a moment at the small masked man sitting on his deck before continuing until his gaze stopped on his prey: Bel Helflick, who was staring at her paper.
Bel looked up, and their eyes met. Like a spark igniting between them, they locked gazes with intensity.
"You are dead," Arke mouthed. He didn't care if Bel took the hint or thought he was just being provocative. But no matter what she thought, she was going to die.
"After this round, it will be time to determine the top students," Apollo muttered, staring at his paper before putting it away. He had the number '3' written on it, and it seemed like he wouldn't have to wait long.
Around this time, the host took the stage, hyping up the audience.
"We have a very interesting lineup for this round!" the host shouted, excitement evident in his voice. He looked around at the audience as he continued. "Just hearing about these two fights will definitely make your blood boil! Two well-known Martial Students are going to start this round! And without further ado, let's get started!"
The audience erupted in cheers, while Apollo couldn't help but frown.
Hearing the host, there were only two individuals he could think of.
"Don't tell me, they're going to fight now?" Apollo muttered. Sure enough, the audience's excitement reached an all-time high as the two participants walked toward the platform. "I guess this is the perfect time to do it, to reduce suspicion."
Apollo turned to the platform and saw the Mayor already standing beside the railing. This was the first time Klown had shown great interest in the Exam; previously, he had just sat around talking with visitors as if the Advancement Examination didn't exist at all.
Clearly, the Mayor was planning something. Why would he want to kill the daughter of the only Core Creation Cultivator in the city, and a very important noble family member at that? Apollo was curious but shook his head, deciding to just watch since it didn't concern him.
He was here for his own mission, to complete it and not to meddle with the city's hidden agenda.
But if Bel died here, he wondered what the Mayor's next move would be. Would they protect Arke or let him fend for himself? If they decided to protect him, Apollo would have a chance to kill his target, but if they chose to abandon Arke, Apollo would have to think of other ways to complete his mission. Furthermore, if Bel managed to defeat Arke, Apollo might have to reconsider his approach.
Sitting upright to get a better view of the stage, Apollo didn't want to miss a thing in this fight. This time, the two participants would have to show their true strength—no holding back, with both revealing all their cards.
This was a fight that no one should miss, as it didn't happen often.
The participants on the stage talked for a while before the Referee raised his hand and commenced the fight. The audience erupted at the same time, and the moment the Referee's hand fell, two powerful auras erupted on the stage.
One aura was sharp and stinging, the other destructive. The two forces clashed, trying to overpower each other, but neither gained the upper hand. However, the onlookers near the two football-field-sized platforms were affected by the auras, finding it difficult to breathe.
Seeing this, the Referee signaled with his hands, and white-robed men with array inscriptions on their clothes landed on the stage. They performed synchronized hand movements, causing unknown characters to appear in the air before covering the entire stage.
A somewhat visible barrier, filled with intricate writings, surrounded the platform, containing the two fighting auras inside, allowing the onlookers to breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the barrier didn't hinder their vision, so they could watch everything.
Apollo couldn't help but sigh in amazement at the work of these Array Masters. Although he couldn't understand how they did it—he hadn't even sensed the Qi being disturbed—they still managed to conjure such a vast barrier. The barrier's defensive capabilities were still unknown, but the spectacle was enough to be impressive.