Chapter 53: No Effort Wasted
Chapter 53: No Effort Wasted
"One move! Just one move! Sha Duo, what do you think of this match?" the middle-aged commentator said.
A one-move victory isn't particularly special in a competition of this caliber.
The match was too short to build any atmosphere, and the audience couldn't really see the professional aspects. This is where the commentator and guest analyst come into play.
"Fangflare's attack speed and the power of its moves are both significantly better than those of the Fire Chain Snake. Especially its attack speed; it almost launched its Skills before the match even began, while Xie Jianyin was still giving commands", Sha Duo analyzed.
The middle-aged commentator, however, had a different take.
While attack speed is important, he believed the key to victory was the Spark.
That was a Spark of Minor Mastery.
If that Spark had only been at the Novice level, its power wouldn't have been enough to knock the Fire Chain Snake unconscious with the explosion's shockwave.
He remembered that Qiao Sang's profile mentioned she was a junior high school graduate this year ...
The host continued with the formalities, introducing the names of the fourth group of contestants, while the audience was still discussing the previous match.
"What's up with Xie Jianyin? Why didn't he use the Longtail Serpent and instead sent out a Fire Chain Snake?"
"Maybe he thought even the Fire Chain Snake could win."
"It feels like a game where you're just giving the other player a free kill. Did they have some sort of deal behind the scenes?"
"Fangflare isn't weak to begin with, so winning isn't that strange. If it were a fixed match, they would have at least gone a few rounds. Why would they lose so quickly in a small-scale competition like this?"
These days, there are many competitions, and a lot of people watch them, especially the larger ones, which are often reported on by major media and online platforms.
For A-Class Beastmaster competitions, the number of online viewers can reach into the hundreds of millions.
Any Beastmaster who makes an appearance in such a high-profile event can gain a large following and see their value skyrocket.
Not to mention if they achieve a good ranking in the competition.
High-level competitions are where you might see some fixed matches.
Whether it's the capitalists pulling the strings or the Beastmasters hoping for a quick rise to fame, they will try to manipulate things behind the scenes.
But for a Newcomer Competition, where the ratings depend on the contestants' friends and family, there's no point in fixing a match.
Qiao Sang had just sat down with Fangflare.
"Qiao Genius, that was amazing! I didn't even realize you had won", Bai Yunmiao said with a smile.
"Neither did I", Qiao Sang replied.
"Ya!"
Fangflare nodded, indicating it felt the same way.
"Ha, the look on Fangflare's face when it realized it had won was so funny. Too bad I didn't record it. You should check it out online later; it could be a meme", Bai Yunmiao continued with a laugh.
"Ya!"
Fangflare started to feel a bit uncomfortable.
Surely the online footage would show its impressive performance in the match, right?
What was so funny about its expression?
Qiao Sang was also curious. Fangflare had been facing away from her during the battle, so she hadn't seen its expression at all.
But the platform was live-streaming, so she would have to wait until the morning matches were over to watch the replay.
The competition was proceeding efficiently.
When it was time for the 20th group of contestants to enter the arena, Bai Yunmiao took a mirror out of her crossbody bag and checked her reflection.
Then she took out a comb and fixed her bangs.
Qiao Sang couldn't help but comment, "You even brought a comb?"
Bai Yunmiao replied seriously, "As a sophisticated Beastmaster, I need to maintain my appearance whenever I'm on camera."
Qiao Sang: "..."
Hearing someone describe a Beastmaster as "refined" was a first. That term was more fitting for a Coordinator.
After all, Coordinators not only cared about their familiars' appearances but also managed their own looks meticulously.
She thought Bai Yunmiao had the potential to be a Coordinator...
Bai Yunmiao was the 25th contestant, and her opponent was not on Qiao Sang's list of notable participants.
"Fangflare, who do you think will win?" Qiao Sang asked as usual.
"Fang."
Fangflare pointed at the Puffbird in the sky, which it had grown fond of by association.
Qiao Sang thought that Bai Yunmiao hadn't really praised Fangflare's looks, so Fangflare must have made a fair judgment based on who it thought might win...
Bai Yunmiao's familiar was a Gold-Sprinkled Vine.
Standing around 90 centimeters tall, it had a small, round, greenish body, golden eyes with no pupils, and a five-centimeter-long vine on its head, giving it a somewhat dazed and cute appearance.
On the field, both familiars had been sparring for two minutes and had started to tire.
The Puffbird's flight altitude had also dropped a bit.
The Gold-Sprinkled Vine swung its head vigorously, and several leaf blades shot toward the Puffbird in the air.
The Puffbird flapped its wings frantically to dodge, but just as it thought it had escaped, two vines sprouted from the Gold-Sprinkled Vine's index fingers and tightly bound it.
In the next second, the Puffbird's view flipped 180 degrees.
"Ku!"
Under the control of the vines, the Puffbird crashed headfirst into the arena.
"Contestant Bai Yunmiao wins", the referee announced.
Fangflare covered its eyes, unable to bear the sight.
Qiao Sang looked at Fangflare, who was covering its eyes.
Was this a case of jinxing it?
"How was my hairstyle on the field? Did it get messy?" Bai Yunmiao asked as soon as she sat down.
"It was fine", Qiao Sang replied.
Bai Yunmiao's hair was in a bun, neatly tied up. It wouldn't get messy unless she engaged in vigorous activity.
Satisfied with this answer, Bai Yunmiao then took out a mirror and a comb to fix her bangs.
...
As the morning matches concluded, the contestants and spectators began to leave the arena.
At the entrance of the arena.
Bai Yunmiao pointed to a journalist holding a microphone nearby and nervously said, "What should I do? I'm a bit nervous. What should I say if they interview me when we pass by them?"
Qiao Sang replied, "It depends on what they ask. Usually, they ask why you're participating and what you think about the competition."
Bai Yunmiao nodded and asked, "How do I look now?"
"Beautiful", Qiao Sang praised.
"Then I... Ah! They're looking over here! Ah! They're coming this way!" Bai Yunmiao exclaimed excitedly.
"Stay calm and maintain your composure", Qiao Sang advised.
"You're right... They are coming this way!" Bai Yunmiao whispered excitedly.
Qiao Sang looked over and saw the journalist with the microphone indeed walking toward them.
It seemed Bai Yunmiao's foresight was correct.
All the effort to look good had paid off.
Soon, the journalist and his team approached them.
"Contestant Qiao Sang, I'm a reporter from the Hanggang Fusion Platform. I'd like to interview you about Fangflare and the competition. Are you available now?"
Qiao Sang looked at the microphone in front of her and fell silent.
Bai Yunmiao: "…!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
