https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-830-Defensive-Strength-is-Also-Strong/13455692/
Chapter 829: Whispering
Chapter 829: Whispering (Combined)
A lucky audience member in the back row was splattered in the face with a wig.
A powerful whirlwind raged across the stage.
Suddenly, it swept upward toward the audience stands.
All the audience members' hair flew wildly, and their eyes squinted into slits.
It's worth noting, however, that although the whirlwind was strong, it only slightly affected the audience stands and did not actually sweep the audience away.
Some audience members, unwilling to miss the performance, struggled to open their eyes and looked up at the swirling vortex.
Others reacted quickly, pulling out their sunglasses and putting them on.
Above the hall, the whirlwind spun wildly yet controlled.
After nearly sweeping through every corner, the whirlwind returned to the stage and began to spin like a top, visibly growing larger.
Just as the edges of the wind filled the entire stage, the whirlwind suddenly burst apart.
At that moment, an even stronger gale instantly swept through the audience stands, blowing everyone's hair backward. Many audience members' hairlines reached the back of their heads, and their faces jiggled with the force.
In row 24 of the third tier, a blonde, blue-eyed beauty threw herself into the arms of the man sitting next to her.
From her intimate gesture, it was clear they were a couple.
The man held the blonde woman tightly with his strong arms.
Feeling safe, the blonde woman lifted her head, her face soft with affection, and was about to say something to deepen their bond.
But just as she looked up, she saw a bald head and a face that was unrecognizable and trembling. Her expression changed, and she swallowed her words.
At that moment, the gale stopped.
The blonde woman quickly left the man's embrace, sat up straight, and looked at the stage.
Purple wings, exuding a cold aura, fluttered gracefully in the residual wind. A silver-white, stylish helmet shone coldly under the lights, and an unfamiliar purple bird familiar appeared, giving off a sense of coldness and immense power.
Behind it, a delicate black-haired girl with a smile slowly stepped out, waving her arm.
The audience, their faces stiff from the wind, struggled to make any other expressions.
The performance was undoubtedly impressive, but the torment they had just endured made it impossible for them to clap.
Without applause or cheers, the scene became eerily quiet.
No one was laughing or clapping; performances usually didn't end like this... Qiao Sang, who had just completed her performance with Steel Treasure, felt a sudden unease as she saw the scene in the audience stands.
Suddenly, she noticed a bald audience member gratefully putting on a wig, and she instantly understood what had happened, her heart sinking.
"Please, judges, provide your comments on the performance of contestant number 78, Qiao Sang", the host said, stepping onto the stage to proceed with the formalities.
Steel Treasure stood motionless.
Qiao Sang could keenly sense its nervousness.
In the judges' panel:
The judge wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who had a somewhat scholarly but unscrupulous air, spoke first:
"This Steel Slash Giant Falcon has been raised very well. From its shiny feathers, it's clear that it has been well-groomed. Its eyes are bright and clear, and its pupils contract strongly. Although there is only one Steel Slash Giant Falcon in Supernest, and we don't have detailed reference data, most bird familiars that exhibit bright eyes are generally in good health."
The mention of Supernest's only Steel Slash Giant Falcon caused a stir in the audience, like a pot boiling over.
The audience looked at the purple-winged familiar on stage with disbelief.
Many people took out their Familiar Identifiers and aimed them at Steel Treasure.
"However", the judge with the gold-rimmed glasses continued, "the Steel Slash Giant Falcon slightly opened its mouth to breathe at the end of the performance, indicating a bit of nervousness."
"If I'm not mistaken, the main theme of this performance was to showcase the Steel Slash Giant Falcon's power. A powerful familiar should not show any signs of nervousness, which slightly contradicts the intended message."
"Overall, it was a good performance."
The judge, wearing golden-rimmed glasses, tapped a few times on the holographic screen on the table.
Instantly, another holographic screen materialized in front of him.
It displayed [8.9] points.
The first stage was out of 30 points, with each judge able to award a maximum of 10 points. An 8.9 seemed pretty good... Qiao Sang looked at the score on the holographic screen, then recalled the scores she had seen backstage, subconsciously comparing them.
Another judge, draped in a red cloak with long brown hair reaching her waist, spoke up:
"I felt the power and the intricate control of the Steel Slash Giant Falcon, but it seems you didn't consider the audience's sensory experience."
"The performance is mainly about visual effects, making the audience feel the charm of the familiar. However, your Steel Slash Giant Falcon focused too much on showcasing its own power, which made it hard for the audience to look directly."
"You might have forgotten that this Coordination Competition is indoors."
"If the match arena were outdoors, I would have given you a higher score."
With that, she awarded [7.8] points.
Seeing this number, Qiao Sang's heart sank again.
The last judge, who looked the oldest with her hair in a bun and an elegant demeanor, smiled and said:
"This performance was very impressive. The control of the Steel Slash Giant Falcon definitely met the high standard, but the wind's power was too strong, even the aftereffects made everyone feel its intensity."
"This also indirectly reflects the strength of the Steel Slash Giant Falcon."
"The whirlwind reached the audience stands but was very well controlled, not pulling any of the spectators into it."
Hearing this, a man with thick black hair in the audience stands looked aggrieved, wanting to say something but held back.
At that moment, a nearby spectator kindly whispered:
"It's still a bit crooked."
The man quickly adjusted the position of his hair.
The judge with the bun continued:
"The most impressive part was that the whirlwind didn't start out so large, but by the end, it almost filled the entire stage. Whether it was controlling the whirlwind to grow larger or the Steel Slash Giant Falcon, which originally appeared in a smaller form, maintaining energy balance while pressing the Miniaturization Band, is very difficult to achieve."
"Especially the latter, as the familiar's size increases, the power of its skills grows as well, making it impossible to maintain the previous level of control. Adjustments are necessary."
"The Steel Slash Giant Falcon's final appearance in the storm was truly stunning."
"In short, this was a very memorable performance."
Soon, the final score was displayed:
[9.5]
Seeing this score, Qiao Sang silently breathed a sigh of relief.
"Contestant number 78, Qiao Sang, has scored a total of 26.2 points. That's a great score, and we look forward to seeing her in the next match!"
With the host's enthusiastic words, Qiao Sang returned backstage with her now miniaturized Steel Treasure.
On the way to the contestant resting area, Steel Treasure was unusually quiet.
Qiao Sang noticed Steel Treasure's low spirits and tried to comfort it:
"Don't worry, I did some quick calculations. The average score of the previous contestants was around 24, so we should make it to the next round."
"Steel Slash."
Steel Treasure suddenly stopped, looked up at its Beastmaster, and called out.
However, making it to the next round wasn't the reason it had joined the match.
It felt it had messed up this match.
"How could you have messed it up?" Qiao Sang stopped walking and looked at Steel Treasure, speaking earnestly: "You did a great job in this match. The whirlwind was perfectly executed, and didn't you hear the judges praising you?"
She paused, then sighed and continued, "If there was any issue, it was with me. I didn't consider the impact of the whirlwind on the audience."
"Steel Slash."
After hearing this, Steel Treasure took a step forward, extended its wings, and patted Qiao Sang's leg, calling out again.
It's not your fault. This is your first time participating in a match.
Qiao Sang: "……"
Hey, I was trying to comfort you, but now you're comforting me instead... Qiao Sang inwardly complained as she bent down to pick up Steel Treasure. "Don't think about it anymore. Let's go back."
"Steel Slash..."
The moment Steel Treasure was picked up by its Beastmaster, its body tensed, instantly forgetting about the match.
Honestly, it was the first time being held, and it felt quite unusual...
Steel Treasure, understanding its own hard body, tried to relax and make itself a bit softer.
Qiao Sang returned to the contestants' lounge.
Almost all the contestants turned their gazes towards her, repeatedly examining her, and their eyes ultimately landed on Steel Treasure.
A Steel Slash Giant Falcon, the only one in Supernest, such a rare creature...
They actually saw the only one of its kind in the world?
Qiao Sang sat down in her original spot.
Steel Treasure flapped its wings and landed on the ground.
"Ya Ya!"
Fangy excitedly called out, indicating that the match was very exciting.
"Xunxun!"
Treasure Seeker showed an eager expression, already looking forward to its turn.
It couldn't wait to get on the stage!
Lulu didn't say anything, just peeking out of the backpack, looking over.
"Steel Slash."
Steel Treasure looked at Treasure Seeker, calmly calling out to indicate that they should wait for the results; it wasn't certain they would advance to the next round.
"Xunxun..."
Treasure Seeker noticed Steel Treasure's low spirits and looked puzzled.
Fourth One performed so well, so why did it seem unhappy...
The girl who had spoken to Qiao Sang earlier finally couldn't hold back and cautiously asked:
"I didn't expect you to be so famous, and to have participated in the Beastmaster Star Tournament."
When the judge mentioned "the only Steel Slash Giant Falcon in Supernest", she went online and searched for "Steel Slash Giant Falcon."
Along with that, she found "Qiao Sang", "Beastmaster Star Tournament", "Bond Evolution", and other related terms.
After a quick browse, she realized that the person she had been chatting with was an incredibly powerful individual.
"Aren't you a Professional Beastmaster? Why are you participating in a Coordination Competition?" the girl asked curiously.
"My familiars want to participate", Qiao Sang said honestly.
The girl's expression became complicated.
How often did familiars want to participate, and their Beastmaster would cross over to join?
People from Blue Star were truly strange, not afraid of wasting time... but perhaps only such a person could make a familiar like Steel Sparrow continuously undergo Bond Evolution... The girl couldn't help but look at the quiet Steel Treasure.
"Ya Ya?"
Fangy, usually quite carefree, also noticed Steel Treasure's low mood and called out, asking what was wrong.
"Steel Slash."
Steel Treasure shook its head, not wanting to say more.
"Xunxun~"
Treasure Seeker took off its ring, pulled out a bottle of milk, and handed it over.
"Steel Slash."
Steel Treasure was taken aback for a moment but extended its wings to take the bottle.
Qiao Sang sighed inwardly.
She somewhat understood Steel Treasure's current state of mind.
Steel Treasure's purpose in participating was to show the charm of its species, hoping that its kind would have a better future.
However, after the match, the audience didn't cheer or clap, and the judges' comments were mixed. Many performances by other familiars scored higher than it, which didn't align with its expectations.
It felt like it had failed.
"Steel Slash?"
Suddenly, Steel Treasure looked at Treasure Seeker and called out, asking if it could continue to participate in the next round if they proceeded.
"Xunxun..."
Treasure Seeker was taken aback for a moment, then extended its claws and silently took back the unopened milk.
Steel Treasure: "..."
Qiao Sang watched this scene and thought that Treasure Seeker had put in a lot of effort to participate in the Coordination Competition. Asking it to give up the next match seemed unlikely.
"Steel Slash."
After a moment's thought, Steel Treasure extended its claws and patted Treasure Seeker's shoulder, signaling it to follow. It had something to say.
Then, it walked toward a corner.
"Xunxun..."
Unable to resist the temptation of a private conversation, Treasure Seeker followed.
At this moment, Qiao Sang heard Steel Treasure's voice in her mind:
"Steel Slash."
Help me distract Fangy for a bit.
Qiao Sang raised her hand and pointed at the holographic screen. "Look, this familiar seems to be quite powerful."
"Ya Ya!"
Fangy was instantly drawn to the screen.
On the other side, Steel Treasure, seeing that Fangy's attention was on the holographic screen, lowered its voice and called out to Treasure Seeker with a serious expression.
"Steel Slash."
If you let Fourth One participate in the second round, I'll recognize you as the Leader.
"Xunxun?!"
Treasure Seeker's spirits lifted, and its eyes widened.
Really?!
"Steel Slash."
Steel Treasure nodded.
"Xunxun..."
Treasure Seeker's face showed a struggle.
Fourth One isn't like the other Little Brothers outside. Once we return to Blue Star, those Little Brothers will be gone, but Fourth One will always be around.
And this is Fourth One.
If it recognizes me as the Leader, maybe I can compete with Fangy...
"Xunxun!"
Thinking this, Treasure Seeker nodded vigorously.
Deal!
"Steel Slash."
Steel Treasure smiled.
Qiao Sang, who had overheard the entire conversation, couldn't help but chuckle.
She hadn't expected Treasure Seeker to give up its match so easily.
It seemed that becoming the Leader was more important to it...
"Xunxun~"
After the conversation, Treasure Seeker eagerly floated over to Qiao Sang and called out, indicating that it had made its decision and wanted Fourth One to participate in the next match.
Qiao Sang asked knowingly, "Why?"
"Xunxun~"
Treasure Seeker wore a doting expression.
Because it's the...
At this point, Treasure Seeker sneaked a glance at Fangy and changed its words.
Because it's Fourth One~
Qiao Sang suppressed her urge to laugh and said, "Alright, since you've decided that, Fourth One will participate in the next match."
"Steel Slash."
...
Time passed slowly.
Qiao Sang sat in the rest area, went to a nearby restaurant for lunch, and then returned to watch the matches.
By 5:19 PM, all the performance displays had ended.
"Next, let's see the list of participants who have advanced to the next round!"
As the host spoke, a series of names and photos appeared on the Giant Virtual Screen.
Qiao Sang scanned the list, trying to find her name.
Soon, she spotted it in the middle.
【23:78, Qiao Sang】
(End of Chapter)
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