Chapter 756: Cross-Rank Challenge
Chapter 756: Cross-Rank Challenge (Combined)
The match proceeded in an orderly manner.
After an indeterminate amount of time, a familiar staff member approached, bowed her head, and said respectfully, "Miss Qiao, please follow me to the backstage to prepare."
Qiao Sang stood up and followed her to the backstage corridor, where she stopped.
Tao Jun, similarly, had two Champion-level familiars: one was a Dark and Toxic-type double-attribute Champion-level familiar, the Toxic Toad, and the other was a Water and Flying-type double-attribute Champion-level familiar, the White Swan.
The former had a venom sac in its throat, and if it called out, the toxic breath it exhaled could potentially poison the opponent.
The latter was a rare familiar that could move both in water and in the air. It was said to enjoy dancing at dusk, and many artists drew inspiration from its movements, earning it the nickname "Showpiece Familiar."
As for Spirit Patterns, their effects were currently uncertain because Tao Jun would inscribe various patterns. Each match, the familiars would have different Spirit Patterns from the previous day. Tao Jun would often re-inscribe a new pattern before the previous one had even faded... Qiao Sang recalled the general information about her opponent, her mind unconsciously pondering the details.
Judging from Tao Jun's background, she seemed to be a professional Rune Master who focused on researching Spirit Patterns and paid less attention to familiar training.
Qiao Sang still hadn't used Steel Treasure in battle, and the participants in the Beastmaster Star Tournament all had at least two Champion-level familiars.
They naturally had Advanced and Novice familiars as well, but this was an annual event, live-streamed across the web and even covered by dedicated channels. It was a great opportunity to gain popularity and attract fans, so they were unlikely to summon their weaker familiars for battle.
Since the familiars her future opponents would summon were all Champion-level, it would be better to send Steel Treasure out now. After all, it would eventually have to battle Champion-level familiars.
Her goal in participating was to train and improve, not just to win with the best choices, as she had done in the National School Beastmaster League...
As she was thinking, the Announcer's voice rang out:
"Let's welcome contestants Tao Jun and Qiao Sang to the stage!"
Cheers and shouts erupted, with many calling out Qiao Sang's name, almost overshadowing Tao Jun.
In just a few days, from being initially ignored and doubted, Qiao Sang now had fans who had managed to get tickets to attend in person, a rare feat in a match that gathered stars from various industries.
The audience in the stands, aside from a few front-row guests invited by the organizers, were mostly die-hard fans of a particular Star Beastmaster, who had come specifically to cheer and support their idol, unlike the fans who only cheered online and could easily switch their allegiances.
...
On the field.
Qiao Sang and Tao Jun stood on opposite sides of the arena.
A mechanical voice quickly announced, "3, 2, 1, match start!"
Qiao Sang swiftly raised her hand to seal.
Their Star Arrays lit up almost simultaneously.
Her sealing speed was faster than yesterday... Tao Jun, looking at the orange-yellow Star Array glowing in the distance, felt a chill.
After the matches over the past two days, she could no longer view the person in front of her as a 16-year-old. Although she didn't want to admit it, the opponent was indeed much stronger than her, especially with Iceapura's Frost Haven. If the opponent used that move, she would be in serious trouble.
She had thought her faster sealing speed would give her an advantage, but she hadn't expected the opponent's speed to improve so much in just one day...
Amid Tao Jun's frustration, a massive purple figure, nearly 8 meters tall, appeared in the opponent's Star Array.
A Champion-level familiar? No! A Royal Beast?! Tao Jun stared in disbelief at the unfamiliar, towering familiar, her breathing becoming rapid.
At the same time, the previously noisy audience stands fell silent for a moment, then erupted in excitement.
"Oh my gosh! What kind of familiar is that?!"
"Champion-level familiar? All four of Qiao Sang's familiars are General-Class?! Oh my gosh! What kind of monster is she?!"
"Is it a General-Class? The size seems much larger than a Champion-level familiar!"
“Damn! Don’t tell me that’s a Royal Tier?!”
“Crazy! Crazy! This world has gone mad!”
“Calm down! The aura from this familiar is clearly not that of a Royal Beast. It’s also different from a Champion-level familiar.”
“I found it! This familiar is listed on the Familiar Identifier! It’s an Advanced Familiar, the Steel Slash Falcon!” A spectator holding a Familiar Identifier, which was aimed at the purple figure on the field, exclaimed excitedly.
As he spoke, the Announcer’s excited voice rang out across the arena:
“Qiao Sang has summoned the Steel Slash Falcon! I’m sure many of you are unfamiliar with this familiar! Unlike Qiao Sang’s first three familiars, this one belongs to our Supernest!”
“The latest Advanced Form of the Steel Sparrow, our Supernest’s very first Steel Slash Falcon!”
The Announcer had clearly done his homework.
Qiao Sang had registered Steel Treasure after its complete Evolution at the Beastmaster Center, so information on the Steel Slash Falcon was available.
The Spectator Area fell silent for a moment before erupting into a cacophony of voices.
“The Steel Sparrow has a new Advanced Form? How come I haven’t heard about it?”
“Oh! I remember! Didn’t they say the Steel Sparrow had a new form recently, the Steel Guardian, which can evolve through Bond Evolution? Could the Steel Slash Falcon be an evolved form of the Steel Guardian?”
“It’s possible!”
“I’ve seen that news too!”
“So the person who made the Steel Sparrow Bond Evolve is Qiao Sang?!”
…
“Phew…”
Amidst the intense discussions, Tao Jun on the field let out a sigh.
It’s just an Advanced Familiar, what a relief…
As this thought flashed through her mind, Steel Treasure unfurled its massive wings, creating a chaotic gust of wind as it soared high into the sky.
With a powerful flap of its wings, a terrifying gale instantly swept toward the elegant white figure.
White Swan… What’s the purpose of those blue Spirit Patterns on its body… Doesn’t matter, they’re all going to be destroyed… Qiao Sang, looking at the distant white figure adorned with numerous blue Spirit Patterns, with a long blue beak and a slender neck, quickly communicated with Steel Treasure:
“Try to knock off a few of those Spirit Pattern feathers.”
A second later, Steel Treasure’s voice echoed in her mind:
“Steel Slash.”
It understood.
Being able to communicate directly in the mind is really convenient… Qiao Sang thought to herself.
“Charge straight ahead!” Tao Jun shouted.
She might not be confident with other familiars, but with an Advanced Familiar, victory was certain!
“Bai Qing.”
With a gentle flap of its wings, the White Swan charged straight into the gale.
Sure enough, it charged right in… Qiao Sang’s expression remained calm, as if she had anticipated this.
The White Swan’s Trait, Wind Glide, allowed it to move according to the wind’s direction, ensuring it wouldn’t be harmed by the wind, even in a gale.
Of course, it still depended on the level of Wind Glide and the strength of the gale.
Clearly, the Novice-level gale cast by Steel Treasure was no threat.
The gale churned the arena, sending dust flying everywhere.
The White Swan moved through it with no apparent hindrance, swiftly changing direction and then diving down, transforming into a streak of white light as it broke free from the gale’s range, instantly closing in on Steel Treasure, which was hovering overhead!
“The White Swan has broken through the gale and is charging at the Steel Slash Falcon!” the Announcer promptly narrated the current situation.
“It’s coming.” Qiao Sang said in her mind.
This time, Steel Treasure didn’t respond.
“Acrobatics!” Tao Jun shouted.
Acrobatics, an Advanced Flight Skill, allows for agile close-range attacks, dealing significant damage, making it perfect for dealing with large, slow-moving familiars!
Of course, Acrobatics isn’t just Acrobatics; it’s a combination technique that includes wing attacks.
Tao Jun didn’t explicitly mention the combination technique, but as long as the White Swan understood, that was enough.
She was confident that White Swan could hit its target repeatedly and even more so that this set of Combination Techniques would result in Steel Slash Falcon's immediate defeat. After all, it was still just an Advanced Familiar.
Just as Tao Jun was feeling certain of victory, she saw something inexplicable in the sky, causing her expression to freeze, followed by a sudden dilation of her pupils.
White Swan, now less than a meter away from Steel Slash Falcon, suddenly opened its mouth wide, revealing a look of intense pain. The white light condensing on its wings also vanished instantly.
In the next second, Steel Slash Falcon, which was slightly above, plummeted and landed heavily on top of White Swan.
"Bang!!!"
White Swan fell straight down, crashing into the ground.
The ground caved in, forming a deep pit, with the majority of White Swan's body buried in it!
On top of it, Steel Treasure lay with a calm expression.
"Mountain Crush!" the Announcer exclaimed with passion. "Steel Slash Falcon used Mountain Crush! White Swan suddenly seemed to struggle for breath and stopped mid-attack! Given Steel Slash Falcon's earlier action of opening its mouth, it's clear it must have used Air Absorption!"
"Did it anticipate that White Swan could get close?"
The sudden turn of events on the field sparked discussions among the audience.
"I was wondering why Steel Slash Falcon opened its mouth without attacking. It must have been using Air Absorption."
"Oh, I was so focused on White Swan, I didn't notice that at all..."
"These two Skills combined quite cleverly. Steel Slash Falcon truly lives up to being the Advanced Form of Steel Sparrow; it still seems quite intelligent."
"Ouch... I just thought of something. Steel Guardian was only announced a few months ago. So, this must be an Advanced Familiar that recently Evolved?"
An Advanced Familiar, even at the Battle Champion level, not only avoided being crushed but also gained the upper hand. This was especially hard to accept for an Advanced Familiar that had just Evolved, even one as seemingly decorative as White Swan.
The people around her fell silent for a moment at this.
Then someone said, "Think about it, its Bondmate is Qiao Sang. It makes sense, doesn't it?"
Indeed, they all thought in unison.
...
On the field.
Calm down, calm down. Steel Slash Falcon is just an Advanced Familiar... If White Swan can land one Ultimate Move, it will be enough... Fortunately, one of the Spirit Patterns I drew activates a Speed Boost when injured, helping it to quickly regain consciousness... Tao Jun thought, feeling a bit relieved.
At the same time, Qiao Sang's voice echoed in Steel Treasure's mind:
"Great opportunity, use it now!"
"Steel Slash", Steel Treasure responded, acknowledging the command.
It lifted its wings, the blade-like feathers glowing with purple light, and began to slash downward continuously with a "clickclick..."
White Swan's Spirit Pattern-adorned wings fluttered.
Tao Jun: "!!!"
"White Swan! No!!!" Tao Jun cried out sharply.
Hearing its Beastmaster's voice, White Swan forced its eyes open despite the pain. It saw the massive figure pressing down on it, the flashes of purple light, and the white...
White Swan suddenly realized what had happened and looked down, only to see itself half-bald.
"Bai Qing!!!"
White Swan's pupils dilated, its expression froze, and it let out a heart-wrenching scream.
The Announcer, taken aback by the scene, paused for a couple of seconds before starting the commentary:
"Steel Slash Falcon used Steel Wing to shear off most of White Swan's feathers. Is this a premeditated attack to crush its spirit..."
This... The scene before them was so unexpected that no one could find the words to comment.
In the Contestant Area.
It wasn't me, it wasn't me... Birit picked up a water cup and pretended to drink.
...
"Bai Qing!!!"
White Swan, consumed by anger, roared.
With its roar, five waves suddenly appeared on the ground, surging up to form five fierce water pillars that immediately converged on Steel Treasure.
"Move!" As White Swan roared, Qiao Sang issued the command in her mind.
Steel Treasure flapped its wings and ascended, narrowly dodging the water pillar's concentrated attack.
However, the water pillar's assault didn't cease. It surged to a height of several dozen meters and once again lunged at Steel Treasure.
Five water pillars converged in the air, relentlessly pursuing the purple figure.
Just as it seemed Steel Treasure would be caught, Qiao Sang thought in his mind, "Flash of Lightning!"
"Steel Slash!"
Steel Treasure let out a cry, its body glowing with white light as it shot upwards, tearing through the air at an incredible speed, instantly putting hundreds of meters between itself and the five water pillars.
The five water pillars finally exhausted their energy, dissipating back into the water below, vanishing without a trace.
"Bai Qing!!!"
At that moment, White Swan transformed into a beam of white light and shot straight into the sky.
It would catch up; Steel Treasure's speed wasn't as fast... Qiao Sang made a quick decision and issued the command in his mind:
"Blade Feather!"
Steel Treasure abruptly halted in mid-air and began flapping its wings vigorously downward.
Hundreds of purple-light-emitting feathers, resembling sharp blades, rained down in a wide arc, attacking White Swan!
"Quick, dodge!" Tao Jun's heart tightened, and she shouted.
But White Swan was no longer listening to any words. Its eyes were fixed on the culprit who had stripped it of its feathers.
It stared intently at the purple figure, fearlessly charging into the rain of purple blades!
Tao Jun: "!!!"
Blade Feather sliced through White Swan's body, creating numerous wounds, but its speed did not slow down. Instead, it burst forward with even greater speed, enduring the onslaught of purple blades and slamming into Steel Treasure with a fierce impact!
It hurts... Qiao Sang almost shouted "Damn" but, remembering the live stream, he swallowed the word back down.
"Bang!"
Steel Treasure plummeted diagonally to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
"Bai Qing!"
White Swan, looking down at the hateful purple figure, was about to launch another attack.
But at that moment, a wave of pain hit it, and White Swan's form became unsteady, causing it to fall to the ground as well.
"What a thrilling clash..." The Announcer took a deep breath, his voice rising with excitement. "White Swan managed to attack Steel Slash Falcon despite the dense barrage of Blade Feather, but it's clearly heavily injured! Both familiars have fallen to the ground! Who will be the first to stand up?"
"White Swan!" Tao Jun called out.
She was helpless; White Swan had lost most of its feathers, and the Spirit Pattern's effect had disappeared. All she could do was shout.
"Steel Treasure, are you okay?" Qiao Sang asked, slightly worried, in his mind.
Outside the arena, the Mechanical Familiar Judge was about to enter the field.
However, in the next second, both familiars struggled to their feet, and it stopped its movement.
Tao Jun was almost in tears with joy.
She hadn't expected White Swan to stand up so quickly after such an attack, showing a resilience she had never seen before!
Was the power of anger so great?
"Bai Qing..."
White Swan wobbled to its feet.
"Steel Slash..."
Steel Treasure struggled to stand, looking at its distant opponent, who was clearly injured but still staring at it intently. Suddenly, it raised its left wing and pointed upwards.
"Bai Qing..."
White Swan instinctively followed the direction it pointed and saw the giant holographic screen displaying the scene to the audience.
It clearly saw its current appearance.
Half of its head was bald, and the feathers on its neck and back were almost gone. The few remaining white feathers were covered in wounds...
Is this... me?
White Swan's mind went blank.
"White Swan! Air Blades!" At that moment, its Beastmaster's voice rang out.
White Swan's expression was dazed as it looked in the direction of its Beastmaster.
Then, its pupils suddenly contracted.
It saw the audience stands behind its Beastmaster.
"Bai Qing..."
So many people...
So many people...
So many people saw my current appearance...
"Bai Qing..."
White Swan's eyes rolled back, and it fainted completely.
Tao Jun: "!!!"
"White Swan has fallen! Is the match over?" the Announcer's voice echoed.
The Mechanical Familiar Referee came to White Swan's side, checked it, and then blew the end-of-match whistle.
"Let's congratulate contestant Qiao Sang on a successful cross-level challenge! He has won the first match!"
(End of Chapter)
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