The matches among the top thirty-two academies carried imnse danger, yet for Han Wu they posed little difficulty. Word of his team confronting the Holy Blue Academy’s accusations directly and the subsequent public apology had already spread throughout the arena, lending his team an air of authority.
Even the Holy Blue Academy, last year’s fourth-place finisher, had fallen in defeat. It only seed natural, then, that other academies would lose to Han Wu’s team as well. Match after match, day after day, they advanced without faltering. Each win granted them a flood of Assists, and their strength grew at a rapid pace.
ng Qi advanced twice, reaching the rank of Interdiate Elite, and gained two new Skills—Bronze Skin and Iron Bones. While neither rivaled the might of Dragon Armor, together they fortified both his defense and offense, sharpening his role on the battlefield.
Leng Ning’s brilliance outshone even ng Qi’s. She amassed more Assists, which elevated her to Superior Elite, and unlocked a rare domain-type Skill: Eight Path Frost Domain. It covered an area of 100 square ters and released a ceaseless wave of frigid air. Any foe who lingered within its reach for too long would inevitably be frozen solid.
Her new Skill sent her combat prowess soaring. The Eight Path Frost Domain was especially devastating in the confined arena. Her opponents had no choice but to defeat her team quickly or risk being frozen solid, yet none had managed to withstand her icy domain since she obtained it.
As for Han Wu, he hadn’t advanced even once. His Skills demanded an enormous number of Assist Points, a cost that reflected their overwhelming strength. Even so, he remained the unquestioned powerhouse of the trio.
After nurous matches, the competition had finally reached its climax. The semifinals were about to begin. Of the four academies that remained, only Holy Blue was relatively unknown. The other three were legendary institutions with long histories and great reputations: Violet Demon, the reigning champion from the last tournant; Golden Lightning, the previous runner-up; and Aquamarine Wave, which had claid third place.
The semifinal pairings would be determined by drawing lots. As the contestants gathered, the representatives of the three great academies fixed their eyes on Han Wu’s team. They had already gathered intel on their Skills and had prepared ticulous counterasures. Each was confident of victory the mont they faced them.
For Golden Lightning and Aquamarine Wave, defeating Azure Sea and claiming at least second place was an irresistible prospect. Even Violet Demon welcod the chance to face Han Wu’s team, seeing it as an opportunity for an effortless win while conserving their trump cards and energy for the next round.
Still, the lots would decide everything. Four lots lay in the box. Any teams that drew the sa number would face each other, with the winners advancing to the finals. The losing sides would then fight again to determine third and fourth place.
When the mont ca, Han Wu sent ng Qi to draw for their team. He reached in carelessly, pulled out a lot, and his expression imdiately sank. Their opponent would be Violet Demon.
The Violet Demon representatives burst into applause, grinning as though victory was already in hand.
ng Qi let out a heavy sigh. “Sorry, this is on . My luck’s the worst. Now we’re stuck against the strongest academy.”
Leng Ning gave him a rare word of comfort. “It doesn’t matter. No matter who we drew, we’d still have to face soone stronger sooner or later.”
Han Wu nodded in agreent. “We’d have to fight them eventually.”
ng Qi felt a wave of relief.
Their match was about to start—they were scheduled for the first bout. Bai warned them to stay sharp, and the three made their way to the arena.
At the sa ti, the Violet Demon representatives entered. Their team also consisted of one girl and two boys, mirroring Han Wu’s lineup. Once they were in position, they introduced themselves.
“Hello,” said the girl, her voice confident and asured. “I am Su i, leader of the Violet Demon Academy’s team. These are my teammates, Ding Shanhai and Xue Qian.”
Su i was striking, with curves in all the right places. Her looks and strength made her the undisputed diva of her academy. Ding Shanhai was massive and muscular, either a barbarian who dealt devastating damage or a tank capable of withstanding heavy attacks. Xue Qian was short and petite, yet radiated a dangerous aura and seed attuned to darkness. He was likely their assassin.
“I am Han Wu,” he said, gesturing to his teammates. “This is ng Qi, and she is Leng Ning.”
ng Qi’s eyes widened as he looked at Su i. He ca from a wealthy family, but he had never seen a girl like her before. His heart skipped a beat at the sight. “About that... I’m single too, and looking for a girlfriend.”
Han Wu stared at him in disbelief. Really? We’re in an arena. This isn’t the ti to flirt. You can try after you win. Are you trying to provoke them even more?
As expected, Ding Shanhai and Xue Qian’s glares sharpened instantly.
anwhile, Su i chuckled. “I am single as well. We can talk more when we have free ti.”
“Really? My room number is 1308—” ng Qi barely got the words out before Leng Ning, clearly irritated, punched him squarely in the face.
“What are you doing?” he grumbled, blood streaming from his nose. Bronze Skin, Iron Bones, and the Imperial Yellow Jacket could boost his defenses, but he hadn’t had ti to activate them.
Leng Ning huffed. “Keep spouting nonsense, and I’ll strip you naked and freeze you so everyone can stare at you forever.”
ng Qi went silent. He knew his childhood friend too well to doubt her seriousness.
Han Wu exhaled and shook his head. “Stop wasting ti. Let’s start the match. The audience is already waiting.”
He cast a wary glance at ng Qi, secretly hoping he wouldn’t get beaten up further.
The announcer confird they were ready and signaled the start of the match. Instantly, all six competitors sprang into motion, and the arena crackled with tension.
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