Chapter 70: Exhibition Match
Chapter 70: Exhibition Match
The award ceremony was scheduled after Sha Duo and Gao Xulu's Exhibition Match.
As Qiao Sang left the field, a staff member specifically ran over to ask her where she was sitting in the audience stands, saying they would invite her to the stage for the award ceremony later.
Unlike the formal and orderly award ceremonies of her previous life, the Beastmaster society now favored elaborate and flashy entrances.
The Beastmaster Tournament was relatively tame, with only the award ceremony featuring some flashy elements. However, the Coordinator Tournament was even more extravagant, with participants often trying to make their entrances as unique and creative as possible.
The difference was that in the Coordinator Tournament, the participants had to come up with their own entrance ideas, while in the Beastmaster Tournament, the organizers planned the entrances, and the awardees just needed to wait quietly for their turn.
Qiao Sang returned to the audience stands. Before Bai Yunmiao could say anything, the uncle sitting next to her enthusiastically asked, "Kid, which school are you from? You did amazing, much better than my good-for-nothing son."
Just as Qiao Sang was about to answer, the aunt sitting in front of her turned around and said, "Kid, are you here alone? Didn't your parents come?"
"Qiao, do you have any plans for the summer? If not, come to our Longwu Junior Familiar Full-Time Institution. Fangflare can play and unleash his nature there. I'll give you a twenty percent discount", a young man sitting in front of her added.
For a moment, everyone around her was talking to her.
Qiao Sang responded to each of them, though she wasn't really used to interacting with so many strangers.
In her previous life, living in a fast-paced city, people had strong boundaries with those they didn't know, and social interactions were often cold. Even in the same neighborhood, people might not greet each other if they saw their next-door neighbors.
But now, the strangers talking to her were genuinely warm and friendly.
Qiao Sang understood that her first-place win had something to do with their enthusiasm, but more importantly, people in her previous life had their own lives and circles. These circles were often so small that outside of school, work, or home, there was no one to chat with. There was no common ground or topics to discuss.
But now, the common bond of familiars had tightly connected everyone.
When the background music started and the commentator announced the beginning of Sha Duo and Gao Xulu's Exhibition Match, the people around her quieted down and turned their attention back to the arena.
"Qiao Genius, you're even better than the recent graduates from our school. They probably wouldn't have won first place", Bai Yunmiao said with admiration.
"Don't overpraise me. The truly strong ones in this stage probably didn't come to the tournament", Qiao Sang said, removing Fangflare's sunglasses from his face.
She had found it awkward seeing Fangflare wear those sunglasses for a while now.
"Teeth?"
Fangflare, sensing the change in her gaze, lowered his head and used his paw to take the sunglasses back and put them on again.
Qiao Sang: "..."
Who was the one who refused to wear them at first?
"Considering the Interstellar Cup is happening at the same time, it's no surprise. But even so, among those who competed with you, Hou Xiangyu from Litan High School and Wei Wenyu, who just got into Yong University, are both older. You, on the other hand, are so young, and yet you—"
Bai Yunmiao's words were cut off by Qiao Sang.
"Look, Sha Duo has summoned the Four-Way Swallow."
Bai Yunmiao immediately fell silent and focused on the arena.
The red Star Array in front of Sha Duo had just disappeared. Before a Beastmaster revealed their Level Badge, the Star Array's color was the standard way to determine their Beastmaster Level.
F-Class Beastmasters had a white Star Array, E-Class Beastmasters had a gray Star Array, D-Class Beastmasters had a green Star Array, and C-Class Beastmasters had an orange-yellow Star Array.
Red was the mark of a B-Class Beastmaster, or in Sha Duo's case, a testament to his ability to bond with five familiars.
Gao Xulu's Star Array was also red.
Under her red Star Array, a familiar with a three-meter wingspan appeared on the field. Its back was red, its belly was grayish-white, and its wingtips and tail feathers were pure white.
Not only that, most of its feathers were adorned with somewhat eerie patterns.
These patterns didn't seem to have grown naturally; instead, they appeared to have been deliberately inscribed.
Qiao Sang, with her limited knowledge, vaguely recognized these patterns—they were very expensive...
There are many professions related to familiars, and Familiar Soul Engraver is one of them.
They can inscribe various patterns on familiars using special techniques, which can produce different effects.
These patterns can either accelerate energy accumulation, increase defense and attack power, or enhance the familiar's reproductive ability or suppress it.
In short, there are many corresponding effects, but they have time and usage limits.
Official competitions do not allow familiars to have inscribed patterns, as this power is similar to using equipment, which is considered external and not inherent to the familiar.
However, this was an Exhibition Match. Not only were inscribed patterns allowed, but even wearing equipment wouldn't draw any criticism.
After all, an Exhibition Match doesn't require a definitive winner; it's enough to just show off their skills.
But some of Sha Duo's supporters, like Bai Yunmiao, couldn't understand this.
"Gao Xulu is already stronger than Sha Duo. Why would he send out a Blazing Arrow Falcon with inscribed patterns? Isn't that just bullying?"
"Perhaps the patterns don't enhance its power", Qiao Sang speculated.
"You make a good point", Bai Yunmiao was immediately convinced.
The two focused their attention on the Four-Way Swallow and the Blazing Arrow Falcon, which were already engaged in a fierce aerial battle.
Despite being smaller than the Blazing Arrow Falcon, the Four-Way Swallow's presence was no less intimidating.
The two familiars exchanged several rapid attacks, releasing skills as if they didn't need energy.
Each time their skills collided, they would skillfully separate and fly in another direction to attack each other again, much to the audience's delight.
Neither Sha Duo nor Gao Xulu issued any commands.
After about ten minutes of intense combat, the Four-Way Swallow dodged a Blazing Arrow Falcon's air flame and suddenly veered toward the audience stands.
The Blazing Arrow Falcon, seeing this, followed closely behind, even managing to unleash a Gale Blast during the chase.
The Four-Way Swallow, sensing the danger without looking back, deftly avoided it.
It was exhilarating, especially when both flying-type familiars headed toward the audience stands, intensifying the excitement.
"Damn!"
"Ah!"
"Aaaaah!"
"Help!"
The two familiars were heading toward the Zone A audience seats, and the crowd quickly crouched down, covering their heads to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
The Four-Way Swallow flew extremely low, often brushing past the spectators.
Fortunately, the Blazing Arrow Falcon didn't release any more skills.
Still, the sight of the two familiars chasing each other and flying at low altitudes, close to the audience, was more thrilling than a roller coaster.
Qiao Sang watched in terror.
As the Four-Way Swallow approached Zone C, Qiao Sang, holding Fangflare with one hand and pulling Bai Yunmiao with the other, crouched down in anticipation.
In a few seconds, the Four-Way Swallow appeared in Zone C.
Qiao Sang felt the intense air currents above her as the Four-Way Swallow passed by, causing her ponytail to whip around violently in the wind.
Fortunately, the Four-Way Swallow soon flew away.
Qiao Sang breathed a sigh of relief and looked up, but suddenly her body was lifted off the seat, and she found herself dozens of meters in the air.
"Aaaaaah!"
"Yaa!!!"
Qiao Sang was terrified, while Fangflare was excited.
Six seconds later, Qiao Sang, pale-faced, appeared on the award stage, with Wei Wenyu, equally pale, standing beside her.
"I now declare the Newcomer Competition award ceremony officially open!"
(End of Chapter)
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