Chapter 993: The Match Isn't Over
Chapter 993: The Match Isn't Over (Combined)
"Thunder Spirit has escaped control and dodged Holy Sword." In the commentator booth, Tian Yiyi spoke at a rapid pace.
"Lightning is now striking down from the Thunder Domain Arena once again. Steel Sword Falcon just expended a lot of energy to use Holy Sword, so its internal energy must be running low. The match is likely to turn against it from here on out."
Tang Xueran glanced down at the time on her mobile phone and said:
"Only one minute has passed since Thunder Spirit first transformed the arena into a lightning-filled arena with the Thunder Domain Arena. A Perfect Level Thunder Domain Arena strikes lightning every 90 seconds. Given that only one minute has passed, it seems Thunder Spirit's Thunder Domain Arena has broken through to Mastery Level."
The audience stands fell silent for a moment before a wave of noise erupted.
"A Mastery Level Thunder Domain Arena, so the lightning will continue to strike intermittently for half an hour?"
"No wonder Wu Tianjiao chose to let Thunder Spirit go first! It turns out the Thunder Domain Arena has broken through to Mastery!"
"A Mastery Level Thunder Domain Arena, this match is over for Qiao Sang."
"I thought the lightning at the start felt much stronger than before..."
"Even if Thunder Spirit's Thunder Domain Arena hadn't broken through to Mastery, Steel Sword Falcon wouldn't be its match. Thunder Spirit is Wu Tianjiao's second bonded familiar, and it's probably not far from reaching King Level."
"King Level isn't easy to break through. Thunder Spirit not reaching it is normal. Those who can break through to Royal Tier in such a short time need talent, resources, and destiny all at once."
"Sigh, I thought Steel Sword Falcon might win..."
"If Steel Sword Falcon hadn't used Holy Sword, it might have had a chance. But now that Holy Sword is used, and the commentator says it has little energy left, it might only be able to withstand this wave of lightning."
"Xunxun..."
In the family section, Treasure Seeker glared at the guy next to her who didn't believe in her little brother.
"You don't understand anything. Little Brother can evolve."
Ye Xiangting's eyes flashed with worry.
Qiao Sang had been on a winning streak, mostly with 3-0 victories. Her initial pride in her daughter being able to compete had shifted to hoping she would win, and now she believed her daughter could win.
She hadn't felt her daughter so passive in a match in a long time.
...
On the field.
Dark clouds gathered, and lightning danced like wild dragons, striking down relentlessly.
Steel Treasure, glowing with an iron-gray sheen, flapped its wings and moved quickly, dodging the strikes.
The ground was bombarded by the continuous lightning.
The lightning was dense, and Steel Treasure's large body made it difficult to avoid all the strikes, even with its speed. A few bolts of lightning hit Steel Treasure, but its expression didn't change.
Wu Tianjiao, feeling the pressure lift, glanced at the girl in the distance. Seeing no signs of pain or distortion on her face, a hint of confusion flickered in her mind.
At the same time, Qiao Sang said in her mind:
"Can you feel anything?"
"Steel Blade."
Steel Treasure responded in her mind.
No.
There was no sense of bond evolution, and the Holy Sword had been dodged by the thunder spirit. Qiao Sang's heart sank as she sensed the difficulty of the situation ahead.
To be honest, she hadn't expected the thunder spirit to dodge the attack even within the range of Air Absorption.
If only Steel Treasure could use skills like Flame Fang, like Fangy... Qiao Sang quickly realized her thoughts were straying and refocused.
Steel Treasure's bond evolution in this battlefield was just a hypothesis. The predicted location was the Skyborne Beastmaster Arena, and the opponent being a thunder spirit fit the scenario, but that was all.
Battles in the same location were common, after all. The Skyborne Beastmaster Arena wasn't a private venue, and the Hollow Plains had more than one thunder spirit. So, she had prepared for the possibility that Steel Treasure might not bond evolve in this match.
The initial attack was a genuine attempt to succeed.
If the Holy Sword had hit the thunder spirit, the match would have been over.
But the thunder spirit overcame the suffocating sensation, and the Holy Sword attack failed.
Given Steel Treasure's internal energy, it likely couldn't unleash another Holy Sword...
"Steel Blade."
The thought flashed through her mind as Steel Treasure's voice echoed.
The match isn't over yet.
Qiao Sang was taken aback for a moment, then her expression turned serious.
Right, the match isn't over yet.
She had been winning too many one-sided matches, losing sight of such a simple truth.
"Thunderling!"
On the field, the thunder spirit's fur stood on end, forming spikes. Countless thunder needles shot out, rapidly heading towards Steel Treasure.
With lightning constantly striking from the sky, Steel Treasure couldn't stop to counterattack and could only rely on skillful movement and Flash of Lightning to evade.
The countless thunder needles fell like a torrential rain, relentlessly pursuing Steel Treasure.
A white light enveloped Steel Treasure, its speed blurring.
Its body tilted sharply, and all the thunder needles grazed the edge of the white light, which was too fast to follow with the naked eye, and embedded themselves into the ground.
The thunder needles vanished.
The thunder spirit roared, and the lightning in the sky wove into a Thunder Net over twenty meters wide, descending upon Steel Treasure.
Steel Treasure increased its speed.
Then, at that moment, electric arcs appeared beneath the thunder spirit's feet, and it suddenly disappeared from its spot.
"Behind!" Qiao Sang quickly said in her mind.
Steel Treasure sensed the danger and accelerated again.
But the thunder spirit was incredibly fast.
A thick bolt of lightning, several times faster than Steel Treasure's Flash of Lightning, flashed across the ground, keeping pace with it, then shot straight up, striking the white light with pinpoint accuracy.
The white light was thrown back, colliding directly with the Thunder Net.
The lightning on the Thunder Net flickered, and Steel Treasure's silhouette appeared.
"The thunder spirit has collided with the Steel Sword Falcon, which was using Flash of Lightning for high-speed movement! The Thunder Net has successfully enveloped the Steel Sword Falcon!" Tian Yiyi, in the Commentator Booth, exclaimed with passion. "This is truly a battle of speed against speed, and clearly, the thunder spirit has the upper hand!"
Under the Thunder Net, Steel Treasure fell to the ground.
Yellow electric arcs crackled and flickered incessantly.
Qiao Sang felt constant pain and paralysis throughout her body. She tried to ignore these sensations and mentally commanded:
"Slash!"
Steel Treasure raised its wings.
At the same moment, Wu Tianjiao said:
"Gather Thunder."
Since they had successfully restrained Steel Sword Falcon, it was time to end the match.
"Thunderling!"
The Thunder Spirit let out a high-pitched cry. Its fur bristled, forming spikes.
Then, a spike on its head suddenly shot out, transforming into thunder needles that hovered above Steel Treasure.
"The Thunder Spirit is about to use Gather Thunder", Tian Yiyi, the commentator, observed the scene and commented.
Not only him, but everyone was familiar with this move.
Gather Thunder, the Thunder Spirit's signature Combination Technique.
First, it would cast Thunder Domain Arena, then place thunder needles at the opponent's position, gathering all the lightning to strike down, with power comparable to Epic Skills.
For a moment, the audience stands buzzed with both worry and excitement.
"This strike will definitely finish off Steel Sword Falcon."
"Who would have thought Qiao Sang would lose the first match..."
"If she had summoned Yan Jiaou or Ice Emperor Ram in the first match, she wouldn't have lost. But she chose Steel Sword Falcon."
"I don't understand why Qiao Sang sent out Steel Sword Falcon first. Was she trying to let the opponent win a round?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Wu Tianjiao isn't that weak. He doesn't need Qiao Sang to let him win. This is the semi-finals, and it's Qiao Sang's own mistake in the order of familiars she sent out."
"I just checked. A Master-level Thunder Domain Arena can last for half an hour. The match hasn't even reached ten minutes yet. At this battle speed, the Thunder Domain Arena will still be active when Qiao Sang sends out her next two familiars. Wu Tianjiao has a good chance of advancing to the final!"
Amidst the various comments, Steel Treasure's wings slashed downward, creating two intersecting blades of cold light that were over ten meters long, slicing through the Thunder Net.
The thunder needles hovered above.
In the sky, all the lightning suddenly converged and struck down at the position of the thunder needles!
The Thunder Net was shattered, and Steel Treasure flapped its wings, preparing to move.
But at that moment, the thunder needles above suddenly fell, making direct contact with Steel Treasure's head.
"Bang!"
A loud explosion echoed as electric arcs flashed from the thunder needles, striking Steel Treasure.
Qiao Sang felt intense pain and paralysis.
Before she could form any thoughts, all the lightning from the sky struck Steel Treasure!
"Steel Blade!"
Amidst the flashes of lightning, Steel Treasure let out a miserable cry.
Qiao Sang could no longer bear it, taking a step back with a pained expression.
This was more like it. Steel Sword Falcon had been struck so many times without showing any change in expression, almost making her doubt the authenticity of the bond evolution... Wu Tianjiao, feeling quite pleased, looked at the distant girl again.
She retracted her gaze, her expression turning serious as she quickly adjusted her mindset.
The Steel Sword Falcon was just the weakest. The real challenge would be Yan Jiaou and the Ice Emperor Ram.
"The Steel Sword Falcon has been hit by the gathered lightning!" Tian Yiyi remarked from the Commentator Booth.
"Even though the Steel Sword Falcon is known for its strong defense, being hit by a concentrated lightning strike is likely too much for it to handle."
Tang Xueran elaborated:
"The Steel Sword Falcon used its Steel Wing to cut through the Thunder Net, but the thunder needles exploded in time, blocking its movement, allowing the concentrated lightning to strike successfully."
Tian Yiyi added:
"The Thunder Domain Arena and the Thunder Needle Combination's power can rival some attack-type Epic Skills. From the Steel Sword Falcon's scream, it's clear its defenses have been breached. Is this match about to end?"
The lightning in the arena dissipated.
Another minute passed.
Everyone watched intently as the shadow that had just been struck by lightning lay on the ground.
"Xunxun..."
The Treasure Seeker watched the field, her expression tense.
Even though she knew her little brother was evolving in this match, she couldn't help but feel nervous.
On the field, Steel Treasure lay on the ground, its body charred black.
Steel Treasure, Steel Treasure... Qiao Sang had regained control of her facial expressions and called out in her mind.
Steel Treasure's wings twitched.
The Mechanical Referee, who was about to use teleportation, paused at this sight.
With great effort, Steel Treasure's wings pushed it up, and it slowly stood.
The crowd gasped in surprise.
Wu Tianjiao had participated in various large matches and events, and in Hollow Plains, she was a well-known Beastmaster. They were familiar with her strength and her familiar, but this was the first time they had seen a familiar of the same rank stand up after being hit by a thunder spirit's concentrated lightning.
"The Steel Sword Falcon actually stood up after being hit by concentrated lightning!" Tian Yiyi was clearly surprised, her face full of astonishment.
Tang Xueran reflected:
"The Steel Sword Falcon's defense is indeed strong."
She paused and added:
"But it must be reaching its limit."
"Needles." Wu Tianjiao, seeing the Steel Sword Falcon stand, immediately prepared her finishing move.
"Thunderling!"
The thunder spirit's fur stood on end, like spikes.
Then, countless thunder needles shot out, heading straight for Steel Treasure.
If Steel Treasure were to defend, the opponent would continue attacking, and it would only keep taking damage passively. It might be better to take a risk... Qiao Sang thought.
At that moment, she temporarily forgot about the bond evolution, focusing only on successfully attacking the thunder spirit and not letting Steel Treasure fall for nothing.
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Steel Treasure's wings spread, and all its feathers glowed with a purple light, like countless Purple Blades rushing toward the thunder spirit!
Use Frightening Face! Qiao Sang remembered a move that Steel Treasure rarely used.
Frightening Face, a mid-tier skill, involves using a terrifying expression to stare at the target, making it afraid and significantly reducing its speed.
"Steel Blade!"
Steel Treasure looked at the thunder spirit, his entire eye socket filled with purple energy. His gaze was cold and emotionless, yet it was terrifying to behold.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Thunder needles continuously struck Steel Treasure, but he kept his eyes fixed on the thunder spirit, his expression unchanged.
"Thunderling..."
The thunder spirit felt his scalp tingle, sensing immense pressure, as if he were being watched by something truly terrifying.
In that instant, a barrage of purple blades hit the thunder spirit all at once.
"Thunderling!"
The thunder spirit let out a painful scream.
"The thunder needles hit Steel Sword Falcon!" Tian Yiyi said from the commentator booth. "But Steel Sword Falcon, in conjunction with Frightening Face, managed to hit the thunder spirit with Blade Feather!"
As she spoke, Steel Treasure's body wobbled, and he fell to the ground, dust rising around him.
Wu Tianjiao, who had just shown a slight change in expression, quickly regained his composure and glanced at the fallen Steel Sword Falcon with a hint of admiration.
To be able to hold out and even counterattack until now, this Steel Sword Falcon indeed had formidable defensive strength.
And Qiao Sang, to think she still had Frightening Face up her sleeve, catching the thunder spirit off guard.
Fortunately, the match was over.
"Thunderling..."
The thunder spirit panted heavily, standing there with numerous injuries.
After a brief moment of silence, the crowd erupted in noise.
Everyone thought the match was over.
"Steel Treasure", Qiao Sang called out in her mind.
"Steel Blade..."
Two seconds later, Steel Treasure responded weakly.
He couldn't go on...
"Do you feel any bond evolution?" Qiao Sang asked again.
"Steel Blade..."
Steel Treasure answered feebly.
No.
"Even if there's no bond evolution, it's fine. Can you try to retract your feathers before collapsing? I can't retrieve these feathers with the Beastmaster Codex..." Qiao Sang said in her mind.
After a pause, she added, "This time, you didn't leave a single feather behind."
Steel Treasure: "..."
"Steel Blade..."
But I can't get up.
"Can you try using Bond Strength...?" Qiao Sang suggested. "You still have consciousness, so you might be able to try. They say Bond Strength can unlock a familiar's latent energy."
"Steel Blade..."
Steel Treasure responded.
You still want me to try bond evolution.
"Don't you want to try?" Qiao Sang asked.
"Steel Blade..."
Steel Treasure was very weak.
I want to, but I really can't.
"But the match isn't over yet", Qiao Sang said firmly in her mind. "You told me the referee hasn't announced the result yet, so we still have a chance."
Steel Treasure paused, recalling what he had said during the battle.
"Steel Blade..."
Steel Treasure called out in his mind.
I'll try, but don't get your hopes up.
"No, the match isn't over. I have to have hope", Qiao Sang said.
Steel Treasure didn't respond.
On the match field.
The mechanical-type familiar referee looked at the fallen Steel Treasure for a moment and then raised its claw, holding the green flag, in the direction of Wu Tianjiao.
At the same time, a blinding white light shone from Steel Treasure's body.
(End of Chapter)
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